Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I have a 3YO Snapper RER mower.  For the second year in a row, I left the battery connected and the ignition switch to "on" for the winter.  I need not tell you what happened.  Again.  Is there any hope of recharging the battery?  I manually started the engine and ran it for a half hour.  Just a "click" when I turn over the starter.  Last year when this happened, I took the battery dealer's advice and just got a new battery.  Is the battery toast?  I don't want to waste money on a battery charger if the charge won't hold.

By the end of leaf cleanup in the fall (end of November), it's quite cold and the last thing I want to do is futz around outside.  So, I run the engine till all the gas is gone and push it into the garage.  Fergets to switch it to off or remove the battery (don't go there.....)
You think I would know better.  I have an EE degree to boot.  Double-duh.  Such is life...

Thanks!

I think I would re-fill with distilled water (or tap). Can you find a neighbor with a charger?

Maybe since you have an EE degree maybe you can MacGiver up a charger out of some lemons or something.

Welcome.

Thanks for the welcome.  I might have better luck with a lightening rod.... 
I just presumed it was a sealed unit.  If not, I'll check the levels.  Thanks.

It might be sealed. If it is not, I don't think dis-charging it one time would ruin it. It's useable life might have been shortened, but it is not like you over-charged it, or broke the case, or coated the plates with something to make them ineffective. They just dried out. Did the plates get effected, most likely. Did it ruin them being dry for a few months, I would not think so.

Many times a sealed battery, under the smooth "label" are the plugs. Hopefully screw in plugs.

Yep, look at it like Rob advised, might be salvageable. If it's bulging or looks pregnant, get a new one.

Hi Billski,

I presume that your battery likely discharged slowly through the ignition circuitry, so I don't know that the battery cells would necessarily be low. It would not be good for the plates as they would sufate when exposed to air.  The deep discharge of the battery would also lead to sulfation products on the plates so it might not be able to hold a charge anymore.

Sealed batteries really aren't sealed. The place I've bought a few at puts the acid in when you buy the battery. The caps come back off as I've removed them to check the fluid level.

You can then add demineralized water (not tap water) but only enough to the fill line. Then, if you can borrow an automatic charger, try to charge it. Make sure you use the correct current setting. Check the charger manual as you can harm a smaller battery by attempting to charge it with a high current. My charger runs at 2 amps for the smaller 12V battery in my snowblower, and 10 amps for the deep cycle and car battery, but it automatically adjusts both current and voltage within those maximum levels.  If it doesn't take a charge at all, then one or more cells has likely failed.

Should the battery charge, it might not be holding a very strong charge. Leave it sit to cool down (oh yeah, while it is charging check that it doesn't heat up too much or you will boil off water) for 12 hours. Then check the voltage. It should be over 12V.

To really check it after is has been charged you could connect a load to it. I connect an old 12V car vacuum to mine and then run it for about 15 minutes. Check the battery voltage to see if it is holding 12V or better.

Above all be careful with the battery. That acid is really nasty stuff and will burn you severely.

Thank you everyone for the hope.  It's a NAPA battery.  When I removed the stickers which revealed the plugs, it looks like they are just pressed in.  They are flat,  flush with the battery top and have no obvious means for removal.  NAPAonline says it's a $20 battery.  It might just be worth the $20 rather than go through a lot of trouble for uncertain return.

Couple more questions:

How long does a battery normally last in the Northeast?  Turned over once a week, grass cutting season only.  This is a 31" RER Snapper with Briggs engine.

I am also presuming this engine has a battery charging system, correct?

Any comments on batteries from NAPA?  There aren't many dealer choices for batteries near me and this was the only battery they pitched me last time.

Thank you again.

 BILLSKI,

I'm on the start of new grass season with 3 and 1/2 years on my Sam's lawn/ tractor battery.

I'll get by this summer and buy a new one next spring (07).

I expect 4 years out of my batteries.

                                                                 Fred      

billski---I have the same thing happen to most all of my batteries.  (The are idle for about 6 months)   Usually, I can clean the battery cables and battery post and recharge and get another year or two.   Probably your rider has a magneto ignition system so leaving the key on probably had nothing to do with it discharging.  Like has been mentioned

you should get a couple or more years service from a batter.  I would  charge it and give it a try----Your friend--Will

Highwind wrote:
Thanks Highwind,

I mis-spoke about the cells being dry.

The main thing I guess I would think about is if it froze and damaged the case.

Is the battery white? Can you see the liquid inside?

With a bright light, you might be able to see the liquid level and the lead level. As long as the lead is covered, you might be OK.

 

Forgot to mention. that I take my battery of my tractor and store it in my basement on a piece of wood.

I understand that If you store it on concrete it will slowly discharge.

I also have a very slow trickle charger on it over the winter that I run about every 2 weeks, in order to keep it fully charged!!

Hope this helps someone.

                                             Fred        

Billski,

I've had the same batter in my Snapper for 5 seasons now and have never had to charge it or add water. Granted, I do run it three or four times between fall and spring and our winters in OK are not very long. Point being, they're pretty good batteries evidently and if you run them every couple of months or charge them just a little bit, they last. I'm with you, for 20 bucks, start new and charge the old one, keep it for a backup or something else.

Thank you all.  The battery is completely black.  I can't see a thing.  I'm going to get a $30 charger at  Sears and give it a whirl.  Never thought that I'd have to charge it during the winter months.  If it still doesn't hold a charge, I guess I'll get a new $20 batt, since I can't figure out how to open the cells.
This way, I'll have a charger (never needed that before either) for next winter.
Thanks,
Bill

Every engine that uses a battery for electric start, weather its a RV, car, lawn tractor, snowblower, ETC, the battery must be placed on a slow regulated trickle charge. This keeps the battery up to full charge during the winter months. Failure to do so, would result in a dead battery.

Any battery left in storage will self discharge. One stored at high temperature will self discharge quicker than one stored in freezing temperatures. As Termy noted, you should give a stored battery a charge to keep it as near to full charge as possible.

Robmints made a very good point there. As your battery was fully discharged it could have been damaged by freezing. Even if the case didn't crack, the internal plates could have been damaged.

Terminator20 wrote:
Would you keep the charger on, 7x24 if you will, all winter, or only every now and then?

You have a PM.

Thanks all.

Picked up a $30 slow-trickle automatic charger at Sears.  The battery seems to be holding it's charge, so I'm holding my breath that the patient will be ok.  The charger came with a "quick connect" plug which when fastened to the battery lugs allows for easy charger attachment.  Given this, is there any reason not to leave the battery attached to the mower during the winter months and simply hookup the charger now and then?