Battery Disconnect Switch...Positive or Negative

[SilverRhino]

Thanks for all the great posts!

After reading them and checking other sources....My disconnect will go on the Positive terminal side.

 

[Willym]

[QUOTE=GOTTOYS;162632]Once one side is disconnected whether it's the Pos. or Neg. side...the battery is out of the equation. Really won't make any difference electrically. I like what Porthole has to say and totally agree...Don[/QUOTE]

Agree. The sequence for physical disconnection of battery cables is important from a safety perspective, but the location of a disconnect switch with respect to polarity doesn't matter. Put it where it's easiest to install/operate, but make sure that the vehicle charging connection and emergency brake switch cable are not isolated.

 

[branson4020]

[QUOTE=GOTTOYS;162632]Once one side is disconnected whether it's the Pos. or Neg. side...the battery is out of the equation. Really won't make any difference electrically. I like what Porthole has to say and totally agree...Don

Agree. The sequence for physical disconnection of battery cables is important from a safety perspective, but the location of a disconnect switch with respect to polarity doesn't matter. Put it where it's easiest to install/operate, but make sure that the vehicle charging connection and emergency brake switch cable are not isolated.[/QUOTE]

Don't see how you can put it on the negative side without disabling the breakaway switch.

 

[wyleyrabbit]

One suggestion is to use heavy gauge cables to the battery disconnect switch, and make sure to not have it any more than a couple of feet away from the batteries. Be careful when installing this and don't even for a split second let any wires touch the frame, or you're likely to blow the fuses in your converter (don't ask me how I know this).

Our disconnect is a very heavy-duty marine grade switch, on the positive side. It covers the entire + from the battery to the trailer. I don't really think that's a concern as there is no way we could hook up to the truck without flipping the switch, as our front jacks wouldn't work with it off. The switch heavily clicks into the on position, and I don't believe any amount of bumping around during travel could change its position.

Before we installed the switch, our batteries were slowly draining while the unit was in storage, because some things were still drawing power (propane alarm, etc). Now, we always have a fully charged battery when we pick up from storage.

Chris

 

[SilverRhino]

Before we installed the switch, our batteries were slowly draining while the unit was in storage, because some things were still drawing power (propane alarm, etc). Now, we always have a fully charged battery when we pick up from storage.

Chris....This is why I am installing the switch. During the majority of the year, our BC is only in storage for short periods of time between trips. I just wanted an easier way to disconnect the battery to prevent power loss between trips.

For the winter months and long term storage the battery comes out and goes in the garage and is hooked up to the Battery Minder.

Randy

 

[wyleyrabbit]

I always leave our batteries in our trailer, even when in storage. I suppose our solar panels are kind of like an on-board battery minder. Btw, I have ours wired so the panels are always connected to the batteries.

 

[wyleyrabbit]

The switch I used is by Blue Sea, and I got it from West Marine. Link here. It's a 350 Amp switch which is complete overkill, but I like overkill.