Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Battery Dies
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FLASH2u
10-07-08, 10:18 PM
:repostit: I have a 18 HP Crasftsman Tractor with a Briggs and Stratton Engine. The battery keeps going dead and cannot be recharged so becomes BAD, Bad cells.
Sears claims it is the tractor and I have checked out the electrical system. The alternator runs the lights and does fine.
Can a battery discharge and have the cells go bad? Or are the batteries defective to begine with. They are Die Hard and made some made in Mexico and they last about 3 - 4 months.
Sears claims it is the tractor and I have checked out the electrical system. The alternator runs the lights and does fine.
Can a battery discharge and have the cells go bad? Or are the batteries defective to begine with. They are Die Hard and made some made in Mexico and they last about 3 - 4 months.
goldstar
10-07-08, 10:36 PM
Occasionally you could get a defective battery, but yours sounds more like an electrical problem.
You need to get a volt meter and first check the voltage of the battery when the mower is off. Then start the mower and rev it to normal cutting speed. Check the battery again. You should see a resting voltage of about 12.6 volts and a running voltage of 13 - 14 volts. If the voltage does not rise, you have a problem in the charging system.
You need to get a volt meter and first check the voltage of the battery when the mower is off. Then start the mower and rev it to normal cutting speed. Check the battery again. You should see a resting voltage of about 12.6 volts and a running voltage of 13 - 14 volts. If the voltage does not rise, you have a problem in the charging system.
cheese
10-08-08, 02:18 AM
I agree... sounds like the mower has problems. Just because the alternator runs the lights doesn't mean it's good. Post engine info. Most of these engines have dual alternators...one for the lights, the other for the charging circuit. The one for the lights won't work to charge the battery (it is DC, not AC), and the one for the charging circuit has a diode in line at the least, and possibly a regulator.