Battery Disconnect Switch?

[Pike51]

Looking to see if anyone has experience with a battery disconnect switch. I recently installed Altman latches on my 51 Chevy and one of the downsides is loss of locking ability on the doors. As a safeguard, I'm thinking of installing a key operated disconnect switch on the line between the battery and the fuse box OR between the starter switch and the starter. Something I can operate from inside the truck that leaves the vehicle disabled in the event someone attempts to take an unauthorized joyride.

Any thoughts, suggestions, or tips?

 

[dlundblad]

A 51 Chevy with electric door locks?

Adding the switch simply made you lose your ability to lock your doors? I'm assuming it's still connected.

 

[SHOZ]

I use to use the cheap Harbor Freight mechanical ones that had the plastic key. The contacts would get corroded after a few years and would need replaced. But they were cheap....

But I wanted to disconnect the entire load as the car sat for quite a while some times. If you just want to be able to disable the vehicle from starting that's a lot easier by switching the starter relay circuit or the ECU.

 

[Kawiguy454]

A hidden Kill switch or a latching relay and hidden pushbutton under the dash is easy to concoct using basic parts.

 

[OilFilters]

You could still use a cutoff and wire your locks around it through a small fuse. Use a fuse just large enough to power the locks and if anybody tries to crank it, the fuse will blow.

 

[Pike51]

The locks are not electric, they are manual. I swapped the door latches from the stock to Altman Bear Claw latches. The Altman latches do not have the ability to have the locking function.

 

[OilFilters]

Oh, I see what you mean. You could install a big continuous duty solenoid between the battery and the positive cable. These are available online for under $20. You could connect that to a key switch or some kind of hidden switch to turn the main power on from inside the vehicle.

Or you can find a wire that is critical to making it run - like a coil wire - and put the switch in that.