You want to cut your grass around your home compound on a beautiful day but realize the mower’s battery is dead.
That means your lawn mower will not start, and if it starts, it shuts down while working. These are the challenges you’ll with a dead battery.
A lawn mower loses charge after you store for an extended time without use. You can revive its battery after charging for a few hours.
The battery may work or not, and if it doesn’t work, test it using a multimeter. You will check whether there is a fault in the electrical system or the battery is dead.
That said, the battery may not be a problem in some cases. You, therefore, need to read on how to know if the lawn mower battery is dead.
In this article, we have provided you best ways to identify a dead battery in the mower; read on:
Contents
- Steps on How to Know if Lawn Mower Battery is Dead
- 1. Check Connections
- 2. Charge in Sessions
- 3. Listen to a Clicking Sound
- 4. Verify the Voltage
- 5. Examine the Water Reservoir
- FAQs on Find Out If Lawn Mower Battery Is Dead
- How can I check my lawn mower’s battery condition?
- Can a lawn mower operate with a dead battery?
- What can I do with my dead lawn mower’s battery?
- Author
Steps on How to Know if Lawn Mower Battery is Dead
Perhaps you have a week or more extended time without mowing with your lawn mower.
So, the compound now looks like a jungle, and you want to cut the grass. You only realize that the mower will not start at all.
Having checked all the possible problems, you realize it’s the electrical system with the problem. That means the battery can be dead.
Related: Can i store my electric lawn mower outside
To test whether the battery is dead, follow these steps guide below:
1. Check Connections
While a lawn mower is working, it experiences a lot of vibration. That could even lead to a significant decline in power.
So, the battery may lose connection, and you can overcome it by checking your battery frequently.
If you are using a riding mower, lift the seat to access the battery. Pull the battery wires gently and when you find loose terminals, tighten them up.
Remember that all electrical systems will depend on solid connections. Failure to have a stable connection, the electricity will not flow properly.
In some cases, a wiring issue may solve your power dilemma.
Read: How to keep mice out of equipment
2. Charge in Sessions
If you have a questionable battery, connect it to the lawn mower’s charger. Set it to the standard value, which is 12 volts.
Most garden devices and lawn mowers have this voltage rating to prevent you from any shock.
Allow your battery to power up for eight hours. By that time, the battery needs to have a full charge. If it still indicates a low status, then you have to replace your battery.
That’s because the cells won’t absorb electrical energy as recommended. So, working with the battery won’t improve your problem situation but will give you bad experiences.
Also read: Lawn mower battery disposal
3. Listen to a Clicking Sound
When starting a lawn mower, you can know its health. Turn the key or pull the cord to ignite the mower.
If you will hear any clicking sound, that means you need to prepare to replace the battery within a short time.
The sound results when the engine aims at drawing power from your battery. And that means it doesn’t receive enough power from the battery.
Proper maintenance of the lawn mower’s battery will prolong its lifespan, although it still declines in time.
You have to swap the battery and power up again in sequence. In most cases, people have solved the problem by replacing the battery.
If you replace the battery with a new one, treat it to regular maintenance to last long.
Always place it on a trickle charge when not using your mower for a long time – particularly during the winter months. You will have a significant difference in performance and lifespan period.
Related Post: How to tell if mower deck spindle is bent
4. Verify the Voltage
Sometimes, you may think the battery is right and question the electrical system of the mower.
You can only prove it by testing your battery with a multimeter. Get a multimeter and set it to DC before testing the battery.
Attach the multimeter’s probe to your battery’s terminals. The red terminal matches with the positive lead, while the back terminal matches with the negative lead.
It should read 12 volts on a healthy battery, but you may find other variations such as 11.5 and 12.7 volts.
If the multimeter will reflect 12.7 volts, keep that battery but replace the battery when it indicates 11.5 volts. A multimeter gives you a better indication of the health of your battery.
5. Examine the Water Reservoir
A lawn mower battery has a flooded design, such that you can add water for maintenance. Access the reservoir of the battery to check its condition.
The battery should be filled up to the maximum level. And if the water level is low, that’s a problem. You can fill it and then test your mower again.
Read: How to sharpen a lawn mower blade with a file
FAQs on Find Out If Lawn Mower Battery Is Dead
How can I check my lawn mower’s battery condition?
Get a multimeter and switch it to DC to test the battery voltage. Set the value higher than the expected reading of the battery. For a 12 volts battery, set it to 13 volts. You can now read the specific value of your battery’s volts.
Can a lawn mower operate with a dead battery?
A lawn mower has many features, and it can’t operate without an assistance of a good battery. It’s the reason why lawn mowers are equipped with a charging system to ensure the battery is charged.
Also read: Ways to keep lawn mower battery charged
What can I do with my dead lawn mower’s battery?
You should try the charging session. This is where you connect to a charging system and set the battery for 12 volts. Allow the charger to power it up for eight hours.
Replacing your lawn mower’s battery is simple, but don’t replace the battery unless it’s necessary. We have provided you with five ways on how to know if lawn mower battery is dead.
So, always take the above steps and ensure your battery is dead or there are other problems.
After all, anything that messes up your lawn mower will quickly kill the new battery after replacing it. If the battery is the problem, replace it for your landscape to shine bright again.