I need one for non-automotive, but I recall some threads saying “this one, not that one” etc. Getting tired of cleaning things up and charging a battery. Thanks.
The only battery switches we found worth installing on trucks were Cole-Hersee. Now this was 15 or so years ago; so I can't say the same quality exists today; but I would start there if I was looking for a switch now-a-days.
@RICH B The link 2OLD posted says it's rated at 40 amps. Are you guys running starting current through these, or just using them to disconnect everything except the starter?
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...u2zC7Ca0MHnxLwe7eABexfsw1yDpwRyEaArHTEALw_wcB Summit Racing battery disconnect 2500 amp surge and 250 amp continuous
A Quick car master disconnect switch is only rated for 140 amps Or the one below it is rated at 300 amps. My 25 ft Bayliner with the 350 in it has one of the Perko disconnect switches that works great but they are designed for 2 batteries and are rather large. It might get confusing with one battery.
We use Cole Hersee at work on trucks up to class 8 and sometimes 4 batteries. It’s the only one I would use.
I use this on all of my cars. Rated for an alternator that puts out up to 125 amps, 4 poles to not just disconnect the battery but everything else. It will kill a running engine in case of emergency.
Cole Hersee in my 32 125 amp continuous , 600 amp intermittent . 30 years old still working as new . Buy the best once or buy the copy 3 X .
Pretty sure the Cole-Hersee switches we used were like 2000 amp intermittent. Some fleets spec'd them in the negative cable; I don't remember the reasoning right now.
Mike, I use one of these on my trailer winches and my race cars [Ford used the same for OEM on my FR500C race car] I throw away the stupid cap ! Underneath the "boot/sleeve" I drill a tiny hole in the groove and screw in a grub screw [so the Key cannot be removed] I pack a bit of dielectric grease around the key and slip the boot back over [and it lives outside 24/7] Here on my old trailer This is a "must have" on a trailer winch with wireless remote [sometimes the remote will have a mind of it's own] This is the Factory Ford Battery Cut Off Switch [it is identical to the ones I use above] I did the grub-screw mod on this as well
Had several class 8 semi trucks with the Cole Hersee switchs Never had a problem out of any of them. Some were inside cab mounted out of weather, others were mounted on a frame rail.
Just fwiw. I’ve used a number of the simple ones like 29Gizmo used. But on one vehicle, a stock LT-1, I’ve had 3 fail. I’m lazy and cheap, so I carry a wrench in the console to remove it when necessary, hook up the battery and start the car. Why just that car I don’t have a clue. I’m using them for seasonal storage, no rules requirements.
My '50 Chevy truck had one already in it when I bought it. I haven't paid attention to what brand it is but I like the fact that it's there. It so happens that the truck also came with no door locks so the power disconnect feature gives me a certain degree of comfort. At home, the truck is always parked inside but there are often times when I want to drive somewhere that may require me to have to walk away, out of sight of the truck for a while. The disconnect is the type that has a "paddle" key that you remove and slip in your pocket. Everything is shut off: no lights, no horn, no start. The location of the port for the key is well hidden by the nap of the carpet. There's no clue where it is or if it's even in there at all. I have a short list of things I'm fixing my own preferred way. I guess I'd like to have key lock doors someday but for now, I'm not sweating it too much.
I use the same one as @Kerrynzl does... I like the fact its for weather protection as well.. works very well.
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