At what point is disconnecting battery negative really not that important?

[ckunke002 10+ year member]

I'm curious what types of installs in particular are important to disconnect the battery. All of the professional websites of course suggest always disconnecting for any install or modification of any kind of anything speaker/sub/amp/electrical related. I recently did the big 3 and I have several connections on my battery terminals that make it difficult to disconnect and reconnect all of the time.

Have you guys ever suffered any bad effects from skipping this step for installs? What is the main thing to look out for if you don't disconnect? Just curious.. thanks

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[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

there is a reason that professional installers do it, b/c it saves you from having to trouble shoot later. it's like hot swapping RCAs, you can get away with doing it but when your RCAs start producing noise don't complain about it. if you can't easily disconnect your negative to your battery, you're installing wrong. any decent install should be easily serviceable, that includes easy access to key connections such as your battery.

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

What kind of battery terminal connector did you use? I have several 0g wires coming off mine and have no problem removing them the connectors? I don't need to remove the wires... just pull the whole thing off the terminal.

 

[ckunke002 10+ year member]

What is a hot swap? Lol

I bought a Kinetik 1400 battery... apparently the one I bought was a short lived model called the 1400 black, and featured small bolts instead of posts. The terminals positions were also reversed from my factory battery as well, so I had to rig up all of the factory wires with ring terminals and then stretch to (barely) fit on the + and - terminals. Took like 20 minutes to get it all together.

 

[ckunke002 10+ year member]

so i used to have something like this http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00AvjQFEwRlWko/Car-Battery-Terminal-BTC365-237-.jpg

Now i have of wires with independent ring terminals running to this http://www.mobilesoundworks.com/v/vspfiles/photos/Kinetik-HC1400B-KHC1400B-Black-3T.jpg

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

Does the end of your wires look like this...?

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg297/scottiej60/100_1951.jpg

 

[ckunke002 10+ year member]

Yup they all have ring terminals, like that. The biggest problem was the backwards terminals so everything just baarreely fits and it's a ***** to take it off and then try to get it back on. Having all those rings lined up and then screwing the bolt in.... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suicide.gif.a649d21efc0d1fd4890a6428166586c1.gif

 

[ThatChevyGuy 5,000+ posts]

i got the **** shocked out of me one time in my early install days. I pulled too much power from a 8 gauge walmart kit, and my fuse had melted to the firewall without me knowing it. I put my key in the ignition and turned the car over and blue sparks shot across my dash. Was pretty crazy at night. I thought i was going to die. Just thought i would share a cool story, bro.

But yeah disconnect your battery anytime your power/ground wires are not connected properly

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I've made sparks, done accidental arc welding more then once. But I can't reach the NEG's to disconnect them...

 

[ckunke002 10+ year member]

Can't reach the neg terminal you mean? How come?

 

[ckunke002 10+ year member]

i got the **** shocked out of me one time in my early install days. I pulled too much power from a 8 gauge walmart kit, and my fuse had melted to the firewall without me knowing it. I put my key in the ignition and turned the car over and blue sparks shot across my dash. Was pretty crazy at night. I thought i was going to die. Just thought i would share a cool story, bro.
But yeah disconnect your battery anytime your power/ground wires are not connected properly

Hey bro, cool story! Lol really though. So you actually got shocked?

 

[SMS 10+ year member]

could u just take the fuse out? would that be easier?

 

[KTMrida4life 10+ year member]

I've made sparks, done accidental arc welding more then once. But I can't reach the NEG's to disconnect them...

Done that too. **** near about welded my wrench to the alternator stud post.. hahaha

 

[KTMrida4life 10+ year member]

In response to the OP.. I dont disconnect my negative cables when working on stuff. Call me a badazz.. but I figure its all off as long as the car is.. just remember what wires are live and what arent.