# Riding mower battery dies after left in garage for a few hours



## garnet (Sep 29, 2006)

The last few times I had to use my riding mower I had to jump it from my car battery. I cut the grass turn it off and it will restart fine. Then I put it in my garage come out next week to cut the grass and its dead. 

Any thoughts?

I just checked all the connections last night and them seem to be good. I can't find any shorts. I thought the battery may be dead because of an electrical short. Could there be any other problem? Maybe the Alternator but it seems to recharge the battery after I use it for awhile. I can restart the mower right after I use it but it dies after awhile.

Todd


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## engine man (Mar 25, 2006)

your battery might need replaced because it is not holding its charge? try new battery


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## garnet (Sep 29, 2006)

Its not the battery. The battery is brand new. I thought that was the problem as well so I bought a new one and its still happening. I doubt the new one I bought is bad.

Todd


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

try disconecting the battery from the rider to isolate it. If it goes dead then it's the battery, if it holds a charge then there is a draw on the battery when the riding mower is switched off. On most riders the battery only operates the starter and sometimes an electric pto clutch. The voltage regulator may be bad causing a draw on the battery, or it could also be a bad ignition switch or pto switch if you have an electric pto.


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## garnet (Sep 29, 2006)

Thanks, I will give that a try.


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## TechLarry (Aug 2, 2006)

If possible, use a meter to measure the current draw. If it's high, then start disconnecting circuits one at a time until you isolate it down to what's pulling the current.

Then troubleshoot that one circuit.

You need to bracket trouble-shoot this or it will drive you nuts.

-Larry


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## Fortune50 (Aug 28, 2006)

TechLarry said:


> If possible, use a meter to measure the current draw. If it's high, then start disconnecting circuits one at a time until you isolate it down to what's pulling the current.
> 
> Then troubleshoot that one circuit.
> 
> ...


I agree with this. Take your time and once you find out what it is, the payoff is worth it  . I had a similar experience, but with a Polaris atv. The battery kept draining whenever I left it hooked up. I noticed that the battery's water level was low, so I added distilled water to it. If your battery is sealed, then you can skip checking the level. I then charged it up and disconnected it off the machine. I later reconnected it about a week later and it started up fine. So, I knew the battery was ok. So then using my DVOM, it did a amp current test on the battery's negative terminal to ground wire. I found it was drawing about 0.8 amp. Apparently something was drawing current, even though the key was turned off. So, next I just went thru unplugging everything one at a time, putting masking tape on each lead to remind me that I had already unplugged it, and then found that one of the wire leads to the voltage regulator did the trick to stop the current drain. Knowing that it was connected to the battery, and instead of replacing the regulator, I first cleaned up a ground wire connection I found on the machine that was part of the regulator's wiring, and BINGO, a 0.000984 amp reading! She was all fixed and I've had no more dead battery problems.  The payoff of doing something yourself for free is always a great feeling. Good luck to you and keep us informed :wave: .


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## mitchell (Jan 15, 2006)

One cheap, shade tree method is to diconnect positive side of battery cable
and touch the cable back to the terminal, with everything off,ignition switch, pto,etc.IF you get a spark,you have something drawing power while everything is off,you will have to watch close as it maybe a tiny spark.
Not knowing what type of mower you have,there are only a few things that could be bad.Assuming its a new mower, the solonoid in bottom of carb bowl draws power when ignition is on,pto or blade engagement,if you have push pull type.The inline diode from alternator underneath flywheel,doubtful its bad if a new mower,but you could have a bare spot in wiring touching metal or
could be a defective ignition switch when its off its not off,if not off solonoid at bottom of carb bowl will stay engaged and drain battery.


http://news.smallenginetrblshtng.com
http://news.smallenginetrblshtng.com/prize.html [drawing for shop manual set}


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## TechLarry (Aug 2, 2006)

Um, heavens no. Don't do that!

A spark at the terminals can easily cause a venting battery to explode, and I can assure you this is something you'll only want to experience once, IF you live through it.

This is why when jumping a car the directions are always to connect the ground to the receiving vehicle last, and to a point no where near the battery.

-Larry



mitchell said:


> One cheap, shade tree method is to diconnect positive side of battery cable
> and touch the cable back to the terminal, with everything off,ignition switch, pto,etc.IF you get a spark,you have something drawing power while everything is off,you will have to watch close as it maybe a tiny spark.
> Not knowing what type of mower you have,there are only a few things that could be bad.Assuming its a new mower, the solonoid in bottom of carb bowl draws power when ignition is on,pto or blade engagement,if you have push pull type.The inline diode from alternator underneath flywheel,doubtful its bad if a new mower,but you could have a bare spot in wiring touching metal or
> could be a defective ignition switch when its off its not off,if not off solonoid at bottom of carb bowl will stay engaged and drain battery.
> ...


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## paulwest (Aug 11, 2004)

I have lived through it and you don't wont to go there .


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## hdman97 (May 25, 2006)

Just place a VOM set to read DC amps between the battery post and the cable.
Remember to move meter leads on the meter if required to read amps.
with everything off should read zero.If not do as techlarry stated above.
My guess would be a rubbed through wire to ignition switch or somewhere
touching the frame.


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