Yes Norm, I hook it up to a wheel around battery through an Anderson cable to start.
This is all part of my Rover Heavy Duty walk behind slasher renovation. I have tried to mount a battery on this thing a few times but really there is nowhere to put it. I would like to see how the Deutscher Heavy Duty Walk behind slashers manage to incorporate a battery mount. I guess if I ever make up a heavy duty steel belt guard to cover the top, I might be able to mount a small battery on top of this. One day I have plans to incorporate the battery, but for now have put it in the "too hard" basket.
Putting the switch up on the handlebars is more a safety feature than anything else. If ever I have inexperienced people using this machine, there is a risk they could start it down on the engine with their feet underneath the thing or hands in the way of the belts. Putting everything up on the handlebars will reduce that risk.
