I am installing a Bosch cut-off switch and I have a small question. In the picture I'm providing I have added a red "?" to the line I'm confused on. I assume the main electrical feed is the cable that goes to the starter but whats the one that splits off of it? Here's the pic..

Doug C

Maybe it's one or all of these wires? They come off of the main wiring harness towards the passengers side..

Doug C

That would be your alternator pass through wiring.

A wire goes from battery through the diode & onto the alternator.

I have one, but I did not know how it was wiered. This cut off is on the ground side.
Joe

QUOTE (Joe Sharp @ Mar 18 2005, 11:36 AM)

I have one, but I did not know how it was wiered. This cut off is on the ground side.

you interrupt the ground ?

you must pay a lot less for alternators than i do ...

Can I even use this cut-off switch and maintain radio memory? Thanks for the info so far, BTW.

Doug C

QUOTE (DougC @ Mar 18 2005, 01:02 PM)

Can I even use this cut-off switch and maintain radio memory?

not unless you wire a bypass direct from the battery (through a fuse, of course...) to the radio's keep-alive terminal.

if you're in a class that requires a kill switch, don't let the tech guys see the bypass wire, because they would never understand...

fused bypass wire.

There used to be a trick whereby you could run a link wire between the two outside posts. The link wire runs through a low voltage resistor. Idea being there'd by a very low current / voltage drawn around the main switch.


not advocating it, just saying!!

Came with the car. I have never installed one and had no idea how this one was done. I'll just disconect it till I deside what to do.
Joe

okay - i don't think Doug's question actually got asnwered accurately and concisely. i'll try...

it's connected just like it shows. use exactly the terminals shown; they're not interchangeable. specifically, the top big main one and the bottom (ignition) switches are closed (a connection is made) when the kill switch is "On." the middle set of contacts is OPEN when the switch is ON.

when you turn the kill switch off, interrupting the flow of current to/from the battery through the main contacts, and from the ignition to the coil, you are turning the center contacts ON. this provides a path to ground through that big resistor for the charging current from the alternator.

if you disconnect the load (battery) from an alternator while it's turning, the surge will kill the diodes. you need to do SOMETHING with the electricity that's produced between the time you kill the engine with the switch and the time it actually stops turning. what this set of little contacts does is heat up the resistor a half a degree and give the power a place to go safely.

a short jumper of AWG14 wire oughtta do it.

if that wasn't completely clear, check out the operation of the switch contacts with a continuity meter and visualise what's going on. if that still doesn't help, let me know what's not clear and i'll explain it another way.