How Long Does a Lawn Mower Battery Last?

How long does a lawn mower battery last? The straightforward answer is between 3 and 5 years. The duration depends on your maintenance culture, usage frequency, and other factors.

Sometimes, though, the battery may break down before the stipulated battery life expectancy. Greenworks mower batteries typically perform well and last longer than many other brands out there.

In this article, you will learn some telltale signs that indicate that your battery is going bad. In addition, I share some effective maintenance tips that will boost the mower battery’s performance and life expectancy.

4 Factors that Determine How Long a Lawn Mower Battery Will Last

Although a lawn mower battery is expected to serve you for between 3 and 5 hours or between 500 and 8000 charges, the battery may pack up in less than two years or serve you for as long as seven or eight years depending on some factors such as:

Grass type

You can’t expect the same life expectancy from a cordless lawn mower that is used to cut short grass once a week and a similar one used for tall and thick grass. The tall grass will overwork the mower and its battery than short grass, thereby reducing its life expectancy.

Size of the lawn

Aside from the grass type, the size of the lawn plays a crucial role too. The battery will last longer if you only cut a small area with your mower than if you use it on a larger area, even if they have the same usage frequency.

Usage frequency

Usage frequency is another factor that determines your lawn mower battery’s lifespan.  The battery of a lawn mower that is used once a week will last longer than that of its counterpart that works three times a week, all other factors being equal.

Maintenance 

Your maintenance culture determines how long the battery will serve you. If you maintain the battery as outlined in the user’s manual, it will work under optimum condition and serve you well for years. On the other hand, a badly maintained battery won’t last long.

The factors above will determine how long your lawn mower battery serves you. It’s important that you pay attention to the battery while using the mower to help you identify whether it is in a good condition or not. Your prompt response to any identified problem will ensure the battery serves you longer.  

5 Common Lawn Mower Battery Problems

A defective lawn mower battery gives several signs indicating that it may soon stop serving you. Here are some of the signs you must pay a rapt attention to:

• Failure to start: If your lawn mower doesn’t start, it could be due to a faulty battery. However, before you jump to conclusions, check the gas tank. A lawn mower can’t work with an empty gas tank.  If the tank is empty, refill it.
  If the gas tank is full and the mower still fails to start, then check the battery. It may be unable to hold a charge and won’t power the mower.

• Inability to hold charge:  If your mower’s battery recently started discharging faster than before, the battery is defective. Riding mower batteries are designed to hold charge for about a month even while not in use.

Anything short of that is a warning sign that it may go dead soon. The battery’s failure to hold charge for long may be triggered by a defective charger. If the charger isn’t producing the right voltage output, it won’t charge the battery properly. As a result, the battery won’t hold much charge.

Test the charger with a multimeter and take a look at the voltage output. A working battery should produce a minimum of 12 volts.

• Charging difficulty: A good lawn mower battery must be fully charged in less than 8 hours. However, if you charge it for that long and still won’t hold a charge, it’s probably faulty. Charge the battery for 8 hours. If it is not fully charged within that period, the battery is most likely dead.

• Defective components: A battery sometimes shows some defects indicating you may have to replace it. Check the terminal. Is it broken? Does the battery leak excessively? These are signs of a bad battery. 
  Other signs you should look out for are bump or bulge in the battery case, discoloration, and other visible defects. If you notice any physical issue with the battery, replace it without delay. 

• Poor reading: A functional battery should produce 12 volts and above. If your mower battery can’t read more than 10.5v, the battery’s cell may be dead. 0 volts is a sign of a short circuit battery while a reading of 12.4 volts or less for a battery that is fully charged implies that the battery has sulfation or battery discharge issues. 

3 Effective Lawn Mower Battery Maintenance Tips

Proper maintenance is crucial to a long-lasting lawn mower battery.  Below are some helpful tips:

Keep the battery clean and dry

One of the best ways to improve your lawn mower battery’s durability is to ensure that it is always dry and clean. A wet battery is susceptible to corrosion and that may affect the battery’s lifespan.

During the winter, disconnect the battery and keep it in a dry and clean place where it won’t freeze. The battery terminals and cables should be clean and dry as well. A hard wire brush is perfect for removing dirt from the cables and terminals. You can use a terminal cleaner too. 

With tap water and baking soda, you can prepare a cleaning solution to clean the battery terminals. After cleaning, seal the terminals with anti-corrosion gel such as Super Lube 82016 Anti-Corrosion gel or any other brand of your choice to prevent corrosion.

No loose terminal  

A loose terminal gives the impression that the battery is faulty. It can also trigger corrosion and low charge rates. To prevent these terminal-related issues, ensure that the terminal is always tight.

Aside from the terminals, look for loose bolts and nuts and tighten them. You risk damaging your mower or getting injured if any bolt or nut falls off while working.

Maintain the battery at full charge 

When your battery goes dead for a long time, you expose it to sulfation. A sulfated battery is as good as dead.  The battery won’t hold a charge for long anymore and won’t have enough power to start the mower. The perfect solution to this problem is to always maintain the battery at full charge.