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+--- Thread: Kill switch (/showthread.php?tid=2429)
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Kill switch - Erich - 20-02-2019
I'm not sure if this is the terminology used in the UK. It is a battery cut off switch. My governing body for a hill climb I wish to do, has said I must have an externally mounted kill switch. This despite the fact that they have allowed other cars in the past(Bentleys, Amilcar, Isotta, Itala) to compete without one. Does the VSCC require externally mounted kill switches and if so, how are they mounted? I am reluctant to cut holes in the body. I have a kill switch already, a paddle shaped key on the near side seat support.
Erich in Seattle
RE: Kill switch - stuartu - 20-02-2019
Erich, your car is not a saloon. Surely, if it can be rained on, your kill switch already is external? Why not ask a local scrutineer, if you have one?
At the worst the switch could be mounted on the dashboard, I would have thought.
Regards,
Stuart
RE: Kill switch - Steve kay - 20-02-2019
The battery masterswitch needs to be clearly visible, so on the dash, or sometimes on the floor of the passengers footwell.
RE: Kill switch - spannerman - 20-02-2019
A sticker pointing to it helps but marshals need to find it quickly ?
RE: Kill switch - Erich - 20-02-2019
Thank you all. Stuart, you make a good point. As the current kill switch is mounted visibly in the passenger foot well it is an open car, then logically you are correct, it is externally mounted. I had argued to the scrutineer that stickers pointing to the switch might be a solution. I had also heard about a solution with the paddle keys, by drilling a hole in the key and attaching a prominent wire hung on the outside of the car, such that when the wire is pulled, the key rotates and being spring loaded(push and turn) it pops off.
Erich in Seattle
RE: Kill switch - Steve kay - 20-02-2019
Erich, is passenger "wetland" a jolly joke, or do you do a lot of trialling as well?
RE: Kill switch - Erich - 20-02-2019
No Steve, spell check is the bane of my life. It should have said, "foot well" but spell check still says that is wrong. Corrected, with difficulty. I had to correct "scrutinizer" which spell check wanted, to "scrutineer".
Erich in Seattle
RE: Kill switch - Mark Atkinson - 20-02-2019
Hello Eric,
Kill switches must be clearly identified, the off positon and direction of rotation clearly marked, accessible to marshals, identifable and easy to operate. Kill switches are for an emergency. Personally I do not think that a switch located in the footwell is appropriate. But, in an open cockpit and meeting the above criteria is often acceptable at the VSCC. If scrutineering you for an MSA event, and it did not meet the above criteria, then I would view arguments that the car has no roof as semantics. To clarify its position for us, perhaps you could post a picture of your switch in its current location.
May I ask if you have an electric fuel pump in the car? If you do, then the position of your kill switch is perhaps even more important, no one wants to reach into a crashed cars footwell which is in danger of catching fire to turn off the fuel supply.
If you are using a hand pump to pressurise the tank or even just gravity feed, then you need to ensure that the fuel line has an 'off' tap, which is also accessible and clearly marked.
I hope this helps,
Regards, Mark.
RE: Kill switch - Erich - 21-02-2019
Thank you, Mark. I will post some photos tomorrow. I have a scuttle mounted gravity feed tank with a tap that is marked.
Erich in Seattle
RE: Kill switch - Erich - 23-02-2019
Mark, I've attached a photo of the present location of the switch. My plan is to move it toward the NS so the paddle isn't above the chassis rail. Then drill a small hole and run a wire through the floor.
Erich in Seattle