Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Until recently I’ve never had a riding mower with a battery. I’ve heard these batteries that come with today’s mowers require fairly frequent charging. Would it be better to get a battery maintainer than a charger?
Until recently I’ve never had a riding mower with a battery. I’ve heard these batteries that come with today’s mowers require fairly frequent charging. Would it be better to get a battery maintainer than a charger?
Yes. But you really wont need it unless the mower is going to set for several weeks, like over the winter. AND they are going to last like a car battery will. Ive been lucky on one mower, and gone 5 years, but seems like Im putting in new mower batteries every other year on a couple of them.
Yes. But you really wont need it unless the mower is going to set for several weeks, like over the winter. AND they are going to last like a car battery will. Ive been lucky on one mower, and gone 5 years, but seems like Im putting in new mower batteries every other year on a couple of them.
We inherited my folks’ home including their riding mower. They were using a battery charger and it seemed every other year they had to get a new battery. It’s dead right now but we’re still getting settled into the house so I haven’t worked on the mower yet. My brother-in-law rebuilds cars and trucks as a hobby and he struggled to change the belts. I’m 50 with a bad shoulder so I’m not looking forward to that job.
I assume you are discussing the engine STARTER battery.
Do this: Shop for a "trickle charger" for every battery near a electric outlet. ( We hate extension cords).
Cheap ones are less than $10, no bells, no switches, no buttons, maybe one little light.
Plug it in, hook up the fishing-boat, or the lawn-mower, or the motorcycle, or the old car, or the snow-plow, or the helicopter, whatever you feel has-to-start-everytime. Thats it.
A month from now, if the battery is dead, YOU BUY A NEW BATTERY. Period.
A trickle-charger is called a battery "maintainer". It maintains the voltage level of a good/live battery with a very low-power "shock" (less that 1 ampere).
If the battery is low, it will absorb the shock up to its rated voltage. It will NOT OVER-CHARGE a battery.
You can leave it plugged-in forever. It actually uses less power than your iPhone !
All Antique cars, Army tanks, Fire trucks, Airplanes, my Lawn mower, my Leaf mulcher, are all ready-to-go.
Our motor-home has a SOLAR-trickle-charger, just like the sail boat.
Again: this is only about STARTER batteries. NOT batteries that power machines like electric-lawn-mowers, electric-scooters, boat-trolling-motors and other applications that use the battery until its dead (zero volts.)
Modern batteries (what is there now...5, 6 different kinds ? ) require intelligent chargers, costing far more than a new battery ($ 100++).
I sold all my old transformer-chargers at yard sales. Good riddance ;>)
One thing I used to be guilty of and blamed batteries for it........was not fully charging a battery before I installed it. Motorcycle batteries especially, had a few go dead in 6 months and couldn't figure it out. Wasn't charging before install. Do that and it should make a difference.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,206,701 times
Reputation: 57821
Most people don’t run the riding mower often and long enough to keep it charged. Mine was on a solar trickle charger mounted on top of my shed, but finally died and won’t hold a charge. Rather than buy one, I just jump it with my portable jump starter/tire inflator.
For this sort of thing, a Battery Tender or similar is great. Vf6cruiser is right, a new battery should be charged on a "smart" charger before first use. This is called "initializing" and Motorcycle Consumer News had several articles about it.
Any of these batteries, particularly in a dry climate, you need to keep an eye on water level, adding distilled water only when needed. Most small batteries I prefer to put them on the work bench to add water.
Me, I would prefer a 110V starter with a plug. Do your first cold start of the day using that, (if needed) then have a regular pull cord for the rest of the time.
i'm thinking of switching over to a lithium ion battery for my motorcycle. I would imagine it would work just as well for a lawn mower.
The advantages of Lithium ion batteries
-they last more than a year without needing a charge
-they charge quickly
-they last much longer than lead acid batteries
the disadvantages
-they are expensive
-they are sensitive to over charging
-they are sensitive to under charging
i'm thinking of switching over to a lithium ion battery for my motorcycle. I would imagine it would work just as well for a lawn mower.
The advantages of Lithium ion batteries
-they last more than a year without needing a charge
-they charge quickly
-they last much longer than lead acid batteries
the disadvantages
-they are expensive
-they are sensitive to over charging
-they are sensitive to under charging
Well, a savvy rider wants his or her bike to be light.
Not certain that this matters as much on a lawnmower.
I have had good luck with ordinary lead-acid batteries, keeping them on a Battery Tender when the vehicle or tool is not in use, and monitoring the electrolyte level carefully, since I live in a dry climate. But your mileage may vary.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
