Garden Tractor batteries

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Jlaws
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Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Jlaws »

I've got my fair share of cubs and I'm get tired of getting about 2 years of use out of the batteries on average . Some last a little longer , some only last one season . I've seen some video's on youtube where people extend the life of there batteries by using a few tablespoons of epsom salt and distilled water . I've got a Everstart (neverstart) battery that is a few years old and doesn't have a dead cell , but doesn't quite have enough umph . I'm going to try some epsom salt and see if it increases the cranking amps , like some of the supposed results people claim to be getting in their video's .
I figure i haven't got anything to lose , since the battery is only good for a core charge anyway .
Has anyone tried this method and what if any results did you get ??
I see a lot of cub cadets while going down the tracks , its a shame I can't pull over and ask about them .

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BigMike
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by BigMike »

Jess,I have a hunch our GT batterys don't last like we think they should is because of all the sitting they do.As your seeing I too get a couple of yrs from a battery before they die.I have read about "desulfators"that are supposed to be the next great thing to save or fix a nearly dead battery.....I have not looked very hard so i don't know much more than that.
My local small engine guy found that if he hooked his motorcycle battery to a trickle charger and plugged the charger into the light on his garage door opener that the life went up by a fair amount(4-5yrs).
I would imagine that if I consistantly used my battery tender that it would extend battery life also.

Dbaumanjr
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Dbaumanjr »

I think you're right; the sitting is the worst thing for batteries(and fuel & brake systems & seals, etc). That said, I replaced the Interstate in my 149 last month with another one(SP40), since the last one went 6 1/2 years. This battery wasn't mounted down, which is supposed to shorten their life, but was used once a week & sometimes more in the Winter. The tractor also sits in a heated/cooled garage when not in use.....
Darryl Bauman Jr
Real tractors are yellow & white....

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Jlaws
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Jlaws »

I know that batteries sitting all winter without being charged isn't good on them , and I don't start my cubs as often as I should in the winter . The plates sulfate when not being used . I also know that heat , cold , and vibration can shorten their life . I'd trickle charge them , but my unattached garage doesn't have electricity yet , a problem one day I'm going to remedy . I was just wondering if the epsom salt would work on older batteries past their prime .
I see a lot of cub cadets while going down the tracks , its a shame I can't pull over and ask about them .

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vince_o
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by vince_o »

Jess

I have one from el cheap zone in my 106, been in there about 5 yrs. But my 106 runs a couple of hrs a week. Mater a fact, Ill bet in any given weekend all the tractors run about an hour at the min.

If it were me and I had as many as you, Id just buy a couple of batt's and move them to the tractor you want to use. From what Ive learned in the past is like waht was said, heat, cold, vibration, or a hard crash, will kill a batt.

I guess what Im sayin is pick you a couple of red ones to put them in! :lol:
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Farmallgray
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Farmallgray »

If you have a Harbor Freight store near you (or online) they have trickle chargers that sometimes go on sale as low as $4.99.
I have about 6 of them and I keep them in constant use rotating them from one battery to another. I usually leave them on each battery for a couple days to a week or two at a time. I usually get 6 or 7 years from my L&G batteries.
See my IH, Cub Cadet and tractor pulling youtube videos;
http://www.youtube.com/user/farmallgray

Dbaumanjr
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Dbaumanjr »

Jess, I've heard that the epsom salts trick works, but have not tried it myself.
Let us know how it works for you.
Darryl Bauman Jr
Real tractors are yellow & white....

Amigatec
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Amigatec »

I have a 2 amp charger on mine.
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JMotuzick
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by JMotuzick »

Todd said it best.
In the winter I pull all of my battery and bring them into the warm of the shop and leave them on battery tenders. I have a wally world one that was in something the date on it says 07. The one in my ole Chevy My grandfather bought before he died, that will be 10 years next week. Keeping them charged will do wonders. I also plan on buying 1 to 3 battery's each spring it's been almost 5 years now and all of this has been working for me!

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vince_o
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by vince_o »

TOok this off the server at work. On page 3 gives some good readings on batt voltage. Most Im sure have seen the cautions warnings one time or another.

I hope this up loads.
Attachments
Battery Test Chart.pdf
(289.08 KiB) Downloaded 219 times
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wdeturck

Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by wdeturck »

Be careful using a 2 amp charger that don't quit like the (HF)battery savers do. I left one on a battery I was using on my work bench and I came out one morning and the battery had exploded.I do keep those HF chargers(now $6.95) on my Cub Cadets in the winter time.

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BigMike
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by BigMike »

I bought a HF battery maintainer and promptly threw it away when the next time I went to use the battery it was.....drum roll please,DEAD! :evil:
It wasn't dead when i put the maintainer on either.

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Jlaws
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Jlaws »

Back in November I tried the epsom salt treatment on two garden tractor battery's .
I'm please to report that both battery's showed improvement , and one of the two will now sit in a tractor for weeks and still start my 982 like a top . :D

I actually was disappointed with the immediate results and set them off to the side of my workbench , but a couple of months ago I decided to try to charge them again and I put them on the charger and now they hold a good charge .
I'm thinking It may take a while for the solution to desulfate the battery plates , but thats just a guess .
All I know is I had two batterys that I was going to replace and now I dont . :beer:
I see a lot of cub cadets while going down the tracks , its a shame I can't pull over and ask about them .

wdeturck

Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by wdeturck »

I have a couple of batteries that need the EPSON SALT treatment. They seem to be OK by voltage but don't seem to have much. cranking power.

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Jlaws
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Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by Jlaws »

William , theres some good tutorials on youtube on how its done . I watched about 5 or 6 of them and used what worked for me.
I basically used a large plastic syringe to draw out the acid from the six cells , down to the plate level and saved it in a glass jar . then added a couple of tablespoons of epsom salt and stirred it with a plastic spoon until the epsom salt dissolved . They call for 3 tablespoons for a car battery which is larger so I just used 2 for the smaller garden batteries .

I then used the syringe to carfully put equal amounts of the solution back into each cell , I guess you could use a small funnel , but I didn't have one small enough . \

Most of the videos I watched calls for mixing the Epsom salt in distilled water , then adding that to each cell.
My problem was that both of my test batteries electrolite levels were well above the plates , so I just siphoned off the electrolite down to the plate level .

I charged them overnight and when I tried them , there was some improvement , but still would only crank my 982 for a few seconds. Disgusted I put them aside , but they still were somewhat charged .
A couple of months later , I decided to try and charge them again , and now they hold a lot better ( longer cranking ) charge than they did last fall .
The only thing I can figure is it took a while for the solution to desulfate the plates .


At the time I fiured what the heck , for a few cent in Epsom salt and a little time stirring the solution , I'd give it a try .
Figured I didn't have anything to lose , since the batteries were a big paperweight anyway . :lol:

Disclaimer: Your dealing with a caustic solution , so be careful .
Also this won't cure your battery problem if it has a dead ( shorted ) cell .
I see a lot of cub cadets while going down the tracks , its a shame I can't pull over and ask about them .

wdeturck

Re: Garden Tractor batteries

Post by wdeturck »

Thanks Jess; I'm going to try that on some of my batteries. I think my main problem with my 128 is a weak battery but it also got other issues.

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