Posted here (not URG) because here (where else!) is where I asked about
my problem of charging the battery for a ride-on lawn mower (on 11th
March).

The problem was that the mower wouldn't start (or even 'click'), and the
battery didn't seem to charge up.

I said I'd come back and report.

I have had two great revelations in the past two days:

Revelation 1
Yesterday, looking at this mower battery problem again, having re-read
all your good advice, and tried to follow as much as I could, I failed
yet again to start the mower. It did cough once, but despite the
charger saying "fully charged" (as before), it WOULD NOT go to the
charging phase (orange light) for longer than a second. I therefore
decided to try and get the battery out once more, and put it on the
charger overnight at home -- if it then failed, then it's dead, and I
buy a new one.

I have NEVER, for love, money, or swearing very hard, been able to get
the battery out of this mower in order to take it home and charge it.
It just would NOT, once disconnected, pass through the internal
bodywork of the machine, as described in the manual.

Then yesterday when studying the battery extraction problem once more,
I realised that the obstruction on the RH side is not a piece of metal
superstructure, but the plastic grass chute leading to the collection
bin on the back... and the chute comes out!! Pulled it out, got the
battery out as easy as pie. (Note -- the chute and bin is an
optional extra - not mentioned in the manual.)



Revelation 2
When disconnecting the battery, I thought "Hmm - that positive terminal
nut felt a bit loose....". On the way home with the battery, the
penny didn't so much drop, as slowly slide down the mechanism of my
brain ... I did however charge it overnight (same behaviour: charge has
green light on for 8 hours: never an orange).[1]

Put it back on the mower this morning. Did the terminals up TIGHT. And
it fired up straight away. [2]

Hence I have a very red face.

Come all ye young gardeners
And 'ark to my song
For that which oi sing
Won't take very long
It may save you time
and it may save you strife
And it may be a way
to impress t'neighbour's wife![3]

When your mower don't start
After winter's long rest
You'll likely get out t'charger
For to do of its best
And if that ol' charger
Do say "she be right!"
Then just make sure that
Your term'nals are *tight*!


Thanks again chaps, and join me in my rejoicing at getting the First
Grass Cut done, on a lovely sunny day in Spring!

John

[1] Among all the useful and much appreciated advice I received around
11th March, Dave Plowman did in fact say "Assuming a lead acid, and no
quiescent drain (unlikely on a lawn mower) there's no reason why it
shouldn't retain most of its charge over winter." I failed to add 2+2.

[2] On my repeated attempts to charge the battery I just stuck the
clips on to the terminals without testing the tightness of the actual
connections (like what you do on a car).

[3] The most interesting way to finish that verse. No wives, neighbourly
or otherwise, were involved in this saga.

I'm sure one of the messages did in fact suggest checking all connections
for looseness and corrosion.....
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Another John" wrote in message
]...
Posted here (not URG) because here (where else!) is where I asked about
my problem of charging the battery for a ride-on lawn mower (on 11th
March).

The problem was that the mower wouldn't start (or even 'click'), and the
battery didn't seem to charge up.

I said I'd come back and report.

I have had two great revelations in the past two days:

Revelation 1
Yesterday, looking at this mower battery problem again, having re-read
all your good advice, and tried to follow as much as I could, I failed
yet again to start the mower. It did cough once, but despite the
charger saying "fully charged" (as before), it WOULD NOT go to the
charging phase (orange light) for longer than a second. I therefore
decided to try and get the battery out once more, and put it on the
charger overnight at home -- if it then failed, then it's dead, and I
buy a new one.

I have NEVER, for love, money, or swearing very hard, been able to get
the battery out of this mower in order to take it home and charge it.
It just would NOT, once disconnected, pass through the internal
bodywork of the machine, as described in the manual.

Then yesterday when studying the battery extraction problem once more,
I realised that the obstruction on the RH side is not a piece of metal
superstructure, but the plastic grass chute leading to the collection
bin on the back... and the chute comes out!! Pulled it out, got the
battery out as easy as pie. (Note -- the chute and bin is an
optional extra - not mentioned in the manual.)



Revelation 2
When disconnecting the battery, I thought "Hmm - that positive terminal
nut felt a bit loose....". On the way home with the battery, the
penny didn't so much drop, as slowly slide down the mechanism of my
brain ... I did however charge it overnight (same behaviour: charge has
green light on for 8 hours: never an orange).[1]

Put it back on the mower this morning. Did the terminals up TIGHT. And
it fired up straight away. [2]

Hence I have a very red face.

Come all ye young gardeners
And 'ark to my song
For that which oi sing
Won't take very long
It may save you time
and it may save you strife
And it may be a way
to impress t'neighbour's wife![3]

When your mower don't start
After winter's long rest
You'll likely get out t'charger
For to do of its best
And if that ol' charger
Do say "she be right!"
Then just make sure that
Your term'nals are *tight*!


Thanks again chaps, and join me in my rejoicing at getting the First
Grass Cut done, on a lovely sunny day in Spring!

John

[1] Among all the useful and much appreciated advice I received around
11th March, Dave Plowman did in fact say "Assuming a lead acid, and no
quiescent drain (unlikely on a lawn mower) there's no reason why it
shouldn't retain most of its charge over winter." I failed to add 2+2.

[2] On my repeated attempts to charge the battery I just stuck the
clips on to the terminals without testing the tightness of the actual
connections (like what you do on a car).

[3] The most interesting way to finish that verse. No wives, neighbourly
or otherwise, were involved in this saga.

In article ,
"Brian Gaff" wrote:

I'm sure one of the messages did in fact suggest checking all connections
for looseness and corrosion.....

You're probably right Brian, but I didn't save it, if there was such a
one. The connections *seemed* tight, and I'd cleaned and greased them
before winter, so no corrosion.

Another moral to this story: when barking up a particular tree, don't
forget all the other trees :-

J.