To extend the life of a lawn mower battery, it is best practice to store it in a cool, dry place, avoiding extreme temperatures, such as a cold garage or hot car. In addition, keeping batteries clean and dry are key ways to ensure the longevity of your lawn mower battery.
Charge your batteries regularly and never let them discharge completely. Use the charger that was designed for your battery. If the charger doesn't shut off automatically, be sure to remove the power source as soon as a full charge is reached. Keep the battery terminals clean.
Most lawn mower batteries are designed to last anywhere from 3 to 5 years. Factors like battery type, how often you use your mower, and how well you maintain it will all play a role in how long it lasts.
To maximize the lifespan of your lawnmower battery, consider the following tips: Keep it Charged: - Avoid letting the battery fully discharge. Recharge it regularly, especially if it's a lead-acid battery. For lithium-ion batteries, it's best to keep the charge between 20% and 80%. Proper Storage:
Keeping the charger plugged in after charging might result in electrolyte leakage or sulfation, especially with lead-acid batteries. Always remove the battery from the charger once it's fully charged to avoid these risks.
Try a Charging Session
Connect your questionable battery to a lawn mower battery charger. Set it for 12 volts, which is the standard in the industry. Most lawn and garden devices have this voltage rating as a way to keep consumers safe from any shock. Allow the charger to power up the battery for up to eight hours.
A riding lawn mower with an especially small engine may have a 6-volt battery. The lawn mower's alternator keeps its battery charged. A few hours of mowing recharges it the same way hours of highway driving can keep your car battery mostly charged.
Your battery could simply be too old. Riding lawn mower batteries typically last between three and five years. Your battery is suffering from sulfation. Your battery could also be suffering from corrosion.
If your lawn mower battery won't hold a charge, verify connections are clean and tight first, then connect it to the charger. If it isn't fully charged within 8 hours, your battery is dead and you'll need to replace it. If your lawn mower battery does charge fully, the charge should not drain if it is not in use.
A defective regulator can prevent the battery from receiving enough voltage, causing the battery to drain quickly. As with the alternator, you can use a multimeter to test the regulator by referring to the component's wiring diagram.
Why lawn mower batteries die. Typically, lead acid lawn mower batteries only last a few years. It's common for lawn mower owners to purchase and install a new replacement battery every year. Commercial lawn mowers may need their batteries replaced multiple times during the grass cutting season due to heavy use.
Overcharging – a manual charger left on too long can overcharge the battery and overheat it, permanently damaging it.
LiFePO4 lithium lawn mower batteries last approximately 4-6 times longer than lead-acid batteries. Lithium batteries have a higher power density level and a slower rate of capacity loss. Lithium batteries can last for 10+ years or 3,000 charging cycles at 80% DOD.
Why do Lawnmower and Lawn Tractor batteries fail? There can be a few reasons why your battery may fail, but one of the most common is due to a lack of use. If you're not using your lawnmower or lawn tractor enough and it sits, perhaps in your garage for a period of time, the battery needs to be charged.
Using Epsom salt is another way to recondition a battery that won't hold charge. Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate can help dissolve solid salts that have formed around the battery plates over time. Simply mix one part Epsom salt with three parts distilled water, and pour the solution over the battery cells.
Make sure the voltage matches your battery's voltage — most likely 12 — and set the amp level to 10 or less. Plug in the charger. Plug the charger into a wall outlet to juice up the battery. Disconnect when the battery is full.
Theoretically, you can leave a lawn mower battery charging overnight, especially if you are using a modern charger with an automatic shut-off feature. These chargers are designed to stop charging once the battery is fully charged, preventing overcharging and the release of toxic gases.
Often, a combination of corrosion, heat, and wear and tear cause the starter solenoid to fail. Can a bad starter solenoid drain the battery? It's possible. If the solenoid won't disengage, the constant current from the battery can discharge it.
2. How long does a 12 volt lawn mower battery last. The lawn mower battery can last for years, usually 3-5 years if it is properly maintained during the off-season or daily. If you want your mower battery to last long, take care of the charge methods and store it carefully.
Hooking up the battery tender intermittently will keep the lawnmower battery and all others charged and ready to go. Every time you hook up the tender, allow enough time for a full charge to be achieved before unhooking.
If you constantly have to charge the battery or jump start your mower, a bad battery or failed charging system could be causing the problem. If the battery won't charge fully within 8 hours when connected to a charger, you probably need to replace the battery.
The average lifespan of a lawn mower battery is approximately three years. The typical estimated life of a Lithium-Ion battery is about two to three years or 300 to 500 charge cycles, whichever occurs first. Some high-quality lithium-ion batteries can last up to five years with proper care and maintenance.