[Spridgets] Kill Switches

[Rick Fisk]

Don't know the answer to your kill switch question as I've never used one.

The green-knob switch on the negative battery terminal isn't intended to be used as a kill switch.  But it works perfectly as a battery isolator.  When you open the switch it does leave the entire positive system of the car connected, but NOT hot.  With the negative side of the battery disconnected there is no voltage anywhere.  Doesn't matter that all of the positive stuff is still connected.  

You might want to think about finding a new mechanic.  :-)

Rick

Sent from my keyboard

> On May 14, 2016, at 10:09 AM, mdrowe via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
> I have been doing a lot of reading on kill switches.  My mechanic/tutor (who is never, ever, ever, wrong) insists that they should be on the ground wire, which is how they are done on race cars.  This may be OK if there is no alternator, but will not kill a running engine with alternator.  It just runs on, finding a ground for the alternator output somewhere else.  More important, disconnecting the battery ground on a running engine can cause a voltage spike that apparently can fry the alternator.  A properly-wired kill switch is on the positive terminal and has a 3 ohm/11 watt resistor to ground to prevent this.  Pegasus Racing has detailed instructions.  I may already have damaged mine before I learned the proper way to wire it.  Time will tell.
>  
> This brings up another question:  People put the green-knob battery switch on the negative terminal.  This not only has the same run-on, fried alternator problem, but also leaves the entire positive system of the car hot.  Since there are grounds all over the car body,  I think that means we can get arching to the body pretty much anywhere.  If the positive terminal is disconnected, there is no power anywhere, as nothing will come out of the ground side, regardless.
>  
> What say you all?
>  
> BTW, after two years of struggling to start the new engine put together by my mechanic/tutor (yes, the same one), it developed that the cam was installed 18 degrees advanced.  It started right up when corrected to five degrees advance, as specified.  Of course, after sitting for two years without running, every gasket on the engine leaked.  It has been a long two years.
>  
> Michael Rowe
> The Holy Sprite
>  
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