I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

What kind of lawn tractor doesn't have an alternator/generator? Does your
tractor have a long electrical cord?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On 9/25/2011 8:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

You have to stop buying your lawn tractors from the dollar store.(lol)

It should have an alternator somewhere, you just haven't found it.
Post the make and model, and we'll find it for you

On 9/25/2011 7:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

If older, it was common to have combination starter/generators instead
of separate starter and generator or alternator for space-saving reasons...

Otherwise, there certainly is one somewhere.

--

On Sep 25, 7:09*am, (Herb Eneva) wrote:
* *I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. *Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *I
have found that you get what you pay for. *Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

So the flywheel generates electricity as a magneto I think, google
Battery Sulfation, all batteries of that type
Die early from low voltage when stored over winter, keep a battery
maintainer on it in winter

On some lawn tractors, the starter motor spins the other
way, and acts as a generator.

The gooder quality battery sounds like a good investment.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Herb Eneva" wrote in message
...
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor.
Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what
keeps the
battery charged?
I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a
battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one
for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

On 9/25/2011 8:48 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
....

The gooder quality battery sounds like ...

somebody needs to proofread their postings.

I'd suggest going for the goodest quality he can find...

--

"Herb Eneva" wrote in message
...
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.


Many of the small lawn tractors have magnets on the flywheel. Often there
is also a magnet on the outside that passes the coils that go to the spark
plugs to fire them. Then around the flywheel ( often inside the fly wheel)
attached to the frame is a coil of wire. Also a diode to convert the AC to
DC to charge the battery. There is no voltage regulator as the ammount of
current put out is not very large. If you ever do run the battery down to
where it will not start the engine, you will probably have to put the
battery on a charger to build it back up . It seldom gets enough of a
charge off the built in generator to do more than just build it back up from
a normal start. If the mower is hard to start and you start it several times
you may have to put the battery on a charger.

The battery is not used except for starting and sometimes the headlights.
There may be a seperate set of windings on the coil of wire to run the
headlights. Many thing depend on the exect mower you have.

This is differant from a car where the alternator puts out way more than
enough current to just build a slightly discharged battery back up. Do not
use a large capacity charger ( like one of the 10 to 20 amp ones) as it may
boil too much water out of the small battery.

Guess that I am living on borrowed time. I have a 'home owners version' of
a John Deere I bought new 6 years ago and it still starts the mower. Do you
live where it gets very cold and the mower gets very cold for long periods
of time ?

RBM wrote in :

On 9/25/2011 8:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

You have to stop buying your lawn tractors from the dollar store.(lol)

It should have an alternator somewhere, you just haven't found it.
Post the make and model, and we'll find it for you




the starter may do double duty as a generator.



--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

On 9/25/2011 12:10 PM, Jim Yanik wrote:
wrote in :

On 9/25/2011 8:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

You have to stop buying your lawn tractors from the dollar store.(lol)

It should have an alternator somewhere, you just haven't found it.
Post the make and model, and we'll find it for you




the starter may do double duty as a generator.

True, but it's got to be pretty old to have a starter/generator setup

On 9/25/2011 12:44 PM, RBM wrote:
On 9/25/2011 12:10 PM, Jim Yanik wrote:
wrote in :

On 9/25/2011 8:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

You have to stop buying your lawn tractors from the dollar store.(lol)

It should have an alternator somewhere, you just haven't found it.
Post the make and model, and we'll find it for you




the starter may do double duty as a generator.

True, but it's got to be pretty old to have a starter/generator setup

The 2 garden tractors I have with starter/generators are _only_ about 42
years old. My newest one that I use to mow the lawn is about 38 years
old and it has a built in alternator and an external voltage regulator.

They are all Bolens "tube frame" tractors. I normally leave the cutting
deck on the newest one, a big ass rototiller on another and either a
sickle bar or plow on the third one.

On 9/25/2011 1:18 PM, Tony Miklos wrote:
On 9/25/2011 12:44 PM, RBM wrote:
On 9/25/2011 12:10 PM, Jim Yanik wrote:
wrote in :

On 9/25/2011 8:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

You have to stop buying your lawn tractors from the dollar store.(lol)

It should have an alternator somewhere, you just haven't found it.
Post the make and model, and we'll find it for you




the starter may do double duty as a generator.

True, but it's got to be pretty old to have a starter/generator setup

The 2 garden tractors I have with starter/generators are _only_ about 42
years old. My newest one that I use to mow the lawn is about 38 years
old and it has a built in alternator and an external voltage regulator.

They are all Bolens "tube frame" tractors. I normally leave the cutting
deck on the newest one, a big ass rototiller on another and either a
sickle bar or plow on the third one.

I hear ya. For years I used an original 1962 Cub Cadet, that I restored
when it was about 30 years old. Personally, I loved the
starter/generator system on those things, and the fact that, like the
old Bolens, they were practically indestructible.

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:42:31 -0500, dpb wrote:
I'd suggest going for the goodest quality he can find...

Or the qualitiest. :-)

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:09:44 -0400, (Herb Eneva)
wrote:

I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged?

Crank the engine, disconnect the battery cable and tell us if the
engine runs. Turn lights on if you have them.

If it runs there is an alternator. If the engine dies, the alternator
is bad and the battery won't charge.

Clean the battery cable end grounded on the frame...

Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

Get a float charger from Harbor Freight. Can be had when on sale for as
little as $5.00.

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:09:44 -0400, (Herb Eneva)
wrote:

I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.
It has a flywheel alternator/magneto combination inside the flywheel,
and a rectifier/regulator module.

I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are
mounted in something that vibrates a lot like your average
cheapo big-box junk lawn tractor.

If you have a something that runs smooth, like a Honda or
Kohler CommandPro motor, then the battery will last a long
time.




"Herb Eneva" wrote in message
...
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor.
Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what
keeps the
battery charged?
I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a
battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has
one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

On 9/25/2011 3:59 PM, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:09:44 -0400, (Herb Eneva)
wrote:

I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged?

Crank the engine, disconnect the battery cable and tell us if the
engine runs. Turn lights on if you have them.

If it runs there is an alternator. If the engine dies, the alternator
is bad and the battery won't charge.

Not always. On my 2 garden tractors with a starter/generator (Wisconsin
engine), they will run without the generator or battery, they have a
separate magneto for the spark. On the other one with a Tecumseh
engine, it has both a flywheel magneto for spark, and a separate
alternator winding which also runs off the flywheel magnet. It too will
run without a battery or a working alternator once it's started.

On Sep 25, 8:09*am, (Herb Eneva) wrote:
* *I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. *Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *I
have found that you get what you pay for. *Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.

also, put the removed one on a trickle charge and see if it holds a
charge. that way if the tractor doesn't keep the new battery
recharged you won't have discarded the old battery by mistake.
things to do: you could download the manual for the tractor. you could
find out with your multimeter what the battery voltage should be
parked versus running volts as measured at the battery. for example, a
car used to be 12.6 volts parked, and 13.8 volts running, easily
measured at the cigar lighter socket.

The gooder quality battery sounds like ...

somebody [singular] needs to proofread their [plural]
postings.

I'd suggest going for the goodest quality he can find...

--

I had one. Hooked to a marine battery. Next time I checked,
the water was low. Too 1 1/2 quarts to top up the battery,
which never worked again. One thumbs down for HF float
charger.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"HeyBub" wrote in message
...

Get a float charger from Harbor Freight. Can be had when on
sale for as
little as $5.00.

On 9/25/2011 7:09 AM, Herb Eneva wrote:
I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? I
have found that you get what you pay for. Wal-mart has a battery for
$24.95 and it will last about 2 yrs. Tractor supply has one for $38.95
and it will last about 4 yrs. I went with the good one.


the battery is charged by the stator (an alternator of sorts) under the
flywheel.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On 9/25/2011 8:48 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On some lawn tractors, the starter motor spins the other
way, and acts as a generator.

The gooder quality battery sounds like a good investment.


the few that did that decades ago turned the same direction starting and
generating.


--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On Sep 25, 10:27*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
On 9/25/2011 8:48 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

On some lawn tractors, the starter motor spins the other
way, and acts as a generator.

The gooder quality battery sounds like a good investment.

the few that did that decades ago turned the same direction starting and
generating.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

It's very easy to use the starting motor to generate enough
electricity to charge a small battery of the sort in the lawn tractor.

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:37:48 -0400, Richard Trethaway wrote:

I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are mounted in
something that vibrates a lot like your average cheapo big-box junk lawn
tractor.

Interesting. What actually causes them to fail? (I mean the vibration,
yes, but what's the actual process within the battery that results in
them no longer working?)

cheers

Jules

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 20:12:51 -0400, Tony Miklos wrote:
If it runs there is an alternator. If the engine dies, the alternator
is bad and the battery won't charge.

Not always. On my 2 garden tractors with a starter/generator (Wisconsin
engine), they will run without the generator or battery, they have a
separate magneto for the spark. On the other one with a Tecumseh
engine, it has both a flywheel magneto for spark, and a separate
alternator winding which also runs off the flywheel magnet.

My B+S engines are like your Tecumseh. I haven't bothered with a battery
on the tractor in a couple of years; I just jump it from my truck's
battery when I need to start it - it's not like I need lights (does
anyone mow in the dark?), so as long as the engine keeps running while
cutting it's not a problem.

In part that's because it's just another thing to have to keep maintained
over winter, but it's mainly because I had a starter solenoid go bad on
my tractor once and jam closed, which had nuked the starter and battery
by the time I'd fetched a wrench to disconnect the wiring path between
the battery and starter. Given the cloud of smoke surrounding the
tractor, it's probably lucky that it didn't go up in flames.

cheers

Jules

On 9/25/2011 10:37 PM, Jules Richardson wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:37:48 -0400, Richard Trethaway wrote:

I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are mounted in
something that vibrates a lot like your average cheapo big-box junk lawn
tractor.

Interesting. What actually causes them to fail? (I mean the vibration,
yes, but what's the actual process within the battery that results in
them no longer working?)

cheers

Jules

in the case of vibration damage, the lead plates (which are kind of like
screens) physically break and lose connectivity with the adjoining cell.
In the case of winter abuse (not keeping it charged in winter) the
dead battery will freeze and the resulting "heaving" of the plates will
break them. Overcharging (common with small cheap charging systems)
causes the plates to deteriorate, and when the electrolyte runs low, the
plate will then "sulfate" and become brittle and break.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:37:33 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:37:48 -0400, Richard Trethaway wrote:

I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are mounted in
something that vibrates a lot like your average cheapo big-box junk lawn
tractor.

Interesting. What actually causes them to fail? (I mean the vibration,
yes, but what's the actual process within the battery that results in
them no longer working?)

cheers

Jules
The "active material" flakes off the plates and settles to the
bottom, shorting the battery out. And sometimes the plate connectors
just break.

On Sep 25, 11:37*pm, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:37:48 -0400, Richard Trethaway wrote:
I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are mounted in
something that vibrates a lot like your average cheapo big-box junk lawn
tractor.

Interesting. What actually causes them to fail? (I mean the vibration,
yes, but what's the actual process within the battery that results in
them no longer working?)

cheers

Jules

sitting for months with tractor not run causes the plates to sulphate,
and the battery to fail.

worse if tractor is stored in a very cold or very hot place, your
typical shed

On 9/25/2011 10:37 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I had one. Hooked to a marine battery. Next time I checked,
the water was low. Too 1 1/2 quarts to top up the battery,
which never worked again. One thumbs down for HF float
charger.


Was yours the plain float charger or the multi stage one?

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 22:50:04 -0500, Steve Barker wrote:

On 9/25/2011 10:37 PM, Jules Richardson wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:37:48 -0400, Richard Trethaway wrote:

I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are mounted in
something that vibrates a lot like your average cheapo big-box junk
lawn tractor.

Interesting. What actually causes them to fail? (I mean the vibration,
yes, but what's the actual process within the battery that results in
them no longer working?)

cheers

Jules

in the case of vibration damage, the lead plates (which are kind of like
screens) physically break and lose connectivity with the adjoining cell.

Aha, thanks; I wasn't seeing how it'd really make a difference (and I
assumed the batteries would be built to withstand it).

In the case of winter abuse (not keeping it charged in winter) the
dead battery will freeze and the resulting "heaving" of the plates will
break them.

Yep... as mentioned in my other post, that's part of the reason I don't
bother with a battery on the tractor - I can't be bothered keeping it on
charge over the cold season (which is a long time up here in MN :-)

Overcharging (common with small cheap charging systems)

Now that did cross my mind - I can well believe that cheaper tractors
don't have the kinds of charging systems that might be present on the
more expensive ones, and that might be responsible for early failure; I
was just surprised that the vibration could play a part, too.

Maybe it's worth putting a piece of rubber mat, mouse pad, or something
like that under the battery to help dampen the vibration...

cheers

Jules

On Sep 25, 8:09*am, (Herb Eneva) wrote:
* *I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. *Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *I

Modern small engines have a rotor and stator underneath the flywheel
that generate the electricity.

Tony Miklos wrote:
On 9/25/2011 10:37 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I had one. Hooked to a marine battery. Next time I checked,
the water was low. Too 1 1/2 quarts to top up the battery,
which never worked again. One thumbs down for HF float
charger.


Was yours the plain float charger or the multi stage one?

This is the one I got:
http://www.harborfreight.com/automat...ger-42292.html

Says it's not for use on AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat*) batteries, but otherwise
should be fine.

--------
* Whatever that is...

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 20:12:51 -0400, Tony Miklos
wrote:

On 9/25/2011 3:59 PM, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:09:44 -0400, (Herb Eneva)
wrote:

I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged?

Crank the engine, disconnect the battery cable and tell us if the
engine runs. Turn lights on if you have them.

If it runs there is an alternator. If the engine dies, the alternator
is bad and the battery won't charge.

Not always. On my 2 garden tractors with a starter/generator (Wisconsin
engine), they will run without the generator or battery, they have a
separate magneto for the spark. On the other one with a Tecumseh
engine, it has both a flywheel magneto for spark, and a separate
alternator winding which also runs off the flywheel magnet. It too will
run without a battery or a working alternator once it's started.

Thanks for that.

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 20:31:37 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Sep 25, 10:27Â*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
On 9/25/2011 8:48 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

On some lawn tractors, the starter motor spins the other
way, and acts as a generator.

The gooder quality battery sounds like a good investment.

the few that did that decades ago turned the same direction starting and
generating.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

It's very easy to use the starting motor to generate enough
electricity to charge a small battery of the sort in the lawn tractor.
Unless the starting motor has a gear drive.
Actually, the TRUTH is, it is a lot easier to use agenerator as a
starter on a small single cyl engine. The "starterator" is much more a
modified generator than a modified starter.

On Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:47:33 -0700 (PDT), bob haller
wrote:

On Sep 25, 11:37Â*pm, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:37:48 -0400, Richard Trethaway wrote:
I've found that batteries dont last as long if they are mounted in
something that vibrates a lot like your average cheapo big-box junk lawn
tractor.

Interesting. What actually causes them to fail? (I mean the vibration,
yes, but what's the actual process within the battery that results in
them no longer working?)

cheers

Jules

sitting for months with tractor not run causes the plates to sulphate,
and the battery to fail.

worse if tractor is stored in a very cold or very hot place, your
typical shed
And true only if the battery goes dead while sitting. A fully charged
battery cannot sulphate (and sulphation has nothing to do with
vibration - which is what the question was about)

On Mon, 26 Sep 2011 08:41:35 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Sep 25, 8:09Â*am, (Herb Eneva) wrote:
Â* Â*I just had to replace the battery on my #1 lawn tractor. Â*Since it
doesn`t have a generator or alternator I`m wondering what keeps the
battery charged? Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*I

Modern small engines have a rotor and stator underneath the flywheel
that generate the electricity.
The flywheel IS the rotor