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jsarge Samba Member
Joined: August 04, 2004 Posts: 19
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2022 2:36 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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I'm really late to this thread, but here's a solution I devised for myself about 4 years ago which I am still very happy with.
First I made a bracket to retain my 6V optima battery using the factory battery tie down straps. I designed in a cover on this to isolate the positive side from potential seat spring contact.
Next I used one of those Hella switches with the removable red t-handle. I built a spacer to mount this recessed under the seat, so that it was flush with the kick panel in the passenger compartment.
Not pictured, I subsequently re-worked the red key, using one of those star-like heater control knobs from an early bug, so it looks more like a factory feature when in use.
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blues90 Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2009 Posts: 1912 Location: Hollywood ,CA
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Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| Since you have an alternator , if one of the diodes in the alt is faulty this will drain the battery. |
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Roadbeater Samba Member
Joined: January 15, 2011 Posts: 63 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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Here's a couple of better pictures of the battery terminals and the disconnect switch and how I wired them up. Battery is currently dead, and an alternator conversion is in store for this winter.
_________________ 69 Fastback |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:51 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| bad1916 wrote: |
| Absolutely. I have had a few customers cars that have had them and they work really well and are definitely easier than constantly removing the cable off the post, especially when the battery is under the seat. In a customers car we were getting a large spark but could see it until after we removed that. |
Thanks for the feedback! 👍 |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:50 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| Clatter wrote: |
Funny, this thread reminded me that i had one of these to go in.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1708934
I can say that it fits the Type3 with a bit of modification.
You'll have to be willing to grind away some of the embossed ribs in the kick panel.
I'm planning to pick up a couple of ring tongues off of the battery cable and run it to a Molex plug up thru the little gap between the tunnel and kick.
It will make a little pigtail that i can keep tucked under the carpet when the car is being driven.
I have the same mod done to a little trickle 'battery maintainer' to match, with a Molex plug, so you can just plug the charger in.
This is common with motorcycles.
The disconnect with the screw knob like Martin has, I have one on my bus.
Not a fan because they sometimes don't disconnect and sit there still making contact. BTDT.
That said, all of this is a band-aid for a discharge situation.
Fix the discharge problem; It will come back and bite you in the ass.
I speak from experience on that one..  |
Thanks for the input! I already caused more harm then good trying to sort out the issues! 😣 |
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Clatter Samba Member

Joined: September 24, 2003 Posts: 7846 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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Funny, this thread reminded me that i had one of these to go in.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1708934
I can say that it fits the Type3 with a bit of modification.
You'll have to be willing to grind away some of the embossed ribs in the kick panel.
I'm planning to pick up a couple of ring tongues off of the battery cable and run it to a Molex plug up thru the little gap between the tunnel and kick.
It will make a little pigtail that i can keep tucked under the carpet when the car is being driven.
I have the same mod done to a little trickle 'battery maintainer' to match, with a Molex plug, so you can just plug the charger in.
This is common with motorcycles.
The disconnect with the screw knob like Martin has, I have one on my bus.
Not a fan because they sometimes don't disconnect and sit there still making contact. BTDT.
That said, all of this is a band-aid for a discharge situation.
Fix the discharge problem; It will come back and bite you in the ass.
I speak from experience on that one..  _________________ Bus Motor Build
I have excellent news for the world...
There is no such thing as patina.
It does not exist! |
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bad1916 Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2010 Posts: 224 Location: Camarillo ca
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 8:54 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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Absolutely. I have had a few customers cars that have had them and they work really well and are definitely easier than constantly removing the cable off the post, especially when the battery is under the seat. In a customers car we were getting a large spark but could see it until after we removed that. _________________ SEMPER PARATUS!
1963 SQUAREBACK |
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ALLWAGONS Samba Member

Joined: June 03, 2000 Posts: 4705 Location: Pasadena CA/DTLA soon China
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| bad1916 wrote: |
| ALLWAGONS wrote: |
I got tired of looking and testing every terminal and fuse, so I just purchased this $9.95 battery disconnect on Amazon and Voila! no more dead battery! 6V optima cranks every time!
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The only reason that I don’t like those disconnects is that you never see if there is a spark when it makes contact. That’s something I always look for in case something has come loose or a rodent or something has chewed wiring. |
I've had it for about a year, and haven't had any issues. I keep everything nice and tight. I know there is power when the dome light goes on and my clock ticks. I place a piece of plastic over the battery to prevent any type of short. I always watch for rodents in my garage. _________________ I'd be UNSTOPPABLE if not for Law Enforcement and PHYSICS.
I recycle old cars and parts, other than when I rot, that's as Green as I am going to get.
Thanks to my Tesla driving neighbors, I feel more relaxed driving my SUBURBAN and old VW's.
Everything sounds good on paper! |
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bad1916 Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2010 Posts: 224 Location: Camarillo ca
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 8:34 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| ALLWAGONS wrote: |
I got tired of looking and testing every terminal and fuse, so I just purchased this $9.95 battery disconnect on Amazon and Voila! no more dead battery! 6V optima cranks every time!
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The only reason that I don’t like those disconnects is that you never see if there is a spark when it makes contact. That’s something I always look for in case something has come loose or a rodent or something has chewed wiring. _________________ SEMPER PARATUS!
1963 SQUAREBACK |
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Roadbeater Samba Member
Joined: January 15, 2011 Posts: 63 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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It was hard to get a good picture, since it's tucked away for it's winter nap. but yes, it's just the jumpstart terminals (with covers) and then a shutoff switch on the driver's side. Makes for an easy theft proof too, since not many would look back there. I'll try to get a better picture, but it's back in the corner of the barn. _________________ 69 Fastback |
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nogoodwithusernames Samba Member

Joined: November 10, 2014 Posts: 661 Location: CA, USA
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:02 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| Roadbeater wrote: |
I got tired of pulling up the seat to put a maintainer on mine, so I added terminals on the passenger side and a cutoff switch on the drivers side.
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Never seen that before, do you have other images |
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Roadbeater Samba Member
Joined: January 15, 2011 Posts: 63 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:08 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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I got tired of pulling up the seat to put a maintainer on mine, so I added terminals on the passenger side and a cutoff switch on the drivers side.
_________________ 69 Fastback |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| jeffrey8164 wrote: |
| ALLWAGONS wrote: |
I got tired of looking and testing every terminal and fuse, so I just purchased this $9.95 battery disconnect on Amazon and Voila! no more dead battery! 6V optima cranks every time!
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That’s the same one I’m using on my 71 Ghia.
My stereo, my USB port and my Bluetooth audio piece are all non-switched power so when I store it for a few weeks it’s nice to be able to disconnect it. |
Wish I sent this route before I started chasing fuses, I'm still pissed about me braking that freaking light switch! 😠 |
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jeffrey8164 Samba Member

Joined: January 06, 2018 Posts: 4209 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| ALLWAGONS wrote: |
I got tired of looking and testing every terminal and fuse, so I just purchased this $9.95 battery disconnect on Amazon and Voila! no more dead battery! 6V optima cranks every time!
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That’s the same one I’m using on my 71 Ghia.
My stereo, my USB port and my Bluetooth audio piece are all non-switched power so when I store it for a few weeks it’s nice to be able to disconnect it. _________________ Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.
“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1) |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 9:56 am Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| Peters Van wrote: |
| your meter needs to be able to read current eg amps and millamps your pic shows you testing voltage which is no indication of current drain |
I kind of just gave up, something is draining my battery, but i do not know what it is, it's not coming past the fuse box, and doing all this has caused me to damages my DARN light switch in the process. I ordered that coupler anyways, but i also got the disconnect from the battery, I'll do both and leave it at that.
Thank you for all your input and help.👍 |
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Peters Van Samba Member

Joined: March 27, 2014 Posts: 358 Location: Goulburn NSW Australia
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:33 am Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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your meter needs to be able to read current eg amps and millamps your pic shows you testing voltage which is no indication of current drain _________________ 1965 Type 3 Panel Van
1963 EH Holden Station Wagon |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2021 12:23 am Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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Awesome!! Thank you! This freaking fast back has gone through 3 batteries in 3 years! I'm over it! And now it's cost me a freaking light switch, which I broke! Trying to crack this stupid electrical nonsense! |
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ALLWAGONS Samba Member

Joined: June 03, 2000 Posts: 4705 Location: Pasadena CA/DTLA soon China
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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Here you go! Even cheaper! I have one on my bus and on the square.
Just lift seat and turn ON power like a faucet!
https://www.amazon.com/CZC-AUTO-Disconnect-Isolato...mp;sr=8-15 _________________ I'd be UNSTOPPABLE if not for Law Enforcement and PHYSICS.
I recycle old cars and parts, other than when I rot, that's as Green as I am going to get.
Thanks to my Tesla driving neighbors, I feel more relaxed driving my SUBURBAN and old VW's.
Everything sounds good on paper! |
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nvmipis1 Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2012 Posts: 248 Location: riverside , ca.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: Battery cut of off switch? |
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| ALLWAGONS wrote: |
I got tired of looking and testing every terminal and fuse, so I just purchased this $9.95 battery disconnect on Amazon and Voila! no more dead battery! 6V optima cranks every time!
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Can you send me the link? Is it a pain? To constantly lift up the back seat or is it super easy disconnect?
Thanks |
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