Electrically, it is safer to cut the ground lead - if you accidentally drop something that contacts + and the body with the ground cut, nothing will happen - that's why they recommend disconnecting ground first when working on the battery circuit.
Circuit-wise, it makes no difference where you put the switch. Chuck Kuecker On 5/20/2012 4:34 PM, Bert Knupp wrote: > Volks, > > I’m thinking of installing a main battery shutoff switch in my stock 1970 > beetle. I’d do it to protect against tiny current leaks during storage, but > also as an extra security measure. I’ve bought a Dorman 300-amp battery > cutoff with removable paddle keys that ought to be good. But I have a > question. > > All the installation instructions talk about putting the cutoff on the > positive side of the battery, shutting down all plus going out to > everything. But wouldn’t it be more efficient (and easier) to put it on the > grounding (negative) side? I’d replace the grounding braid with two short > battery cables, one from the battery to the switch (mounted through the > right-side rear heel panel, under the seat), and from the switch to a ground > bolt. > > Any reason not to interrupt the ground (-), rather than interrupt the hot > (+) side? Enquiring minds want to know. > > Bert Knupp in Music City USA > > __n|_ > °(_____)º > (ô\_|_/ô) > U° °U > Polizeikäfer 70 ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2176 / Virus Database: 2425/5011 - Release Date: 05/20/12 _______________________________________________ vintagvw site list [email protected] http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vintagvw
