Alright, this pertains to the master disconnect switch. The way it is now is a cable running from the positive starter cable to the switch and then a cable from the switch to the positive battery.
This is all fine and dandy for when the car is off and I'm working on the motor and won't shock myself in the process, but I also want this same switch to cut the motor off.

Stephen drew up a diagram, but that's not working for me. The only way I can get the switch to cut off the power to the motor is to unplug the alternator power lead and then since the car's running off the battery, it shuts off when I turn off the switch.

Is there a way to disconnect the lead to the alt as well as the lead to the starter without shorting the circuit, making the disconnect worthless.

I hope this is making sense. Basically it seems to me that I'm trying to make a switch do 2 different things and I'm going to need a switch to cutoff the starter and a switch to cutoff the alternator. Can anyone prove me wrong??

Thanks.


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1982 Camaro Z28

should be running 11's this spring...we'll see
Check the website for progress http://members.fbody.com/Pro82Z/

 

If you look at the diagram there are 2 seperate connections on both sides of the switch. When the switch is turned off, the relay is turned off, disconnecting the power to the field wire. The picture assumes you have a single wire alternator. Instead of the main power wire on the alternator, it should be the field wire (usually the brown one). The other smaller red wire in the same plug as the brown one can just be connected to the main power connetion on the alternator.

The wire marked RED from the switch to the relay is always hot from the battery. That's the one that will feed power to/from the alternator. The one marked red/white only becomes hot when the switch is turned on. It will activate the relay allowing the power to go through it. When the power is cut either by turning off the switch or disconnecting the battery, the relay will open shutting off power to the alternator field wire and keep it from feeding power to the ignition system.

I can't help any more than that without actually looking at the car

Reposting pic for those who never saw it the first time.




[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited March 07, 2001).]