Riding Mower Battery Life
- Thread starter D45
- Start date
bunks-tj
Well-known member
the battery in my cub cadet will be 6 in oct, and i have never done anything but drive the mower. no tender, no removal or disconnection 
The battery in the garden tractor is from 2013. The first 5 years or so were not good for life expectancy, there was no charging until I remade the wiring harness. I just ran it until it died and swapped batteries. I know I did this for 5 years or so as I was too lazy to find the charging issue. I also had a sprayer mounted on it with an electric pump that was used twice a year. I believe I had to swap batteries 3 times or so to get through an application.
andyvh1959
Well-known member
I just use a Deltran or Shumacher battery tender and leave it plugged into the battery on my riding lawn mower. Always charged up and ready to go, and it keeps the battery active all the time.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
AGM is still a lead acid battery, it just has glass mat between the cells that encapsulates the liquid acid.
Seeing a trend here.lol
I came to post the advantages of a battery tender on a battery that sits a lot, but I think the message has been made.
And for the guys putting water in their batteries, you’re diluting it. Almost all auto parts stores sell electrolyte/battery acid.
djbmw
Well-known member
Thats not true at all. "Battery acid" is a mix of sulfuric acid and distilled water (a 50/50 blend is common). Over time, and especially in hot climates, the water evaporates, leaving the acid behind since sulfuric acid's evaporation point starts at 150 degrees.
Filling up the battery with new battery acid will over concentrate the mix and is the wrong thing to do, unless you've flushed all of the cells before hand. Instead, using distilled water and givong the battery a good shake afterwards will yield the best result. You can also use a battery acid tester if you're worried.
100%
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Not what the battery rep told me, but they do sell electrolyte too, so maybe he was sales pitching? Or he just didn’t mention getting rid of the the old and replacing it with new.
LB-1911
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Heat kills batteries here in the South, you discover it usually in the cooler weather, but it is the heat that kills em.
Always wondered about just hooking up a car battery to mower if that would make a difference... but even car batteries don't last long down here.
Always wondered about just hooking up a car battery to mower if that would make a difference... but even car batteries don't last long down here.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
As to buying batteries, look at the manufacturer date. Home depot has batteries on the shelf that are 2 years old.
On my cub cadet I disconnect the dumb head lights.
For the season startup I used the battery recondition setting on my charger for my 2 year old mower with a dying battery, worked, the battery has a new life. When I replace it I am going to get a larger battery at a non rip off price.
On my cub cadet I disconnect the dumb head lights.
For the season startup I used the battery recondition setting on my charger for my 2 year old mower with a dying battery, worked, the battery has a new life. When I replace it I am going to get a larger battery at a non rip off price.
djbmw
Well-known member
They're not "dead",.. just low on water. Top off the cells, give them a shake, charge, and be on your way.
Now...if you dont catch this in time and keep trying to charge a battery that's low on fluid then yes, you can kill it with Sulfation.
Batteries "die" one of three primary ways:
1) Sulfation (most common)
2) Freezing (and the damage that occures from expansion)
3) Physical damage
If you prevent the above three, your battery sill last many decades (though, over time, damage will inevitably happen from plastics degrading and sulfation slowly building on the plates).
andyvh1959
Well-known member
My dad used to be his own battery tender. Back in the 70s he'd take "dead" batteries, charge them, discharge them with a small 12v bulb, then charge again. Charge, discharge. And he'd get a free battery back to life. He basically was doing what a battery tender does.
What causes death from full discharge?
65ranchero
Well-known member
Freezing for 1
65ranchero
Well-known member
One of the first thing I did, nothing worse looking goofy running DRLs on the rider
djbmw
Well-known member
Sulfation begins once the voltage in the cells dips below 12.4 volts. The lower the voltage, the more aggressive, and expedited, the build up will be.
Also, temps above 24 degrees celcius, and below -1 celcius will begin sulfation.
Okay. I accidentally left a vehicle running, it ran out of fuel, and then the battery died from the switch still being on overnight.
Wasn't a super old battery but wasn't particularly new either. Couldn't get any charge back in it so traded it.
Didn't know if that would be something other than sulfation.
Is there a charger out there that can rejuvenate that?
djbmw
Well-known member
It depends how bad the plates are.
You can drain the fluid and look into each cell with a flashlight to see how the plates look.
Battery reconditioning is generally done by applying a very high amperage current to the battery (80+amps) with the caps removed in an attempt to remove the sulfate crystals. You only do this in 5 min bursts though.
The "reconditioning" off the shelf chargers dont do a good job as they are relatively low amperage. This is where high amp car starters and DC welders can come in handy.
Gotcha. I've been thinking about getting a higher amp charger to handle my semi truck but still haven't. I only have one of those hand carries that maxes at 50 or thereabouts.
Toolfool
Well-known member
My JD lawn tractor is over 20 years old and I'm about 10 years into my second battery. No tenders or special treatment. But, living in the PNW and now Florida its "down" season is pretty short.
In the South, one of the first things we learned was to check battery water levels... It ain't that. There is a reason batteries have a shorter life span in the south (not Canada)... Heat scientifically kills batteries. We have weeks on end where it is around 100 degrees and hotter than that under the hood.
How Hot Weather Affects Your Car Battery and What to Do About It - Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports explains how hot weather affects your car battery and shares tips for ensuring reliable starts in summer months.
Car batteries typically last three to five years, according to AAA, spanning from 58 months or longer in the farthest northern regions of the U.S. to less than 41 months in the most southern regions. Inspections should be part of an owner’s routine maintenance, but it’s especially important to check before taking a long road trip.