I have a 1988 International S2200 with a Cummins NTC-350 in it. My truck sits for weeks, even months at a time. I want to install a battery disconnect switch on it so that I do not have to continue to disconnect the negative lead every time I park it. Sometimes I forget and I have dead batteries. It is very time consuming and a lot of time severely inconvenient to uninstall, charge, and reinstall 4 batteries.

The biggest baddest disconnect switch I have found is made by Blue Sea Systems, model 3000. I has a rating of 600 continuous running amps, 2750 amps for 10 seconds, and 1325 amps for 1 minute.

My problem is, I have scoured the internet and I have not been able to find any information on how many amps a truck/engine like mine (or any other truck for that matter) uses continuous and during starting. Does anyone know?

 

Ask a dealer. I know that the Freightliner Cascadias that my employer (Werner) has are equipped with battery disconnects. Since I don't have access to a Cascadia at the moment, I don't know what model of switch they use.

 

You don't need to disconnect at the batteries, but rather the power into the truck off the starter. If you put a switch in there the amp rating would be much lower.

 

Hot Rod Leather Battery Master Switch - Electrical

this should do the trick, i don't think amperage matters on the ground side.

 

Use a battery disconnect switch from a Caterpillar tractor, they have used the same switch forever on Cats, you can get one at any Cat dealer. Compact and bullet proof, also it has a key in it that you can remove when you park the truck.

 

Learning through mistakes is the most good one. So don't get upset.