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- Thread starter roofman
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T
Tinster
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Guest
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Re: fdg
Tom,
I thought the thread started when the green knob
popped off while driving and fell into the streeting
which then locked up, almost causing a crash.
I faithfully remove a battery cable every time I turn
Crypty off. I have one of those green disconnects but
have not yet installed it. I wonder if I should?
d
Tom,
I thought the thread started when the green knob
popped off while driving and fell into the streeting
which then locked up, almost causing a crash.
I faithfully remove a battery cable every time I turn
Crypty off. I have one of those green disconnects but
have not yet installed it. I wonder if I should?
d
T
Tinster
Guest
Guest
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Re: fdg
Sorry DR !!
A brain farc for sure. Must be from sniffing too
much vapors from the floor pans rust stabilizer.
d
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
Sorry DR !!
A brain farc for sure. Must be from sniffing too
much vapors from the floor pans rust stabilizer.
d
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
Don Elliott
Obi Wan
Offline
Re: fdg
Next time you're running your engine in the driveway, lift the hood and remove the battery cable. The engine will continue to run as long as your generator is still capable of sending out a charge. In fact this is what you try if you think your generator may be defective. If the engine stops whan you pull off the battery cable, your generator isn't charging.
Next time you're running your engine in the driveway, lift the hood and remove the battery cable. The engine will continue to run as long as your generator is still capable of sending out a charge. In fact this is what you try if you think your generator may be defective. If the engine stops whan you pull off the battery cable, your generator isn't charging.
tomshobby
Yoda
Offline
Re: fdg
I was just on the Summit site and they have some that look like the "green" knob ones and the ones on Summit are only rated at 100 amps continuous. I realize that we do not run that much but at night with the lights and all it might be closer. Might be at least part of the reason why the metal straps are failing.
I was just on the Summit site and they have some that look like the "green" knob ones and the ones on Summit are only rated at 100 amps continuous. I realize that we do not run that much but at night with the lights and all it might be closer. Might be at least part of the reason why the metal straps are failing.
bobh
Jedi Warrior
Offline
Re: fdg
I have one of these om the TR6. It has never caused a problem. They are great for keeping your battery from running down during long periods between starts.
I also put one on my riding mower (a Honda!) After sitting for 3 months it starts without having to charge or jump.
You don't need to buy these from EBay. Wally World sells them for less than $3. They used to have the type that required cutting the cable. For the last year or so they are selling the one that your cable clamp can grab.
Bill,
I'm beginning to wonder if you have Lucas in your bloodline. You've related numerous bad experiences with electrical components. Perhaps you are being punished for inappropriate behavior in a previous life?
I have one of these om the TR6. It has never caused a problem. They are great for keeping your battery from running down during long periods between starts.
I also put one on my riding mower (a Honda!) After sitting for 3 months it starts without having to charge or jump.
You don't need to buy these from EBay. Wally World sells them for less than $3. They used to have the type that required cutting the cable. For the last year or so they are selling the one that your cable clamp can grab.
Bill,
I'm beginning to wonder if you have Lucas in your bloodline. You've related numerous bad experiences with electrical components. Perhaps you are being punished for inappropriate behavior in a previous life?
OP
roofman
Jedi Knight
Offline
Re: fdg
If you go to the first post in the tread and look at the photo, just left of the knob is some kind of teflony material covered with brass looking metal and the brass looking metal part at this point is only the thickness of sheetmetal. This is where it breaks, The 2 outside ends are thick and likely would never fail. I doubt I drove 500 miles and it failed.
If you go to the first post in the tread and look at the photo, just left of the knob is some kind of teflony material covered with brass looking metal and the brass looking metal part at this point is only the thickness of sheetmetal. This is where it breaks, The 2 outside ends are thick and likely would never fail. I doubt I drove 500 miles and it failed.
SpannerMan
Jedi Trainee
Offline
Re: fdg
I think they should ground on both. I think the OEM battery ground cable runs from the -ve post, is bolted to the firewall by an attached loop, and through the loop on the end of the cable to one of the bellhousing/engine bolts.
Mine was never connected to the firewall bolt, and one day the extra slack in the cable let it get caught in the steering, which was scary/dangerous for sure. It was right as I was pulling into the drive. I think I had just connected the cable to the post at a little bit of a different angle after working on it that time. When I grounded it to the body through the loop, the electrics all started working better- headlights, flashers, etc. When it's connected like that, there's very little slack- just enought to make it up to the battery post really.
roofman, I wonder if your cable could have got into the steering first, and subsequently the terminal got broken as you turned the wheel? That's a bad feeling, I remember that- when the steering all of a sudden won't go any further over.
Pete
Geo Hahn said:
I think they should ground on both. I think the OEM battery ground cable runs from the -ve post, is bolted to the firewall by an attached loop, and through the loop on the end of the cable to one of the bellhousing/engine bolts.
Mine was never connected to the firewall bolt, and one day the extra slack in the cable let it get caught in the steering, which was scary/dangerous for sure. It was right as I was pulling into the drive. I think I had just connected the cable to the post at a little bit of a different angle after working on it that time. When I grounded it to the body through the loop, the electrics all started working better- headlights, flashers, etc. When it's connected like that, there's very little slack- just enought to make it up to the battery post really.
roofman, I wonder if your cable could have got into the steering first, and subsequently the terminal got broken as you turned the wheel? That's a bad feeling, I remember that- when the steering all of a sudden won't go any further over.
Pete
Brosky
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Re: fdg
PepBoys sells one just like this with an inline (3 amp?) breaker and wire hook up that jumps over the knob connection and allows a small amount of juice to keep the clock, radio, (minimum draw items) going when you have it "disconnected". If you were to try to pull the necessary amperage to start it, the breaker would pop and no start.
PepBoys sells one just like this with an inline (3 amp?) breaker and wire hook up that jumps over the knob connection and allows a small amount of juice to keep the clock, radio, (minimum draw items) going when you have it "disconnected". If you were to try to pull the necessary amperage to start it, the breaker would pop and no start.
PeterK
Yoda
Offline
Re: fdg
I did some further "research" on these switches. I even bought one that said it's proudly made in the USA by Gama Electronics. Says it's rated at up to 200amps.
The Gama ($6.95)one came today and I compared my Chinese made ($2.95)cut-off switch side by side and the only differences I note are:
-Gama has a black knob with a USA flag in the center - woopie
-The white plastic insulator is a tiny bit thicker, TINY bit
-The crimp that sandwiches the insulator between the two cast 1/2's is tighter on the Gama cut-off that I have. Others may be the same or different.
The castings are identical and I would be very surprised if they're not actually made in the same factory (in Asia).
Structurally it seems that even without the battery lead attached, there is a lot of weight hanging off the terminal and the pont of leverage is where the round part of the terminal clamp attaches to the square part that the knob screws into. If you add an (unsupported) heavy lead battery terminal and cable, each jolt from our heavy sprung front suspensions would test the castings. If the battery cable is extra length, the extra length adds to even more unsupported weight.
It's no doubt that yours has failed. But a remedy might be to support the negative cable in such a way as to lessen the downforce.
On the TR3-4A, the negative cable is attached to the firewall, ABOVE the plane of the battery connection. So this actually helps lessen the pull against the casting of the battery switch as there is no movement between the battery box and the firewall.
But on TR250-6 models, the ground is on the block and pulls downward, hastening the demise of the switch. Add the repeated motion of the engine torquing and the suspension travel between the chassis and the body, and it's a little like bending a piece of metal back and forth until you break it. It become brittle, then breaks. In this case the casting fractures.
So a simple fix or patch might be to route the ground next to the battery support rod and add a couple of zip ties to help hold the ground cable steady at the battery side. This to transfer the flex between the cable (where it is zip-tied) and the engine block where it attaches.
Just my observations. I still think the switch is a good idea in any case. Hope this didn't put you to sleep.
I did some further "research" on these switches. I even bought one that said it's proudly made in the USA by Gama Electronics. Says it's rated at up to 200amps.
The Gama ($6.95)one came today and I compared my Chinese made ($2.95)cut-off switch side by side and the only differences I note are:
-Gama has a black knob with a USA flag in the center - woopie
-The white plastic insulator is a tiny bit thicker, TINY bit
-The crimp that sandwiches the insulator between the two cast 1/2's is tighter on the Gama cut-off that I have. Others may be the same or different.
The castings are identical and I would be very surprised if they're not actually made in the same factory (in Asia).
Structurally it seems that even without the battery lead attached, there is a lot of weight hanging off the terminal and the pont of leverage is where the round part of the terminal clamp attaches to the square part that the knob screws into. If you add an (unsupported) heavy lead battery terminal and cable, each jolt from our heavy sprung front suspensions would test the castings. If the battery cable is extra length, the extra length adds to even more unsupported weight.
It's no doubt that yours has failed. But a remedy might be to support the negative cable in such a way as to lessen the downforce.
On the TR3-4A, the negative cable is attached to the firewall, ABOVE the plane of the battery connection. So this actually helps lessen the pull against the casting of the battery switch as there is no movement between the battery box and the firewall.
But on TR250-6 models, the ground is on the block and pulls downward, hastening the demise of the switch. Add the repeated motion of the engine torquing and the suspension travel between the chassis and the body, and it's a little like bending a piece of metal back and forth until you break it. It become brittle, then breaks. In this case the casting fractures.
So a simple fix or patch might be to route the ground next to the battery support rod and add a couple of zip ties to help hold the ground cable steady at the battery side. This to transfer the flex between the cable (where it is zip-tied) and the engine block where it attaches.
Just my observations. I still think the switch is a good idea in any case. Hope this didn't put you to sleep.
YankeeTR
Luke Skywalker
Offline
Re: fdg
I would guess that the Chinese part is simply a really accurate copy of the Gama...the Chinese are the KIngs of knockoffs...
I really prefer the keyed switch type of positive shut-off rather than those that mount on the battery. You can keep the original look of the battery setup, the key type are EZ to hide and they don't add that weight to the battery terminal which can cause a failure...
Of course, this comes from a guy who has never seen the need for one of these switches although I MAY put a key type on my '56 F-100.
PeterK said:
I would guess that the Chinese part is simply a really accurate copy of the Gama...the Chinese are the KIngs of knockoffs...
I really prefer the keyed switch type of positive shut-off rather than those that mount on the battery. You can keep the original look of the battery setup, the key type are EZ to hide and they don't add that weight to the battery terminal which can cause a failure...
Of course, this comes from a guy who has never seen the need for one of these switches although I MAY put a key type on my '56 F-100.
PeterK
Yoda
Offline
Re: fdg
I've seen Chinese copies of parts before and usually I can tell the difference. But there's virtually no difference between the two cut-offs. I'd bet that Gama has the parts made in Asia then assembles the black knob in the USA making them "Made in USA."
My only problem with the Hella key switch type (I also have one) is the mounting location. Either a bibg hole in the dash or finding a bracket locations somewhere under the hood. For racing, just drill a 3/4" hole in the scuttle and mark it with a lightening bolt.
I've seen Chinese copies of parts before and usually I can tell the difference. But there's virtually no difference between the two cut-offs. I'd bet that Gama has the parts made in Asia then assembles the black knob in the USA making them "Made in USA."
My only problem with the Hella key switch type (I also have one) is the mounting location. Either a bibg hole in the dash or finding a bracket locations somewhere under the hood. For racing, just drill a 3/4" hole in the scuttle and mark it with a lightening bolt.
bobh
Jedi Warrior
Offline
Re: fdg
I examined one of my spare cutoff switches this weekend. There is plenty of material beneath and above the insulator. I didn't measure the thickness. I estimate it is 3/32 or slightly more. Mine are Everstart brand sold by Wal-Mart. I even tried to bend one by hand. I couldn't bend or break it. I suspect, like so many things now-a-days, there may have been a bad batch of these floating around.
If you seat the clamping part all the way at the bottom of the terminal. The bottom of the clamp should get some support from the battery casing. This will aleviate some of the strain from the outboard weight.
I examined one of my spare cutoff switches this weekend. There is plenty of material beneath and above the insulator. I didn't measure the thickness. I estimate it is 3/32 or slightly more. Mine are Everstart brand sold by Wal-Mart. I even tried to bend one by hand. I couldn't bend or break it. I suspect, like so many things now-a-days, there may have been a bad batch of these floating around.
If you seat the clamping part all the way at the bottom of the terminal. The bottom of the clamp should get some support from the battery casing. This will aleviate some of the strain from the outboard weight.
