There's a lot of people missing the point of this video. It doesn't matter where you put your disconnect switch. He put his where he wanted it. Perhaps it was the easiest way to do it or the most simplest way. It works that's all that matters. You can take the knowledge he is giving you and you can put the switch any place you want. Give the guy some slack he's showing some people out there who don't have the knowledge to understand how to simply fix their battery drain problem, or possibly can't afford a mechanic to do it for them. I'm a mechanic and I have done the same thing on the cranes where I work.
thought he was polish for a moment there. lol on a serious note there are automatic kill switches that kill after a 3-5minute power down if you want to install one that will run on its own.
I use to drive truck as part of my job. Dump trucks, semi trucks, etc. This type of switch was mandatory. Every night, flip it off. Back on in the morning. Its also great for theft prevention if you hide it. Thats why I'm here. Someone stole my wife's 96 Bronco, tweaked on it for a couple days, then ran out of gas and abandoned it. They got the doors and tried to prybar off the shell. We got it back, but im not even hooking up the battery until I get one of these on it.
Thanks for this video man. Just went through my 2nd brand new battery for my old band van, and spring and summer is super busy for us. Moneys always tight; this should do the trick.
I watched your video over a year ago, installed the kill switch and I can’t thank you enough brother 🙌 Thanks for the knowledge 💯 I also got my kill switch through my hood on the driver side, SUPER CONVENIENT in my opinion 🤙
I'm buying a 2002 Pathfinder that has the same electrical problem draining the battery. My mechanic told me he can put in a kill-switch so it's good to know that this can save your battery and Theft.
***1000 videos*** A little kickback for nonmonetary value per hours in views. I have to "offer 100$ gratitude" in order to subscribe...you know for thousands of videos
Nice man. Thanks bro. My side by side has a bluetooth hookup somewhere in my stereo and my rock lights. I plug the vehicle in when it's in my garage. But if I go camping ore even just out and turn it off for the night it doesn't start. So that's a great idea. Appreciate the video.
This has been a saving grace. I bought a 98 Grand Cherokee with the same issue. Noticed the cab lights were still getting a current even with a dead battery. Removed em; had it cranking for a few days but now it absolutely won't hold a charge. Gonna invest in this and a jump box next 👍
Thanks buddy, my bus to Skoolie conversion needs this. I have two batteries on my bus and one on my SUV. All dead. Your tiddy eous pronunciation of tedious made me smile :)
Correct but the reality it's about 2 ft of distance in length from the battery do it doesn't affect anything. What your referring to is large distances.
Hi do you know if putting a kill switch on the negative side would reset the computer each time? I was thinking about putting it on the positive side because I’m having problems with the O2 sensor tripping. After 2 mechanics it’s getting too expensive to keep trying to diagnose. I want to reset the computer occasionally when I want the auto start to work without opening the hood and unhooking the positive cable every time. It won’t work when there’s a dummy light on. I was just wondering if it mattered which side I put a kill switch on. Ideally I wanted to run it through the firewall and put it on the dash somewhere. Still doing my research. Thanks
Yes , unfortunately anytime you completely disconnect power everything is going to reset. Doesn't matter if it's the negative or positive side. Hope this helps, thanks for commenting!
Want a reason? Check this video out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NPI3f3edL9U.html While you are watching this video ... go ahead and watch me Elvis Video: Eli "King of Rock & Roll Harmonica". Enjoy and subscribe: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-l6XwYBocwno.html&pbjreload=10
It shut down my computer also so sometimes to correct Rpm I had to cut off,on off,on two or three times To reset computer rpm will go down then up normal,it's a hassle
Hi, have a question, what you do in snow or rain and you have to drive a car? Water goes while the cap is open and key is in! Actually I fixed this in my Hyundai Sonata 2009 but not on the hood, I drilled next to the Wiper and somehow managed to fix there, what I do while snowy or rainy weather just put a zip lock bag on it and a rubber band around it while driving.
Honestly I don't think it would hurt anything. The key is all plastic with a metal rod to make the connection when turned. Also the little bid of moisture that would fit in there would just evaporate as the hood warms up. Mine has been on , for over a year and has been through it's fair share of snow, rain, mud, sand and salt, with no issues!
Thanks for this. My mustang is draining battery all the way down every single night... wish I’d seen this before paying multiple mechanics to tell me they couldn’t figure out my problem ..... Gonna try this asap! Btw I like the through the hood method. For me it would also make the most sense so I appreciate your take on it. ❤️🙏🏻
@@carlosthemasteroftrades5070 What are your thoughts on the battery disconnect switch top posts ? I’m a single girl that’s not mechanically savvy... I don’t love the idea of popping the hood every morning and night but I’m not sure I can pull off what you did in the video. The little screw things *look* like the installation would be much simpler for someone like me to do on my own. Thanks for any advice! One more question that will prol seem dumb .... if I did put a disconnect on the battery can I still jump it if needed or would I have to uninstall the switch thing? Could I install the thing now while my cars dead and then get a jump or would I need to jump it and get battery charged back up first?
Definitely want the switch on while jumping, don't need it on if only charging the battery. I like the switch on the exterior because I don't want to be opening the hood everytime I get out or leave the vehicle. Ideally inside would be great but like I said in video, some vehicles are really hard to get the wires inside through the fire wall.
@@Emwest84 as for the post disconnects , they're cool ,but you have to pop your hood when ever you want disconnect. No town for doing that all the time, I want ease of access!!!
Yes it will work. Doesn't matter which one you put it on, it's just that on the positive, you are going to get a little spark every time you connect. Thanks for the comment, don't forget to like, share and subscribe.
Thank you! My old Nissan just started killing itself lately. After removing the key and exiting the vehicle, I continue to see a 'security' light on. That may be the culprit or one of several. Opening and securely closing all the doors and trunk does NOT shut that light off. But it does go off when I am driving. So I have no idea what is going on with that. LOL I think this is exactly the fix that I need. My battery is on the driver's side, so I am going to try to run it inside. Thanks again!!!
I had the same thing happened to me and I finally found out what happened and I accidentally hit the light dimmer switch all the way and it caused the interior lights to stay on I don't know but you might check it and see if it is just like mine did good luck
The only thing am wondering if a vehicle with all this ECU system, if we disconnect for a few days than reconnect will we have to reset or reprogram some electronic system?
I wouldn't think so. For ex.,if battery dies nothing has to be reset... My problem was a shortage,somewhere, making one of the systems work 24/7 and thus draining the battery down.
Good video. I have an old 1990 Ford Ranger. Thirty years old and this is the only issue, I’d say that’s a good deal. Built Ford Tough! Anyway, I was having the same issue. Checked the truck, all lights go off, radio, and everything I could possibly check. Thought it might be an alternator problem, pretty common stuff. Anyway, took a volt-inator I guess it’s called, neat little tool to check the voltage. The truck charges when it’s on, and it will receive a charge when off. But something was draining the battery really slowly. Any ideas? Could it just be a failing alternator? It charges the battery when the truck is running. I’m no professional mechanic though, only seventeen years old and still learning.
Never heard of an alternator draining a battery, even when going bad. So I would remove that as an issue. .maybe something as small as a cigarette lighter draining the battery. This is why I put the kill switch on mine, could not find what was draining battery. Good luck!
@@carlosthemasteroftrades5070 Thanks, I’m gonna need it. I’m no professional. 😂 But I hope to learn a lot of trades. Mechanical, Electrical, and all things as such. We decided to unplug the alternator completely, charge the battery to see if the battery will drain or keep a charge without it. We’re just going through the process of elimination. Thought about pulling some fuses to see if I could find the problem that way somehow. Have a good day, anyway. Thanks for commenting.
I'm 52 and still learning new things every day I hope you keep up with learning how to work on your own vehicles and keep on with the process of elimination and you will find your problem Good luck
First of all thanks for the comment,! As for security, memory CU.... well they are basically non existing once you turn off the kill switch. Remember all power to your vehicle has been shut off. No security, once you lock your doors they will stay locked. No remote acccess... you have to manually insert your key into the door and unlock your vehicle... like the old days. Radio stations have to be reprogrammed. Your ECU will basically start back up from where you left off or it will reset and start learning again, like any other ECU once they are powered down. Subscribe, like and share!
So, disconnect the battery terminal and connect the ground coming from the switch to it, tape it together and take another short cable and put in a new terminal ?
Something like that...it's like you cut the cable in half and install the switch in-between those ends that you cut...simple ! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe!
Great video!! I'm a single mom of three and have zero car experience and wouldn't even attempt this job even though this is what I need with my old car and electrical problems too costly to fix before I get a new one in a few months. So not meaning to sound ignorant, but can I just disconnect my battery manually every time I am done driving? I know it's more work but i have no other options. I just got a new battery and it still dies after a few days, so once I call roadside assistance and get it jumped again, would just taking off the negative bolt each day do the trick? Any other simple solutions or precautions for disconnecting and reconnecting the battery multiple times a day?? Thanks a lot!!
Carlos Vazquez yes AutoZone tested my alternator when I bought the new battery two weeks ago. When I turn the car off the engine fan continues to run for hours sometimes.
The voltage/wattage on the battery is not enough to hurt you. Yes, you may have seen sparks when you touch the negative and the positive. But it won't kill you. Keep flammable things away, like gas or paper,it will ignite. If you just remove the negative you should be fine. Just make sure when you put it back it is very tight. You do not want the cables to be loose, then your battery will not charge. One last note: your battery charges as you drive your vehicle. It takes a lot of power to start your car, and it takes a lot of driving to recharge that battery. So if you do a lot of stop and go driving and do not allow proper time(10-15min.of hwy driving) for the battery to recharge it will not have enough of a charge to start your vehicle. In cold weather batteries drain even faster when not in use. Hope this helps.
Although you want those fans to run after your vehicle is off, to cool off the engine. But after a few minutes they should cut off. Sound like a fan relay or temperature sensor may be keeping those fans on.
So is both wires from the kill switch running into the negative of the car battery? or is one running to the negative and one is running to the ground wire of the car?
Think of it like this, it's one wire with a brake in the middle to interrupt the feed. One wire, cut in half, with the kill switch connecting them back together.
I’d check your alternator bro. Draining of a battery over the course of 1 day of sitting usually means your alternator is starting to give out. I have this issue with my Mazda3. Haven’t gotten around to rebuilding or purchasing a new one yet. I just start my car up when I get home if I don’t use it & run it for about 5 minutes. My alt is only running at just over 50% efficiency. Just a heads up before you start going thru battery after battery.
This is true to a point. If your alternator is going bad you would experience some other signs too, like: when driving at night, lights and instrument panel would be dim. Also if you drive for more than 15-20 min. with lights, radio and any other electronics, your vehicle will just die on you! The alternator is responsible for providing electricity to all electronics once vehicle is running,(not the battery) if it's going bad it will leave you stranded! Especially at night, because that's when you run every light and more likely to leave you stranded. Once a vehicle is running you can remove the battery and it will still run, as long as you do not turn it off;[ that's where the battery comes into play; It's only there to crank the car, that is it!
@Mike Meshel alternator was not the issue when I did this project, it's a constant drain from either the anti theft not going to sleep or the air suspension constantlly leveling the vehicle
@@carlosthemasteroftrades5070 cool,it can be a pain trying to figure out that kind of drain,I don't like paying a shop to drain my pockets either,thanks for the vid,I enjoyed watching.
I have the same kill switch set up , will it remove a check engine light ?? Wondering because I bought a car with the kill switch like that and I want to remove it but idk if it will cause the check engine to go on
No it will not fix a check engine light. What ever is making light come on ,will eventually make it come back on. You probably haven't seen it , since every time you pull the key to the kill switch; you are resetting the computer, Causing the ecm to restart the troubleshooting process that will eventually find what the issue is, causing the light to come on. If you run the vehicle long enough without pulling the kill switch, the light will come on, if there are issues. Depending on drive habits it could take anywhere from a couple hrs driving to a few days....
Most check engine light issue are caused because of emissions faults or other safety faults. The kill switch will not prevent nor cuase a check engine light to come on.
So one wire on the kill switch goes to the negative terminal on the battery and the other wire on the kill switch goes to the existing negative battery wire?
I tried it on my Japanese made daihatsu sirion and the switch burned out after a day. I used 8 gauge wires after a while the car won't start and then it started smoking. Now the switch is no good. So am left wondering what the hell did I do wrong? I installed the switch on the dashboard and fished the wires through the firewall. Please advise!
I was looking for someone to ask if it’s safe to leave my kill switch overnight cause I thought it used battery life but it’s actually a good idea right?
Leaving the kill switch on is like leaving a flash light on.... eventually your batteries will die. The whole point of the kill switch is to KILL the power to your battery, so it does not drain....unless you put a kill switch, for other reasons.....
@@carlosthemasteroftrades5070 I have it for theft prevention so my car doesn’t get stolen when I’m out so I should probably turn it off when I’m home huh
@@jorges3824 Good idea. the other way is make kill switch tru fuel pump relay. Put them together so if you leaved your car in a long time nothing to worry stole it. Thief's cant start the car and no worries about battery drain. two kill switch yeah
If it's getting hot , you are arching somewhere ,meaning you have a loose connection somewhere or you have a faulty switch. It Should not get hot at all.
@@antrinh5525 Actually if you listen to the video, u will hear that I put silicone seal , to keep water out. And if you know anything about electrical systems: there is such a thing as fail safe, they are called fuses!
My absolute last plan would be to drill the hood. I mean why? That chinese rubber cover will dry rot and fall off or get packed under snow. Gravity takes that moisture...down. thing will corrode in no time.
Showing how you run the cables from the Neg side of the battery to the switch , that's it , that would have done it ,, it worked great, you have two cables running from the battery to the switch please show the hook up on that,, thank - you.
It is really one cable. It ties in at the old battery terminal (not attached to the battery runs to the kill switch and returns back to the new battery terminal now connected to the battery. I will make an electrical schematic and try to attach it somehow.
Pretty much what you said. Remove terminal from battery, add cable from that removed terminal and run to the 1st terminal of the kill switch. From the 2nd terminal of the kill switch, run cable back to the battery and put on battery where you removed the 1st cable. Now you have a switch to turn on and off.
Wow, really? Through your hood? I believe the switch would do better on positive/red wire side. I ran mine through firewall and mounted in dash under steering wheel.
Thanks for the insight, but bags have already been replaced. Issue is with air manifold and computer system. Too many or should I say expensive issues to worry about on a 23 yr old vehicle.
I just followed this video. Drilled a 3" hole in my Ferrari bonnet, then realised it only needed to be 1" so had to but some bits of cardboard around the fill the gap. Hopefully, it does not drain the battery anymore! Thanks.
I need to do this to a zero turn that costs a lot to find the drain, so we are doing this instead of replacing the battery every time we use it. We have a different one but it’s always nice to have a backup in case someone needs to borrow it or our main one is waiting on parts
This has saved my battery for years now. Still have the same battery as when I installed the kill switch. Thanks for the comment, don't forget to like, share and subscribe.
Yes, I don't have a problem with the battery draining anymore. I can leave the vehicle off for weeks and jump right back in it and it will crank back up.
One thing to keep in mind... certainly for an older RR and definitely for more modern vehicles: the vehicle's various Control Modules (ECM, PCM, BCM) draw continuous MILLIVOLTS from the battery for different functions including component memory settings, etc. Isolating the battery with a switch like this rather than correctly diagnosing, tracing and repairing the parasitic draw may solve your issue VERY short term, but is almost certain to cause even more issues: CAUSE limp modes, no starts, transmission problems, etc. A parasitic draw could be a result of many reasons, some hard to diagnose but some so easy (easier than wiring your switch and destroying the hood). Just one person's opinion, I wouldn't perform this hack on anything newer than 2008...
I used either 6GW or 8GW stranded. Because that's what size comes off the original ground terminal in this vehicle. But it all depends on how complicated your electrical system is; I would go with the same or bigger from what the original wire is presently.
My 2013 peter built lights cut out I shook the harness next to it lights came on next stop same thing checked batteries alternator fuses all good think it's my kill switch
@@carlosthemasteroftrades5070 ok cause i have a problem with my jeep where if i want my anti theft to go away and my dash and ac work i need to unhook the battery to reset everything and im thinking of puttin a kill switch now my question is
I used a thick wire because my battery is very large. But for a jeep you should not need such thick wire and may be able to pass it through the firewall easier. Just make sure it's not too thin and then you have a chance of it getting hot and maybe even melting or shorting out on you.
Shit I got a 2003 Ford explorer and the Anti-Theft stuff is messed up in mind I know it wouldn't be the airbags because I wrecked it and not one airbag came on so scratch that
You obviously didn't watch the video, this was done on the negative terminal. Educate yourself before making ignorant comments! But any comment is better than no comment! thanks
Hey and don't forget to like , share and subscribe, I can always use the comments, even when they are negative comments. Maybe you can critique all my videos! We'll teach each other sometime new.
IF you have an overnight battery drain you need to figure out WHERE that's coming from. Disconnect is only covering up an underlying issue its not resolving it.
Well here I go, I slammed my kill switch in the driver door, I think I Broke it I need to replace the kill switch + put those 2 wire ends for the nuts and bolts the switch. (WISH ME LUCK)
It's a parasitic draw. Use a multi meter to bridge the battery to the terminal pull one fuse Ata time until you see the voltage being drawn drop to 50 milliamps
Not at all, it just like saying that disconnecting the battery would do it harm.... Or when you turn a light switch off in a room, you are harming your home electrical system... no harm. Just discontinuing the electrical current from the source to the application.