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Ontario Rodding Community -> Rod-Tech-Talk -> Battery Disconnect
Post Info TOPIC: Battery Disconnect
Beans


Courtice On Rod-Side Member Pin Striper

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Battery Disconnect
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I'm trying to learn something - I see lots of differing opinions when I read about the topic. I'm sure many here will also have different opinions as well.

Battery disconnects and if the switch should be on the ground side or opposide ground side (I'm not using positive negative because I have one vehicle that's positive ground and one that's negative ground).

It seems like when people on other forums are debating the topic they are arguing from two different standpoints but no one calls it out.

1) Racing - I believe race cars require the disconnect to be on the 'opposite ground' side to quickly kill power in the event something goes wrong while operating the car?

2) Storage - I believe most put it on the ground side to just disconnect the battery when not in use - so they don't have to unbolt the posts, protection against rodents chewing wires, theft deterent etc. Intended to be used when the vehicle is not in use.

 

What do you guys think? Ground side or Opposite Ground side for a disconnect, does it matter what your using it for? (obviously racing it matters because there's track rules)






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henrystoys


Carleton Place On Rod-Side Member

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In my opinion it doesn't matter what terminal you disconnect as it isolates the battery.

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parklane


St.Thomas On Rod-side member

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Been told to put disconnect on the hot side of the battery, and as close to battery as possible, cuz it protects everything down the line from disconnect. If you put it on the ground cable, everything is hot to that point: ie:if a gauge, light, switch etc. shorts out, you have a fire, or melted wire. JMHO

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40bowtie


Colborne On Rod-side Member

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www.youtube.com/watch

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jarvis1


Vancouver Island Formerly Hamilton Ont

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I have one on the '94 Caprice wagon. It is on the hot side at the battery.
It has a little thumb wheel bolt that you screw out to disconnect the power.
But it also has a small wire with a fuse (I think) that allows the clock to run.


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Ziggy


Trenton On Member

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The Freightliner I drive has a disconnect. The batteries are mounted behind the steps below the drivers door. When I open the door, the disconnect switch is mounted in the floor right there beside the seat. The Volvo trucks we have have the same set up except that the switch is mounted below the floor. They are hooked to the positive side(hot side). Very handy to have. I use my disconnect all the time. Between the fridge and satellite system, all 4 batteries can quickly drop down in voltage if left for a few days. And yes, I have to reset my clock every time.

12 years ago, International had a big recall on the positive side battery cables. They would chafe and then short out. Lost 3 trucks in the yard 1 night from one of them catching on fire. The truck that had caught on fire had been there for at least 12 hours before it went up in flames. The trucks on either side went up in flames due to being parked beside it and it was in the middle of the night when the yard was quiet. They did not have disconnect switch.

As for positive ground and negative ground, always put it on the hot side.

I hooked one up in my dads plow truck. Lift the hood, check the fluids, flip the switch (it was mounted beside the battery) start the truck up and plow. Never had an issue with it and no messing around with tools.



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Beans


Courtice On Rod-Side Member Pin Striper

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Just trying to understand some more things - I hope I don't stir anything up there.....

I've been doing some reading - and someone brought something to my attention.
In a voltaic cell battery electrons flow anode to cathode. Anode is negative the terminal.

Doesn't that mean in a negative ground vehicle the ground is really the hot side? Are we calling the wrong side the 'hot' side if referring to the positive terminal as the hot side?

A modern negative ground vehicle the chassis essentially is what's 'hot' but in the case of my positive ground model a the chassis is really the ground and only 'hot' wires are the ones connected to the negative terminal like the starter.

does this make sense, am I understanding this correctly?

168128.image5.jpg

averillfwk-fig19_003.jpg



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Slim


Hydraulic Service Dundas On

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Messing with peoples heads with Science Is Fake News..... You are correct....The only thing polarity sensitive on an older car is the coil and ammeter 



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