Battery Shutoff Switch

[Stan]

Where is the best place to install a battery shutoff switch? It would be nice to have it readily accessible without lifting the hood all the time. Anybody use something other than this switch(besides battery disconnect) that works well? Looking for ideas....

[Maclab58]

I have a 28 sport coupe that has a metal seat riser. I put mine in the front of the seat riser you cant see it! I ran the cabled thru the floor and put rubber grommets in the holes to prevent chafing.PCV valve grommets work great. i wasnt going to put one in until a short caused smoke to come blowing out of the instrument panel! i changed my mind quickly. I do agree that those mounted under the hood look terrible. You cant see mine!

[Tom Endy]

I have seen some installed through the floor board on the driver's side to disconnect the ground side of the battery. A word of caution, there are some poor repos on the market that are known to fail. The result is that the battery is then disconnected from the circuit and the generator can run wild and burn itself up.

I have also seen people use a couple of battery cables to make the connection that were not suited for a 6-volt system and it also increased the length of the grounding. The result is you will not get full power out of the battery when starting the car.

Tom Endy

[MikeK]

Here's my way:

No holes in metal. Just the floorboard. (extra cable is for my cell & gps) I can easily reach it standing at the door, or while seated. It's just under my left leg. I leave that corner of the carpet unsnapped.

This may start a row AGAIN, but the safe place to put it is in the ground lead, not the "hot". Be advised, a cutoff will not turn off a running engine, it only disconnects the battery. The engine will continue to run off the generator.

[CWPASADENA]

Just a suggestion. Install the switch in the Ground Cable. This adds another layer of protection. If the ground cable between the switch and the battery chafes thru to the chassis, nothing happens except you loose the protection of having a shut off switch.

If you have the shut off switch in the "Hot" cable, and the cable between the switch and the battery chafes thru to the chassis, you have a dead short and the shut off switch will not isolate it.

Again, Just a suggestion,

Chris

[CWPASADENA]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by MikeK

This may start a row AGAIN, but the safe place to put it is in the ground lead, not the "hot". Be advised, a cutoff will not turn off a running engine, it only disconnects the battery. The engine will continue to run off the generator.

I totral agree.

I need to put a cut off in my Tudor which I am trying to get finished. I did not think about installing it how you suggested. Very neat.

I also did not mean to step on your post. I was putting my reply together while you were posting yours. I am just a bit slow with the typing.

Chris

[Bob/AZ]

Mike, I like that idea and plan to do it. Could you explain the "plastic plate" part of the instructions and also why (or how) the second lead goes to the battery ground side AND the tranny cover bolt? Thanks. Bob

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Bob/AZ

Mike, I like that idea and plan to do it. Could you explain the "plastic plate" part of the instructions and also why (or how) the second lead goes to the battery ground side AND the tranny cover bolt? Thanks. Bob

Bob, The plastic plate is basically a 3" x 4" x 1/4 thick washer between the switch and the underside of the cross-member. It can't twist because of it's shape in the cross-member, and it has three spot-drill marks about 1/2 dia. x 1/8 deep that match the three bumps on the top of the switch body. That locks the switch from twisting. Use polycarbonate/Lexan, not acrylic/Plexiglas. Acrylic will crack. Topside there is a 1/16 thick homemade rubber washer against the cross-member, a 1/8 thick huge fender washer, and the brass shaft nut which is fairly tight an loctited. Suggestion: when you make the finger hole for the switch lever, figure where your fingers will go and offset it in that direction. You may want to try the hole location on a piece of cardboard before blasting a hole in the wood.

One switch lead goes directly to the battery ground terminal, the other switch lead to the existing ground strap hole in the cross-member that formerly went directly to the battery, but on the inside. Clean BOTH sides of the hole to bare shiny metal, attach another cable to the outside of the same hole (the battery side) and secure through both with a SS bolt, split lock, and nut. The cable on the battery side of the hole goes to a tranny bolt, being careful to clear linkages, etc. Secure as necessary. It will work without that extra ground lead from the cross-member to the tranny, but with it the starter sure spins fast! It's the ground connection Henry made through the engine pans, a connection that is not necessarily reliable for 200 amps if you have repainted everything. Apply dielectric grease or your favorite anti-corrosion snake oil to all connections.

[Jack '29 Sport Coupe]

I prefer mine on the floor right above the clutch. That way I can flip the switch with my toe.

Jack

[Bob/AZ]

Got it. Thanks Mike.

[5window]

Mine is certainly not for a show car. Inboard of my frame rail. I have a steel plate with a shut-off/disconnect switch and two remote battery posts mounted. It is not visible without really looking under the car, but I could jump start the car without trying to access the battery-which in my car is underneath. I also have a small plastic box mounted to the underside of a running board which houses the connected for the remote trickle charger I keep the car on when I am not able to drive it often. Works well for me.

[1931 flamingo]

Mine is mounted under the drivers seat thru the wood floor, 2 dr sedan, can't see it.
Paul in CT

[Dennis L Oberer]

I mounted mine off the starter with the bracket that the A vendors sell...and yes I have to open the hood to turn it on and turn it off.

That gives me a chance to look over the area for anything that looks out of place and to give the engine a once over.

I do not drive the car every day so this MAKES me check out the engine area before and after each trip/ride/etc.

I dont like cutting un necessary holes in any of the car so this way I didnt have to.


Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

[HoarseWhisperer]

Ditto! For the exact same reasons.

[billwill]

Originally Posted by Maclab58

I have a 28 sport coupe that has a metal seat riser. I put mine in the front of the seat riser you cant see it! I ran the cabled thru the floor and put rubber grommets in the holes to prevent chafing.PCV valve grommets work great. i wasnt going to put one in until a short caused smoke to come blowing out of the instrument panel! i changed my mind quickly. I do agree that those mounted under the hood look terrible. You cant see mine!

Under hood could be to late.

[billwill]

Originally Posted by Maclab58

I have a 28 sport coupe that has a metal seat riser. I put mine in the front of the seat riser you cant see it! I ran the cabled thru the floor and put rubber grommets in the holes to prevent chafing.PCV valve grommets work great. i wasnt going to put one in until a short caused smoke to come blowing out of the instrument panel! i changed my mind quickly. I do agree that those mounted under the hood look terrible. You cant see mine!

I like the knife type break no break.

[Louis]

Mine is a long way from being a show car, but i put mine next to the starter, i put the sw. in from the bottem up thru. the hole in the frame, i made a small plate aprox. 3/4 by 2 1/2 and drilled one hole to go on top of the sw. to hold it in place. i used the same cables, just moved them around a bit. it was cheap and easy.
you still have to open the hood to turn it on or off, takes about 10 sec's.

[Art Bjornestad]

I installed my metal cut off switch on the seat riser directly in line with the shifter and interrupted the ground cable.

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by Dennis L Oberer

I mounted mine off the starter with the bracket that the A vendors sell...and yes I have to open the hood to turn it on and turn it off.

That gives me a chance to look over the area for anything that looks out of place and to give the engine a once over.

I do not drive the car every day so this MAKES me check out the engine area before and after each trip/ride/etc.

I dont like cutting un necessary holes in any of the car so this way I didnt have to.


Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

I did the same as Dennis and agree with his points. Gives you the chance to check over the engine- fan belt, oil, water, etc...

[30Tudor]

I liked MikeK's idea for locating the battery disconnect switch so much I thought I would try it on my '30 Tudor. I added an on/off lever to make the switching proceedure more accessible in addition to having a smaller hole in the floorboard .

Thanks Mike K

Mike H