My lawn tractor wouldn't start today. It's a Sears Craftsman, 24-hp 48"
cut. I've been starting and running every two weeks during the winter to
keep the battery from draining (and also I use the tractor in winter to use
the cart to bring firewood up from the back of the property, and attach a
plow blade for snow).

Today it started and ran for maybe two seconds, then crapped out. I went
out and bought a battery charger. I hooked up the charger, and it indicated
it was charging (yellow). It went green (charged) after about 3 hours.

I then tried to start. It still would not turn over. I then put the
charger back on, and it is yellow (charging), not green (charged).

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. I've cut grass only in 2006 and 2007.

Any ideas? I do have a 3-yr warranty, but if easy to take care of before
calling Sears, I'd rather resolve. Bad battery? Other?

On Feb 16, 9:32�pm, "Dimitrios Paskoudniakis"
wrote:
My lawn tractor wouldn't start today. �It's a Sears Craftsman, 24-hp 48"
cut. �I've been starting and running every two weeks during the winter to
keep the battery from draining (and also I use the tractor in winter to use
the cart to bring firewood up from the back of the property, and attach a
plow blade for snow).

Today it started and ran for maybe two seconds, then crapped out. �I went
out and bought a battery charger. �I hooked up the charger, and it indicated
it was charging (yellow). �It went green (charged) after about 3 hours.

I then tried to start. �It still would not turn over. �I then put the
charger back on, and it is yellow (charging), not green (charged).

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. �I've cut grass only in 2006 and 2007.

Any ideas? �I do have a 3-yr warranty, but if easy to take care of before
calling Sears, I'd rather resolve. �Bad battery? �Other?

tractor batteries dont last long.

give tractor a jump from a car or truck. if you know how.

if it starts then its most likely a bad battery..

when you get new battery leave it on a trickle charger / battery
maintainer.

when lead acid batteries sit unused or even started occasionally the
plates sulphate and battery capacity quits.

a maintence charge helps prevent this

"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in message

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. I've cut grass only in 2006 and
2007.

Any ideas? I do have a 3-yr warranty, but if easy to take care of before
calling Sears, I'd rather resolve. Bad battery? Other?

Those small batteries don't last long. If covered under your warranty you
are OK, but batteries are often pro rated and it may be just as cheap to
replace it yourself. Read the fine print to be sure.

if you jump start it DO NOT have the car or truck running, It can harm your
tractor electronics. The warrantry may be 3 years on the tractor but the
battery is normally only 1 year warranty. A new battery should be in the
$40.00 range.

wrote in message
...
On Feb 16, 9:32?pm, "Dimitrios Paskoudniakis"
wrote:
My lawn tractor wouldn't start today. ?It's a Sears Craftsman, 24-hp 48"
cut. ?I've been starting and running every two weeks during the winter to
keep the battery from draining (and also I use the tractor in winter to
use
the cart to bring firewood up from the back of the property, and attach a
plow blade for snow).

Today it started and ran for maybe two seconds, then crapped out. ?I went
out and bought a battery charger. ?I hooked up the charger, and it
indicated
it was charging (yellow). ?It went green (charged) after about 3 hours.

I then tried to start. ?It still would not turn over. ?I then put the
charger back on, and it is yellow (charging), not green (charged).

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. ?I've cut grass only in 2006 and
2007.

Any ideas? ?I do have a 3-yr warranty, but if easy to take care of before
calling Sears, I'd rather resolve. ?Bad battery? ?Other?

tractor batteries dont last long.

give tractor a jump from a car or truck. if you know how.

if it starts then its most likely a bad battery..

when you get new battery leave it on a trickle charger / battery
maintainer.

when lead acid batteries sit unused or even started occasionally the
plates sulphate and battery capacity quits.

a maintence charge helps prevent this

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
t...

"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in
message

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. I've cut grass only in 2006
and 2007.

snip
Those small batteries don't last long. If covered under your
warranty you are OK, but batteries are often pro rated and it may
be just as cheap to replace it yourself. Read the fine print to
be sure.

Sorry guys, but I disagree about batteries (small or otherwise) not
lasting long. I have an eleven year old riding mower and just
replaced the original battery last year.

Have had equally good luck with large batteries - my trolling motor
battery is 13 years old and still works well though not quite as
good as when it was a teen-ager.

On the first of every month, I hook a charger up to battries, using
the lowest settting to top off the charge. I do this summer and
winter. As a rule, it takes less than ten minutes to fully charge
each battery. On those that have cell caps, I check the water
monthly and if any is need, I use ONLY distilled water.

Bob-tx

On Feb 17, 6:46*am, "Bob" wrote:
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message

t...



"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in
message

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. *I've cut grass only in 2006
and 2007.

snip
Those small batteries don't last long. *If covered under your
warranty you are OK, but batteries are often pro rated and it may
be just as cheap to replace it yourself. *Read the fine print to
be sure.

Sorry guys, but I disagree about batteries (small or otherwise) not
lasting long. *I have an eleven year old riding mower and just
replaced the original battery last year.

Have had equally good luck with large batteries - my trolling motor
battery is 13 years old and still works well though not quite as
good as when it was a teen-ager.

On the first of every month, I hook a charger up to battries, using
the lowest settting to top off the charge. * I do this summer and
winter. *As a rule, it takes less than ten minutes to fully charge
each battery. *On those that have cell caps, I check the water
monthly and if any is need, I use ONLY distilled water.

Bob-tx


I agree. I think the bad rap these type of batteries have is due to
how they are used, not the battery. People routinely let them sit
and get discharged, which is the worst thing for a starting battery.
Once they discharge and sit, the sulfate and get ruined. I keep a
battery tender on mine and have gotten lifespans about the same as a
car battery.

wrote in message
...
On Feb 17, 6:46 am, "Bob" wrote:
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message

t...



"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in
message

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. I've cut grass only in 2006
and 2007.

snip
Those small batteries don't last long. If covered under your
warranty you are OK, but batteries are often pro rated and it may
be just as cheap to replace it yourself. Read the fine print to
be sure.

Sorry guys, but I disagree about batteries (small or otherwise) not
lasting long. I have an eleven year old riding mower and just
replaced the original battery last year.

Have had equally good luck with large batteries - my trolling motor
battery is 13 years old and still works well though not quite as
good as when it was a teen-ager.

On the first of every month, I hook a charger up to battries, using
the lowest settting to top off the charge. I do this summer and
winter. As a rule, it takes less than ten minutes to fully charge
each battery. On those that have cell caps, I check the water
monthly and if any is need, I use ONLY distilled water.

Bob-tx


I agree. I think the bad rap these type of batteries have is due to
how they are used, not the battery. People routinely let them sit
and get discharged, which is the worst thing for a starting battery.
Once they discharge and sit, the sulfate and get ruined. I keep a
battery tender on mine and have gotten lifespans about the same as a
car battery.

Ditto, I have two lawn tractors, a generator, and a compact diesel tractor.
All these batteries have solid state onboard chargers. I've never replaced a
battery that wasn't at least six years old

""Blattus Slafaly £ ¥ 0/00 "" wrote in
message ...
Dimitrios Paskoudniakis wrote:
My lawn tractor wouldn't start today. It's a Sears Craftsman, 24-hp 48"
cut. I've been starting and running every two weeks during the winter to
keep the battery from draining (and also I use the tractor in winter to
use the cart to bring firewood up from the back of the property, and
attach a plow blade for snow).

Today it started and ran for maybe two seconds, then crapped out. I went
out and bought a battery charger. I hooked up the charger, and it
indicated it was charging (yellow). It went green (charged) after about
3 hours.

I then tried to start. It still would not turn over. I then put the
charger back on, and it is yellow (charging), not green (charged).

The tractor is only 2 1/2 years old. I've cut grass only in 2006 and
2007.

Any ideas? I do have a 3-yr warranty, but if easy to take care of before
calling Sears, I'd rather resolve. Bad battery? Other?

If it was already running when it crapped out it's not likely the battery.
Can your turn the engine over by hand?

--
Blattus Slafaly ? 3 7/8

I don't know what you mean by turning the engine over by hand.

The manual indicates that stale fuel might be the culprit, but I do add fuel
stabilizer. I added some more, added some gas, and it did eventually start
(after holding the key in the start position for at least 10 seconds). I
let it run about 10 minutes, so I'm OK for now. I'll keep an eye on it, and
keep the battery charged from now on now that I purchased the charger.

Dimitri,

It wouldn't hurt to keep the battery charged but you did not have a
"battery" problem. You said that your tractor started and ran for a few
seconds then died. I'd recommend doing the recommended routine maintenance.
Check the air filter, fuel filter, spark plug et c.

Dave M.

On Feb 17, 12:24�pm, "David L. Martel" wrote:
Dimitri,

� �It wouldn't hurt to keep the battery charged but you did not have a
"battery" problem. You said that your tractor started and ran for a few
seconds then died. I'd recommend doing the recommended routine maintenance..
Check the air filter, fuel filter, spark plug et c.

Dave M.

well if it started then stalled and wouldnt crank more the battery is
likely dead, you can use car jumper cables to not only start the
tractor, but dianose the problem.

lead acid tractor rider mowers live hard lives, often stored in
freezing temperaures at least somewhat discharged espically during off
season, tractors vibrate a lot, thats tough on their insides....