Battery cut off switch question
All along, I've been under the impression that a cut off switch should be placed close to the battery and on the positive side of the system. Is this right?
Forum Discussion
A master fuse or circuit breaker or similar overcurrent protection needs to be near the battery on the positive side to protect the wiring in case of a short circuit (and hopefully prevent a fire).
A cutoff switch may be anywhere that makes sense electrically and physically for whatever you're shutting off. Obviously, if it's also serving as the circuit breaker then that constrains where it ought to be. Traditionally switches are placed in the positive wire, which under some circumstances can have a few advantages for things like working on the wiring system, as it tends to have fewer things live when shut off.
A cutoff switch may be anywhere that makes sense electrically and physically for whatever you're shutting off. Obviously, if it's also serving as the circuit breaker then that constrains where it ought to be. Traditionally switches are placed in the positive wire, which under some circumstances can have a few advantages for things like working on the wiring system, as it tends to have fewer things live when shut off.
