Battery isolator connections

[handsomefish]

Hi there, I wonder if anyone could help. I'm looking to install one of those battery isolator switches for the main battery in our van. It looks like the most convenient/easiest place to fit the actual switch is on the front end of the battery box, between drivers feet, except that's obviously miles from where the leads going out the bottom of the battery box. I can use a standard lead to go from the batter to the switch - that's fairly straightforward. If I added ring connectors to the ends of the leads going out, is it safe/advisable to use something like

http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/161

to join the cables coming into the battery box? I can then easily use a standard battery cable to join the junction box to the switch.

Any thoughts?

[Grun]

handsomefish,

Any thoughts?

Might be easier to fit on to the earth side of the battery. You can buy different lengths of earth strap and if the switch terminals are inside the battery box should be simple.

If the strap has to come out though the front of the box it will need to be insulated at that point and run through a grommet.

Just one thought

Mike

[lloyd]

Been looking at using one of these:
http://www.thewiringproject.co.uk/showd ... asp?id=544
on earth side using an insulated earth cable. Haven't decided for sure where to put switch yet, but would like to have it hidden from sight so potential thief won't find it, yet easy to access to turn off and on.

[handsomefish]

Lloyd, that looks exactly like the switch I have.

Any particular reason why you would do it on the earth side? Wouldn't it be better to have on the live side to avoid any chance of drain, etc?

Is it dangerous to join live side battery cables? Obviously, the battery box is just under the wife's bum for that and a number of other reasons I wouldn't want the wires to get all hot and melty!

[lloyd]

Only because the earth wire is easier and safer. It is earthed to body of vehicle, so if for whatever reason it shorts out, the only problem is the switch won't shut if off. It doesn't matter which side of battery is switched.

[Rozzo]

i'd deffo do the earth.. much safer imo for the reasons mentioned above