Perko battery switch install ?

[fwi]

Just bought a Perko single battery switch. Very little in the way of schematic diagrams, so I have a dumb question..... connections are labeled "1" and "Common". Which do I connect the POS and NEG cables to?:confused: Thanks.

No mounting bolts either!!!

[zelatore]

Well, electrically it doesn't matter. All it does is connect the two posts together when you put it in the 'on' position.

But the way it's supposed to be, the '1' post should go to battery #1. Supposing you only have one battery, then that's the one you hook to. The 'common' post goes to the load.

The reason they are labled that way is because they also make version of that switch that handle multiple batteries. In that case you would have had an extra terminal labled '2' for the other battery and a couple other settings for the rotery switch on the front.

So battery on #1, load on #2, and it's done.

[ky-donzi]

Just to clarify. (forgive me if you already know this) You DO NOT HOOK both neg and pos to the switch. I'm not sure if that is what you asked, but it kinda looked that way. The switch just breaks the pos. side (+ coming in) on one terminal and (+ going out) on the other

[fwi]

Just to clarify. (forgive me if you already know this) You DO NOT HOOK both neg and pos to the switch. I'm not sure if that is what you asked, but it kinda looked that way. The switch just breaks the pos. side (+ coming in) on one terminal and (+ going out) on the other

Thank you, that's exactly what I was wondering about. I was trying to figure out where to hook POS and NEG to that switch.
So, just to make sure I understand, I will split the positive cable going to the battery by connecting it to "LOAD" and "1" will connect to the positive battery terminal.............yes??

[ky-donzi]

Typically "Load" is what it says the load imposed on the switch (starting motor) "Line" or in this case "1" is the input

So without seeing the switch I'm assuming that "1" in the battery side of the + cable ,,, and "Load" is the starting motor of the + cable. What you should do is cut he + cable and install the switch in between the cut.

Does that make sense??

[hardcrab]

The battery switch is inline to the positive side only - to interupt the pos. current.
The negative terminal from the battery is going directly to the engine block

[fwi]

Sorry I used "LOAD" I meant to use "COMMON".
So just to recap, I will disconnect the positive cable from the battery and connect it to this switch at "COMMON" and connect another (short cable which I have) from "1" to the positive terminal on the battery.:yes:

[zelatore]

Sorry about that; I never considered that you were asking about which lead in the battery to use.

That's the secret of good technical writing. Being able to explain something without knowing who you're writing for. Something can seem totally obvious to you, but your reader can be coming from a completely different point of view.

[maddad]

The only device on my boat that gets power no matter what the batt. switch says is the auto side of the bilge pump. Just something to think about.

[fwi]

Installed it today, works fine!