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Just want to see what your ideas are on this; after three years of very occasional/light use, the last two times I went to use it, the battery was apparently dead - no crank. So I hooked up my auto battery charger but it doesn't appear to be taking a charge, either at 2 Amps or 10. However, all I have to do is put the charger on it, get on and turn the key, and it cranks and starts. After using it for 30 minutes or so, I can turn it off, key the starter again and it fires up right away. Then, maybe a month later, its dead again. Previously it could sit all winter and it would fire right up. I don't mind putting a new battery in it after about three years. I guess I'll take the battery to the auto parts and get them to check it out. I always leave the key in the 'off' position but this time I took it out just in case there is a current drain there.

Have the auto parts store load test it... Depending on the brand of battery, 3 years is good.

Yea, depending on what brand you get, especially if its one of the cheap ones, 3 years is what they would usually last.
You're actually probably lucky that battery lasted 3 yrs ?

Well, that's it, then. Never having had a riding mower before, I had no idea of expected battery life, and for all I know, the mower could have sat for a year before I got it. Thanks for the quick responses. I'll take this opportunity to get a premium battery. I recently did that on my 2007 F-150 when the original battery died after 13 years. I think it was a 540cca and I bought an 850 - fortunately the battery box was sized for it. I didn't know that starter would spin that fast!.

If it's going to sit long periods invest in a battery tender charger, doesn't need to be that brand, I've got a off brand I got at Walmart and I've been using it at least 5 years, that way the battery is always ready.

gainestruk said:

If it's going to sit long periods invest in a battery tender charger, doesn't need to be that brand, I've got a off brand I got at Walmart and I've been using it at least 5 years, that way the battery is always ready.

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Yup Battery Tender and remove the battery in the winter. Take inside the house where it's warm. Clean terminals and GROUND while you are at it.

slomo

slomo said:

GROUND while you are at it.

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What do you mean by ground?

logert gogert said:

What do you mean by ground?

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Some mowers have a 12 volt battery. Most batteries have a positive and a negative post. They look like these + and -. On the negative or ground side, you need a clean connection to bare steel on the mower and another clean connection at the - post. That creates a good ground. You can test with a voltage drop method or best, under load.

I put GROUND in caps to show how important it is. Most everyone overlooks the ground cable.

slomo

New 350 CCA battery did the trick - really spins the starter motor! The old one was 150 CCA. BTW, it has been in service two years this month, not three as I said earlier. The old battery only had 9 volts in it and as I said, it would not take a charge although it could be jumped. Whatever, its outta here.

1saxman said:

New 350 CCA battery did the trick - really spins the starter motor! The old one was 150 CCA. BTW, it has been in service two years this month, not three as I said earlier. The old battery only had 9 volts in it and as I said, it would not take a charge although it could be jumped. Whatever, its outta here.

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If it's the same size, beware. To get more cranking amps, the plates inside are much thinner. Meaning it won't last as long as a lower rated CCA battery. Tractor batteries sit for months and sometimes years in the field. They start up no problem. They are extra thick plated batteries made for bashing around in the wheat fields. If you can find a size to fit your car or truck, look for a tractor battery. It will last 10 plus years. Glad you got her running.

slomo

That's a good point but I expect to get more than two years out of this one. BTW, it has to be the same size to fit the battery cage, so a larger one would not fit and a smaller one would not be secure.