Lawn tractor battery

[plotthound]

So 1.5 years ago i bought a decent napa battery for my craftsman LT 1000. Damn thing only lasted two summers even after being stored in a heated garage with a battery tender on it.it just but the big one seemingly overnight. Is there a decent battery i can buy that will last longer then 2 years? Thanks

[KE4AVB]

Kinda doubt it. But the longer the supplier puts a warranty on it helps as they don't want it failing under warranty.

I think battery failures is why OEM are switching to glass mat batteries as they are more robust.

But even it all the matter of quality of the materials used.

[bgsengine]

Most U1 type batteries will only carry a 6 months warranty (Some might go a year)

Even with excellent maintenance, what kills them is the vibrations from OPE causing internal stress fractures (not to mention the heat & cooldown cycles depending on where battery is mounted - Under-Hood batteries tend to have shorter life spans than under-seat batteries , for example

- Also batteries in machines that get tons of vibration (Often the consumer models, no matter the brand) tend to have shorter life spans.

To get a battery to really last (I've had no problems with Interstate or Tractor Supply batteries, though they're typically $60 or so and up) Then often a focused regimen and sometimes modification to battery mounting is needed (Cut a mudflap to shape to pad the battery in its "box" or holders for one thing) and using care with any hold down setups (Clamping on the battery case, excessive tightening to prevent battery from slipping around often deforms battery case and causes more plate separations and fractures internally) or things like opening the hood when parking the tractor to let engine bay (if that is where battery is mounted) to air out and cool down faster, so heat doesn't sit and soak into the battery, every time you use it, cleaning out any grass and debris accumulations (which insulates battery if it builds up enough, holding in heat) among other steps - To get some ideas on what you can do you can often look at true commercial machines (Kubota, Yanmar, Exmark, among others) to see how they mount and locate batteries can also be helpful. Note the battery cables and how they may have extra length, larger diameters, softer insulation jackets all of which also help better isolate the battery from absorbing machine vibration, especially in the critical areas of the battery posts.

[SUKI]

Rural King is currently has an one year warranty on the U1 batteries. It probably a prorate one but I haven't read the warranty either.

And it is good point on the fit as some has battery cell caps that interfere would the fittings.

[Arkie]

Lawn tractor battery life is also rolling the dice for battery life with me also.
When You get two summers use of a U1 series battery you are doing good. (the $35-$45 ones)
Seems anything over 1 year on a U1 series is on borrowed time.
I prefer the Battery MINDER, model 121177C as a trickle/float charger. (I buy them when on sale)

I sometimes get 4 years out of a U1 but another one of same make only 2 years or less. (and most U1's in my neck of the woods only has a 30 days freebie warranty exchange and not user friendly to get the exchange because they want to take a DNA sample, stool sample, urine sample, blood culture (I just give them my underwear ) and do a background check and you need your ORIGINAL receipt)


I've noticed that $75 with a 5 year warranty automotive batteries are a thing of the past.
Now days $150 and up for a 2-3 year battery.

[38racing]

Carquest here in canada has the 350 cca on sale every spring and I usually buy a couple. Labeled diehard. Made ? Amazes me that new deere riders come with 150 cca. Yet some of them last longer than I would expect.

[plotthound]

Ya this napa battery was not cheap. Battery box is under the seat so heat was not a factor. When i replace this one in the spring im gonna buy the cheapest one that princess auto sells. Certainly is a piss off. Thanks guys

[38racing]

Ya this napa battery was not cheap. Battery box is under the seat so heat was not a factor. When i replace this one in the spring im gonna buy the cheapest one that princess auto sells. Certainly is a piss off. Thanks guys

Look around, I've never found cheap rider batteries at princess auto.

[plotthound]

well i used my jump pack and got it running then put trickle charger on it got it charged.. been holding charge for 2 weeks now. weird

[KE4AVB]

Not so weird if it just had badly sulficated plates. A lot of the time takes a desuficator that uses a high frequency impulses the break down this sulfication. Some battery maintainers contain this system as part of the maintainer; even some modern chargers have it too.

And I have save a several dead batteries (sitting several years fully discharge) with my 60 watt 12V solar panel.