Most people love seeing a perfect lawn, but mowing it themselves? They’d rather choose a more difficult chore. But then, how do you keep the grasses fine and green on your side?
The good thing about using lawn mowers is this: you don’t have to expend so much energy. Just by going back and forth, your lawn’s beauty is restored. But what happens when the battery dies? Will a lawn mower run with a dead battery?
When you rely on a lawn mower to keep your grass trimmed and tidy, a dead battery can throw a wrench in your plans.
Well, in this article, you will learn more about your lawnmower, its battery, and what to do when the battery dies.
Starting with the first question on your mind:
Will a Lawn Mower Run With a Dead Battery?
The answer could be a yes or a no. A yes because there are different kinds of lawnmowers in the market, and some may function somehow with a dead battery. It’s a no because your lawnmower may be one of those that need a battery to function.
But unfortunately, it seems more people have these kinds of lawn mowers that solely need a battery to work anyway.
Some mowers, like riding lawn mowers, need a battery to start the engine. This means that if the battery of the riding lawn mower dies, you would not be able to start the equipment, let alone use it to trim lawns.
The battery of a riding lawnmower charges the spark plug, starting the engine. So if the battery runs dead, it can’t start until you charge the battery or devise another means to start the machine.
Most modern lawnmowers only come with a battery that needs frequent charge. So if the battery dies, you can’t use them because jump-starting the mower won’t work.
1. Starting a Lawnmower with a Dead Battery
If you own a riding lawnmower with a dead battery, you may still be able to use it for a while. One way to power a lawnmower without using its battery directly is by jump-starting it. You can use similar lead batteries like the car battery to start it.
These lawnmowers are designed to function like car engines, which is why the car battery works as a good option.
You jump-start the lawnmower by connecting the battery to a car battery using jumper cables. That way, the battery generates enough energy from the car battery. Before you use your car battery as a source of energy, you must ensure the battery is at fault and not some other component of the lawnmower.
Nevertheless, the best bet is to recharge the battery using a good charger. But it would be best if you had a new battery where your battery is faulty and old.
2. Steps to Charge a Riding Lawn Mower
The steps to charge the riding lawn mower include:
- First, switch off all connections to electricity before you begin. Ensure you dress safe too.
- Get a good pair of charging cables.
- Connect the cable to the battery of the lawnmower. Connect the red positive point to the positive terminal first, then the negative to the negative terminal of the mower’s battery.
- Make sure the voltage settings match the voltage power of your lawnmower. You can alter the settings yourself.
- Plug the charger into the electrical outlet and wait for the battery to charge for a while.
As additional information, the car battery charging procedure will only work if your lawnmower uses a 12-volt system compatible with the battery. If the equipment uses less, it will damage the battery. So using a charger with a verified current is the best way to go about charging.
The battery charger you use may come in different amps, and sometimes, it may not affect the battery. The current difference only lengthens or shortens the charging time.
3. Will an Electric Lawn Mower Run with a Dead Battery?
Before you go on to replace the battery, regardless of the lawnmower you are using, verify the origin of the problem to conclude the battery is at fault. This is important because sometimes, the fault may not be from the battery.
Modern lawn mowers come with lithium batteries as those laptops and phones use. So, just like you need to charge your phone when the battery dies, treat this group of lawn mowers the same way if you own one.
If the battery of a wireless electric lawnmower dies, connect it to electricity to charge. Usually, charging these lawnmowers wouldn’t take more than three to four hours, though they last for fewer hours than diesel-powered ones.
Sometimes, however, you may need to change the lawnmower’s battery completely. You can get good batteries for your lawnmowers from the store where you got the machine or directly from the manufacturers.
Also read: How To Remove Rocks From The Yard
Summary
So will a lawn mower run with a dead battery? Now, you know the answer depends on the kind of lawn mower you have.
Though issues with lawnmowers can arise for different reasons, it may just be quick to fix if what you are dealing with is a dead battery.
Kickstarting the lawnmower with a car battery may temporarily solve the problem, but never make using the car battery a norm.
Always remember to match the voltage of the lawnmower battery to the charger or the car battery if you are jump-starting it. You don’t want to risk losing the battery or the lawn mower because you didn’t do something right. If you are not skilled in handling these machines, get someone who understands how they work to help out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I charge a lawnmower battery with a Car charger?
You can charge your lawnmower’s battery using the regular car charger. You will follow the same process of connecting it with a standard charger. It would help if you also had the jumper cables, which on most occasions, are connected to the charger.
Attach the positive terminal to the positive side of the cable and the negative terminal to the negative side of the cable.
However, you must know this is possible if the lawnmower is 12V, as the car charger is only compatible with 12v batteries.
Why does my lawnmower battery die without me using it?
Like every device powered by batteries, your lawnmower battery can die too. However, the battery dies when you are not using them because of the cold weather.
Most lawnmowers have lead batteries. Cold temperature affects these lead batteries negatively, as the batteries slowly drain during cold temperatures, even if you keep the machine well.
So if your lawnmower suddenly develops faults when you want to use them though you changed them recently, the extreme cold might be the leading cause.
How do I prevent my battery from dying?
Keep your lawnmower in an area of your house where it won’t be affected much by the cold. You can also try to service the equipment during winter to keep the battery alive and ready for when you need them.
Doing this recharges the battery and also prevents the battery from complete damage, saving you the cost of replacement batteries.
Sometimes, you may need to take out the batteries and keep them in a warmer place to preserve them for a longer time. However, never try to handle these lead batteries yourself, as lead is poisonous to one’s health.
Hey, I’m Lisa and I’ve been an avid gardener for over 30 years. I love writing, talking and living in the garden! Feel free to connect with me on my socials below
