wiring question

[Born2fish]

does anybody know how to hook up a switch that will turn all the accessories off? i guess kind of like a master power switch. my depth finders and live wells just randomly come on and running my batteries down so i was just going to hook up a switch that i can turn off and it turns everything off. i just dont know where to hook up the wires. all help will be greatly appreciated.

[Fisherjoe]

Sent you a pm

[R19]

A battery disconnect switch will cut off anything downstream from where the disconnect is installed. Typically the disconnect is installed where the main cable from the positive battery post leaves the battery.

example...main cable from battery goes 12" then splits. One wire goes to the starter and the other to the master power switch. The disconnect must be installed before the split if you want to disable everything from getting power.

another example...you install the disconnect to the main cable before any split but you also have electronics (lets say a depth finder) that is hard wired directly to the battery. You will have to re route power to the depth finder because it is on a totally different circuit and will still have power even if the disconnect is off.

A battery disconnect is a good thing to have when you have something that can drain power to a battery...However that is just a band aid to fix your problem. Electrical equipment should not come on unless power is turned on to it. You have an issue that could be one of many things. If you or somebody you know is proficient at using a multi meter you can track down your real issue and fix the problem.

In my "opinion" battery disconnects are good for issues that don't normally happen...lets say your nephew comes over to the house and jumps up onto your boat to play. Nobody is around and he sees the key in the ignition and decides to start you motor...or he starts pushing buttons on the dash panel...or you wife is in the garage a lays a box on the front deck of your boat and it pushes in the trim switch at the bow...here is where a battery disconnect will save the day.

Do a Google search for Perko battery disconnect and you should find many different places that sell them.