Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

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Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby ol55 » Sun Nov 29, 2015 11:03 pm

Thinking of using this switch which will work with a negative BAT terminal to post conversion. It would keep the clock and anything else from running down the battery. It is aluminum. Anybody have any experience with one of these? See any obvious problems for street use?


Image

Thanks,
Larry
'73 Vega GT Hatchback hot rod.
'76 Cosworth
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Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby Smiley » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:33 am

Are you using a sidepost battery and cables ?

The set screw to tighten the aluminum one to the post is not optimal.
They have these at Walmart for $5 or so usually.

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Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby spencerforhire » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:37 am

It would probably work, but really should be on the positive post, not the negative. It looks like it actually might be designed to take an ANL fuse in place of the flat strip. Hard to say if it's sized to fit the negative or positive.
These are under $10 and can be found at just about any auto parts store.
http://images11.palcdn.com/hlr-system/W ... 110847a5a6
Edit- Smiley beat me to it. lol
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby ol55 » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:24 pm

Image

It's in but wish there was a better solution. Never knew about an ANL fuse.

Thanks,
Larry
'73 Vega GT Hatchback hot rod.
'76 Cosworth
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Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby Smiley » Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:30 pm

On a sidepost you are better off unscrewing the cables.
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Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby spencerforhire » Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:31 am

A healthy battery can handle sitting for months without going dead, even with the tiny amount of current consume by the clock. So if your battery is going dead, you've got something else creating a draw in your car. I'm not really a big fan of battery shut off switches, unless mandated by the rulebook for a race car. I've seen the ones with the green knob fail both ways; open and closed. If you use the car with them a bit loose, they can create enough heat to melt the plastic insulator, then lose connection all together. If you repeatedly turn them on and off(like every day), especially if you tighten them too hard(like with pliers!), the insulator can get cut and they no longer disconnect. Not sure why I even posted the pic of one; I think they cause more problems than they solve.
If you have a rear mounted battery, a proper competition style shut off switch is the answer-
http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/tay-1033
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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1972 Chevrolet Vega Hatchback

Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby Thomas Hamilton » Thu Dec 03, 2015 7:17 pm

Get yourself a good switch from Watson street works. It can be hidden and will also act as a theft deterant. It's a togle switch that controls a solenoid. Cost is about $100. It's worth it.
Tom
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Re: Battery shut off switch review -'73 Vega

Postby spencerforhire » Thu Dec 03, 2015 7:26 pm

I've seen those remote switched solenoid master shut offs, mostly in street rods with no way to lock the doors. I even installed one that had wireless remotes; the vehicle is completely dead until you push the button on the remote. It did come with an over-ride switch in case of a lost or damaged remote.
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
User avatar
spencerforhire
 
Posts: 2442
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:02 pm
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia

1972 Chevrolet Vega Hatchback


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