Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Battery On/Off Switch

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    2,291

    Default Battery On/Off Switch

    Looking for feedback before I hook something up wrong and fry a battery. Have a single battery and single outboard on the boat. Want to install a switch to shut off the battery. The switch I bought has crappy instructions. I think I can run all the positive cables (main plus 2 accessory) that are currently attached to the battery to the input side of the switch. Then run a new cable from the output side of the switch to the positive battery terminal. Leave the two negative cables alone. Does this sound right? Basically just interrupting the positive side?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    James Island
    Posts
    3,191

    Default

    Ty, *Rubberhead had a great wiring diagram on the boat forum I’ve been trying to find for two days now. Maybe you will have better luck finding it on here.
    http://tektongamecalls.com

    Tekton Game Calls

    843-290-9569

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Summerville
    Posts
    14,557

    Default

    Rubberhead is the KRT of boat wiring

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    spartanburg
    Posts
    4,437

    Default

    You are correct, just breaking the circuit.
    Low country redneck who moved north

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Summerville, SC
    Posts
    7,297

    Default

    Sounds to me like you need to switch your hot wires around.Hot wire from battery hooks to input side of the switch. Hot wires going to motor and accessories should be attached to the out put side of your switch.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    'Down in the Holler', SC
    Posts
    14,554

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by scatter shot View Post
    Sounds to me like you need to switch your hot wires around.Hot wire from battery hooks to input side of the switch. Hot wires going to motor and accessories should be attached to the out put side of your switch.
    This.
    .
    Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue
    .
    "Keep your powder dry, Boys!"
    ~ George Washington

    "If I understood everything I said I'd be a genius." ~ 'Unknown'

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    2,291

    Default

    So black wires to input, and output to neg battery terminal? Leave positive cables alone?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    3,309

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 4THEGIRLS View Post
    So black wires to input, and output to neg battery terminal? Leave positive cables alone?
    Leave negative alone. Battery positive runs to input post, everything else runs from output post.

    https://www.perko.com/help_guides-wi...attery_switch/
    Last edited by SouthernWake; 05-17-2020 at 06:05 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Arcadia Lakes
    Posts
    1,052

    Default

    Ty,

    Hope y'all are doing well. (+) from battery to input side of switch, then main plus both accessories power to the "out" side of switch. With the switch off this will kill power to everything.

    Mike

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Hopkins
    Posts
    857

    Default

    If you are ever going to leave the boat in the water unattended overnight, I would recommend connecting the wire from the float switch on the bulge pump straight to the battery. Put an inline fuse holder right at the battery with a spare fuse taped to it.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Spartanburg
    Posts
    49,652

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    FROG LEVEL
    Posts
    23,785

    Default

    YouTube it
    Gettin old is for pussies! AND MY NEW TRUE people say like Capt. Tom >>>>>>>>>/
    "Wow, often imitated but never duplicated. No one can do it like the master. My hat is off to you DRDUCK!"

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Spartanburg
    Posts
    6,297

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn View Post
    This.

    If a cat doctor can wire his own boat with this help, anyone could do it!!!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Spartanburg
    Posts
    49,652

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Moncks Corner
    Posts
    15,556

    Default

    The only thing I'd change with Glen's link is to not use the panel mounted barrel fuses and replace the positive terminal strip with a bladed fuse strip between the main fuse and the switch panel then come off of each switch and do directly to the circuit. Barrel fuses can get squirrelly. In a heavy chop they can shut off at the bottom of every wave...I've been there before and won't go back.

    Avoid daisy chains and runs with more than one terminal on each end. The only time I do anything like that is for backlight on the switches which is really unimportant in the whole scheme of things and then I use a piggyback terminal. Make everything simple and point-to-point because you, at some point, will be trying to diagnose and fix a problem while on the water.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    'Down in the Holler', SC
    Posts
    14,554

    Default

    I thought I had my new panel and wiring plan all figured out, but it looks like I’d best start over. Dang...

    Thanks for the link, Glenn.
    .
    Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue
    .
    "Keep your powder dry, Boys!"
    ~ George Washington

    "If I understood everything I said I'd be a genius." ~ 'Unknown'

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Spartanburg
    Posts
    49,652

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WoodieSC View Post
    I thought I had my new panel and wiring plan all figured out, but it looks like I’d best start over. Dang...

    Thanks for the link, Glenn.
    No worries. Tater sent me that link a while back and it is dang near idjit proof. I don't have any tube fuses and looked back to see if I had missed 'em somewhere and still don't see them listed. I have a pos terminal panel and a neg buss bar. Each switch has it's own fuse as well as an inline from the battery switch to the panel.

    My bilge is dbl wired. Float switch and I can turn it on at the panel.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •