Lawn Tractor Battery

My lawn tractor wouldn't start today. It's a Sears Craftsman, 24-hp 48" cut. I've been starting and running every two weeks during the winter to keep the battery from draining (and also I use the tractor in winter to use the cart to bring firewood up from the back of the property, and attach a plow blade for snow).

Today it started and ran for maybe two seconds, then crapped out. I went out and bought a battery charger. I hooked up the charger, and it indicated it was charging (yellow). It went green (charged) after about 3 hours.

I then tried to start. It still would not turn over. I then put the charger back on, and it is yellow (charging), not green (charged).

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. I've cut grass only in 2006 and 2007.

Any ideas? I do have a 3-yr warranty, but if easy to take care of before calling Sears, I'd rather resolve. Bad battery? Other?

Reply to
Dimitrios Paskoudniakis
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Those small batteries don't last long. If covered under your warranty you are OK, but batteries are often pro rated and it may be just as cheap to replace it yourself. Read the fine print to be sure.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

if you jump start it DO NOT have the car or truck running, It can harm your tractor electronics. The warrantry may be 3 years on the tractor but the battery is normally only 1 year warranty. A new battery should be in the $40.00 range.

tractor batteries dont last long.

give tractor a jump from a car or truck. if you know how.

if it starts then its most likely a bad battery..

when you get new battery leave it on a trickle charger / battery maintainer.

when lead acid batteries sit unused or even started occasionally the plates sulphate and battery capacity quits.

a maintence charge helps prevent this

Reply to
Bob Bob

Sorry guys, but I disagree about batteries (small or otherwise) not lasting long. I have an eleven year old riding mower and just replaced the original battery last year.

Have had equally good luck with large batteries - my trolling motor battery is 13 years old and still works well though not quite as good as when it was a teen-ager.

On the first of every month, I hook a charger up to battries, using the lowest settting to top off the charge. I do this summer and winter. As a rule, it takes less than ten minutes to fully charge each battery. On those that have cell caps, I check the water monthly and if any is need, I use ONLY distilled water.

Bob-tx

Reply to
Bob

I agree. I think the bad rap these type of batteries have is due to how they are used, not the battery. People routinely let them sit and get discharged, which is the worst thing for a starting battery. Once they discharge and sit, the sulfate and get ruined. I keep a battery tender on mine and have gotten lifespans about the same as a car battery.

Reply to
trader4

I agree. I think the bad rap these type of batteries have is due to how they are used, not the battery. People routinely let them sit and get discharged, which is the worst thing for a starting battery. Once they discharge and sit, the sulfate and get ruined. I keep a battery tender on mine and have gotten lifespans about the same as a car battery.

Ditto, I have two lawn tractors, a generator, and a compact diesel tractor. All these batteries have solid state onboard chargers. I've never replaced a battery that wasn't at least six years old

Reply to
RBM

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