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Covering Wires on A Switch

chrisski

Solar Boondocker
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
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I bought and installed a Battery Disconnect switch and am looking for how you would cover these terminals:

9642CBF8-76C3-489F-A096-D9DBB1490E73.jpeg
I’ve got a couple of ideas. My favorite would be a cover, but does not come with one.
 
Amazon has terminal boots like put on lawn tractor batteries.
Thanks. I have some of those lying around from another project, but never thought to use those.

I think I had to work on starter wiring and this is left over.
 
I ordered Two red 3/8 Terminal Stud Covers.
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On a separate note, I’m looking for a “Dust Cap” for a lug that would fit over the lug to keep it from coming into contact with something hot.

I looked for something that could slip on and off these lugs, but did not find anything. Closest would be these terminal stud covers, but its not closed with one end still open.
 
I ordered Two red 3/8 Terminal Stud Covers.
==========
On a separate note, I’m looking for a “Dust Cap” for a lug that would fit over the lug to keep it from coming into contact with something hot.

I looked for something that could slip on and off these lugs, but did not find anything. Closest would be these terminal stud covers, but its not closed with one end still open.
I have 3 questions.

Did you find a good cover?

Which switch are you using?

How many amps are running through the switch?

Thanks
 
I used terminal stud covers with the sized lug I was using. I ordered these:


I have since ordered a few of those covers with different sizes and colors from the same link.

Depending on what size, the terminal stud covers are available in auto parts stores as battery boots or alternator boots.

The switch was this one:

Although it is rated to 24 volt 135 amps, I use it for 15 amps, but the circuit it is in could pull 40 amps. I only use this non-UL switch as part of a milk crate build and if it was not outside each time I used it, I would not have installed. Hs switch is much cheaper than the Blue Sea option, but unlike Blue Sea is not UL listed. Also is about 1/3rd the size of the blue sea switch. I’ve seen pics of this switch used as a main battery cutoff switch for big lithium batteries and it makes me cringe.

The switch I linked has a covered option I saw after I installed mine. I would have probably went with that one and might not have needed the terminal boots.
 
I went to amazon and saw the switch. It does look like yours. I'm happy to hear it is not under your bed.
Did you receive any instructions which clearly state "DO NOT USE UNDER LOAD"?

I think most people use them as "on/off" switches instead of as a "disconnect". Pretty scary.

This is amusing, did you know you bought a relay solenoid for a Yamaha? :)
The information on the amazon page is useless. I guess the seller dots their "T" and crosses their "I".

Product Description​

Description:
Starter Relay Solenoid For Yamaha ATV YFM Grizzly Raptor UTV Rhino Motorcycle Road Star Snowmobile Nytro V-Max
 
I wonder if the ad has changed since I bought it. Re-reading the ad, I can’t see myself getting that. I also thought the specs were 250 amps at 12 volts and 125 amps at 24 volts. I could just have forgotten.

I think most people use them as "on/off" switches instead of as a "disconnect". Pretty scary.
I have never thought there’s a difference there when dealing with the first switch after the battery.
Did you receive any instructions which clearly state "DO NOT USE UNDER LOAD"?
I don’t recall any instructions with the switch.
 
I wonder if the ad has changed since I bought it. Re-reading the ad, I can’t see myself getting that. I also thought the specs were 250 amps at 12 volts and 125 amps at 24 volts. I could just have forgotten.


I have never thought there’s a difference there when dealing with the first switch after the battery.

I don’t recall any instructions with the switch.
The second half of my post, about the ad, was meant to be funny. The info I posted is on that page though. I laughed and wanted to share.

The first part of my post is "DEAD SERIOUS".
None of those switches THAT I HAVE SEEN are meant to be used when current is passing through them. I bet 90% of the folks that use them are switching them off and on without knowing they are playing Russian Roulette.

Too bad sellers are not more responsible. Too bad buyers don't do the research. No offense intended chrisski.
 
I have never thought there’s a difference there when dealing with the first switch after the battery.
I think the distinction between using it as an on/off switch vs a disconnect is that using it as an on/off switch means you turn the switch while the inverter is still turned on and the SCC is still turned on, etc. That's bad. The switch is not meant to opened under load. Using it as a disconnect means you turn off the switch after you have already turned off the inverter and turned off the SCC, etc. That's good. The instructions for the Blue Sea switch specifically states "Turn all appliances off before turning the battery switch to OFF." Once off the battery is safely disconnected from the rest of the system.
 
None of those switches THAT I HAVE SEEN are meant to be used when current is passing through them. I bet 90% of the folks that use them are switching them off and on without knowing they are playing Russian Roulette.
The instructions for the Blue Sea switch specifically states "Turn all appliances off before turning the battery switch to OFF." Once off the battery is safely disconnected from the rest of the system.
Makes sense about the bigger disconnect switch. I think at one point I knew that, but forgot about it.

So, even for a bigger build where one might think loads are powered down, things like the inverter caps may have bled down while in storage and require a pre-charge. The small switch I linked above, I don’t know how it would handle that surge power If not pre-charged. Quite the spark that comes out At the las point of connection.

What I’m dealing with now on a different, bigger build is a 24 volt 35 amp AC to DC converter sparks when it hooks to the system on the DC side, and the 3000 watt 24 volt inverter also sparks when the Blue Sea Switch is turned on when the system has been shut down for a while. In most cases, that is when I shut the Blue Sea switch off for a while.

To solve that problem, I’m trying to figure a practical way to precharge the system prior to hook up with a big ceramic resistor.
 
I’m trying to figure a practical way to precharge the system prior to hook up with a big ceramic resistor.
See:

 
To solve that problem, I’m trying to figure a practical way to precharge the system prior to hook up with a big ceramic resistor.

In another ongoing thread, sunshine_eggo confirmed that someone on the Victron board says that supplying AC to the inverter will charge the capacitors. That seems like a suitable workaround to me, assuming I can remember to do it. Or, I'll just leave the inverter on but in low power mode.
 
I don’t know what does this, but I can see sparks inside the Blue Sea switch when I turn the battery switch on.

This had not happened with the 12 volt version.

I went from
12 volt 2000 watt inverter to 24 volt 3000 watt inverter

12 volt 10 amp ac/dc converter to a 24 volt 35 amp ac/dc converter

Nothing to a 24 volt 12 volt dc converter.

All three of those devices produce sparks when hooked to a busbar. Only the inverter manual talks about a pre charge.

I will take a look at the resource. That looks pretty thorough.
 
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