Lawn Mower Batteries
Don't be fooled into thinking that only electric lawn mower owners need to worry about changing the lawn mower battery. Most lawn mowers are gasoline based but as any motor vehicle it needs an electrical charge to spark the ignition. This requires an onboard battery to ensure the smooth starting of your mower. As lawn mowers have life cycle of over 5 years, you can be sure that at some point you will need to replace your lawn mower battery. That time will be sooner rather than later if you use your mower very infrequently. It needs to be sparked on a regular basis or will run flat.
Where to get lawn mower batteries cheaply
Lawn mower batteries can be found on a whole host of online and offline retailers.
Since there are literally thousands of online retailers all fighting to earn your business you need to know what to look for. As batteries have a definite shelf-life, avoid used batteries or batteries from dubious looking retailers. Many batteries in the market place if offered below normal cost price are often fake. This is bad for you in two ways - the battery will only last one tenth of the expected lifetime and the construction of the battery may be faulty so battery acid can corrode your engine. This means a large service bill when it comes to get fixed. Warranties do not normally cover damage from unapproved, defective batteries.
You can save yourself a lot of grief with used lawn mower parts if you buy certified approved used parts. If they are still above your desired price range then examine parts that you intend to buy. They may be at the end of their life cycle or they be too worn to be an effective replacement.
How often you need to replace
See a lawn mower battery as a scaled down version of a car battery. Like a car battery it needs to be used periodically for it not to go flat. Most lawn mower manufacturers recommend you start your mower twice during the winter season to avoid your battery going flat before the start of the spring mowing season. If you can keep that battery charged then your battery can last over 5 years.
If you have an electric lawn mower the battery situation is a lot different. As the battery is the main driver of the lawn mower it can get run down very quickly. Some of the heavier models need more power to drive the mechanics of the lawn mower so you can get 20 hours. Others are more economical and can last 100 hours.
When your battery has died be sure to dispose of it using the manufacturer's instructions as the contents of the battery are toxic and harmful to the environment. Many mowers now come with rechargeable batteries and include a custom recharger so battery replacement is not an issue for many years. This may be your most cost-effective path if you are planning to purchase an electric lawn mower.
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