4x4 buggy rear mounted battery good or bad idea?

[rcx132]

Hey folks. I'm starting on wiring up the engine and ECU on my buggy and need to get the battery and main electric components like fuse boxes into place. Do you think it's a good idea to mount the battery at the rear?

It might help with weight distribution, as I'm really pushing the weight limits of the lightweight 2.0" Fox shocks. But I'm worried about the long length of wire, and voltage drops, especially having a long unfused wire for the starter motor. Could I fuse the starter motor wire? The donor car was unfused on the starter.

 

[qwakers]

not a problem. use 35mm2 and a decent mega fuse and holder of a reasonable rating to protect the wire. job done.

 

[brightspark]

use double insulated cable

 

[Keithmac]

I use a 150 amp fuse on my car, never had an issue, battery relocated to the boot.

It's a decent ANL fuse and holder, you'd want a water resistant one I would have thought.

 

[Mick Annick]

My Morgan has the battery in the rear, no fuse and no problems.

 

[MoreWellie]

use double insulated cable

Or put it/them in convoluted trunking (use the split stuff for ease) something like https://www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk/c-58-sleeving/p-517-convoluted-tubing

 

[Morrisman]

You can always put a remote starter solenoid at the battery end of the starter cable. so it's only live when you're cranking. In that case you'd not need in on the starter motor and.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

No problem, use decent cable, proper crimps donw with a tool not a hammer. And get a gel battery so you can mount it wherever and however you like.

 

[pint]

batteries in the back or behind the seats is common. good cable, well clipped in, no fuse needed.

usually have the isolator between the seats/middle of dash area so can be reached from both seats.

ecu mounted to roof in side for swimming

 

[rcx132]

batteries in the back or behind the seats is common. good cable, well clipped in, no fuse needed.

usually have the isolator between the seats/middle of dash area so can be reached from both seats.

ecu mounted to roof in side for swimming

Ah the isolator, almost forgot about that.

 

[MoreWellie]

make sure you put the isolator somewhere it cannot get knocked off accidentally when things are getting exciting
either by you or by vegetation

 

[Hotstuff]

If it’s just for track use and just to start and run the engine, how about just getting a small AGM battery like the Optima or Odyssey that can be located at any angle and would be lighter and more robust than a lead acid battery.

I have a MK1 Vitara so this has got my attention.
The ECUs can be troublesome with these beasts but replacing the expired capacitors on the motherboard is fairly well documented.

 

[rcx132]

I have a MK1 Vitara so this has got my attention.
The ECUs can be troublesome with these beasts but replacing the expired capacitors on the motherboard is fairly well documented.

Are you familiar with Rhinoman ? He repairs Suzuki ECUs. He's backwards engineered the ECU's as well and sells hardware and software that allows a laptop to fully interact with a factory ECU. He's a very nice guy. He helped me design the wiring harness for the buggy.

If it’s just for track use and just to start and run the engine, how about just getting a small AGM battery like the Optima or Odyssey that can be located at any angle and would be lighter and more robust than a lead acid battery.

Interesting idea, it will depend on whether I'm using a winch. I remember some motorbikes went even further and replaced the batteries with large capacitors ! Relies on kickstart though.

 

[Keithmac]

On bikes with the capacitors they don't have any real current draw, 2 strokes normally.

Converted a few back from Lipo to SLA batteries as well, for reliability reasons mainly.

You could possibly get away with a Yuassa YTX20HL-BS Gel battery (Harley Fitment) 200 Cold Cranking Amps, 20ah. Nearly put one in the Golf but decided against it due to screen heaters etc.

 

[rcx132]

On bikes with the capacitors they don't have any real current draw, 2 strokes normally.

Converted a few back from Lipo to SLA batteries as well, for reliability reasons mainly.

You could possibly get away with a Yuassa YTX20HL-BS Gel battery (Harley Fitment) 200 Cold Cranking Amps, 20ah. Nearly put one in the Golf but decided against it due to screen heaters etc.

The capacitors were just to steady out the voltage and stop equipment flickering. Something which a lead battery does as well as holding charge.