Kill Switch
 

Although there are a few threads about kill switches, most seem to focus on anti-theft, etc, and not necessarily on race car safety.

So, the question is: How did you wire your kill switch? Go!

4 post for sure - large terminals to cut battery power, smaller terminals there's alot more opinions on. Needs to be something that will make the car shut off though - alternator signal wire or ECU power wire are the two popular ones I've heard of.

Also - buy two and keep one on hand for spares. They go bad over time so the instant you start getting any weird electrical issue swap 'em out.

Specifically for the battery power and/or something else? Some sanctioning bodies have very specific regulations regarding what & how too.

My Voltphreaks LiFe battery came with a plug-in on/off push-button switch with wiring. Doesn't get any more simple than that. I installed an overload breaker with a manual switch at the battery too.

I have a breaker right next to my battery already. Killing only the battery is not enough since the alternator continues supplying power if the engine is running.

I use a solenoid type kill switch like the following: Painless Wiring/Remote disconnect kit includes solenoid, toggle switch, wire and large emergency push button (30205) | Kill Switch | AutoZone.com

Simplifies installation because you don't have to run heavy duty wires all the way inside your car. I mounted mine right by the battery and both the battery and alternator power supply go through it. The kill button is on my dash and labeled with the appropriate sticker. NASA tech has always been ok with it. Has been working without a hitch for about 5 years nows.

How is a push button on the dash any different than an ignition switch on the column :dunno:

Driver unconscious. Corner worker running towards the car. Engine still running... Clearly labeled and easily accessible kill switch... Priceless.

I want mine near the A-pillar, probably on the passenger side. I already have the battery inside the car so wiring should not be a big job.

that could vary quite a bit depending how the car ends up positioned/crushed/etc. and against what/how.

I always thought they had to be mounted externally for that purpose, but the same conditions mentioned above still apply.

Just inside of the window opening is acceptable. No guarantee your external switch will be accessible or even undamaged in say a rollover or whatnot.

Point of switch is to disconnect any/all electrical activity as much as reasonably possible. "Key" does not necessarily do that.

True. Many systems still receive power even when the key is removed. A proper racing kill switch disconnects power right at or near the positive battery terminal.

Unless you use a solenoid no different than the one you posted, just that the solenoid is on the main battery power rather than the alternator wiring

In regard to the previous post, who in America; the dominant land of the automobile; does not know to turn off ignition switch to shut off a running engine?

Skin cat, choose poison ...

after pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to setup a battery kill switch on the rx8 i found out the hard way you have to use a 4 post kill switch that you can run direct alt power into aka the big boy kill switch with the large post for the alternator also.if you use the 4 post with the 2 small alt post you will burn up the kill switch and or alt trust me been there done that.

While I developed this with anti-theft in mind, I have an entire use case built around remote EMS with an Android tablet where this would come in handy in a racing environment.

Film yourself arguing this with a tech inspector and post the results. $20 says you'll be in the paddock instead of racing...

rules are rules... cutoff switch when required for racing better be there and better work as intended. :)

maybe you should go back and re-read sentence #2 in post #3 ;)

I need oneeeee

bring this post back since i need to install a kill switch on my race car. so far i just have it cut battery power, but i need to cut ignition also. i got the 6 post kill switch. has anyone set one up to cut crank sensor signal to kill engine?

Battery 6-Pole Killswitch

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...ff9252921d.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...ebd3726134.jpg

Read through this thread. TeamRX8 convinced me all you need to do is disconnect battery positive.

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-...nector-266703/

i read through that post and it's too tech heavy for me. i am such an electrical noob.

so does your car shut off safely when you just disconnect the battery positive, and does it pass scca tech?

i have the kill switch connected to only the battery positive now, but i have not tried to turn it off while the car is running because im worried something would get fried.

Nothing will get fried.

I ended up killing the ground to the coil pack (I use BHR coils) in addition to killing the battery.

looks like disconnecting battery positive alone will not kill the engine. i tried it last night. engine kept running when i disconnect the kill switch with only battery positive connected to it. so i'll have to figure a way to disable to alternator also