LawnTractor Battery

[ronbo3]

I bought a Craftsman lawn tractor two years ago, and the battery is dead. Is it normal for these batteries to only last a short time? This is our first riding mower, and any advice about maintaining the battery would be helpful!

 

[BobRip]

I bought a Craftsman lawn tractor two years ago, and the battery is dead. Is it normal for these batteries to only last a short time? This is our first riding mower, and any advice about maintaining the battery would be helpful!

Keep it on a float charger when not being used, or at least during the non mowing season. Did you use it any this winter? Lead acid batteries last longest when they are kept fully charged. If they run down and even worse if they stay run down they may not recover.

 

[waldersha]

In general terms, those batteries are made to last much less time than a car battery for instance. Check out the warranty period on them, most have 2 year max warranty. As above, a maintenance charge will help.

 

[BobRip]

In general terms, those batteries are made to last much less time than a car battery for instance. Check out the warranty period on them, most have 2 year max warranty. As above, a maintenance charge will help.

Just to elaborate. Some Lawn Tractor Batteries are better than others. But without the charger you may ruin a good one in a short time.

 

[rekees4300]

any advice about maintaining the battery would be helpful!

Buy a battery charger. During the winter, charge the battery monthly.

 

[stevem5215]

If you want a good battery you'll find that Sears sells a higher end lawn and garden battery that is about $50. We have one in a Cub Cadet (that requires higher amps) and it's worked well for 5+ years.

Steve

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I bought a Craftsman lawn tractor two years ago, and the battery is dead. Is it normal for these batteries to only last a short time? This is our first riding mower, and any advice about maintaining the battery would be helpful!

These are a pain and so easy to put away and forget about all winter.

I am guessing ours is about 3 years old and was dead this spring. The voltage reading was 7 volts. I was going to bring a new one home and forgot it.

Since I was 20 miles from town I decided to hook up the charger. Well it really would not take a charge but like one amp of charge so I put the Vector (B&D from Wal-Mart in Desulf mode) and put one of the old transformer based 10/2 amp chargers in the two amp mode for about 24 hours.

So far it is still starting the 12.5 HP B&S with a good spin.

If you do not have a charger with the Desulf mode get one and try it next time you buy a charger. Once we thought if a battery set for 6 months and had a reading of 7 volts that it was shot for good. It has let me double the run time of old deep cycle batteries.

 

[alchemysa]

Don't automatically assume that its dead just because it won't turn the engine over. Some B&S engines are bad for losing valve adjustment and they are impossible to turn over even with a new battery.

 

[Bird]

I bought a new Cub Cadet riding mower on 2/13/95. That battery lasted 3 years. I found it dead on 3/3/98, it wouldn't take a charge, so I replaced it on 3/5/98. Walmart and Auto Zone both had the right battery and Walmart was only one cent cheaper than Auto Zone. That battery cost me $40.99 including tax.

 

[clemsonfor]

those things are cheap with thin plates, little storage capacity. They will lose there charge like any battery at the rate of 3-10%/month without use and charging depending on state of battery so they may not return in the spring. Go to walmart with the old one and walk out with a new one for $25.