Battery Shut-Off

[rfitzpatrick]

When the battery shut-off switch is on the Positive cable, what electrical positions are still powered?
Yes, I understand this is not the correct setup

 

[Synchro909]

If your car is positive earth per Henry's design (ground to you guys), that is the best place for the isolating switch, IMO and NOTHING will work when it is in the OFF position.

 

[The Master Cylinder]

If your car is positive earth per Henry's design (ground to you guys), that is the best place for the isolating switch, IMO and NOTHING will work when it is in the OFF position.

Agreed!

 

[rfitzpatrick]

[QUOTE-- that is the best place for the isolating switch"

Thanks ---, but I'm not asking which is better

 

[old ugly]

if your car is still positive ground and you put your battery shutoff switch (master switch or night switch) on the positive cable. everything will be shut off.

AND yes that is the correct setup.

UNLESS there happens to be two cables on it for some weird reason. most unlikely

 

[The Master Cylinder]

[QUOTE-- that is the best place for the isolating switch"

Thanks ---, but I'm not asking which is better

If your car is positive earth per Henry's design (ground to you guys), that is the best place for the isolating switch, IMO and NOTHING will work when it is in the OFF position.

Whoa, the man answers your question and that is the response you give?

 

[Big hammer]

When you are removing a battery , you remove the ground/earth terminal first , if your wrench touches a ground/earth nothing will happen ! If you would try to remove the power side of the battery and the wrench touches a ground sparks and arcing will occur and possibly an explosion ! This doesn’t matter if the ground/earth is positive or negative . When you install the battery also connect the power terminal first ! If your wrench touches a ground nothing will happen ! Just don’t be careless and touch both battery terminals with a wrench at the same time or we maybe saying R.I.P
The very best place to install a battery disconnect is in the ground/earth cable , disconnecting the power side will work , from the disconnect to the rest of the car BUT from the disconnect to the battery will be hot and you could have issues stated above in the first paragraph .

I use the original Ford disconnect , twist and pull the ground terminal by hand , you need to have the terminal snug enough to remove y hand and tight enough that it doesn’t cause issues . 55 years ago as a dumb teenager I was at a car wash cleaning my A’s engine and smoke began coming out of the wiring , pulled the rubber floor mat , popped the battery cover , twisted and pulled the ground terminal off saving my car from burning up ! Tom wesenberg also did this using the original Ford disconnect ! RIP Tom

 

[gdmn852]

Hello,with the battery cable disconnected either way,switch or cable pulled off ,nothing will be powered . Electrical connections are broken,as if the battery doesn’t exist as far as car operation goes.

 

[rfitzpatrick]

Whoa, the man answers your question and that is the response you give?

Yes.

 

[SAXBY2]

Opinions vary , some say to place a kill switch on power cable for racing negative ground engines, not the ground cable. Others say to place on either cable where most convenient.
Also, accidentally dropping a tool to battery ground terminal even when switch is off can be an issue.

 

[Ayers1]

AND yes that is the correct setup.

UNLESS there happens to be two cables on it for some weird reason.

well, all of my cars are weird then. I have the original ground on the frame plus another ground going to straight to the flywheel housing. it seems to help starting and running of the cars.

BTW- rfitzpatrick- If you put the shut off on the positive side, all electrical flow should cease unless your car is wired like mine.

 

[Randy in ca]

Not a potentially good thing to do, but if you think that removing the ground cable kills all circuits, try doing it when the engine is running. No don't - the engine can continue to run and potentially cause a bunch of electrical damage.

Pollack has been in business manufacturing and selling electrical components for well over a hundred years. On there webpage is the following diagram for the simplest type of switch (SPST - Single Pole Single Throw) and it is clearly shown as being in the non-ground circuit. Many other sources that should be considered as reliable state the same.

Maybe the only solution to this never ending discussion is to install 2 switches - one on ground and one on power (?).

-

 

[katy]

If your car is positive earth per Henry's design (ground to you guys), that is the best place for the isolating switch, IMO and NOTHING will work when it is in the OFF position.

As long as the engine is NOT running when the switch is turned off.