Lawn Mower Battery Start-up issues with your mower?

Battery and Mower Electrical Parts Headquarters!

How to check your lawn mower battery and pick the right size battery for your mower.

It is that time of the year when you go out to try to start your mower for the first time of the season….but you turn the key and nothing happens.  Is it your lawn mower battery?  …or something else.  We always start by testing the battery.

Here is how you do it.  You will need a volt/olm meter to perform the test.  They are available at any auto parts store or in the auto parts department at Walmart.  Set your meter for 12 volts.  Touch the negative wire (black) from your meter to the negative terminal of the battery you are testing.  At the same time, touch the positive wire (red) from your meter to the positive terminal of the battery you are testing.  Ideally, the reading should be around 12.75 volts.

It is easy to test the charging system of your mower using the same technique.  Connect your meter to the battery as outlined above, and then start your mower.  (make sure all of the wires are out of the way of spinning parts!).  Your battery is getting a charge from the engine if the meter reading on the battery is HIGHER than when the engine is turned off.  Normally, the new reading while the engine is running should be around 13.5 volts.

Choosing the right battery for your lawn mower seems easy enough, however, most people choose a battery that is the wrong size for their lawn mower.  Using the wrong size battery can damage your electrical system and engine starter motor leading to expensive repairs.

Never use an automotive battery to start your mower.  Automotive batteries have much more power and can damage your equipment.  We carry a full line of lawn mower batteries!

Low quality batteries usually struggle to make it through one full season of mowing.  We often have customers that buy discount store batteries coming back for issues only to find that the cheap battery was the culprit.  It is tempting to go cheap here, but it will end up costing you more in the long run.

Additional Article Resources from ProGreen Plus:

Tips for Growing Green Lawns

Picking the right size lawn mower battery:

Engines that are LESS THAN 12 hp should use a battery that is rated for 145 CCA (cold cranking amps) or larger.

Engines that are GREATER THAN 12 hp should use a battery that is rated for 300 CCA.  Most of the newer mowers have engines that fit into this category.  Yes, smaller batteries are less expensive and they may work for a short time…but, they may also cause extensive damage to your machine.

It is critical in mowers that have electric PTOs to use the correct battery.  Electric PTOs are electro-magnetic.  They use power from the battery to “lock-in” and engage the clutch.  Using a battery that is too small can damage the PTO, which is typically a $300 to $400 part!

ProGreen Plus carries a full line of electrical parts for your lawn mower and power equipment including starter switches, safety switches, seat switches, limit switches, ignition parts, keys, starters and more. We have parts for all brands of mowers and engines including Briggs and Stratton, Honda, Tecumseh, Kawasaki, Kohler, Subaru, Robin, Wisconsin, Yamaha, as well as the Chinese clone motors.