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cody91 View Drop Down
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Posts: 184 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Battery Disconnect
    Posted: 05 May 2014 at 9:28am
I'm planning to mount a battery disconnect switch directly to my battery box.  Does it matter if I configure the switch to disconnect the positive or negative cable?  Also, does it matter what gauge cable I run from the switch to the battery?  It looks like the main battery cables are 6 gauge.

Thanks.
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2014 at 12:04pm

Put the disconnect on the positive side.  Go as large as you can with the wiring, but don't worry if you can't use the same size as the existing wiring.  The new wiring has a very short run and you aren't running a high- amperage appliance like a starter so there won't be much of a voltage drop with smaller wiring.  I used a pre-wired weatherproof fuse that had 12 gauge wire, but I don't worry about it since the new wire is only a few inches long.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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cody91 View Drop Down
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Posts: 184 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2014 at 1:51pm
Originally posted by techntrek

Put the disconnect on the positive side.  Go as large as you can with the wiring, but don't worry if you can't use the same size as the existing wiring.  The new wiring has a very short run and you aren't running a high- amperage appliance like a starter so there won't be much of a voltage drop with smaller wiring.  I used a pre-wired weatherproof fuse that had 12 gauge wire, but I don't worry about it since the new wire is only a few inches long.

Thanks.  I was having trouble finding 6 gauge wire.

Cody91
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outermostpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2014 at 2:00pm
I was able to find the correct wire at West Marine.  They had a short length of 6 gauge with connectors already attached.  Probably most marine places would have it though.  You can order any length any gauge you want from Westmarine.com

Connected to a marine-grade battery cutoff switch to the positive side.
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2014 at 5:17pm
Originally posted by cody91

I was having trouble finding 6 gauge wire.

Just use a couple of starter cables - they're perfect for the job and available most everywhere automotive parts are sold.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2014 at 9:47pm
Very cheap at Walmart, I used about 18 of them to connect a bunch of deep cycle batteries I had for years.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Seanl View Drop Down
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Posts: 633 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 May 2014 at 7:48am
Originally posted by Outbound

Originally posted by cody91

I was having trouble finding 6 gauge wire.

Just use a couple of starter cables - they're perfect for the job and available most everywhere automotive parts are sold.

I was just going to say that I converted my Rig over for Dual battery and I used starter cables to connect them. 
Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 May 2014 at 8:34am
I recently went to dual (6v.) batteries too and found starter cable on sale @ Tractor Supply for $5.99! Bargain.

Yesterday, I bought 40' of 10AWG thin stand for adding a couple more 12v. outlets. Home Depot - $0.39 a foot. Thought that was a pretty good deal too.

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 May 2014 at 9:45am

If anyone is coming through MD you are welcome to some of the ones I have.  I dismantled my big battery bank last year (which I used with this system) when it died and now I use a much smaller one.  No need for those cables.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 May 2014 at 9:54am
Wow Doug. That is so cool! What died? The Prius or the UPS? I get "the look" when I just walk around my wife's car - not brave enough to do what you did.

Now I gotto look up the towing capacity of a Tesla!

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!
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