Blade-style battery disconnect switch safety?
Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
Blade-style battery disconnect switch safety?
Has anyone heard or have first hand knowledge that these blade type side terminal battery disconnect switches being unsafe or problematic in any way? Please advise.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
I have one of those on my battery. They are about as simple as you can get mechanically. If you use it on the ground terminal there shouldn't be any problems. If you use it on the + terminal you have to be careful that there isn't any grounded surface nearby due to the large exposed metal area.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 4
From: Yorktown VA
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I have one of those on my battery. They are about as simple as you can get mechanically. If you use it on the ground terminal there shouldn't be any problems. If you use it on the + terminal you have to be careful that there isn't any grounded surface nearby due to the large exposed metal area.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I have one of those on my battery. They are about as simple as you can get mechanically. If you use it on the ground terminal there shouldn't be any problems. If you use it on the + terminal you have to be careful that there isn't any grounded surface nearby due to the large exposed metal area.
Rick B.
Rick B.
I believe the manufactures instructions say to install on the neg terminal only.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 7
From: Coralville Iowa
I have one on all of my collector cars. Have put them on pos terminal on my vettes on occasion. It seems to have better clearance and only has fiberglass to hit on the perimeter. Therefore no short outs. On my metal bodied cars I always put on neg terminal.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
I put mine on the + side because I need a constant +12v source for the LS1 ECU memory and I needed to have the battery ground connected. I modified mine a bit by drilling out the threaded side of the switch cable mounts so that I had more mounting options.
I've worked at a couple of companies that built hot-pluggable circuit boards and the connectors were designed so that the ground always connected before the supply voltage to avoid arcing. I don't know if you get a spark when switching the negative battery terminal with the blade switch but I haven't seen any sparks from the positive side.
I'm just guessing here, but the recommendation to mount the switch on the negative terminal may be more for safety due to the large exposed contacts than for any other reason.
Rick B.
I've worked at a couple of companies that built hot-pluggable circuit boards and the connectors were designed so that the ground always connected before the supply voltage to avoid arcing. I don't know if you get a spark when switching the negative battery terminal with the blade switch but I haven't seen any sparks from the positive side.
I'm just guessing here, but the recommendation to mount the switch on the negative terminal may be more for safety due to the large exposed contacts than for any other reason.
Rick B.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 336
Likes: 1
From: Asheville N.C.
BTW I disconnect each time I park in the garage.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Gary
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Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
Thank you
I have been told that they are dangerous and not to purchase one, but after all the positive comments here I think I'll go ahead and try it.
Thanks to all for your input.
Thanks to all for your input.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
cc
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
Yep I think 3. They also give points for installing a fire extinguisher. I attended a judging seminar put on by 4 Master Judges from Oklahoma.
We are having a judging retreat here on August 15th. The organizers are trying to get Roy Sinor to attend.
I have no intention of trying to become a master judge but I am fascinated by people who can remember such a vast amount of trivia as these guys.
cc
We are having a judging retreat here on August 15th. The organizers are trying to get Roy Sinor to attend.
I have no intention of trying to become a master judge but I am fascinated by people who can remember such a vast amount of trivia as these guys.
cc
Last edited by CCrane65; Aug 5, 2009 at 11:45 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Yep I think 3. They also give points for installing a fire extinguisher. I attended a judging seminar put on by 4 Master Judges from Oklahoma.
We are having a judging retreat here on August 15th. The organizers are trying to get Roy Sinor to attend.
I have no intention of trying to become a master judge but I am fascinated by people who can remember such a vast amount of trivia as these guys.
cc
We are having a judging retreat here on August 15th. The organizers are trying to get Roy Sinor to attend.
I have no intention of trying to become a master judge but I am fascinated by people who can remember such a vast amount of trivia as these guys.
cc
thats cool
Thread Starter
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
Anyway, thanks for all the great comments - as usual
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 20
From: Kingston Ontario
I talked to a solid axle guy , original owner, looking for more accurately dated windows because his ORIGINAL windows weren't close enough for the judges. And now I hear that battery disconnects and fire prevention gets points?!?!?! 