"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Nov 11, 3:26 pm, "Dimitrios Paskoudniakis"
wrote:
I have a 24 hp 48" deck Craftsman lawn tractor, model 917.275702, just
over
two years old.

I have always (until this past month) started it at least weekly to
maintain
the charge. I let that go for about the last month, and now the engine
won't turn over. If I switch the headlight switch on, there are no
lights.

My guess (but not certain) is the battery is now undercharged.

If that's the problem, I need to recharge it or replace it. The manual
says
don't jump start the 12V battery unless your source is 12V. Dumb
question -
is a regular car battery 12V? Can I jump the tractor battery with a car
battery?
Should I buy a charger? The manual instructs to recharge at 6 to 10 Amps
for 1 hour.

Consider buying one of these...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=39954

It's much easier to take this to the tractor or a car that needs a
jump than using your vehicle and jumper cables. Plus you get a
somewhat useful air compressor, a flashlight and a 12 volt power
supply. (I rigged mine to $2.00 flasher unit to flash the lights on my
trailer on Halloween night.)

In addition, with the sophisticated electronics in cars/and truck
these days, I'm reluctant to use my car to jump another vehicle.


I use these little jump starters all the time. I have a bunch of tractors
and several jump starters. I buy them on sale locally - a couple from
Sears, 1 from Target and I can't remember where my red one came from. I have
separate compressors - the kind that plug into cigarette lighters. The jump
boxes all have cigarette lighter recepticales. I also plug a 12 volt fan in
when using a Kerosun heater in a workshop in the winter. And a 12 volt
tramp cord / light.