Battery For Portable Generator

[D45]

I recently bought a nicely used 7000W portable generator

It has a Briggs 14hp v-twin engine

It has an electric start option, but the previous owner did not have a battery with the generator

According to some internet searching, the manual just says "lawn and garden battery" with atleast 210cca.

I installed my 340cca riding mower battery in the tray, just to see if the group size will fit

I assume all lawn and garden batteries are the size dimensions? Would more cca be safe to run in a generator?

 

[PCustoms]

If it fits and has at least 210cca you'll be fine

 

[ToolsRCool]

More CCA is no harm. Most lawn tractor batteries are the same physical size, reverse terminal option "R" if need be, but available in 2-3 different CCA's. On common case sizes, a lower CCA will typically last a bit longer, but on such a low cost battery it really doesn't matter too much.

 

[D45]

My mower battery is 5 years old, so I'm thinking about just donating it to the generator......then buying a new battery for the mower

 

[larry4406]

My Generac generator has the battery mounted horizontal under the tank by some dimwit engineer making it a PIA to get to. Oh and for extra measure the dimwit spec'd the hold down fasteners to be thru bolts with a head under the tank so you can't get to it without choice words.

Its an AGM type because of the horizontal arrangement.

 

[908Jim]

My mower battery is 5 years old, so I'm thinking about just donating it to the generator......then buying a new battery for the mower

Seems backwards to me. Don't you want the newer battery in the more critical piece of equipment?

To me, a dead mower battery might delay beer o'clock but a dead generator battery would make a bad day worse.

 

[D45]

Mower battery isn't dead at all

I remove it every fall, clean it, charge it and storage it in the basement

I just load tested it, completely fine

I will set up the battery in the generator with a low amp trickle charger

 

[PCustoms]

I'll also vote for new battery in generator.

Mower battery gets a charge 1x per week all summer...

 

[CraigStu]

My mower battery is 5 years old, so I'm thinking about just donating it to the generator......then buying a new battery for the mower

Other way around. Who knows when you may need the generator? But when you do, it's likely that a new battery won't be a 20min drive away. New one in the generator and keep using the mower battery until it dies. Not being able to mow the lawn for a day or two until you can get a battery is no big deal

 

[D45]

The generator also has a back up pull start

Plus it will be connected to a low amp trickle charger

 

[PCustoms]

The generator also has a back up pull start

Plus it will be connected to a low amp trickle charger

So do whatever you want then.

Several of us have expressed our preference to use the new battery in the emergency standby equipment. Ymmv

 

[mike93lx]

Other way around. Who knows when you may need the generator? But when you do, it's likely that a new battery won't be a 20min drive away. New one in the generator and keep using the mower battery until it dies. Not being able to mow the lawn for a day or two until you can get a battery is no big deal

Wait til you find out that your backup battery for the mower is stored in the generator and you don't have to wait a day or two






I would also put the new battery in the generator without a second thought

 

[PoorUB]

The point I see on the battery is it is a portable and probably rarely used. I know I haven't used mine in a couple years other than to start it up to exercise it a couple times a year. The OP is probably in the same situation and might not need it, where he uses the lawnmower. Besides, it has a pull start and the battery for the mower can be swapped in if necessary. With a pull start I might skip the battery completely.

I can see it either way.

If it were permanently installed home standby that exercises every week the generator would get the new battery.

 

[larry4406]

After the 2nd battery failure on my generator, I have yet to replace it and just use the pull start. It has a battery tender by Generac but I wonder how smart it is and if it prematurely killed the batteries.

 

[johninct]

My generator starts on only a couple of pulls so I use a rope. To see if the electric start works and just a couple of times for fun, I use my JNC jumper pack and it works fine.

 

[CraigStu]

Wait til you find out that your backup battery for the mower is stored in the generator and you don't have to wait a day or two

You make an excellent point Mike.

 

[bwringer]

After the 2nd battery failure on my generator, I have yet to replace it and just use the pull start. It has a battery tender by Generac but I wonder how smart it is and if it prematurely killed the batteries.

Yes, constant use of a battery tender style "smart" maintainer is well-known to cause motorcycle batteries to die prematurely.

On equipment that's not in regular use, it's far better to just use the maintainer for a few hours or a day once a month or so, especially on smaller batteries.

And old-fashioned "dumb" trickle chargers are never a good idea. Trickle chargers will rapidly cause the demise of smaller batteries.

 

[larry_g]

On my big generator I extended the wires from the starter so they would reach 3-4' from the machine and added some heavy alligator clamps to them. If I need a battery start then grab the nearest convenient battery and clamp onto that and start the thing. I usually only need a battery when the machine has been sitting for months. Like many above it pull starts easily if being used regularly, fresh gas and no moisture in the system.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[dcg9381]

The generator also has a back up pull start

I found on my dual-fuel 7000 that the pull start would only work for gasoline. Apparently the propane flow valve needs electricity... Kinda bummed abut that. If your battery is dead and all you have is propane, you're SOL.

 

[nadogail]

I found on my dual-fuel 7000 that the pull start would only work for gasoline. Apparently the propane flow valve needs electricity... Kinda bummed abut that. If your battery is dead and all you have is propane, you're SOL.

If you hook up jumper cables will they also energize your propane valve?

 

[dcg9381]

If you hook up jumper cables will they also energize your propane valve?

I'd assume so.. Good point.

 

[bwringer]

On my big generator I extended the wires from the starter so they would reach 3-4' from the machine and added some heavy alligator clamps to them. If I need a battery start then grab the nearest convenient battery and clamp onto that and start the thing. I usually only need a battery when the machine has been sitting for months. Like many above it pull starts easily if being used regularly, fresh gas and no moisture in the system.

I like the way you think!

 

[WildBill]

I added one of those heavy duty power plugs like used on plow hookups and winches to mine and mounted it to the frame so I can plug jumper cables into it easy. I use the same plug on my truck bolted in the grill so I have the plug in jumper cables. Mine will not pull start on propane so I needed an easy backup plan.

 

[PoorUB]

Yes, constant use of a battery tender style "smart" maintainer is well-known to cause motorcycle batteries to die prematurely.

There is zero proof that maintainers kill batteries. I can come up with far more people that used the religiously and have zero issues. I have been using a Battery Tender on motorcycle battery every winter, left on all winter and it has not killed any of my batteries. I will hook up the battery tender any time I know I will not ride in a couple weeks. Also, I have friends that leave them hooked up all the time.

 

[PoorUB]

After the 2nd battery failure on my generator, I have yet to replace it and just use the pull start. It has a battery tender by Generac but I wonder how smart it is and if it prematurely killed the batteries.

Generac doesn't use a "maintainer" they use a cheap roughly 1 amp charger that is on all the time. It doesn't monitor the battery other than voltage.

 

[larry4406]

Generac doesn't use a "maintainer" they use a cheap roughly 1 amp charger that is on all the time. It doesn't monitor the battery other than voltage.

I tend to agree with you. It looks like just a wall wort device.

 

[bugnut]

I skipped the battery and associated issues, including more maintenance for a seldom used tool. I installed a $40 remote battery terminal, so I could use my jump box or a set of cables from the riding mower, four wheeler, truck, gator...... Also ends the concern of is the battery charged and working.

 

[ipgenie]

Ryobi makes a small inverter generator that uses a tool battery to start it. I wonder if one of the Dewalt/Milwaukee/etc tool batteries with a vehicle jump start adapter would have enough juice to start your bigger generator.
I jumped a 550cc ATV with a dead dead battery using a 6ah Dewalt battery last year. I bet it would work and all you'd have to do is grab a tool battery and plug it into the generator when you want to electric start it.

I'd probably just get a second mower battery, but it's another idea you can consider.

 

[Firebrick43]

There is zero proof that maintainers kill batteries. I can come up with far more people that used the religiously and have zero issues. I have been using a Battery Tender on motorcycle battery every winter, left on all winter and it has not killed any of my batteries. I will hook up the battery tender any time I know I will not ride in a couple weeks. Also, I have friends that leave them hooked up all the time.

Generac doesn't use a "maintainer" they use a cheap roughly 1 amp charger that is on all the time. It doesn't monitor the battery other than voltage.

You realize you proved your first point wrong?

A lot of devices markets as so called “maintainers” are electrically the same as the generac that you rightfully lambasted.

Even the earlier dumb “battery tenders” were known to over charge and significantly evaporate out enough water over a winter. Not as much of an issue most motorcycles now days as they have typically been AGMs for almost two decades now.

 

[PoorUB]

You realize you proved your first point wrong?

A lot of devices markets as so called “maintainers” are electrically the same as the generac that you rightfully lambasted.

Even the earlier dumb “battery tenders” were known to over charge and significantly evaporate out enough water over a winter. Not as much of an issue most motorcycles now days as they have typically been AGMs for almost two decades now.

If you use a real maintainer and not some unknown junk you will not have an issue. I am not going to argue the point that there are mislabeled products that claim they are maintainers and they are just a cheap battery charger.

If you use a good quality maintainer they do not over charge your battery.

I don't see the contradiction in my comment as I am commenting on a actual maintainer. If you buy some unknown POS that as sold as a maintainer that isn't the same.

 

[Firebrick43]

If you use a real maintainer and not some unknown junk you will not have an issue. I am not going to argue the point that there are mislabeled products that claim they are maintainers and they are just a cheap battery charger.

If you use a good quality maintainer they do not over charge your battery.

I don't see the contradiction in my comment as I am commenting on a actual maintainer. If you buy some unknown POS that as sold as a maintainer that isn't the same.

It’s a contradiction as the very brand you touted, “Battery Tender” has made cheap archaic circuit **** (wall wart battery tender JR) battery that cheap circuits fail and overcharge killing a battery. The waterproof out door models were particularly bad. Never saw one of those used any amount of time that didn’t fail

Even if they make higher quality models now that do the job of maintaining correctly, most people don’t have data logging equipment to see which one is good and which one isn’t.

 

[Fixr]

It’s a contradiction as the very brand you touted, “Battery Tender” has made cheap archaic circuit **** (wall wart battery tender JR) battery that cheap circuits fail and overcharge killing a battery. The waterproof out door models were particularly bad. Never saw one of those used any amount of time that didn’t fail

Even if they make higher quality models now that do the job of maintaining correctly, most people don’t have data logging equipment to see which one is good and which one isn’t.

I didn't know that. Are the ones with the vented metal cases typically OK? The Jr. one I had died in some unremembered but definitive way.

 

[dcg9381]

Generac doesn't use a "maintainer" they use a cheap roughly 1 amp charger that is on all the time. It doesn't monitor the battery other than voltage.

This. I've had RV "converters" that charge to 14.7 and hold.. I eventually figured it out and replaced it with something that would do a lower voltage float.

 

[PoorUB]

It’s a contradiction as the very brand you touted, “Battery Tender” has made cheap archaic circuit **** (wall wart battery tender JR) battery that cheap circuits fail and overcharge killing a battery. The waterproof out door models were particularly bad. Never saw one of those used any amount of time that didn’t fail

Even if they make higher quality models now that do the job of maintaining correctly, most people don’t have data logging equipment to see which one is good and which one isn’t.

Say what you want, but I use a Battery Tender brand maintainer on my motorcycle batteries and have for close to twenty years. I hook it up sometime in November and disconnect it in the spring. It is plugged in continually for 4-5 months and I have never had an issues with a battery. I have several friends that ride that do the very same, hook it up and ignore it. None of us have issues with batteries.

Plus, my Battery Tender is not a wall wart and for a "cheap" maintainer is has held up for those twenty years.

 

[D45]

Knock on wood, the battery on my Troy Bilt 5kw generator gets plugged in once a month to trickle charge

I just used the electric start feature on Sunday and it started and ran great

For this other 7kw generator, I had to order a new starter solenoid........could be the reason why the battery is MIA from the previous owner.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Yes, constant use of a battery tender style "smart" maintainer is well-known to cause motorcycle batteries to die prematurely.

On equipment that's not in regular use, it's far better to just use the maintainer for a few hours or a day once a month or so, especially on smaller batteries.

And old-fashioned "dumb" trickle chargers are never a good idea. Trickle chargers will rapidly cause the demise of smaller batteries.

Been using a battery tender on motorcycles since I can remember, usually get about 5 years out of my bike batteries. One tender is a $5 harbor freight model, and the other is $69 Battery Tender brand.

 

[D45]

New solenoid installed, cranks now with the electrical start feature!!

Time to put the gas tank back on (had to drain and flush out 2 year old gas), install a new fuel filter and get it running to make sure it produces electricity

Then I'll change the oil, oil filter, air filter and install plugs

 

[JABgj]

Been using the Noco lithium batteries on the gensets at work with good storage and life (so far). Have also installed jumper plugs for jump or charging.

 

[D45]

Well the mower battery will indeed stay available for the mower

The generator will get a new battery, because of the top post (+ & - ) terminal orientation and cable location

 

[PoorUB]

Well the mower battery will indeed stay available for the mower

The generator will get a new battery, because of the top post (+ & - ) terminal orientation and cable location

Well, that was a lot to do about nothing!