How do you wire in a Kill switch?
12-03-2002, 04:48 PM
#1
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How do you wire in a Kill switch?
Stupid question....
How do you wire in a kill switch? Like a switch in the car that you have to flip before the car will start. Do i tap that into the starter? or just go straight for the battery? how big (amp) or a switch do i need? inline fuse? thanks for the help guys!
Toby
How do you wire in a kill switch? Like a switch in the car that you have to flip before the car will start. Do i tap that into the starter? or just go straight for the battery? how big (amp) or a switch do i need? inline fuse? thanks for the help guys!
Toby
12-03-2002, 05:20 PM
#2
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There are no stupid questions.
I guess it would depend upon the application - i.e. what year is the car - if it is a new car - does it have the pass key theft system - with the resistor in the key or the resistor in-line in the ignition system.
If you are talking about an older car, it should not be a problem. Never cut power to the battery for a starter kill, (i.e. in case the switch or relay fails as you are driving - your car would die!!)
I would go to the starter for a starter kill. I would not recommend cutting the 12V to the starter - as that comes straight from the battery, I mean you definitely could - as long as you use a high voltage switch (at least a 30 amp) and a 30 or 40 amp relay, with a in-line fuse (as you would be running the wire through the firewall) - but again I would highly recommend against doing a starter kill on the 12V line.
I would recommend you cutting the turn - on lead to the starter - from the ignition switch / key. This is the wire that gets 12V when the key is only in the start position - not acc or on position. At this point either install a low voltage switch (less than 15 amp) with a relay, or just use a switch that is rated for 15+ amps. If you need additional help regarding the wiring of a relay - let me know. You can also purchase a starter kill switch from painless wiring - I believe they even offer another kit for keypad access.
Hope this helps.
I guess it would depend upon the application - i.e. what year is the car - if it is a new car - does it have the pass key theft system - with the resistor in the key or the resistor in-line in the ignition system.
If you are talking about an older car, it should not be a problem. Never cut power to the battery for a starter kill, (i.e. in case the switch or relay fails as you are driving - your car would die!!)
I would go to the starter for a starter kill. I would not recommend cutting the 12V to the starter - as that comes straight from the battery, I mean you definitely could - as long as you use a high voltage switch (at least a 30 amp) and a 30 or 40 amp relay, with a in-line fuse (as you would be running the wire through the firewall) - but again I would highly recommend against doing a starter kill on the 12V line.
I would recommend you cutting the turn - on lead to the starter - from the ignition switch / key. This is the wire that gets 12V when the key is only in the start position - not acc or on position. At this point either install a low voltage switch (less than 15 amp) with a relay, or just use a switch that is rated for 15+ amps. If you need additional help regarding the wiring of a relay - let me know. You can also purchase a starter kill switch from painless wiring - I believe they even offer another kit for keypad access.
Hope this helps.
12-04-2002, 08:02 AM
#3
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I don't like to mess with the starter wire cause it's heavy gage and harder to solder. And it is preferable to solder for reliability. Since you are asking in Classic tech, I presume you have points or HEI. Points: just wire a switch to ground the negative side of the coil when flipped on. HEI: wire a switch to interrupt the 12volt feed to the coil.
Definitely do not mess with the battery cables. It takes a heavy duty switch that is a hassle to mount.
Definitely do not mess with the battery cables. It takes a heavy duty switch that is a hassle to mount.
12-04-2002, 11:47 AM
#4
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Location: Chicago IL
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kill switch
I think the easiest kill switch would be that coming from the ingition ground wire. Very easy to do, and the car still won't be "hot-wireable". But a good point was made with the failing of the switch while driving.
12-04-2002, 01:47 PM
#5
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Location: Lewiston, ID
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when the car is running, your alternator should be providing the juice to make everything work. If your alternator is healthy, you should be able to remove the battery with the car running and have it keep running.
An idea I like is trunk-mounted battery with a safety switch (no start) wired into the + wire from batt to starter. The wire is going right past you anyways...
An idea I like is trunk-mounted battery with a safety switch (no start) wired into the + wire from batt to starter. The wire is going right past you anyways...
12-04-2002, 08:10 PM
#6
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Awsome! Thanks for all the help guys. Ok, so lemme get this straight, if i run the switch off the starter, if the switch happens to get flipped while im driving, the car wont shut down, right?
This is on my 69 camaro, no mods.
Thanks!!
Toby
This is on my 69 camaro, no mods.
Thanks!!
Toby
12-06-2002, 12:48 AM
#8
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I like to put a switch in the 12V + lead to my coil. Even if you kill the start circuit to the starter, all you need is a screwdriver to jump the solenoid and start it. And if the switch was to die while driving, it isn't all that difficult to splice the wires together to get it home. Just buy a quality switch to start with...
My $.02!
My $.02!
12-06-2002, 10:01 AM
#9
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I agree with you that cutting off 12V to the coil is the best kind of anti-theft as it does not allow a theft to simply use a screwdriver to make contact across the starter.- I guess that I am just worried about either the switch failing or a relay failing while driving - and causing an accident. Or even if you want - you can do a cut off switch to the fuel pump - if it is electric, but you would still have the same problem if the rely or pump failed, that the car would die during driving. Like I mentioned earlier - I believe that painless wiring sells a kit with a key pad set up - which I believe works off the starter and coil.
12-06-2002, 01:54 PM
#10
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don't worry about causig a wreck if you put a switch in the 12V lead to the starter. Even if it does fail while driving, the CAR WILL STILL RUN. It won't restart after you shut off the ignition, though...
I wouldn't worry too much - switches are pretty reliable. When was the last time you had to replace a lightswitch in your house?
Also, JC Whitney sells locking switches, so even if a thief finds the switch, he'll have to pick the lock. Probably too much trouble/time for the average thief.
I wouldn't worry too much - switches are pretty reliable. When was the last time you had to replace a lightswitch in your house?
Also, JC Whitney sells locking switches, so even if a thief finds the switch, he'll have to pick the lock. Probably too much trouble/time for the average thief.
12-08-2002, 08:33 PM
#11
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to the flip side of this, if someone wanted to make a safety switch to prevent the car from being hot wired, can u just put in a switch in the starter wire and mount it underneath the car somewhere? this is what i was thinking of doing, i saw a push button switch in summit that i think will work
12-09-2002, 01:20 PM
#12
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no, that won't work. If you interrupt the power to the starter solenoid, a smart theif will just take a screwdriver and use it as a jumper from the + lead to the solenoid. Bam, solenoid engages, starter kicks over!
OTOH, wire in a switch on the + wire and there ain't no juice going to the starter, period. Of course, you should also put the battery in the trunk, or else the thief can just use jumper cables to provide juice to the starter.
With a switch on the + wire, and a trunk-mounted batt, the thief will have to bring jumper cables and a battery of their own.
OTOH, wire in a switch on the + wire and there ain't no juice going to the starter, period. Of course, you should also put the battery in the trunk, or else the thief can just use jumper cables to provide juice to the starter.
With a switch on the + wire, and a trunk-mounted batt, the thief will have to bring jumper cables and a battery of their own.
12-13-2002, 11:09 AM
#13
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I like the killing of the ignition myself (interupting a coil wire). This is because (as mentioned above) a semi smart theif will be able to over come a "starter kill" by either push starting (if manual trany) or the screw driver on the starter method. But the ignition kill will still allow the starter to turn over, and the theif may not know that it is the kill switch keeping it from starting. They may just keep trying to start it possibly running your battery down. Sure you have a dead battery, but you still have your car... 
(but then again, a smarter theif will then cut both wires going to the coil and hardwire the + and - to it, bypassing all wiring, and figure it out later... But you can't stop everything)
another thing to keep in mind is that you can use the same switch to kill the ground on an electric fuel pump (if you have one) and the ignition....
(but then again, a smarter theif will then cut both wires going to the coil and hardwire the + and - to it, bypassing all wiring, and figure it out later... But you can't stop everything)
another thing to keep in mind is that you can use the same switch to kill the ground on an electric fuel pump (if you have one) and the ignition....
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