Battery cut-out switch polarity

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by MGG

Possible dumb question - How can a short anywhere do damage if the circuit is broken by a switch at either the hot or grounded battery terminal?

Tool drops on the positive terminal to the ground (either the battery or switch). Sparks with switch on the positive side, nothing if on the neg side.

[Drbrown]

Good reason to install cover-caps on high-amp terminals and disconnect the battery when doing any serious work under the hood.

[MGG]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Tool drops on the positive terminal to the ground (either the battery or switch). Sparks with switch on the positive side, nothing if on the neg side.

I have 6 volt positive ground. Assuming I can insulate the positive terminal so that no tool or conductor can touch it, is there another good reason why it is better to switch the negative as opposed to the positive cable?

[V8COOPMAN]

SOME of you guys are confusing yourselves (and others) by referring to POS and NEG cables. The confusion is because some folks have POS-grounded systems, while others have NEG-grounded systems. To be clear and understandable, use the phrases "GROUND conductor", or "HOT (POWER) conductor". DD

[MGG]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

SOME of you guys are confusing yourselves (and others) by referring to POS and NEG cables. The confusion is because some folks have POS-grounded systems, while others have NEG-grounded systems. To be clear and understandable, use the phrases "GROUND conductor", or "HOT (POWER) conductor". DD

Sorry, I will try to be more clear. In my 1934 I have 6 volt positive ground as originally built. Mounted to my positive GROUND conductor at the battery post I have a cut off switch. I have this setup insulated so that nothing can come in contact with bare anything. Is it still better to change my switch to the negative HOT POWER conductor? Thanks

[koates]

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MGG, You will be OK to leave your original 34 ford with a cut off switch in the battery ground cable. My early fords are all this way for years. More modern cars with electronics should have the cut off switch fitted into the power or hot battery cable. Regards, Kevin.

[MGG]

Thank you Koates. That makes perfect sense to me.