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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Corvette / February 2006Battery Disconnect Switch for C-4??
Purchased a battery disconnect switch for my '94 coupe. (You known the one with the dial to turn the battery on or off.) I hooked it to the negative(-) post since I was told it doesn't make a difference and this is easier to reach. Everything seemed OK until I tried to start the car. Then everything went dead. Reconnected original battery cable and everything was fine. Rehooked switch, same results. Any suggestions?? Forgot how those thing worked..but it is NOT a good idea to keep disconnecting the Vette battery..each time you power on again the computer has to learn you driving habits..takes about 20 miles of driving for the computer to reestablish it's memory..and the constant power on power off is hell on the computer...that's why many home computer users NEVER turn their computers off.....its the initial power surge that kills them....like when a light bulb blows..most always when you turn it on. Just my humble opinion but ditch the switch...buy a battery maintainer instead. >Forgot how those thing worked..but it is NOT a good idea to keep >disconnecting the Vette battery..each time you power on again the computer [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >light bulb blows..most always when you turn it on. Just my humble opinion >but ditch the switch...buy a battery maintainer instead. =============== I agree on the Battery Tenders...all of my Corvettes have them blinking away RIGHT NOW However they do sell a connector that uses a regular 9 Volt battery that you connect to your cigar lighter that will keep power on to the cars Computer while the cars battery is disconnected...Ecklers, Mid Amer etc all sell them... More a pain to use however then just hooking up a Battery Tender.. But they do make it... Bob G. Thanks and I agree....I wanted the disconnect switch for a major car show in our area. (Fire Regulation) I believe my initial problem was caused by a defective battery cable. >Thanks and I agree....I wanted the disconnect switch for a major car show in >our area. (Fire Regulation) I believe my initial problem was caused by a >defective battery cable. ================== Ok I now understand completely.... One of the common requirements for an indoor shows is that the gas cap be taped shut with duct tape... Did it the first time..(and not a sole even asked or checked) since then I have taped the cap closed exactly zero times... I have done a couple of dozzn indeoor shows... The Battery Disconnect really never entered my mind since I have never shown my C4 ...and disconecting the battery is an everyday occurance for me in all of my older Corvettes... Bob G. A poster above mentioned the power on/off/computer/surge potential problem. Have you ever had to replace any of the microprocessors maybe due to the powering up and down or are you not worried about it? I do know that computers don't like surges but don't know how this relates to this. Thoughts? Yes, Bob........"All vehicles must have less than 1/8 of a tank of fuel (No Exceptions). Vehicles must have locking or taped gas caps. Batteries must be disconnected with a visible cut-off switch or removed cables that are taped to prevent any sparking. All particicpants must have sign-off slip filled out by floor spotter........etc, etc. " Yikes!!! Sort of takes the fun out of it. > A poster above mentioned the power on/off/computer/surge potential > problem. Have you ever had to replace any of the microprocessors maybe > due to the powering up and down or are you not worried about it? I do > know that computers don't like surges but don't know how this relates to > this. Thoughts? I ceased "worrying" by the late '80s -- solid state devices were well protected by then. Any designer worth his or her salt will place limiting devices on every input to a car computer. Hooking an old-fashioned quick-charger up to a car without a battery might be a bit much though. My only self-inflicted wound -- pulling the battery on my '92 GMC without a "keepalive." The stereo had Delco's early try at theft prevention (I didn't know that the first owner had set the passcode). Dealer wanted $ 35 to reset it so I got a nice Pioneer.  Signature…PJ Wheeled, black-on-black Sampsonite w/Corvette emblem thanks the respons PJ. I am inclined not to worry too much any more about microproc or computers being turned on or off. As for computers, early ones needed to be left on always in that the temp change on parts was the killer. However, in the last 10 years, home pcs are meant to be turned on and off and components work well without the worry. Hoping that the c4s have the same kind of protection. I have replaced batteries 3 times in mine and never ran into the problem with my system that you did. Perhaps by 87, they had given up on the password things. Good luck with it. |
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