Battery disconnect switches on batteries....

[HarryN]

Does anyone use a Battery Disconnect on their tractor / Bobcat, etc.??
If so, have you found it to be helpful? And, would you put it on the negative or positive side of the battery cable?
I guess if you have clocks and radios that need power for memory, it's not a good thing.
Was curious if it helped cause less drain on battery, especially if you only use the equipment a couple times a month.
Would it make batteries last longer?? Less corrosion on the terminal?
Here's an example of one kind of switch......

 

[Notforhire]

I used one on my Model A Ford, on the non- grounded lead. ( Mod. A has + ground) That model car had a problem with the Gen relay sticking and causing engine fires.

The switch worked well. If I was going to store a vehicle for a while, I would install one. It would eliminate any drain problems. I don't think it would have any effect on corrosion or longevity.

Bill

 

[SSdoxie]

Battery disconnect will not harm any of the controllers. if ther is a radio with clock, then clock will have to be reset each time. Doesn't make much difference which cable you disconnect, either will will serve the pupose. Keep in mind this will NOT quarantee a fully charged battery when you come back to it a month or 2 later, all batteries will discharge with time without having anything connect - even new on the shelf will loose some charge over time. Hotter the ambient temperature around the battery the faster it discharges.

 

[sixdogs]

I use one in a hot rod and have used them in tractors years ago that were marginal and I feared the fire risk. They work just fine but there aren't enough electrical options on tractors to cause any problems even with infrequest use. Today, I have a tractor that rarely gets used and never a problem--always starts fine. Mine was on the positive cable and it did not corrode.
i'll add that before winter every year I charge all my batteries to help them survive the cold. So, yes, disconnects work but no thay really aren't needed to control a nearly insignificant loss.

 

[mrmikey]

Put one on the ground of my tractor right at the battery. No chance of any inadvertant electrical fires

 

[boggen]

mice and other rodent problems... love getting into tractors and making a nest... and most likely eating some insulation off of some wires. normally this subject is more heavy, come spring. when everyone is breaking out there tractors on that first good warm day, and ground is dry enough... and folks finding mice nest and like.

a battery disconnect. might save a tractor come spring, but honestly if it burns things up it is going to burn things up... you may just be around when it happens though.

for older tractors, cars, trucks. were there is a wire grounded out. (dome light, or like) having battery disconnect helps out. as a quick temp fix. till you can trace down the wire.

for me, it is bloody cold winter days. that get below 30 F if not into the -10 F temps. that battery disconnects saves my fingers from frost bite. in that. if i know i will be using a tractor, i will bring battery into the house. and right before i go to start up tractor will take battery out and hook it up. if you have a battery blanket battery disconnect not really needed. just plug the battery blanket in during winter. if you have battery blanket then you most likely have some sort of block heater or some other form of heater to warm up engine so you have easier starting ability...

the one thing i hate, is most battery compartments. do not really give enough room for battery quick disconnects. let alone enough room to actual get a socket wrench or wrench on the bolt heads. to take the wires off of battery.

with everything said, if tractor, lawn mower, truck, car. will be seating for some time. i will more likely put a battery disconnect in. just so i do not have remove battery and then re-insert it later. due to my luck battery will end up going dead if i do not disconnect battery.

 

[davehowell]

I am not the expert here, but I believe that in boats, and in household wiring, you always place the switch on the power, not the ground side. The logic being that you want to stop the amp flow before it gets the wiring and components of the circuit. You can get accidental groundings of live circuits even with a switch on the ground side.

 

[Xfaxman]

With the negative cable removed or switched off, there can not be current flow anywhere when you ground anything to frame ground, even the positive battery terminal.

 

[dirt ditch]

My 7753 Bobcat only gets used once every couple months. Every time it gets used I am cleaning the positive terminal because it is covered with corrosion. The positive battery cable terminal is made of brass. More than half of it has been eaten away while the machine is just setting. I have been wondering if the BOSS system is drawing electricity and if stopping that electricity flow would stop the corrosion. Then I wonder if shutting off power to the BOSS system for long periods of time would damage it.

 

[HarryN]

Well, I put the battery disconnect in my Bobcat 763 over two years ago now. (on the positive side cable)
I switch it off every time I'm done using it. Which is about 1-2 times a month. Just home use.
No corrosion on the battery and I've never even had to charge up the battery at all during that time.
No radio or clock in the 763 that would require some juice....
So far so good.