battery disconnect switch (1 Viewer)

[Spade]

Hi all
After scouring the forum for info on ways to isolate or keep charged my starter battery.
I am thinking of going down the route of isolating the battery with one of these.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Battery-Isol...970085?hash=item1a03cdd265:g:3S8AAOSwhcJWOd~h

So,is there any downsides to using this item

Particularly what happens IF the switch becomes loose when driving so there is effectively no negative cable on the battery.

By the way, solar maintenance,b2b charger, or trying to cure the power drain is not an option for my situation.

Thanks all

OH OH! google is not giving me good news!

 

[Jeff and terri]

Are you wanting to isolate the battery because you are aware of a drain?? If so why not remove all the positive leads from the battery, and put a test lamp on each one to see if you have any power draining , if you do remove each fuse one by one until your test lamp goes out.. So you can find out what's causing the drain?? Good luck

 

[Diabalo]

If you have an alarm it may not work.

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[PeteH]

The downside, will be even simple things, like Clocks, will have to be reset each time you fire up, alarms will be disconnected, some actually alarm if the power supply is cut!, with the result your insurance COULD be compromised too?. Some (older) engine management systems lose their settings if disconnected for too long. Radios can need re-coding, before they can be used. All dependent upon the age and sophistication of your "unit".

I do not know your situation, but would recommend trying to find the source of drain, Or even use a Portable "Suitcase" type Solar panel to keep the battery up. Even disconnected batteries lose charge over the longer term, hence the recommendation to charge stored batteries every month or so, so all you are doing is delaying the inevitable?. Eg; the battery for my classic car is "winterised" using a cheap (£15 Aldi) solar panel.

EDIT:- Having looked at the disconnect. It is the same as the one for my 1971 classic. And it`s use is primarily as a disincentive for theft, in that you can take the "bolt" away and the battery is isolated.

 

[Allanm]

You have obviously made your mind up to investigate no further, so the only advice I can give ( apart from think very carefully before you go down this route) is to make sure the battery lead connection to the unit is well made.
With the battery drain problem, there is a fault which definitely will need investigating at some point in case it results in a component breaking down and leaving you stranded somewhere or something necessary not working.
If your van is based on a Fiat chassis, I would start by cleaning every earth terminal you can find, especially the neg battery lead to the body.
The downsides to fitting this isolator have been explained fully above, but bear in mind some engine electrical systems don't react too kindly to being separated from their power supply and may just decide they no longer want to work when you restore power.

 

[Flamenca]

My MH was fitted with one when I purchased it and soon realised there was a parasitic drain which turned out to be the radio/cd player which was drawing current even when switched off. The motivation for finding the drain was forgetting to use the isolator switch and over the course of just two days the starter battery went flat. The big downside of the switch for me was my memory and forgetting to isolate the battery. I created an additional latched power circuit activated only when the engine is running and also fitted solar panels. I now never use the isolation switch at all.

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[Wagoneer]

This isolation switch was discussed on the AOL forum quite recently to deter theft.

In order to maintain power to clocks, radio etc, it was suggested to bypass the switch with a small piece of wire and 5amp fuse. Should anyone attempt to steal the vehicle, the dashboard would illuminate as normal but when started, the fuse would blow, triggered by the high current from the starter motor.

As a vehicle theft deterrent, it is probably quite effective as the device doesn't look dissimilar to a normal battery post connector and would likely fool the thief. Except, the presence of the 5amp fuse might give the game away

PS. The green knob can be unscrewed and taken with you when you leave the van.

 

[Spade]

The van is a year 2000 ducato.

The drain is from the radio which is powered direct from the battery so we can use it when parked up without keys in the ignition.
There are also usb sockets with led lights and the central locking on the same fuse

The van is kept in a shed with no light so solar no good.

I could pull the radio blade fuse from the fuse box instead each time.
Or i could put a switch on one of the wires from the fuse.
Would that be a better solution?

 

[Diabalo]

Putting a switch on the radio would solve the problem as long as you remember to turn it off.

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[jollyrodger]

Have used this type for years ,without any problems .
With a link fuse for clocks alarms etc,but prevents starting engine.
You may also find the screw mechanism is quite free ,so I run a flat bladed screwdriver down the threads which tends to stop the thumbscrew wheel becoming free to disconnect when traveling.
Works for me

 

[PeteH]

The Motorhome radio, ran off the Chassis battery, I swapped it to the Hab Battery. If I remember correctly one of the Lighting Circuit's?. Which carry even less current since I fitted LED lamps, so no overload issue. My solar panel is on the garage front facing the South, and is connected to the Battery in the Garage, (£15 from Aldi).

 

[pyro]

Putting a switch on the radio would solve the problem as long as you remember to turn it off.

Easiest way. Drill a hole, pop in an override switch with an inbuilt LED. Radio only works when switch is on.

There is a constant live to the radio and an ignition switched live in the DIN connector. I took out the ignition switch conductor (sealed it off safely), took a feed from the constant live via the new switch, and you can then have the radio working from the cab battery without the ignition switch on. This means music when we park up.

With the switch in the off position, the current drain to retain memory is tiny, around 15mA. The battery self discharges at a higher rate than that

The downside is that you have to switch the radio on using the new switch, and also on the radio. The upside is no need for ignition on to use the radio/MP3 player when parked up.

Yes, I could forget, and then possibly run down the cab battery. I have one of those compact starter/boost packs as insurance. Never needed it yet

ps: I believe modern diesels are self bleeding

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[Spade]

Easiest way. Drill a hole, pop in an override switch with an inbuilt LED. Radio only works when switch is on.

Thanks pyro

I have the switch already and can fit it myself
The question is where?
Can I put it on one wire of the blade fuse holder

 

[pyro]

@Spade I fitted my switch (small push button like the one linked below) to the part of the dash just behind the cup holders. see pic:

I removed the small square blanking plate (presumably an ashtray holder was intended there) and ran two wires back up to the DIN radio connector. One was connected to the always live cable (using a scotch lock connector)

I had cut off the wire that usually goes from the ignition switch to the radio (switched live). I made good one end, and I brought the return from the switch back to the other end to feed to the radio

Hope this helps

 

[Spade]

Thanks pyro
That's a great help.

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