Home

Export thread

Battery keeps discharging

May 11, 2022#1

J

JW!

My Craftsman lawn mower kills the battery if it sits for a week. The battery is charged up but for some reason it is discharged after sitting idle and the battery is brand new. Any idea what could be causing the short?

May 11, 2022#2

sgkent

start with the battery. How old is it? How many times has it fallen to a zero charge in its life?

May 11, 2022#3

Scrubcadet10

JW! said:
battery is brand new.

May 11, 2022#4

sgkent

then I would put an amp meter on it and see what the parasitic drain is. It could be a bad diode in the charging system, or a bad relay. Need to post a wiring diagram for it or model and serial if anyone is to give much more help than this generic suggestion.

May 11, 2022#5

Scrubcadet10

Post the model number of the tractor. Should be on a tag under the seat. And start with 917.

May 11, 2022#6

B

bertsmobile1

Usual culprit will be the diodes in the rectifier failing open circuit
Pull the connector apart at night in the dark.
If you get a nice big spark you have found the problem.
To confirm it either check the rectifier or just leave it unpluged for the week.
If the battery is fine then replace the rectifier .
The other thing that can drain the battery over a week is the carb solenoid.
Easy way to check that is to touch it first thing in the morning
If it is warm, it is energised .

May 13, 2022#7

J

JW!

My mechanic neighbour suggested I pull the key out of the ignition, and that solved the problem, battery was fine the next week. So now I will leave the key out of the lawn mower, I don't think I will buy another ignition switch.

May 13, 2022#8

StarTech

JW! said:
My mechanic neighbour suggested I pull the key out of the ignition, and that solved the problem, battery was fine the next week. So now I will leave the key out of the lawn mower, I don't think I will buy another ignition switch.

That tells me that you were leaving the switch on.

May 13, 2022#9

S

shinkle

JW! said:
My mechanic neighbour suggested I pull the key out of the ignition, and that solved the problem, battery was fine the next week. So now I will leave the key out of the lawn mower, I don't think I will buy another ignition switch.

I had a previous mower doing the same thing. Somehow the switches go bad and allow a connection and battery drain. You can buy a replacement switch and new key for about $30, easy plug and play replacement.

May 14, 2022#10

J

Jinglepaws2

JW! said:
My Craftsman lawn mower kills the battery if it sits for a week. The battery is charged up but for some reason it is discharged after sitting idle and the battery is brand new. Any idea what could be causing the short?

I, too, have a Craftsman rider mower purchased in 2016 that started doing that after 2 or 3 seasons. I purchased a new battery just like you and still had the same problem in a couple of months. (BTW,, I never left the key in the ignition.) I ended up getting a Battery Tender with a quick connect ring connector. Now I just plug it in whenever it's not in use. I never had that problem with the previous Craftsman I had for 12 years.

Craftman riders are now junk. In the first couple of seasons with light use with my current Craftsman, I had to replace a fan belt as well as a tire. Just last year, I had to replace the ignition switch because the reverse mow function broke. Even after 12 years, I never had to replace any of that on my old Craftsman. There's plastic where metal obviously needs to be. It built to have the shortest service life possible. When I have to replace my current Craftsman ( I seriously doubt it will last anywhere close to 12 years) I certainly won't be purchasing another Craftsman, that's for darn sure. Craftsman use to mean true quality but no longer.

May 14, 2022#11

S

shinkle

Jinglepaws2 said:
I, too, have a Craftsman rider mower purchased in 2016 that started doing that after 2 or 3 seasons. I purchased a new battery just like you and still had the same problem in a couple of months. (BTW,, I never left the key in the ignition.) I ended up getting a Battery Tender with a quick connect ring connector. Now I just plug it in whenever it's not in use. I never had that problem with the previous Craftsman I had for 12 years.

Craftman riders are now junk. In the first couple of seasons with light use with my current Craftsman, I had to replace a fan belt as well as a tire. Just last year, I had to replace the ignition switch because the reverse mow function broke. Even after 12 years, I never had to replace any of that on my old Craftsman. There's plastic where metal obviously needs to be. It built to have the shortest service life possible. When I have to replace my current Craftsman ( I seriously doubt it will last anywhere close to 12 years) I certainly won't be purchasing another Craftsman, that's for darn sure. Craftsman use to mean true quality but no longer.

One way to check for parasitic drain running down the battery when nothing is on is to take a test light, disconnect the battery ground, connect the test light clip to the ground cable, touch the test light to the ground battery post. If the light comes on something is draining the battery. Try with the key in ignition off and without the key.

May 14, 2022#12

S

slomo

May 14, 2022#13

sgkent

Craftsman doesn't make anything. They buy their products from known manufacturers but painted in Craftsman colors. Usually the first 3 digits will tell you whom the manufacturer was.

May 14, 2022#14

ILENGINE

sgkent said:
Craftsman doesn't make anything. They buy their products from known manufacturers but painted in Craftsman colors. Usually the first 3 digits will tell you whom the manufacturer was.

And at this point is is almost entirely MTD since B-D owns Craftsman and MTD which included Cub Cadet, Bolens, Yard Machine, YardMan, Troybilt, Huskee,, And at one time were also making Toro Consumers products, and Ariens.

May 14, 2022#15

J

JW!

StarTech said:
That tells me that you were leaving the switch on.

no it was off just left in ignition

May 15, 2022#16

R

robertschemenauer

I have a 2004 craftsman DGT6000 still going strong 18yrs.On the 3rd battery.I do all maintenace oil changes,blade sharpening etc.

May 15, 2022#17

Cusser

Jinglepaws2 said:
Craftsman use to mean true quality but no longer.

You mean like with the Craftsman $100 tile saw I purchased about 15 years ago. There was no display model, I bought one of the two they had a mile from my home, unboxed it, thought the alignment fence looked real cheap and plastic. It broke immediately. I swapped it out for the remaining unit, even greased the fence on this one, it also broke a few cuts in. It was also difficult to add water to the trough and to check on water level. I got my refund.

That night after dinner, we stopped at Home Depot and I bought their $100 tile saw, and it has done well for me; metal fence (first one was off several degrees, took that back to HD with my square to swap that out) plus easier water check and water add. So the HD one was a good purchase.

May 15, 2022#18

sgkent

JW! said:
no it was off just left in ignition

is there a buzzer or chime that isn't buzzing or chiming any more when the key is left in the ignition?

May 16, 2022#19

StarTech

What I why strange is just leaving a key in the switch causes this. The key is insulated from the electrical system. Strange things do happen but this is very strange.

Jinglepaws2 said:
I, too, have a Craftsman rider mower purchased in 2016 that started doing that after 2 or 3 seasons. I purchased a new battery just like you and still had the same problem in a couple of months. (BTW,, I never left the key in the ignition.) I ended up getting a Battery Tender with a quick connect ring connector. Now I just plug it in whenever it's not in use. I never had that problem with the previous Craftsman I had for 12 years.

Craftman riders are now junk. In the first couple of seasons with light use with my current Craftsman, I had to replace a fan belt as well as a tire. Just last year, I had to replace the ignition switch because the reverse mow function broke. Even after 12 years, I never had to replace any of that on my old Craftsman. There's plastic where metal obviously needs to be. It built to have the shortest service life possible. When I have to replace my current Craftsman ( I seriously doubt it will last anywhere close to 12 years) I certainly won't be purchasing another Craftsman, that's for darn sure. Craftsman use to mean true quality but no longer.

It is because the consumer wants to buy the cheapest thing out there so even well recognized names have to cheaper products to keep prices lower. I haven't seen this in the commercial line up yet be it will even migrate to that area to. This because they are figuring out how to just get things to last through the warranty period so the customer has to upgrade again keeping the factory running.

I just ran into some Gravely (Ariens) spindles that are nearly impossible to get apart. Mainly due to rust. It doesn't help that the customer crossed threaded the spindle bolts. So it is two new spindles if he want them repaired. Ouch at 250 each OEM. Even the aftermarket ones are 150 each. He said he would run them until complete failure of the spindles. What a shame as the mower is well built otherwise. In this case I cant get new spindle so it a waste of time to try to rebuild them.

And yes it seems no one makes a quality product any more. It like the HFT torques wrenches the first ones I brought lasted five years but now I can't even get one that the scales align properly and the last two fail after a year of use. Junk with a life time warranty is still junk. Personally I depend on my tools working correctly. Heck I got a lot invested in them.

So I trying one of those digital torque adapters. I just don't like the feel, just not same as the clicker type. They are only as accurate as the user pays attention to the beeper. Maybe in time I get use to it but it will do until the new clicker comes in. Hopefully the vendor didn't lie about the new clicker being able to do both left and right torques. (CCW and CW)

Even things like wrenches are not the quality they once were. I even got a couple sets of Vermont American taps and dies where the lazer etched sizes are so fade off it is impossible to read them. Their lifetime warranty is worthless as their are no dealers for them anymore around here.

May 16, 2022#20

B

bertsmobile1

Even things like wrenches are not the quality they once were. I even got a couple sets of Vermont American taps and dies where the lazer etched sizes are so fade off it is impossible to read them. Their lifetime warranty is worthless as their are no dealers for them anymore around here.

Yep.Did that last week during the rain.
Got the diamond burrs out with the Dremel (and haven't their quality gone down the toilet ) to remark a pile of taps & dies so I can read them .

May 16, 2022#21

StarTech

bertsmobile1 said:
Yep.Did that last week during the rain.
Got the diamond burrs out with the Dremel (and haven't their quality gone down the toilet ) to remark a pile of taps & dies so I can read them .

That something I should do here to as I do have a carbide tip engraver, now just find the time to do it.

Out to shop I go so I get my daily dose of frustration. OH where where to start today.....Back later if I don't call it quits. I remember last week asking a customer just to run over me.

May 17, 2022#22

Cusser

What about installing a simple shut-off switch like those available at auto parts store?