Battery on/off -- Pos or Neg side?

[BackInAction]

When I add an on/off to my battery box, which side (positive or negative) should I install the switch?

It seems like a silly question to me, but I've seen significant debate in another forum without any real conclusion.

[LFugate]

You are correct, no one will agree. I say always break the positive side and the switch instructions I have confirm that.

[KyDan]

The same goes here. There are folks who are very passionate about which side of
the battery to put the switch. More seem to think it should go in the positive side
but some think it absolutely should go in the negative side.

I'm a positive side kind of guy
I'm an ex-electrician and it just seems right that way to me.
Fuses are generally in the positive side of the circuit and they are
a form of switch, even tho they are a one time switch!

It will work perfectly fine either way. Just be sure the switch is ahead of
all connections. Some slides and maybe front jacks are tapped off the
battery wire pretty close to the front end. If you want the disconnect
to be total then it's gotta be the first thing in the line.

[herk7769]

Originally Posted by LFugate

You are correct, no one will agree. I say always break the positive side and the switch instructions I have confirm that.

My two cents has the positive side switched as well.

[Danielflading]

Pos

[BackInAction]

Lou;

That's a fancy switch. How is that wired? I was expecting 2 leads from the switch, not 4.

[LFugate]

Originally Posted by BackInAction

Lou;

That's a fancy switch. How is that wired? I was expecting 2 leads from the switch, not 4.

Thats the switch I have as well. You can select all OFF, or switch 1 on, or switch 2 on, or switch 1 and 2 on. It's a very nice switch and I believe it's designed for boats which I why I picked that one. I'm hoping it holds up to the weather longer than the other cheaper one I had.

[Triguy]

Mine is wired off of the positive.

I have a Blue Sea disconnect switch and Blue Sea instructions are to install off of the positive terminal per American Boat and Yacht Council standards.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by BackInAction

When I add an on/off to my battery box, which side (positive or negative) should I install the switch?

It seems like a silly question to me, but I've seen significant debate in another forum without any real conclusion.

Switch the Positive side. The reason why is if you jus switch the negitive you can still make a direct short inside the trailer from a positive line to the frame which is ground.

If you switch the positive at the battery you will never have the posibility of a short inside your trailer.

My 2 cents

[budlemon]

bayyery disconnect swiches in cars such as my classic truck are put on the neg. cable direct current (batteries) flows from neg. to pos. look it up . your alternator on your truck goes to pos. post pos. in neg. out we have to run asmall bypass wire to radios etc. to maintain pushbutton stations gas safety sensors.