Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Electronics 101 question — Parallax Forums

Electronics 101 question

mark6320mark6320 Posts: 2
edited 2012-09-14 14:03 in General Discussion
I’m a pure software guy with a very basic electrical 101-type question: I have a dc plug power extension cable that I’m going to use on my Arduino based BoeBot. I want to insert an on/off toggle switch to easily switch power on and off from the battery pack without having to unplug the battery connector. My question is: do I put the switch on the negative or positive wire? Does it matter? Why?

Thanks much,

Mark

Comments

  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-09-14 11:44
    Mark,

    Welcome to the forums! Personally I'd put it on the positive side so everything stays grounded, which may come in handy later.
  • Mark_TMark_T Posts: 1,981
    edited 2012-09-14 14:03
    Normally you'd want to arrange everything to be at ground potential when switched off. Then you minimise the risk of shorting things when working on the internals (most accidents involve slipping and making contact with the frame/enclosure which is normally at ground potential.

    To be extra safe you'd switch both sides of the battery (then either battery terminal can be accidentally shorted to ground without issue). This latter arrangement is called an isolation switch and means you could then accidentally short the +ve batt terminal to the "ground" without issue since the entire battery is floating.
Sign In or Register to comment.