Battery cutoff using Nato slave plug

[nikojo]

Can it be done?

I have a nato slave plug at front of battery box. I'm wondering if I used ground cables to go to and from the slave plug and essentially have the slave plug complete the 'circuit' whether or not this would work.

I would need to modify the plug cap/cover so it would complete the circuit. To cut off the battery you would essentially screw off the cap and break the negative connection.

 

[Coug]

anything is physically possible, but that opens up the risk of someone plugging in a slave cable to another vehicle and causing bad things to happen.

 

[TOBASH]

Is a NATO unit rated at 200+ constant Amps. I hope so or you will have one great BBQ. Don’t forget the marshmallows for s’mores.

Bad idea. Use things for what they are meant for.

If you want a power cutoff then buy a proper unit. They are not that expensive.

 

[nikojo]

Is a NATO unit rated at 200+ constant Amps. I hope so or you will have one great BBQ. Don’t forget the marshmallows for s’mores.

Bad idea. Use things for what they are meant for.

If you want a power cutoff then buy a proper unit. They are not that expensive.

That is some good advice. I think a lot of us are builders of better mouse traps, but sometimes the mouse trap we build ends up trapping ourselves. Lol.

 

[Mainsail]

Is a NATO unit rated at 200+ constant Amps. I hope so or you will have one great BBQ. Don’t forget the marshmallows for s’mores.

Bad idea. Use things for what they are meant for.

If you want a power cutoff then buy a proper unit. They are not that expensive.

Curious how something rated for 200 amps would be dangerous to complete the ground circuit as the OP describes.

Not something I would do because I want the jump-start option available, but I appreciate any free education offered.

 

[TOBASH]

Curious how something rated for 200 amps would be dangerous to complete the ground circuit as the OP describes.

Not something I would do because I want the jump-start option available, but I appreciate any free education offered.

I doubt these were designed for constant current.

Even so, there are better safer properly designed and time tested options.

 

[98G]

I believe the rating is 550 amps constant.

It's still a bad idea. You've set a trap for someone with a slave cable. Connecting a slave cable to it will get you >1500 amp dead short.

I'd suggest putting your battery cut off in the small compartment inside the battery box.

 

[Milcommoguy]

I see NO reason WHY this wouldn't work in theory. Actually a novel idea. BUT BuT but.....

IT DOES raise a SERIOUS concern being a one off as stated in above threads. Clearly an accident waiting to happen.

IMO, Leave it as-is...might come in handy.

Quality rated battery cut-off switch with or without a key. This is something most understand ??

Key in pocket rather a bulging slave connector in pocket, LOL.

The girls will still like you, CAMO

 

[Thumper580]

I doubt these were designed for constant current.

Even so, there are better safer properly designed and time tested options.

Tobash, you nailed it. Many switches can be turned on and off, BUT were they designed to function as such. At work it was discovered that some electricians were using the disconnect levers on 200 and 400 Amp circuit breakers as "on and off" switches... Bad idea. Much better in install a correctly designed "switch" for that function.

 

[Milcommoguy]

Fat fingered the save button, Sorry

 

[Mogman]

If you are willing to give up the slave connector then go this route, those Hella switches are rated well above anything else in its class and you have a key to remove. the smaller switch kills the 12V which is about all those little switches should be used for.
EDIT, and this key is much easier to carry around in your pocket than a NATO plug.

 

[tennmogger]

Keep up the original thinking!

 

[patracy]

It could be done certainly. But the risk of having someone plug in a slave cable to the wrong port could be a disaster.

Now, I'd recommend the other way around. Make a mount for a slave cable male plug to be held. Then make a slave port be the "plug". That way there's no way for the mixup to happen.

It's cheaper to buy a power disconnect though IMO.

 

[Guyfang]

About 45-50 years ago, I went into a HAM radio operators shack. Only thing that worked was the overhead lights. He grabbed a male 220, (German) plug, and stuck it in one of the many sockets in the shack. On came all the equipment in the room. I asked why he did that. He explained that it was his "secrete" way of keeping non HAM's from fooling with his gear. I asked him what about someone like me coming in, and plugging in my equipment. It would not be good! His reply, "If you don't know about it, screw you. I did not ask you to fool with my stuff, and you get, what you get." He also told me that it was an idea put forth in the AARL, HAM Magazine. Did not sound right to me then, and sure hasn't changed in the last 45-50 years.

 

[Milcommoguy]

Really... the "screw you" could turn to ... NO I sue you.

Gota love those Ham guys, CAMO

 

[TOBASH]

Something about that Ham story is not Kosher.

Just sayin’.

 

[patracy]

Must not have met many hams huh? There are idiots in every hobby/activity. Safeguarding your equipment from misuse damage isn't a bad idea. All it takes is someone keying up on the wrong band/mode into even nothing to cost hundreds or thousands of dollars in damage. Course the right thing is to use any opportunity as a teaching moment. But I'm not at the control/oversight of my gear all the time. So I can understand having a "key".

 

[tennmogger]

I remember that shack power-up trick. Might have been a Hints and Kinks from L O N G ago. Back then transmitter power might be exposed on a terminal block on the back of the chassis, the chassis might not be at ground potential (no-transformer or auto-transformer type power supply), plate caps sticking up and exposed, filter caps mounted with terminals sticking up, etc. Obviously all the dumb ones were not eradicated over the years because there are many more today.