[VAC] Battery Switch

[Gary Quamen <gquamen@xxxxxxxx>]

Hiya folks:

A week or so ago there was a spate of emails regarding battery hazards.

I jumped right in and at one point mentioned the fact that some (mine, at 
least) trailers had the 12v circuits "live" all of the time and suggested 
that it might be better to have them switched off most of the time.  This 
would require the addition of a battery on-off switch.

I also wondered if I was missing something "fundamental" if I went ahead 
and installed one.  Afterwards, I thought about the fact that if the 
system was shut-down during travel (desireable from a wire-shorting 
standpoint), the battery could not take a charge from the tow vehicle.

Yesterday, as I was coming back from West Marine after purchasing a 
switch, it occurred to me what the "fundamental" thing is:

If you have the battery isolated, the breakaway switch can't activate the 
electric brakes if the trailer should get loose.

I am still going ahead with installation of the switch.  I feel more 
comfortable having the wiring shut-down MOST of the time.  Plus, I like 
the idea of having some way of shutting it down other than accessing the 
battery and disconnecting the wires from the terminals, especially in an 
emergency situation.

Making sure the switch is on will have to be part of the pre-travel 
procedures, like the other stuff.  But it will not be "Idiot Proof" like 
the system is now.


GQ '67 Safari