R-pod Owners Forum : Battery Disconnect https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks : Battery Disconnect Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:44:25 +0000 Tue, 15 Jul 2014 08:45:11 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=4684 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ Battery Disconnect : Thanks CharlieM https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=48336#48336 Author: Tbslants
Subject: 4684
Posted: 15 Jul 2014 at 8:45am

Thanks CharlieM Smile]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2014 08:45:11 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=48336#48336 Battery Disconnect : Originally posted by TbslantsNewbie... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=48297#48297 Author: CharlieM
Subject: 4684
Posted: 14 Jul 2014 at 1:57pm

Originally posted by Tbslants

Newbie to R-POD..The switch instruction said to connect it to the negative side...is that an issue?  Does it matter which side?Thanks


Electrically there's not much difference between positive or negative.

Convention usually dictates disconnecting the positive as Techntrek suggests.

From a safety standpoint some suggest disconnecting the negative cable in a vehicle. This is because a loose negative cable hitting the frame or chassis of the vehicle will do no damage, but a positive cable hitting the vehicle chassis could cause a short circuit. This is only a problem if there is another source of current such as a running alternator or on-board converter/charger. For permanent installation I prefer the disconnect in the positive side.
]]> Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:57:39 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=48297#48297 Battery Disconnect : Newbie to R-POD..The switch instruction... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=48290#48290 Author: Tbslants
Subject: 4684
Posted: 14 Jul 2014 at 11:44am

Newbie to R-POD..The switch instruction said to connect it to the negative side...is that an issue?  Does it matter which side?Thanks]]> Mon, 14 Jul 2014 11:44:37 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=48290#48290 Battery Disconnect : The big battery bank died after... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45626#45626 Author: techntrek
Subject: 4684
Posted: 06 May 2014 at 1:31pm

The big battery bank died after 4 1/2 years.  I bought cheap batteries so I only expected it to last 5 years, so I got close.  At that point I modified the Prius to power the UPS and it made much more $ sense to use that for long-term base loads than to spend the big $$$ to replace the big battery bank. 
 
The Prius burns about 0.13 gallons/hr to power my house, and I just ran a test last weekend with my new inverter-generator Honda and it was about 0.15.  Far cheaper than replacing that big battery bank for overnight and daytime use.
]]> Tue, 06 May 2014 13:31:15 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45626#45626 Battery Disconnect : Wow Doug. That is so cool! What... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45615#45615 Author: fwunder
Subject: 4684
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
]]> Tue, 06 May 2014 09:54:37 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45615#45615 Battery Disconnect : If anyone is coming through MD... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45612#45612 Author: techntrek
Subject: 4684
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.

]]> Tue, 06 May 2014 09:45:12 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45612#45612 Battery Disconnect : I recently went to dual (6v.)... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45604#45604 Author: fwunder
Subject: 4684
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
]]> Tue, 06 May 2014 08:34:03 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45604#45604 Battery Disconnect : Originally posted by Outbound Originally... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45601#45601 Author: Seanl
Subject: 4684
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. 
]]> Tue, 06 May 2014 07:48:27 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45601#45601 Battery Disconnect : Very cheap at Walmart, I used... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45590#45590 Author: techntrek
Subject: 4684
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.]]> Mon, 05 May 2014 21:47:17 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45590#45590 Battery Disconnect : Originally posted by cody91I... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45572#45572 Author: Outbound
Subject: 4684
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.
]]> Mon, 05 May 2014 17:17:30 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45572#45572 Battery Disconnect : I was able to find the correct... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45567#45567 Author: outermostpod
Subject: 4684
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.
]]> Mon, 05 May 2014 14:00:05 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45567#45567 Battery Disconnect : Originally posted by techntrekPut... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45566#45566 Author: cody91
Subject: 4684
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
]]> Mon, 05 May 2014 13:51:21 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45566#45566 Battery Disconnect : Put the disconnect on the positive... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45559#45559 Author: techntrek
Subject: 4684
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.

]]> Mon, 05 May 2014 12:04:41 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45559#45559 Battery Disconnect : I'm planning to mount... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45551#45551 Author: cody91
Subject: 4684
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.
]]> Mon, 05 May 2014 09:28:39 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684&PID=45551#45551