Battery switch

[Steve D.]

I recently bought the switch pictured below. How is the battery cable supposed to be connected to the switch? Also, the opening in the switch connector is a smaller diameter than the battery terminals. Is this common, or is mine just another sad story.

Steve

[Jack H.]

Re: Battery switch

The switch installs over one of the battery terminal posts (look closely, there's a slight difference in diameter between the POS and NEG post of the battery) and you torque down the clamp bolt. Then, the battery cable installs 'sideways' over the post coming off the opposite end of the switch.

Last, this is the 'el cheapo' version of the switch called the 'green knob wonder'. There's NO tactile feed back as to when you have the knob tightened down sufficiently to guarantee good contact. If the switch is not sufficiently tightened, you can expect contact 'bounce' that will create electrical arcing and wear the contact surfaces resulting in poor continuity over time.

The same mfgr makes another version of the cutoff switch which is more expensive but is a knife switch. It works better (my opinion) since there it closes firmly. BUT, the green knob WILL work provided you tighten it FIRMLY each time you close it...

[Bob R.]

Re: Battery switch

I have what looks like the identicle thing on my car. The cable slips over the right end and tightens as if it were the battery terminal. The open end should fit over your battery terminal. This should be installed on the negitive terminal.

[Stephen L.]

Re: Battery switch

I used that type of disconnect on my 67..... neg terminal. I had the end that the cable attaches to, turned up 90 deg so that the cable was in the same plane as the original position. I also have a friend in the machine shop business who enjoys this type of thing .... making it much cheaper to fabricate.

[Paul L.]

Here's a Pic

Mine works very well.

[Steve D.]

Thanks everyone. *NM*

[Stephen L.]

Re: Here's a Pic

Paul, If you have spring ring cables... correct for a 67, then you don't have enough cable length to wrap around the battery which, in your photo, allows the cable to be connected beyond the battery top. That is why I had to make the post upright.

[Edward Boyd]

Battery Switch

I must chime in with my non NCRS approved solution to the battery disconnect problem. I installed a small Hella marine switch far forward on the transmission tunnel. This switch has a removable handle (red in color) providing added security when the vehicle is unattended. When the handle is removed its mounting tower is just even with the thickness of the carpet and becomes almost invisible. Of course, this installation requires the addition of several small holes in the transmission tunnel and one hole in the carpet, but when done properly the security of a properly designed and highly rated switch which leaves the battery cables in almost their original position (to the casual observer)tips the balance in favor of this work. Begin the attacks for my drilling of additional holes, but I have been pleased with this switch for many years. EJB