Battery cut off switch

[charlie D]

I finally have most of the miswired wiring corrected with a few glitches at the instrument cluster remaining. Finished under the hood and with all the lights. Looking at installing a battery cutoff switch, not one of the knobs you unscrew at the battery. Most likely place seems to be the headlight bracket just forward of the battery, but that means opening a closing the hood each time. Not intending this to be a  theft deterrent. Where have all of you installed a cutoff switch? As always, thanks.
Charlie D

[Bob Gaines]

I finally have most of the miswired wiring corrected with a few glitches at the instrument cluster remaining. Finished under the hood and with all the lights. Looking at installing a battery cutoff switch, not one of the knobs you unscrew at the battery. Most likely place seems to be the headlight bracket just forward of the battery, but that means opening a closing the hood each time. Not intending this to be a  theft deterrent. Where have all of you installed a cutoff switch? As always, thanks.
Charlie D

If not intended as a theft deterrent then why the need for the installation? Reason being this is not something that has been typically needed or as a suggested safety modifications on millions of Mustangs. Most of the time a battery cutoff is required on a purpose built track car to comply with current vintage class racing requirements in case of a problem. In that case it has to be accessible from OUTSIDE the car. Front fender antenna hole, roll bar (vent window location) when windows are taken out, or rear tail panel are typical locations in that case. You would need to access power at the solenoid to completely isolate the power going to every component in the car. Once you do that you could conceivable run the cable to a switch placed anywhere in the car.

[557]

My "battery cutoff"is removing battery cable.it works nicely.

[TOBKOB]

My "battery cutoff"is removing battery cable.it works nicely.

+1...Just twist and pull   

TOB

[charlie D]

OK, OK, I get the funnies and maybe a little razz. Bob is certainly correct that there are not any identified safety issues with the millions of Mustangs without a battery cutoff and that if it is for racing the cutoff is outside the body where it can be turned off by track staff. Not my issue. I have had cars crank merrily away with no ignition on when the starter circuit just plain failed. All the little British cars I have worked with have one installed. It is a matter of convenience and, for myself, piece of mind. There are already bolts on the inner fender between the solenoid and battery where there will be enough room for a fabricated bracket to mount a cutoff. No new holes. That's where I will be making the install. When I am done I will post some picture if anyone else wants to make one.
Charlie D

[557]

In all seriousness,if you have original wiring it's not a bad idea to be able to shut off the juice.A short in the wrong place and it could get hot.

[TOBKOB]

OK, OK, I get the funnies and maybe a little razz.

No funnies here...I'm serious as a heart attack when I say just twist and pull the positive cable off and when you are ready to go for a drive just twist and push  the cable. This works great and the look is still original.

TOB

[TedS]

... All the little British cars .......

Every British car I ever owned smoked wires at one time or another. UGH...Lucas electrics.

I've been using the "twist and pull" method for a long time. But you do have to raise the hood. If I were driving more I might do differently.

Ted

[charlie D]

Correction, the location is between the shock tower and solenoid. Nice space. Thanks for all your input.
Charlie D

[vtgt500]

As mentioned, pulling off a battery cable has worked well for the 42 years I've owned my GT500.   I very rarely drive the car anymore and rest easy with knowledge a short related car fire is a non issue. Wipe battery perfectly clean to prevent a leak path between terminal posts.   Also, amazing how long a fully charged, disconnected battery will last in dry, heated storage.  Though there is some debate on which cable to remove.

[67350#1242]

I twist off the negative cable - it is longer and you can just lay the connector down over a battery hold down bolt.   No danger of it moving around then and sparking, etc.  Definitely feel more comfortable with it unhooked especially when stored over winter and hooked to battery tender.   (Only negative is the clock is never on time).

[roddster]

  I just pop the negative cable off of the battery post.  Was funny; one time I was across the street on a cruise night talking to another car owner.  There's some fellow there by my car, looking, looking, looking for why there was no cable hooked up  to the negative post.
    It gets laid down between the battery and the fender.  Just another layer of anti-theft stuff.

[Side-Oilers]

I always pop off the positive terminal. My thinking is IF there is some short in the car's wiring system, having the positive off means no current possible. Whereas having just the neg off might let that short manifest.

Any sense to this, or doesn't it matter which terminal? 

[67350#1242]

Either one shouldn't matter  -  current path is broken and if anything becomes shorted no current will flow.

[Corey Bowcutt]

No current can possible flow if you have either the positive or negative terminal removed, so it makes no difference in that respect.  I am having a hard time imagining why it would make a difference which terminal you remove?  The only advantage I can imaging by removing the negative terminal is that if you were to  drop a metal tool that contacts the car and either of the battery posts you will not short circuit the battery.  If you were to remove the positive terminal and you dropped a metal tool between the positive post and the car you would get a short.  Now this seems like a long shot and the possibility exists whether the terminal is connected or not so again I am having a hard time seeing how it matters.  But I would like to know if it does because I routinely disconnect my positive when I work on the car.