Checking lawn mower battery. How Many Amps is a Lawn Mower Battery

How Many Amps is a Lawn Mower Battery?

However well you look after a lawn mower, eventually, after a certain amount of use, some parts start to fail, and some parts need to be replaced. If you have a riding lawn mower a walk-behind model or perhaps a self-propelled lawn mower it may incorporate a battery, meaning you don’t need to start it up by yanking a cord. However, the downside is that the battery is another component you will eventually need to change.

If you have to fit a new battery, you need to make sure the one you buy is compatible with your mower – so here we look at the question, how many amps is a lawn mower battery?

If you need to know how to change a lawn mower battery, here’s a video that will show you.

What does amps mean? And what about volts?

Mower batteries are rated either by amps or volts – or usually, by both. If the reason you want to know how many amps a lawn mower battery produces is that you need to buy a new one, it is worth taking a moment to understand what each of these means.

Amps and volts are two of the units we use to measure electricity – however, they are not the same.

Amps is the unit used to measure electrical current while volts is the unit used to measure voltage – or the difference in electrical potential. This might seem rather abstract, but there is a simple analogy that makes it easy to understand.

If you think of water moving through a pipe, the speed at which it moves is the equivalent to electrical current – this is what is measured in amps. Having more current is the same as having water that moves faster through the pipe.

The pressure that forces the water through the pipe is the equivalent to electrical voltage – this is what is measured in volts. Having a higher voltage is the equivalent of having a stronger water pump that pushes the water through the pipe.

For our purposes here, we don’t need to go any deeper into the science. All you really need to understand is that if you are looking for a new battery for a mower, you need to make sure that both the current and the voltage are compatible with your machine.

Choosing a battery

One thing that makes all this a little simpler is that nowadays, most riding mower batteries are rated at 12V – but in any case, you should make sure the battery’s voltage is compatible with your mower.

However, when choosing a new battery, there are two other things you need to pay attention to. The first is terminal position, and the second is Cold Cranking Amps (or CCA for short).

Terminal position

Terminal position refers to the physical configuration of the battery, and mower batteries come as either U1L or U1R.

As you may guess, the L and the R stand for Left and Right respectively. A U1L battery has the positive terminal near the left corner while a U1R battery has it near the right corner.

With this in mind, it is clear that you need to choose the right version to ensure that it will fit into your mower.

Cold Cranking Amps

When it comes to amps, the thing to pay attention to is Cold Cranking Amps. Since mower batteries are not used to provide a constant current but are there rather to deliver a powerful burst of current to get the engine started, this is the important number to take into account.

What this refers to is the current a battery can produce for a period of 30 seconds at a temperature of 0°F.

The reason this is important is that larger engines require more current to get them going. If you install a battery that can’t produce a powerful enough burst of current, at best, it will have to work extra hard to start your engine and will have a much shorter useful life.

At worst, a battery with a CCA rating that is too low won’t be able to start your engine at all.

How to choose the right battery

As we have mentioned, batteries have several different ratings. If you are replacing an old lawn mower battery, you need to check all of these and not just amps.

For this reason, if you are looking to replace a lawn mower battery, simply asking about the amp rating is probably the wrong question – you need to look at voltage, CCA and terminal position too.

The best way to do this is to check the user manual that came with your mower. If you don’t have it and this is the first time you are changing the battery, you can also look at the old battery – the voltage and the CCA should be written on it.

Once you have these details, you know what specifications to look for on the new battery you need to by. If you can’t find the specifications written on the battery, you might need to check with the manufacturer.

Incidentally, we mentioned above that it is important to install a battery with a high enough CCA rating to start your engine – however, don’t be tempted to go for one that is much higher than you need either.

If you install a battery with a higher rating than you need, it won’t damage your engine – but nor will it provide you with any benefit. It will probably just cost you extra money you don’t need to spend.

Amps in a battery-powered mower

You may also see an electric cordless mower that displays a number of amps, but this is something different.

This doesn’t refer to cold cranking amps since these mowers don’t have gas-powered engines. Rather, this is the amount of current the battery delivers to power the engine.

If this is the question you are asking, the answer is simple. Most modern battery-powered lawn mowers have 12amp engines – which means 12 amps of current is delivered constantly to drive the engine. This is sufficient for most home users.

Understand what “amps” means – and understand why you need to know

We all use electrical appliances and tools every day, but many people don’t understand the difference between amps, volts and watts. If you want to know how many amps is a lawn mower battery, the chances are, it’s because you need to buy a replacement. If this is the case, the number you should be looking at is Cold Crank Amps, and knowing this will help you find a compatible battery for your mower.

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How To Know If Lawn Mower Battery Is Dead

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:

• 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.

To test whether the battery is dead, follow these steps guide below:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Author

Hi, I’m Ricky. I’ve been involved in lawn care and landscaping from when I was 15. To be honest, I didn’t like the idea of pushing mowers, collecting grass clippings, and maintaining flowerbeds at the time. But having seem the passion my parents had for gardening and outdoors and the effort they put in maintaining the health and beauty of our landscape, I couldn’t help but not only admire their hard work but also I became a part of it. As someone who loves to spend time with nature’s best, I find myself learning a lot more about gardening and outdoors on a daily basis. Not to mention I love to share the knowledge I’ve gathered over the years with my readers at We Mow Dallas. To be clear, I don’t have a Master’s degree in gardening or anything like that. Everything I’ve learned about gardening, landscaping, and lawn care spring from passion and engagement with my parents. And with a ton of free information out there, plus the ability to run tests and determine what works best for lawn care and landscaping, every day is an opportunity to learn and implement something new. My goal with We Mow Dallas is to teach you exactly how to maintain your lawn and landscape. And since I walk the talk in reality, you shouldn’t hesitate to join me in this wonderful world of landscaping and lawn care. View all posts

How To Test A Voltage Regulator On A Lawn Mower?

Lawn mowers have a lot of parts and in the big picture work very similarly to cars. One of those parts is the voltage regulator. This part is similar to the alternator in a vehicle. The voltage regulator helps make sure the proper amount of charge is going back into the battery while the mower is running.

In this article, we will cover how to test a voltage regulator on a lawn mower to ensure that it is working properly. We will explain the steps involved and also when you might need to test it.

When to test?

Before getting into how to test the voltage regulator, we will briefly explain when you might need to test it. The main reason you would need to test the voltage regulator is if your battery kept dying and you already had the battery tested to make sure it was good.

If you keep ending up with a dead battery but know that it is a good battery, then it is time to test the voltage regulator.

How To Test A Voltage Regulator On A Lawn Mower?

There are a couple of ways to test the voltage regulator, and we will explain both of them. Both ways are similar and do the same thing, so depending on your lawn mowers layout one might be easier to do than the other.

Thru the Battery

The first way to test the voltage regulator is thru the battery. The only tool you will need is a multimeter or voltmeter. Then follow the simple steps below.

• Locate and attach the positive read cable from the voltmeter to the positive terminal on the battery and then connect the negative or black cable to the negative terminal on the battery
• Put a light load on the battery. You can do this by partially turning the key, so the headlights are on.
• Next turn the voltmeter or multimeter on and make sure it is set to volts. It should be giving you a reading of around 12 volts.
• If it is giving you this reading, then that means the battery is good, and now you can start the mower and advance the tortilla to fast while keeping everything connected.
• Now check the reading on the voltmeter. It should be reading out higher. The reading should be at least 13 volts.

If the reading did not change, then that means that the voltage regulator isn’t working and needs to be replaced or repaired.

Thru the Voltage Regulator itself

You can also test the battery thru the voltage regulator itself if you can get to it. You can do that also with just a voltmeter or multimeter and by following the following steps.

• Locate the voltage regulator and attach the positive red cable to the positive terminal on the regulator. Then take the black negative lead and attach it to the negative.
• Next turn on the voltmeter or multimeter and make sure you have it set to the proper volts for your mower.
• Next turn on the lights of the mower by turning the key parts. This should give you a reading. If it doesn’t then that means the generator isn’t working.
• Next, start the mower and see that it gives a reading. The reading it gives should stay constant. If it is providing a reading, then that means the voltage regulator is generating power. If it doesn’t, it means it is bad.
• With it still running you can press on the generator brushes and see if that can get a reading. If it does it means the brushes are worn out and need to be replaced. If it still doesn’t, then you need a whole new generator.

Conclusion

These are the two main methods for testing your voltage generator on your mower. Both methods are easy to do and can be done fast with just one tool.

All you need is a multimeter or voltmeter and to make sure you follow the steps provided. The key is to make sure you connect the meter right. Make sure the positive is connected to positive and negative to negative. Then start the mower and see if the voltage jumps or you get a reading.

After reading this, you can easily test your mower voltage generator and see if it is working like it is supposed too or if it is the cause of your repetitive dead mower batteries.

Is My Lawn Mower Battery Dead?

We’ve all been there before, and we know what it’s like to ponder “Is my lawn mower battery dead?”. Perhaps winter is coming to a close, and it’s time to mow your lawn again; perhaps you’ve been busy, and you just haven’t had time to take the thing out of the garage and get ‘er done; or, perhaps you’re borrowing your neighbor’s decades-old mower.

Regardless of the beginning, the ending is always the same. You go to start the engine, but all you hear is a dismal click; of course, one of your first thoughts is, “My lawn mower battery is dead.”

Yet, you’re not quite sure. After all, it could be the engine itself, it could be another part of the electrical system, or it could be some unknown factor. This raises the question, “Is my lawn mower battery dead?” Our team at Battery Depot wrote this article to help you determine that.

What You’ll Need to Troubleshoot Lawn Mower Battery

Here’s a quick overview of a few simple tools you’ll need to figure out if your lawn mower battery is dead:

How to Check if Your Lawn Mower Battery Is Dead Steps:

Finally, we’ve arrived at what you’ve been waiting for. Here are six quick steps that you can follow to answer that crucial question: “Is my lawn mower battery really dead?”

• If the engine doesn’t crank, cranks too slowly, or makes a clicking sound, it might be completely dead.
• Remove the key and locate the battery. Make sure that the cables are tightly fastened to the battery (use the wrench).
• If your battery is of the wet-cell variety, make sure that the water level is up to the appropriate mark (refill with distilled water, if necessary).
• Test the battery’s voltage with the multimeter. If it’s over 12.7 DC volts, it’s probably fine; if it’s under 11.5 volts, it’s probably dead. Abide by the manufacturer’s directions for this step!
• Connect your battery to the proper charger. Let it charge for the correct amount of time.
• If the battery doesn’t charge up within eight hours, and you’ve completed all the other steps outlined above, then your battery is probably dead. Go out and buy a replacement, ASAP!

Dos Don’ts of Lawn Mower Batteries

Here are a few tips and warnings: what to do and what not to do, as plainly as possible.

Tips: While storing your lawn mower battery, you should keep it at a full charge. Otherwise, if you store it without a charge for a long period, it’ll undergo sulfation, which could render it completely useless.

Warnings: Never refill the battery with tap water, as the minerals can damage it. You should also always follow the instructions that are outlined in the manufacturer’s handbook, down to the letter.

Lawn Mower Battery Replacements Online

If you have determined that your lawn mower battery is dead through the troubleshooting steps above, you will need to find an affordable lawn mower battery replacement. Luckily, BatteryDepot.com offers a huge selection of lawn mower batteries online. Browse our selection of lawn mower batteries and get your battery shipped fast, so you can get back to taking care of your lawn.

If you have any additional questions about lawn mower batteries, we’re the experts. Contact us today!