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Installing a battery disconnect switch. Do I need to disconnect the starter?

emmett518

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Joined
Mar 24, 2021
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810
Location
USA
In talking with the Deere guys at my local dealer, they suggested installing a battery disconnect switch to keep the battery in my hoe from running down if I don't start it for a while. They indicated that the later model hoes have systems that talk to satellites, transmitting data to Deere command central that will eventually kill the battery. I ordered the switch and the mounting bracket.

My hoe has two batteries. Battery 1's "+" attaches to the battery with a clamp over post. That cable then daisy chains to the same kind of clamp on battery 2. Another 2/0 cable emerges from that second clamp, and goes to the starter motor. A third cable emerges from clamp 2, and goes to a fuse, and then feeds the electronic doohickies on the tractor (lights, horn, wiper etc).

If I don't switch the starter, I can easily add the switch to interrupt the feed for the electronic doo dads. If I switch both, I have to figure how to get a daisy chained cable made that has a battery clamp on one end, a second battery clamp in the middle, and a 3/8 lug on the other end.

Can this be easily made? Or should I do separate 2/0 cables from each battery's positive to the stud on the switch, tie them together there, and then run cables to the fuse and the starter?

My gut tells me that it might be a useful thing to cut off the starter if the tractor electronics are shut off. It would also be a bit of a security feature, in that someone couldn't start the tractor without doing the switch.

Ideas?
 

Swetz

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Oct 31, 2019
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NJ/PA
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Electric & Gas Company
My New Holland came from the factory with a cutoff switch. I do not use it. But, it is wired such that the 2 battery negative cables go to it. If you dig around on this site, you will prolly an equal number of people that are in favor of the cutoff as those opposed. Bottom line is that a battery maintainer will keep the battery in peak state of charge, and you will not have to worry about those computer do dads sucking the power out of the battery. These maintainers also greatly expand the life of the battery. I am thinking a good maintainer is not more than the cost of the cutoff switch and the connections you will have to make, and they will not extend the batteries life...Just my 2 cents.
 

emmett518

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Mar 24, 2021
Messages
810
Location
USA
If your hoe has two batteries, do you have to upsize the battery maintainer? How big a maintainer do you need?
 

Swetz

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Oct 31, 2019
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NJ/PA
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Electric & Gas Company
This is what I have and it works fine. It charges then goes into maintain on my 2-battery hoe, usually in an hours timeframe, if the battery has not been connected for some time. They also make a solar model if power is a problem.
On my tractor, as stated above, the shutoff is factory. I can see the advantages of having a shutoff on a jobsite, as the shutoff is factory located under a locking cover. The antitheft benefit is real, if it is installed in the right place. The right place, in my case is a pain to undo the cover every time I want to start my machine. For a homeowner tractor, I would think security is less of an issue, and keeping the battery is more the focus....another 2 cents worth...big spender this week...LOL
20201229_102825.jpg
 

kshansen

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Mar 11, 2012
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11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
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Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Manual battery disconnect goes between (-) and frame. That kills everything from power.
Easy, peasy.
Yep! Picture below is what we used for anything that did not come with factory battery disconnect switch. A few years before I retired company lost a few machines around the world from battery caused fires mostly on weekends or nights. Then the orders from the top came down all equipment had to have these installed. Also no two pieces of equipment could be parked less than 10 feet apart as some fires jumped from machine with crappy wiring to other machines near by. Guess having good maintenance programs to inspect equipment for faulty wiring was not an idea they had thought of, in over forty years at or plant I never saw an electrical failure destroy a machine. Well take that back, lightning got the plant a couple times!disconnet switch.jpg
 

JBrady

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Joined
Jan 24, 2019
Messages
248
Location
NE OK
I like having battery disconnects, but not so much so that I have added them to things that didn't already have them. They are nice to have when you are doing electrical work and can turn it off off so you don't accidently arc a wrench to a starter post or something like that. I do think battery tenders are better at prolonging the battery life as opposed to a disconnect.
 

NH575E

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Dec 30, 2015
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1,183
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North, FL
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Retired Machinist
The battery disconnect on my NH was not easily accessible and never used. I figured it was one more place for a faulty connection to occur so when I had new cables made it came off and went in the spare parts bin.

My tractor has the single battery. I use a battery tender solar maintainer on a 30W solar panel. My tractor only has radio memory draw so not much to kill it.

I expect my solar setup would maintain any reasonable draw from a factory setup.
 

cuttin edge

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Nov 9, 2014
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2,692
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NB Canada
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Finish grader operator
The battery disconnect on my NH was not easily accessible and never used. I figured it was one more place for a faulty connection to occur so when I had new cables made it came off and went in the spare parts bin.

My tractor has the single battery. I use a battery tender solar maintainer on a 30W solar panel. My tractor only has radio memory draw so not much to kill it.

I expect my solar setup would maintain any reasonable draw from a factory setup.
yeah, New Holland doesn't have the friendliest hood configuration. Our 110, and 95 had their master in the cab under the dash.
 

Mobiltech

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Jan 14, 2014
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Sask.
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Self employed Heavy duty mechanic
If you ever have a starter solenoid that sticks in the crank position the disconnect will save your starter.
Have you ever tried to get a battery cable off while smoke is pouring from an overheated starter.
Probably happens more up here in the cold north.
 

emmett518

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Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Messages
810
Location
USA
The battery disconnect on my NH was not easily accessible and never used. I figured it was one more place for a faulty connection to occur so when I had new cables made it came off and went in the spare parts bin.

My tractor has the single battery. I use a battery tender solar maintainer on a 30W solar panel. My tractor only has radio memory draw so not much to kill it.

I expect my solar setup would maintain any reasonable draw from a factory setup.
Which solar maintainer did you buy?
 

emmett518

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Messages
810
Location
USA
Remember on some of the newer stuff with def you can't just shut the disconnect off until the def system has cycled the fluid back out of the lines.
How long should I wait before turning off the power? Can I hear that system doing its thing?
 

emmett518

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Messages
810
Location
USA
Disconnects always go in the ground side
That’s unusual, at least in the ham radio and electrical world. You never switch the negative. In fact, the instructions provided by Deere service indicate that I should switch the positive.

Your situation might be different. I don’t rightly know.
 

aighead

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Apr 25, 2019
Messages
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Location
Dayton, OH
I heard about the solar chargers/tenders from Swetz probably about a year ago, just after I bought 2 new batteries. Got a cheap, middle-of-the-road one from Harbor Freight and she's fired up, pretty much instantly every time, except when it was about 10 degrees here. I can't say for sure that the tender is helping since the batteries are pretty new but it fires up faster than it did previously, and I didn't have to recharge the batteries after I wore them down with the attempts at cold starting.
 
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