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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Best Position for Battery Cut Out Switch

My Sprite is not used much and spends a lot of time being tucked away in my garage. Just for reassurance I always disconnect one of the battery leads but this means opening the bonnet, releasing one of the very stiff props and taking a spanner a terminal. I am thinking of installing a battery cut out switch, preferably one that can be operated from inside the car. Has anyone fitted one to the upper, vertical, passenger side firewall by cutting a hole close to where the battery earth strap is screwed. The body of the switch would be under the bonnet and the knob up under the passenger side dash. I think there would be room between the wiper tube and demister ducting for the knob but seek comment from other owners.

Cheers

Jan T
J Targosz

I have a simple 'disconnect' screw down unit attached to the battery - not for antitheft but just to isolate the battery as the car is currently doing infrequent journeys.

Still have to lift the bonnet though.

Similar to this type of thing :-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172096775398
richard b

Jan,
I have a cut-out switch fitted in the earth line exactly as you have described, a very basic anti-theft device for a Frog which, of course, has no locks. The key cannot be seen from inside the car (unless you lie on the floor) and operation is by feel only reaching up behind the dash.
I'll post a picture of the location but am not near the car for a few days so probably Friday or Saturday.
Dennis
D Stanfield

Made mine in de outside panel of the drivers footwell(mine is lhd) so I can easely disconnect the red key.
Earth cable from battery to switch via engineroom
A de Best

As you can see on this photo

A de Best

My car is later than yours (a 1500) and my isolator is a red key switch in the upper (near) horizontal part of the passenger firewall, close to the battery.
Access is in the "glove box" (hoho) and can be reached from the driver's seat, provided I remember it before fastening the harness.
The red key is removable so can be taken away when leaving the car.
It cuts ALL power so the dash clock is rendered effectively useless, but that's no more than a mild irritation. I keep thinking I'll do away with the clock and think of something else to put in the hole.
Greybeard

Why not put the battery cut out switch on the driver's side, hidden behind the dash, using something the doesn't look or feel like a battery cut out switch? Much more convenient, and in over 40 years, completely undetectable, including by a couple of cops, when I parked illegally many years ago.
anamnesis

This thread was discussed between 26/07/2021 and 27/07/2021

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