+ or - side?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: KY
+ or - side?
Just got a battery cutoff switch. I hooked it to the + side, but should it go on the pos or neg side? My thinking was if something was going to ground and I cut off the neg side, it may still make an arch.
So, is my head up my... or did I hook the thing to the right terminal?
Thanks,
Jeff S
So, is my head up my... or did I hook the thing to the right terminal?
Thanks,
Jeff S
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Easton PA
Re: + or - side? (jeffnles1)
I don't have one but I would think it would be the negative side. They always say to disconnect the negative side of the battery when you do work on it, so I would assume that this would make sense. :confused:
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Re: + or - side? (82dukman)
I don't have one but I would think it would be the negative side. They always say to disconnect the negative side of the battery when you do work on it, so I would assume that this would make sense. :confused:
As to the other question. Positive terminal is where they are hooked up. Some even have a small bypass wire to feed alarms and radios but not enough to feed the starter motor.
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Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Huntersville NC
Re: + or - side? (BSeery)
maybe we can even turn this simple discussion into a nasty flame war?
Positive or negative?
Inside or outside?? (toilet paper roll)
Tomahto or Tomayto??
I think the instructions for these things will suggest installing on the negative cable. I dont think it makes any difference. The little fused bypass wire to run your accessories will work just as well on the neg side as the positive.
I think there even is a reason for installing it on the negative side. Let's imagine, cutoff is on the negative side and you have cut off the battery. Now attach a jumper cable to the positive side and touch the other end of the jumper cable to your engine/brake master cylinder/gear shift... what happens? (answer: nothing). Now, lets install the cutoff swith on the positive cable and cut off the power to the battery. As before, attach a jumper cable to the positive terminal and go for it! (actually, dont do this, lets just pretend). MJ
[Modified by MNJack, 11:02 PM 11/5/2001]
Positive or negative?
Inside or outside?? (toilet paper roll)
Tomahto or Tomayto??
I think the instructions for these things will suggest installing on the negative cable. I dont think it makes any difference. The little fused bypass wire to run your accessories will work just as well on the neg side as the positive.
I think there even is a reason for installing it on the negative side. Let's imagine, cutoff is on the negative side and you have cut off the battery. Now attach a jumper cable to the positive side and touch the other end of the jumper cable to your engine/brake master cylinder/gear shift... what happens? (answer: nothing). Now, lets install the cutoff swith on the positive cable and cut off the power to the battery. As before, attach a jumper cable to the positive terminal and go for it! (actually, dont do this, lets just pretend). MJ
[Modified by MNJack, 11:02 PM 11/5/2001]
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From: Surrey
Re: + or - side? (Clink69)
I would do this on the POS terminal for 1 reason. If you diconnect the NEG , you can still 'leak' to ground from a POS somewhere quite easily.. :flag
I've fitted mine to the Neg side as there was no chance of shorting wrenches to ground when fitting it (shorting Neg to ground has no effect - shorting Pos to ground causes a huge spark, possible battery damage, possible wiring/electrics damage, possible fire risk & also ruins the chrome on my wrench!). The main reason isn't technical: it's a lot easier to get to the Neg side of my battery than the Pos when I'm connecting/disconnecting it :)
Paul
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: NC,USA
Re: + or - side? (UKPaul)
i have mine on the ground... it works like a charm, though i have been thinking about putting another on the positive side, dont like the idea of finding a hot wire that i can ground :eek:
ZD
ZD
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Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
Re: + or - side? (Ganey)
mine's on the neg. EVERYONE knows you always disconnect the negative terminal first then the positive when changing battery's then you always install the positive cable first then the negative last. for all the above reasons. I like the smaller terminal easy access bonus as well for the disconnect term.