Battery in my yard tractor is acting screwy. I cleaned all the posts.
Checked for low water in the cells (they were not low). Then I
charged it to full charge, leaving the 10A charger on for a full day.
It showed fully charged when I removed the charger. The tractor
started. I ran it for about 10 minutes and shut it off. An hour later
it would not start, only clicked the solenoid. I had not left the
ignition on nor the lights. I put he charger back on and it showed
about 5 amps on the charge meter. I left it charge for about 2 hours
and the tractor started again. I only moved it so it only ran about 2
minutes. A half hour later I tried to start it again and it would not
turn over. I began to think there is something draining the battery,
so I took off the NEG cable, and charged again. This time it charged
all night. The next day it started. I only ran it for a minute to
check it and shut off. This time I removed that NEG cable again, so
nothing could possibly drain it. A few hours later I tried to start
it, and again the battery is nearly dead.

This eliminates anything draining it, and it was fully charged. Does
this mean there is an internal short in the battery? Otherwise, where
is the power going? Either way, it's looks like its time for a new
battery, but normally they dont take a charge when they die. This one
charges, starts the engine if I use it right away (with charger
disconnected), yet in a hour or so, it's dead. I cant say I ever seen
a situation like this before.

By the way, the battery is only about 2 years old, but it's from
Walmart, and their car batteries have proven to be the worst batteries
I have ever used, so I dont doubt these tractor ones are from the same
manufacturer.

Nathan