Quote Originally Posted by mr mikey View Post
Looks good to me and it works. Sometimes you can get away with using a file to shorten the width of the blade to use a smaller terminal but only if you know the current flow through that wire. If its 30 amp plus it needs the correct terminal. Most likely your new switch had the second wide terminal because of terminal failures. Years later they fixed that with the use of relays to handle high current. Thanks for the idea. Mr Mikey.
There have been many times when I have filed the 1/4" blade down to fit an existing 3/16" female connector and never gave it a second thought since the corresponding wires were usually 16ga or smaller, or stretched a ring connector from a #10 hole to fit a 1/4" stud.
I also suspect the reason for the new switch having both the main battery blade and the start blade being made to the 3/8" size is as was stated to correct an issue the switch MFG. had learned or possibly to make it a universal replacement for another piece of equipment.
I also know that my homemade terminal should be far superior to any 1/4" connector I could have used by filing the blade down. The original connector on the harness needed replacing anyway as it was loose on the old switch when I removed it.SO it made no sense to me to file the switch down and cut off the old connector only to crimp on one which would not be any better in the long term.