VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Battery Disconnect/Cutoff Switch

I need a battery disconnect. I found 3 on ebay. This first one is $10 and has a key:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/230934220338?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
The 2nd one is about half the price, also comes w/ a key:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221206843371?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Last, and least in price ($4), w/o key, is:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330866889108?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
This last one I saw in a post several years ago, where it was called a green turndown dial. Most posters had favorable experience with it.
Will that green turndown do the job? If the keys are a theft deterrent, that isn't important to me.

i'm using the green turn down knob on 2 old cars, and both work fine. The key item is on another car, and it also does well.
Sid

The ones with the green knob you turn down to connect are not rated for 6 volt.

Hey, Sid, are your cars 6-volt? donsbigtrucks posted that the green turndown is not 6-volt.
Kyle

The green turn down doesn't care if it's 6 or 12 volt.

You may want to see how many amps it can handle.

I'm using one green knob switch on a 12 volt system and one on a 6 volt, and both work fine.
Sid

Take a look at this,


http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103297

I have emailed the ebay seller; still awaiting a reply. I think I'll keep looking. The 6/12 volt issue aside, the green turndown knob type is running about 50-50 on the popularity scale. Thanks for all the comments. Kyle

With all said I will be removing mine

Cole-Hersey makes lots of good battery kill switches. We use them on all the school buses where I work with no lose of battery power. Thet're not cheap but neither are our cars. They are "M" numbers in the catalog..btw...Joe

This is what I put on mine. Works great. Have to reach under the floor mat to work it.

Me too.

I still don't exactly understand the purpose of the battery disconnect...If someones trying to steal your "trailer queen" you might chain it to the nearest shopping cart...Or leave the "little lady" in it...That'd scare'm off...Myself I've never had any problems...Just don't leave it un-locked over night in Tijuana...Or East Los Angles...SA lol

Hey, Russell...Where's the defroster...? I thought I swore I'd seen one in there during your restoration...? Kevin

The cut off switch is to prevent a short in the wiring that may start a fire.

I have a neighbor, with a modern car, that was visited by the squirrels, eat all the insulation from several wires and caused a short. Fortunately, it was a circuit that was fused.

Those are the 2 defoster bolts right there on the fire wall,correct? Russell could we have a few more pics of motor and engine bay...Please

Kevin, in my case, Ray "nailed it". I did the electrical and the car sits "in the house", why take chances? Oh by the way, don't own a trailer.

Also, Bruce is right about the "bolts".

Bruce, I will put a couple pics up in "48", as not to take Glovebox a stray.

I didn't used to. I bought one to go on tours with. Two reasons. One, folks weren't 6'4" & 300 lbs in '38. After about 45 minutes behind the wheel I'm ready to get out. Two, if something does break 500 miles from home I can't just go to a parts store and expect them to have what I need on the shelf.

Ah, heck...I don't know why I didn't notice the hoses and two bolts the in the your pictures...All I can say is it's just so "clean", it just didn't "stand out"...Good work...

Squirrels...?...'bout the last thing I'd worry about is squirrels...Girls, now that might be a problem...

I agree with Ray on this,the battery cut-off is essential to prevent a fire.A friend lost an original 54 Bel-air sport coupe to a wiring fire. It was an HPOCF level car and it was used for parts to assist in the resotration of its replacement.....very sad.


Dave

I would imagine so...If your so concerned about an electrical fire that your losing sleep over it...By all means add an electrical cut off...Me, I drive around with a fire extigusher in the back seat and call it a day...I just think "popping the hood" each time you want to take a ride is an awful lot of work...And this is coming from a guy that has a rubber glove wrapped around a headlight wire to keep the horn from blowing each time I turn on the headlights...

Kevin,

I almost lost the 41 coupe because I couldn't get either of the dang battery cables off the terminal.

I had replaced the speedometer cable and when at dusk, after a few days later, I switched on the lights I soon started smelling smoke and had a fire under the dash. Messing with the cable caused it to get/rub a short on a hot wire when the lights were on.

I, too, had a fire extinguisher but I would rather isolate the short causing the problem, if I can, and then put out the fire.

I think a cutoff switch and a fire extinguisher are both good things to have.

Charlie

I agree Charlie, ...But, by the time you smell smoke it's pretty to late for a cut-off switch to do you ANY good, even have the chance to get the hood open...The heat will prevent you from cutting off the battery...The fire extingusher is your only hope...I see a battery cut-off as a theift protection and unattended ( night-time ) fire prevention...Not only that it's a pain in the neck...

It didn't come that way, did it...? Unless your worried 'bout your "trailer queen" unexpectedly catching fire, I don't "get it"...

The only vehicle fire I have had was because a 12 volt battery caught fire, dripped burning plastic case onto some wood and burned and smoldered in the shop until discovered. The battery cables were on but the circuit was open. Cutoff switch would not have done anything to prevent the fire.

If I leave a vehicle for an extended time I remove the positive cable. Helps to maintain the battery voltage and minimize problems. Almost as easy as using a cutoff switch and much more sure!