Battery Selector Switch failure

[High Wire]

Last January I needed to replace a battery switch so I selected the Blue Sea model 6007 (black) because the ratings were equivalent and could be flush mounted. Last week I was reconnecting my batteries from seasonal storage. The switch was in the OFF position. For some reason I turned on one of the panel breakers before turning on the switch. To my surprise the load light lit. Hmmm how could that be with the switch OFF? So then I turned the switch to #1 position and the switch spun freely. No clicks. Not good. The reason was the whole back side of the switch broke off. The switch contact was just laying against #1 and the common output contacts. Back to the ER and disconnect the batts again. The bottom picture shows the internals. There is also a spring that I forgot to include in the pic.
The new Blue Sea 6007 switch (red) has been redesigned. Hopefully for the better. If you have one of the old design make sure there is NO strain from the battery cables weight hanging on the terminals. There isn't much material holding the two halves together. Pics below. Here we go sideways again.

 

[psneeld]

Bet they might make good on it...seems like a good company.

Heck people here swear their much more complicated gear is so reliable, failure isnt something one should worry about....

 

[High Wire]

Yes, sent them an email.
I'm not really worried about the replacement, since I already did that. $35 not too bad in the boating world.
Going in the water next week. Had the batteries been connected with poor contact, a fire could have occurred at worst. It would have messed up our launch if we did not find and fix it now.

 

[Northern Spy]

Hopefully, they would want it back to do a root cause failure analysis.

 

[FlyWright]

I had a Perko switch fail right out of the blister package. In that case, it was a piece of plastic that failed. I trust the Blue Sea switches are a much better quality.

 

[caltexflanc]

If you have one of the old design make sure there is NO strain from the battery cables weight hanging on the terminals.

That should be the case regardless of the make and model of the switch.

 

[diver dave]

Lots of chatter from the outboard guys on this one. BS has gone thru a couple of design revs to fix this.
https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/853223-blue-sea-battery-switch-failure.html

 

[DHeckrotte]

Been there, too. But it took a 120lb mechanic lying on the stupidly-installed battery cables to break the switch. Same/similar switch. Very little holding the switch together; four slender plastic bosses receiving four hi-lo screws.

Don't accept an assembly with the cables hanging on the switch. The cables should be carried by adequate clips/supports and be located out of harms' (your) way.

 

[Ken E.]

Also been there with a red Blue Sea switch like the one in the photo. This may have been my fault with the switch being undersized, but one of the posts in the switch melted. I was using it between my house bank and the inverter/charger, so it was carrying a lot of amps. I neglected to check the capacity of the switch when I installed it, although battery switches are expected to be pretty robust. Anyway, I went up in size to a gray Blue Sea switch of the same design, only physically bigger. No problems with that one.

 

[FF]

"I was using it between my house bank and the inverter/charger, so it was carrying a lot of amps."

Probably not much over 150A.

For real amp draw starting a diesel in cold weather can be 4-5 times the load.

 

[High Wire]

My switch was replaced with a new design one from BSS. The guy on the phone said they recommend ZERO unsupported battery cable length. I cant get zero. Mine had about 6 inches from the cable support to the terminals which is what the old Guest switch endured for 30+ years. Fortunately my failure came with the boat just sitting in storage and not with the engine running.
This really should be a product recall before someone gets hurt.