Maintaining your lawn mower is a key part of ensuring it continues to run well and cut your grass perfectly. One crucial factor in keeping your lawn mower running smoothly is ensuring the battery is always charged.
In this blog post, we will outline how to keep lawn mower battery charged so you can continue to enjoy a perfect yard all season long.
Contents
- How to Keep Lawn Mower Battery Charged
- 1. Charge it Often
- 2. Clean the Battery Terminals
- 3. Keep the Battery Cool
- 4. Fill the Battery Up
- 5. Use the Right Kind of Battery
- 6. Avoid Overloading the Battery
- What Keeps Draining My Lawn Mower Battery?
- 1. Leaving the Mower Unplugged
- 2. Ignition Switch is Left On
- 3. Using the Mower for too Long
- 4. Faulty Voltage Regulator
- 5. Damaged Battery
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How Do You Test a Lawn Mower for Battery Drain?
- How Often Should I Charge My Lawn Mower Battery?
- Is it Safe to Leave a Lawn Mower Battery Charging Overnight?
- Author
How to Keep Lawn Mower Battery Charged
1. Charge it Often
The best way to ensure the lawn mower battery is always charged is to charge it often. Make a habit of plugging it in after each use, and it will be ready to go for the next time you need it.
You may also want to consider investing in a battery charger, which will allow you to keep the battery topped off even when you’re not using the lawn mower.
Occasionally, checking the battery will also help you stay on top of any potential charging needs. If the battery is low, you can easily bring it back to full power with a battery charger.
2. Clean the Battery Terminals
It’s also important to keep the battery terminals clean. Corrosion on the terminals can prevent the battery from charging correctly.
Use a wire brush to clean off any corrosion, and then apply a light coating of petroleum jelly or silicone grease. This will help keep the terminals corrosion-free and allow the battery to charge properly.
3. Keep the Battery Cool
Extremely high or low temperatures can also adversely affect the lawn mower battery charge. Make sure to keep the battery in a cool, dry place when not in use.
If you’re storing the lawn mower for the winter, consider putting the battery in a cooler place in the house to help keep it from freezing.
Also read: Child size lawn mowers
4. Fill the Battery Up
One way to ensure the battery is always charged is to fill it up. Make sure the battery is full before using it. This will help ensure that you get the most out of the battery and that it will last for an extended period.
It’s also important to check the water levels in the battery. If the water level is low, add distilled water to reach the full line. This will help the battery stay charged and prevent corrosion.
Also read: How long to charge lawn mower battery
5. Use the Right Kind of Battery
Not all lawn mower batteries are created equal. Make sure to use the correct type of battery for your model.
Using the wrong battery can not only damage the lawn mower, but it can also prevent the battery from charging properly.
Most lawn mowers use a 5 to 12-volt battery. Make sure to check your lawn mower’s manual to determine the battery’s voltage you need.
6. Avoid Overloading the Battery
Another critical factor in keeping the lawn mower battery charged is avoiding overloading the battery. When the battery is overloaded, it can’t charge properly and will eventually die.
Make sure to only use the lawn mower for its intended purpose. Don’t run the edger or blower off of the same battery – this will quickly drain the battery and cause problems.
What Keeps Draining My Lawn Mower Battery?
Now that you know how to keep the lawn mower battery charged, it’s important to understand what can drain the battery in the first place. A few common culprits can quickly drain the battery and leave you with a dead mower:
Also read: How do I know if my lawn mower battery is bad?
1. Leaving the Mower Unplugged
Leaving the mower unplugged can also drain the battery. Make sure to always unplug the charger when you’re done using it. If you don’t plan on using the lawn mower for an extended period, consider removing the battery and storing it in a cool, dry place.
2. Ignition Switch is Left On
Another common culprit is the lawn mower’s ignition key switch. When the key is left in the on position, it can quickly drain the battery. Make sure to turn off the key switch when you’re done using the mower.
3. Using the Mower for too Long
Using the mower for too long can also drain the battery. If you’re going to be using the mower for an extended period, take a break every so often to let the battery recharge. This will help ensure that you don’t run the battery down.
Also read: What is the best oil extractor for lawn mower
4. Faulty Voltage Regulator
If your lawn mower battery is not holding a charge, it may be due to a faulty voltage regulator. A voltage regulator is responsible for maintaining the correct voltage level in the battery.
If it is not working properly, it can prevent the battery from charging correctly. If you suspect that your voltage regulator is not working properly, you can test it using a voltmeter.
5. Damaged Battery
Finally, if your lawn mower battery is not holding a charge, it may be due to damage. If the battery is cracked or damaged, it will not hold a charge. If this is the case, you will need to replace the battery.
Also read: Lawn mower battery disposal
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Test a Lawn Mower for Battery Drain?
To test a lawn mower for battery drain, you can use a voltmeter. Connect the voltmeter to the battery terminals and read the voltage level. If the voltage level is below 12 volts, the battery is drained.
How Often Should I Charge My Lawn Mower Battery?
How often you should charge your lawn mower battery depends on the type of battery you have. Sealed lead-acid batteries need to be charged every month, while AGM batteries need to be charged every three months.
If you’re not using the lawn mower for an extended period, you may want to consider removing the battery and storing it in a cool, dry place.
Is it Safe to Leave a Lawn Mower Battery Charging Overnight?
It is not safe to leave a lawn mower battery charging overnight. If the battery is left charging for too long, it can overheat and cause damage to the battery.
Make sure to unplug the charger when you’re done using it.
Knowing how to keep the lawn mower battery charged is vital for ensuring that your mower works properly.
There are a few things you can do to help keep the battery charged, such as unplugging the charger when you’re done using it and taking a break every so often to let the battery recharge.
If your lawn mower battery is not holding a charge, it may be due to a faulty voltage regulator or damage to the battery. In this case, you may need to replace the battery.