| Battery Cutoff switch [message #356474] |
Mon, 06 July 2020 23:37  |
tgeiger
Messages: 518
Registered: February 2006
Location: kansas city
Karma: -1
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Since I’m getting back into all the battery and grounding issues on my coach was also wanting to install a battery cut off switch for my storage of it. Any suggestions on how and where. Seemed like I remember up by the isolator, just don’t recall which cable I interrupt there?
Thanks,
Tom
76 Eleganza 2
Kansas City, Mo
Tom Geiger
76 Eleganza II
KCMO
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356476 is a reply to message #356474] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 03:00  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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I strongly recommend installing 2 battery cut off switches. One for the engine battery and one for the house battery(s). Put them in easily accessible locations in he main battery cable coming for the batteries(s). That is the only thing that saved my coach from burning to the ground about 10 years ago. It also possibly saved my attached garage and house too. Mine was an electric fuel pump fed fire and pulling the switch QUICKLY removed the source of fuel. It still did over $10,000 in damage.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356479 is a reply to message #356474] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 06:22 |
tgeiger
Messages: 518
Registered: February 2006
Location: kansas city
Karma: -1
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Ken, where did you place yours? Inside the coach or out in the engine bay firewall? It sounds like it would outside on the firewall. One would be placed on the left of the isolator, taking care of the starter battery, and then one being place on the right of the isolator taking care of interrupting the long cable leading back to my house battery back by the generator?
TG
76 Eleganza 2
Kansas City, Mo
Tom Geiger
76 Eleganza II
KCMO
[Updated on: Tue, 07 July 2020 06:23] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356482 is a reply to message #356474] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 07:44 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Advance stocks a reasonably cheap knife switch which fits on the battery post. I put one in my daughter's 20+ year old Taurus to overcome a parasitic load. The car was given her, she's gotten three years out of it, and to me it isn't worth digging around in the heat to find the problem - even the fuse box isn't very easy to access on it. She just opens the switch if the car is going to sit for a day or toe - common in the virus situation - and closes it when she needs the car. There's plenty of room for the switch under the GMC hood and in the rear. I think there was one for side terminal batteries as well. It doesn't look nearly as spiffy as the 'marine' disconnects but it's much cheaper and easier to install.
--jiohnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356488 is a reply to message #356479] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 11:12 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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I have a long knife switch in both locations. I do not know where to get them these days or who even made that type.
You want the switch electrically as close to the battery as possible. So in my case the front one is mounted under the passenger side hood to the fiberglass or aluminum plate that the isolator is mounted on. I forget which it is.
I ran the positive battery cable to the switch and then on to it's normal termination point which is one side of the boost solenoid. On mine the switch opens downward. The type of switch you buy will really determine it's mounting location. Do not install this one in line with the negative cable as you will have two cables rather than one to disconnect.
The simplest one to use is one that mounts directly to the battery post. It is a little more difficult to reach there and when I had my under hood engine fire I would not have been able to reach it due to the flames.
I am assuming that you have rear engine batteries and a long heavy cable going from the boost solenoid to the rear batteries. If this is your configuration, then the rear switch needs to be mounted in the rear battery compartment either on the top of the battery or in my case to the rear wall of the compartment.
You want to be able to get to is fast and easily. If you still have a front cover on the battery compartment then these locations are not easily / quickly accessible and you will have to find a better location outside of the box. Locating it up front is not an option as it will not disconnect the battery from the coach up there.
If you have front mounted house batteries then we need to discuss a different option for you.
If you get battery mounted switches, be real careful in your selection. There is a lot of cheap Chinese junk ones out there. I personally do not like this location because of the slightly restricted access and also picking up dirt and corrosion but they will work there.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch [message #356490 is a reply to message #356488] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 11:39 |
Dave Stragand
Messages: 307
Registered: October 2017
Karma: 0
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These rotary cutoff switches are easy to install (see link for picture).
I see Jim Bounds is using them now as well. I got mine for around $12
each on Amazon. Very easy to reach, to use, and to see.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/7243/medium/IMG_5592.JPG
-Dave
1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh
-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@list.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Ken
Burton via Gmclist
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2020 12:13 PM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Cc: Ken Burton
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch
I have a long knife switch in both locations. I do not know where to
get them these days or who even made that type.
You want the switch electrically as close to the battery as possible.
So in my case the front one is mounted under the passenger side hood to
the
fiberglass or aluminum plate that the isolator is mounted on. I forget
which it is.
I ran the positive battery cable to the switch and then on to it's
normal termination point which is one side of the boost solenoid. On
mine the
switch opens downward. The type of switch you buy will really determine
it's mounting location. Do not install this one in line with the
negative
cable as you will have two cables rather than one to disconnect.
The simplest one to use is one that mounts directly to the battery post.
It is a little more difficult to reach there and when I had my under
hood
engine fire I would not have been able to reach it due to the flames.
I am assuming that you have rear engine batteries and a long heavy cable
going from the boost solenoid to the rear batteries. If this is your
configuration, then the rear switch needs to be mounted in the rear
battery compartment either on the top of the battery or in my case to
the rear
wall of the compartment.
You want to be able to get to is fast and easily. If you still have a
front cover on the battery compartment then these locations are not
easily /
quickly accessible and you will have to find a better location outside
of the box. Locating it up front is not an option as it will not
disconnect
the battery from the coach up there.
If you have front mounted house batteries then we need to discuss a
different option for you.
If you get battery mounted switches, be real careful in your selection.
There is a lot of cheap Chinese junk ones out there. I personally do
not
like this location because of the slightly restricted access and also
picking up dirt and corrosion but they will work there.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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1978 Transmode (403)
Pittsburgh, PA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch [message #356514 is a reply to message #356490] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 20:46 |
agoogol
Messages: 43
Registered: August 2019
Location: Centennial, Colorado
Karma: 0
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Dave - These are nicely mounted on the firewall, for your 78? Did you relocate the batteries from the back to up front? Or is it ok to mount these switches so far from the batteries? Bob said to mount close to the batteries so I am wondering....
Kevin Carter
1977 Kingsley - 403 c.i.
Centennial CO
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch [message #356517 is a reply to message #356490] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 21:04 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Dave Stragand wrote on Tue, 07 July 2020 11:39These rotary cutoff switches are easy to install (see link for picture).
I see Jim Bounds is using them now as well. I got mine for around $12
each on Amazon. Very easy to reach, to use, and to see.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/7243/medium/IMG_5592.JPG
-Dave
1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh
I like to looks of those. I have never seen one in person. I was hoping someone would post something like that. In the picture, if you have rear mounted batteriy(s), then you are not isolating the house battery(s) from the coach. If you have front mounted batteries then you are OK. Rear mounted batteries need that switch near the battery(s) in the rear.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch [message #356518 is a reply to message #356517] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 21:22 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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I put a similar master disconnect switch in my little Sugar Sand jet boat. SLICK!
D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Ken Burton via Gmclist
Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2020 21:04
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Cc: Ken Burton
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch
Dave Stragand wrote on Tue, 07 July 2020 11:39
> These rotary cutoff switches are easy to install (see link for picture).
> I see Jim Bounds is using them now as well. I got mine for around $12
> each on Amazon. Very easy to reach, to use, and to see.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/7243/medium/IMG_5592.JPG
>
> -Dave
> 1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh
I like to looks of those. I have never seen one in person. I was hoping someone would post something like that. In the picture, if you have rear
mounted batteriy(s), then you are not isolating the house battery(s) from the coach. If you have front mounted batteries then you are OK. Rear
mounted batteries need that switch near the battery(s) in the rear.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery Cutoff switch [message #356520 is a reply to message #356514] |
Tue, 07 July 2020 21:30 |
Dave Stragand
Messages: 307
Registered: October 2017
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I have a front mounted house battery. If it was in the rear it would be best to mount the switch for those batteries there.
> On Jul 7, 2020, at 9:47 PM, KC via Gmclist wrote:
>
> Dave - These are nicely mounted on the firewall, for your 78? Did you relocate the batteries from the back to up front? Or is it ok to mount these
> switches so far from the batteries? Bob said to mount close to the batteries so I am wondering....
> --
> Kevin Carter
> 1977 Kingsley
> Centennial CO
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
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1978 Transmode (403)
Pittsburgh, PA
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356523 is a reply to message #356474] |
Wed, 08 July 2020 08:45 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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If I were to use an exposed knife switch (which I wouldn’t) I would put one on the NEGATIVE side of each battery to not add a big short out hazard.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356525 is a reply to message #356474] |
Wed, 08 July 2020 09:22 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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I used them because they required fewer connections.... and as JohnL sez ANY cutoff wants to go on the negative battery terminal. The way mine are built, the blade is cold when the switch is open. I want to able to see any corrosion or weakening of the contacts, which aren't visible on the 'marine' switches. Different concerns drive different selections.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Battery Cutoff switch [message #356542 is a reply to message #356523] |
Wed, 08 July 2020 15:03 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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These knife switches that I used are insulated and when closed are covered by a thick plastic shield. The blade when open is covered by insulated shrink tubing with about 1/2" exposed where it the actually contacts the receiptical part of the switch. Also when open the blade is on the dead side. You have much more exposure on the terminals of the starer, isolator, or boost relay, to name a few.
I do not wish to argue the merits of Negative vs Positive cable opening. Either will work and in this case I prefer positive for several reasons.
Ken B.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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