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Lawn tractor battery ?s

notnow
How do I check if the charging system on my lawn trctor is operating? If I disconnect the battery at the hot terminal ,it shuts off. It's a B&S 26hp Intec. Maybe the proper question is what is a sufficient amp rating for this engine. I've got a 230 amp on it right now. I'm thinking that's too low. I have to charge it or jump it every time I start it. It's never drained but it won't turn the engine past a certain point that I asume is max compression. I've replaced the cables with 2 gauge marine grade.
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Comments

13 comments

Date Votes
  • wpageabc
    This would be a better question for a landscaping forum. But, most automotive shops have a test unit that goes across the battery terminals that take readings that will isolate wether its a bad. In a 12 volt DC car its traditionally...
    -Alternator
    -Battery
    -Solenoid
    If that applies to your lawn tracktor is anyones bet. If you get a service manual and a good meter you could probably do some diagnostics and see what is the norm. Generally batteries go bad after 5 to 10 years on tractors.
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  • redneckandy
    What is the engine horsepower? Generally a 230 amp battery is good for 12 HP and under. A quick check for your alternator is to start the engine and hook your volt meter to the battery. should read 13.5 ish volts.

    Edit; I skimmed right past where you stated the HP. That battery is too small.
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  • pulsarnc
    Hopefully Perryshooter will comment but my understanding is your engine uses . A stator assembly to charge the battery there are usually two wires coming out from under the flywheel leading into the wiring harness you should be able to google the procedure for checking it And yes from my experience a 230 battery is to o small for that engine . Buy the largest you can fit in the available space in the battery compartment
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  • mrmike08075
    Farm-all International Cub Lo-Boy 154 Tractor with three point hitch (belly mower deck and snow plow attached - ATV LED light bar and yard sale rectangular orange fog lights added to front)

    I bought one (4 years ago) used from a neighbor who was widowed and retiring to Florida - he thinks it's a 1972 or 1973 model and he bought it new and took excellent care of it - but it would not run right and he let it go for $200.00

    We have a local mower and outboard and other small mower guru - he has a huge back lot and storage barn full of parts mowers and such and always has about 20-30 finished working items for sale...

    He rebuilt the carb and replaced a belt and put in an inline fuel filter - retrofitted it to take a small K&N air filter and fabricated a cold air - ram air intake system and replaced the plugs and wires - and a faulty ground wire...

    He also installed and adapted what is essentially a trickle charger - an after market unit the size of a gallon of ice cream - it fits under the hood and you plug it into a wall socket to keep the battery ready during periods of storage or in cold weather...

    It has worked flawlessly at least since I had him install it - I think it was a jc Whitney style catalog item - meant for boats or marine equipment...

    Apropos of nothing - I just think its a neat item and wonder why I had never seen one before - wonder why it's not an offered option or popular item (it might be but it's an area I am ignorant of) (I am not a mower expert but he says it's a good lawn tractor with a reliable motor)

    Mike
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  • Beeramid
    Have the battery load tested, it can show 12v and still have dead cells. Get the model number on your Briggs and find the manual on Google, it will have the battery spec. My bet is the battery is bad, and insufficient for your engine.
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  • remingtonoaks
    A lawn tractor generate electricity for the spark plug of through the Magneto or stator depending on the model and size of the engine not an alternator. So if it shuts off as soon as you disconnect the battery, it means the Magneto or stator is bad
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  • buckgloves
    If the engine seems to lock at a certain point I would
    suggest checking the valve lash.
    When the lash reaches out to excess such as .012 then adjust back to .002.
    I had the same problem on a one cylinder overhead valve Briggs.
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  • Mark G
    I have a Husqvarna 24HP B&S tractor that uses a 230CCA battery with no issues. It sits all winter and still fires up in the spring with no battery tender. I replaced the battery once after 4 years of use. It turns the engine over just fine and will crank as long as I need it to.
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  • Okie743
    Go over to this site and ask your question. This site is for small engine issues.
    They can help you and refer you to free service manuals and data.

    http://ppeten.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=97488fbdcc3173da2ad5b101e0b88e20
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  • babun
    A fully charged 12 volt automotive type battery will have 13.2 volts just sitting there.
    2.2 volts per cell is normal.
    To replace the current used to start the motor, a charging system needs to put out over that 13.2 volts. Normal charge rate would be about 13.7 to 14.8 volts till the battery is topped up.
    Your battery, if in good shape is big enuff for your machine.
    The fact of the machine turning off when battery cable is off, is not a good test of the whole system. The wiring of your machine may need a battery in the circuit to keep running. Depends how the machine is factory wired, safety shut off switches and such. Some do , some do not.
    Test battery voltage before starting,,,,,then as the engine is running, should be slightly higher voltage right after the draw from the starter motor drain.
    Battery amperage is dependant on starter draws, you should need only about 100 amps to start that engine. The bigger capacity batteries will generally last longer and have more reserve in case of prolonged cranking.
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  • BobJudy
    Mark G wrote:
    I have a Husqvarna 24HP B&S tractor that uses a 230CCA battery with no issues. It sits all winter and still fires up in the spring with no battery tender. I replaced the battery once after 4 years of use. It turns the engine over just fine and will crank as long as I need it to.

    I have the Husqvarna YT46LS with the 24hp 7000 series Kohler. Came with a 230 amp battery. 3 years old and cranks real strong so I think the battery is ample for the task. A lot of places will test the battery if you take it in. The 20 year old mower I sold 3 years ago had the problem described even when I put a new battery in it. After checking everything else and much head scratching I took the battery back and they determined it was defective and replaced it. After that It worked like a charm. Bob
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  • Junkballer
    A lawn tractor generate electricity for the spark plug of through the Magneto or stator depending on the model and size of the engine not an alternator. So if it shuts off as soon as you disconnect the battery, it means the Magneto or stator is bad

    You get 1st. prize for being the most accurate problem solver ;), batteries are for turning the starter and engine over so the above mentioned can do it's job and for giving accessories needed power to operate.
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  • jimdeere
    What Bob said. A fully charged battery will start the engine several times on it?s own without being charged until it won?t. Also, the pto clutch will be a drain on the battery when engaged.
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