master cutout switch

[jasgti]

would a roadsport ever come with one of these or have i just looked at an ex academy car?

[Scotty996T]

Doesn't have to be so but you're right to ask I guess. Interested in any other views. Also IMHO Academy isn't a bad thing anyway.

We've just bought a car that started life as a Supegrad spec and it's epic. Belonged to Nick who's the Main man at Caterham Midlands. It's just so well sorted. I love it. We already have a very high spec supersport but this just turns up the dial on everything. My view would be - don't rule out something with a bit of race pedigree, just be careful.

Cheers

Scott.

[Tango7]

Presumably you mean the battery master switch with the red key? Having one is no indication as to whether the car is ex-race or not. Admittedly all race cars have to have them fitted to shut them off in case of accident. However, there are plenty or road based cars with them on too as they offer a bit more security when leaving the car unattended.

Interestingly there are quite a few people who won't have one on their car as they can tend to be unreliable and cause a few mysterious electrical issues when they go wrong....

[BertBert]

I am sure you can work out if it is a race car/academy car from the vin. This is a bit out of date, but might help... http://7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?ChassisNumbers#h10

There will also be things to look at with it being a race chassis. How old is it?

Bert

[jasgti]

thanks for the info chaps have worked the answer out now , a call to caterham who were really helpful

[sjmmarsh]

My last two 7s have both had battery master switches and both have been Roadsports, not Academy cars.

It is probably a safe bet that they have been on a track at some time though!

Steve

[GFWilliams]

We put the battery cut out switch on our roadsport so that when we leave it for extended periods of time the battery isn't flat...

George

[fergus]

Is the ballast resistor sensitive to current direction, i.e. can it be burnt out if current is passed in the opposite direction for any reason?

I recently connect the 'protected' side of my master switch to the battery (by mistake, as part of a rewire) and noticed a fair amount of smoke coming out from under the dashboard! Surely me having made this direct connection is only the same as making the connection by using the master key itself? I'm going to whip the scuttle off at the weekend and try and see what got fried!

[taffyracer]

My roadsport has one too and is primarily a road car, handy to have

[Dave J]

its an option so it could be fitted to any car

the roadsports all have the conventional square transmission tunnel as opposed to the deformable, round top shape(and weaker diff mounts) tunnel on the race academy cars.

[Dave J]

also

unless your going to race dont bother with one - they are the cause of too many electrical failiers and a pain in the ass.

(awaits 4 owners to come along and say "ohhh I've had one for XX years and not a problem)

[fergus]

Dave J said:

also

unless your going to race dont bother with one - they are the cause of too many electrical failiers and a pain in the ass.

(awaits 4 owners to come along and say "ohhh I've had one for XX years and not a problem)

Dave

Can you describe the problems/symptoms they may give? thanks

[Incorrigible]

Dave J said:

the roadsports all have the conventional square transmission tunnel as opposed to the deformable, round top shape(and weaker diff mounts) tunnel on the race academy cars.

Unless it's an accademy car from the last 5-6 years of course

[BertBert]

fergus said:

Dave J said:

also

unless your going to race dont bother with one - they are the cause of too many electrical failiers and a pain in the ass.

(awaits 4 owners to come along and say "ohhh I've had one for XX years and not a problem)

Dave

Can you describe the problems/symptoms they may give? thanks

Well it's a complete PITA when you lose the key for one! When I lost the key and used another one, it took a lot of fiddling to get it to make contact. That seems to be the common failure mode. Turn on the key and no power.

Bert

[johnnyddaman]

I may be being a numpty here but does the BMCOS make things safer in the event of an accident? Reduce fire risk?

If so, along with the previously described security benefits, surely this is a good bit of kit?!

Even if it's not a million percent reliable...

[BertBert]

The safety factor is there only if someone turns it off. At a track there are marshalls to do I in an incident. On the road I suspect it has marginal value.

Bert

[sjmmarsh]

It is also an additional immobiliser if you take it away when you leave the car.

Steve