Lawn and garden battery

Ryan313

Tractorologist
Senior Member
Member
What is it about them that makes them so bad? I can’t seem to get them to last more than a year or so. The power Kings and terramite have full size auto batteries, that last a very long time. I unhook the batteries in winter, but is there anything else I can do to make them last longer?
 
They never seem to last.

I've tried taking them out of the tractors into the warm basement. Trickle charge. Discharge some with a little 12v light. Repeat. Most I've gotten was 3 years.
 
I started dumping Epsom salt in mine. I had one that wouldn't take a charge. To use as a test of doing that. We have 20 month since and still going. 1 battery was a success, about 6+ years old. The next 1 was a failure.
 
Purchased my Simplicity in 2016 and it's still running the original battery. So I went to the Simplicity dealer to buy a battery and he told me that those batteries are not available to the dealers as replacements. :mad: He sold me a Deka battery which he stated he has had excellent results with. Time will tell. They are manufactured in the USA by East Penn Manufacturing.
 
When I had a lawn tractor I left the battery in the tractor with a battery maintainer all winter. I only replaced the battery twice in 20 years.......

That is typical for me with batteries. Keep the fluid level right, make sure the charging system isn't ruining them (not charging or over charging), put them on a maintainer when out of service for an extended period and they'll last a long time.
 
If you have room in the battery box, put in a larger car battery.
I even cut the sheet metal on one of my lawn tractors to fit a larger battery. Got sick of buying those little ones.
 
There's a reason they only put a 30 day warranty on the cheaper batteries. REALLY 30 days.??? That's a pretty safe bet for them. And this was a Auto Zone battery. I'm not sure that they offer much more on the more the expensive ones. Maybe 90 days??
 
If you have room in the battery box, put in a larger car battery.
I even cut the sheet metal on one of my lawn tractors to fit a larger battery. Got sick of buying those little ones.

With older start/gen systems it was normal to have a small car battery but if you do that to a modern lawn and garden tractor there is a very good chance you will damage something in the electrical system.

I usually get at least 3 years out of a lawn and garden battery with no special care other than parking my tractors in a heated shop.
 
With older start/gen systems it was normal to have a small car battery but if you do that to a modern lawn and garden tractor there is a very good chance you will damage something in the electrical system.

I usually get at least 3 years out of a lawn and garden battery with no special care other than parking my tractors in a heated shop.
I think that's the secret... Heated area..
Just out of curiosity what would be damaged if you put in a larger battery in a newer lawn tractor..? Just asking..
 
the regulator, coil, starter... none of it is designed to take the higher amps of a larger battery
That's a thinker... And I'm saying that in a good way..
My first thought is that the regulator,coil only uses voltage not amps. The starter amperage. ???? I could be out in left field....
 
Maybe instead of just unhooking the batteries in winter, I will also put them inside. I have gotten AGM batteries and had better luck, but still not great.

Lance, is there a resistor or anything that can be put on a larger battery to prevent damage to the electrical system?
 
Maybe instead of just unhooking the batteries in winter, I will also put them inside. I have gotten AGM batteries and had better luck, but still not great.

Lance, is there a resistor or anything that can be put on a larger battery to prevent damage to the electrical system?
Ive never looked but I would expect there is something available.. but I would also expect it to be expensive. Regardless of the voltage electricity has amperage and all electrical devices have limits to how much amperage they can sustain on a regular basis.
 
The Simplicity Dealer in Watertown SD. It's a Deka battery. Not cheap but if it lasts it's worth it.
 
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