Do Riding Lawn Mowers Have Alternators. Alternator for lawn mower
Do Riding Lawn Mowers Have Alternators?
For trimming the lawn grasses or resizing them, people use lawnmowers. Usually, there are three kinds of lawnmowers or garden tractors available in the market. The typical one is the push hand mower that you will find in almost every American’s house. Secondly, the robotic lawn mower is known for its advanced technology.
Apart from these, one of the most used mowers for resizing the grass is the riding lawn mower. We all know that it does run on its small engine that is charged by alternators. You may not find the alternators on the typical ones that don’t have any engine.
Here, a question may arise, do all riding lawn mowers have alternators? Yes. It does. I have put the deep detailed information about it in the following article. To know more, kindly go through the whole article.
Do riding Lawn Mowers have alternators?
Alternators play a vital role in riding lawn motors. Its roles are almost similar to a vehicle or a car battery charger. It maintains the battery’s charge level.
After you fully charge the battery, the riding mower will run for a while. But after that, its battery will need a charge that can only be provided with the help of an alternator. We can say that the alternators work as the battery charger or battery power maintainers. Your battery-powered mowers will not go much far without the alternators.
You can set out the power level on your riding mower with the help of the battery voltage regulator rectifier. But your electrical systems may not work as you expect. Your battery may not get enough charges without the alternator. Consequently, After a certain period, your lawn tractor battery will be drained out.
Hence, the manufacturers ensure to install an alternator as the ride mower parts. This is why you can say that all the riding lawn mowers do have alternators.
Do push mowers have alternators?
The main feature of a riding mower’s motor is that it runs the power. On the contrary, it is not the same case with push mowers.
We know that when your mower’s engine gets power from the battery and your battery maintains the charge level with the help of the alternator. But if you use a hand-push mower that has no engine, it needs no alternator at all.
In brief, typical push mowers have no alternators.
SMALL ENGINE CHARGING SYSTEMS EXPLAINED / HOW THEY WORK AND HOW TO DIAGNOSE
Your push mowers often can have the motor that runs on the battery. And you just move it manually. In that case, it will have an alternator for making its battery-based engine work effectively.
So, I can say if your push mower has an alternator or not; it depends if you are using a typical hard push mower or a cordless engine-based push mower.
Should I replace the alternator of my riding lawn mower?
Sometimes, you might have asked yourself, Why does My Riding Lawn Mower Battery Keep Dying?
There are many reasons behind it, such as the Wrong battery recharging system, Corrosion around the posts, Low charge, Mower recharging system. So check out the possibilities and go for the solution.
Apart from these, the failure of alternators is also a reason. You will need the electrical voltage or a good power lever to move your riding mower. So if you find a lousy alternator that is causing your lawn mower battery to keep dying, replace it with a new one.
You can purchase the alternators separately from your nearest store.
Alternators vs. Generators
Many people get confused with an alternator to the generators. It is not surprising to happen to something like that because an alternator is an electrical generator. But the alternators and the generators are not the same thing. I have tried to arrange this part highlighting the differences between alternators and generators and, I hope you will find it helpful.
- A generator’s power station is a fixed magnetic field. On the other hand, the alternator’s power station has a rotating magnetic field.
- You can use the alternators for converting the motive energy into AC energy whereas the generator for converting the motive energy into the AC energy as well the DC energy.
- The alternator has a less damaging risk compared to the generator. Hence, it is quite a safe choice. You can also use the alternator as a generator with the motor.
So, From now on, you need to get confused with the alternators and generators. Choose any of them that fit your needs and preferences.
Frequently Asked Question
Do my Husqvarna yth22v46 have an alternator?
There are different types of Husqvarna mowers. As you know, Husqvarna yth mowers are riding a lawn mower, and it needs an alternator. The Husqvarna riding lawn mower alternator is a piece of great powered equipment for your mower. Hence, get assured that your Husqvarna mower has an alternator that works as an incredible charging system.
Does a corded lawn mower have an alternator?
Your electric mower or lawn tractor does not have a battery and its charging station is different from the riding mower. It is powered by direct electrical power. Thus, it doesn’t need an alternator. So, if you use a plugin system mower, it is possible, your garden tractor will not have an alternator.
Is my Kohler stator coil necessary for my riding lawnmower?
Kohler co manufactures one of the best outdoor power equipment. Your Kohler charging system and the Kohler engine need the ignition coil. The stator coil is a power transformer that is a vital Kohler part. I hope you have understood the importance of a stator coil for your riding lawn mower.
Final Verdict
After reading the whole article, you might have got the idea of when a riding mower has an alternator and when it does not. As well, you have understood the roles of alternators of lawn mowers.
In sum, your power riding lawn mowers have an alternator for better working capacity, and it is an essential part of your mower. Get to choose your riding lawn mower with a good alternator.
About Author
Jessica Maynard
Jessica Maynard was born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is the founder executive director at DIG (Development in Gardening). The goal of her company is to improve the nutrition livelihoods.
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Introduction: Homebuilt Generator (Riding Lawn Mower) 1Kw
Well like most of us, I was looking to find a way to minimize expenses in creating an alternate energy power source.
The easiest way to perform this task was to re-use existing equipment installed in my home, power toys to minimize costs.
My favourite expression to utilize cross functional synergies.
Well, I was able to put together the following items
a) 2 Batteries (Used for my Motor Boat) 140AH
b) Lawnboy lawn tractor 10 HP (1980s vintage)
a) Xantrex 1000 power inverter (89.00) Cdn Tire
c) AC Power Monitor (UPM Em100) Cdn Tire 25.95
Optional: Siemens Generator Panel Box (and Circuit Breakers) 280.00
Note: Extensions cords will do in a pinch!
a) Cadillac Alternator (120amp) with Built in Regulator 35.00
b) 4 Position Switch (Scrap from old Battery Charger)
c) 6 Gauge Wire (Old Battery Booster Cables)
e) Tie Wraps (Keep all loose wires tight and away from Belts)
Total Cost Including Electrical Panel 469.40 Without Electrical Panel 189.40
Step 1: Alternators
Of special note, when assembling this conglomeration of items special care needs to be taken to research the specific products selected.(I.E.)
The cheapest way to connect an automobile alternator is to select one that has a built in regulator. In many instances they are denoted as a single wire connect. If you have external sense lines coming from the alternator (As Below). wiring can become a little more difficult as you may need a resistor value of approx 35 ohms leading from the Generator Light wire on the alternator to DC voltage. You also have to have a Power Switch to disable the charging of the stator at initial power up time. I.E. The resistance of the alternator can generate enough force feedback to make it too difficult to start you engine.
Step 2: Power Inverters
Low cost power inverters (Modified Sine Wave) actually have power being generated on both the Live and Neutral lines. Typical home wiring has the Neutral and Ground wires tied together. Hence if you try to connect a (Modified Sine Wave inverter) directly to home wiring it will not work and short out the inverter. The neutral has approximately 60V on it instead of the usual 0V.
Step 3: Generator Panel (Optional)
Ensure that when you plan your implementation to purchase a Generator Power panel that supports a bonded Neutral. (I.E. the neutral line is also switched) and that you do not tie the neutral to ground at the panel
Step 4: Nice to Haves
a) Voltmeter (Monitoring your battery voltage as power is being drawn. If the voltage drops continuously, your alternator is not providing sufficient power to meet demand)
b) DC Shunt (Measure DC current coming from alternator. Note: You may be able to play with the resistors on the stator to increase power). Crompton 100 Amp Dc Shunt
c) UPM EM 100 Energy Monitor or (Kill a Watt). (Measures the AC power voltage current, Peak Current, and Wattage. Constantly monitor inverter output versus maximums)
Note: Can also be used in advance to determine average and maximum loading levels by appliances in your home to enable you to size your generator properly.
Step 5: Formulas
Belt length = ((Alternator Pulley Diameter Motor Pulley Diameter) 1.5708) (2 Center to Center distance of Alternator and Motor Pulleys)
b) DC Power Shunt. Typically continuous running load on current shunts is in the order of 60-65%.
When purchasing, make sure you have a 50% factor above your expected maximum running load.
Note: Some manufacturers build in a safety load factor of 1.2
c) Pulley Size Calculator. Yup thats right, you notice that when you purchase an alternator these days they may not come with a V Belt pulley, and the size of the existing pulley may not match that required for the Horse power rating / RPM for your engine.
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Комментарии и мнения владельцев
So, is there any good solution how to connect inverter directly to home power?
Unless you spend the big for a pure sine wave inverter, it best just to use direct connect extensions.
I.E. Not using home wiring. Square wave inverters are not compatible with home wiring where neutral is tied to ground.
This is the kiind of inverter you are looking for http://www.dcacpower.com/product/6000psw.html
What was wrong with the built in generator or was the output to low. The problem with most alternators is that when your battery reaches 85% they drop back to a trickle charge
Responded earlier to the same Question. Here was the response
Off-Road Mower Alternator Install
The charger for a ride on provides very low charge current for such a small motor/battery starter requirement.(Some as low as.5 amp) The use of a car alternator is to be able to use the entire output power capability of the ride on mower (100 amp or more) under full load conditions.
Keep in mind when under load the battery will supply (in this instance) up to 125 amps @ 12 volts of power to feed a 15 amp 120 volt circuit. The alternator will go into FULL charge mode as soon as the draw is large enough.The battery acts as a dynamic load balancer, as the motor can not respond instantaneously to varying loads.
It is really 2 independent operations taking place. Battery supplying instantaneous response to changing load conditions. Alternator providing a constant charge current source to replace the battery drainage.
Great article. My step-daughter REFUSES to turn off the computer when she is done, SO I want to make a pedal powered generator to get back at her. (If this seems cruel, I REALLY do need to lose my Molson Muscle. LOL) My wifes’ car quite working right after I replaced the alternator :-(, so now I have a nice new shiny Delco Remy CS 130 series alternator I can’t return. Would anyone be so kind to email me a wiring diagram of the circuit ? I’d hate to wire it up incorrectly and destroy it ! I’ve also stripped all of the relevant wiring battery out of the car. Many thanks in advance. My eMail is : mpandersen@live.com
maybe convert an old singer treadle model to generate power?! I enjoyed operating the old machine without sewing as a kid. loved it. Something about getting it to start with say the large hand wheel and almost effortlessly getting it to “sing” out some high rpms.
thanks I will investigate more. Question: I have a 04 crown victory police car. I might be removing the high-output generator because of parasitic drain within it’s diode array. Would anyone know if the take-out unit might be useful in a similar project at the cost of the core charge?
I have a Craftsman lawn tractor with a 19.5 BS Twin-II I/C engine, that would work perfectly for the reasons that kflack stated. Driving a Delco CS-144 140A alternator should be NO problem!! Last year, I built a 1.5kW gen-set using a 6hp BS Lawnmower engine, another Delco CS144, a Xantrex Prosine 1800 Inverter and up to 300Ah of batteries, for up to 5 hours of silent runtime before I have to re-start the engine.
I see 2 problems with this first car alternated only use full change up to 80% and then drop back to a trickle, 2nd I would have thought that your ride-on would already have an alternator built so why not use that one
Question 1.(kflack Homebuilt Generator) I don’t fully understand the statement your are trying to make but will take a shot at it.
If you mean that car alternators start charging batteries at 80% and you are not getting the full use of Battery cycling then you are correct. The intention here is not to store and cycle the batteries but to use them as a constant current source for the loads that the inverter needs in real time. The alternator simply maintains the the battery charge status at as close to 100% as possible.As a mater of fact, using standard lead acid batteries, in this instance instead of deep cycle batteries is recommended.
In Gen-Set case it looks like he is manually charging up a storage bank and turning off his generator while cycling.In his case a Deep Cycle Battery would be applicable.
Question 2.The charger for a ride on provides very low charge current for such a small motor/battery starter requirement.(Some as low as.5 amp) The use of a car alternator is to be able to use the entire output power capability of the ride on mower (100 amp or more) under full load conditions.
So I am a backyard tinkerer and have been playing around with making a wind turbine using an ac delco alternator. I know its not a great source of power, just playing around with it. The alternator model I am using has the pin connector with SLFP. I have a jumper wire connecting the S to the hot wire going to the battery. And the ground from the alternator bracket to the neg. terminal. But I am not getting any power generation. Is there another wire I should be connecting or something else?
Car Alternators need about 3000 rpm to generate power.
Look to upgrading to a permanent Magnet Core in your alternator and then maybe you will see something.
cemb: asks; at what rpm does an alternator need to spin in order to produce its max output
Maximum power is usually controlled by the regulator; it is more rpms and efficiency, usually 2 to 2.5 idle speed of the vehicle the alternator is for. An example a Mack truck’s idle speed is 400 to 500 rpm and max rpm is 1800 you might want to run the alternator at 1000 to 1200. A Chevy Sprint’s idle speed is 1100 and max rpm is 10000 rpm its alternator you might want to run at 3000 rpm.
In reality house wiring has 220 across two live lines that go to ground at the neutral making 110 per side. Another little known fact is home hydro can fluctuate from 90v to 135v depending on where you are on the line and how modern the service is. If you are getting voltage from the neutral it is probably feed back in the lines finding a shorter rout to ground, I was shocked by a house circuit with the circuit breaker off that way. To connect to house wiring you need a 220 110-volt power inverter with a pure sine wave signal synchronised to the service. The output is kind of like a centre tap transformer. Service transformers have the windings hooked up in ether delta or Y configurations they’re essentially a centre tap transformer. This is a simplified explanation. I hope this helps.
My reference to using a (Non Bonded Neutral) for the switch panel is a non standard approach to temporarily use (During a power failure) for key switched circuits. By using a non bonded Neutral it is possible to use a less expensive inverter (Square Wave) versus True Sine wave as you mentioned above.They in reality do not use the same methodology for power generation (Center Tap transformer) and hence the need to have the Neutral (NOT Bonded) to the ground line. It is not an accepted standard for household wiring to have the neutral unbonded from the ground line, but is the only way possible to use a square wave inverter on household wiring via a switched panel.
Your assessment above is absolutely correct and is a superior configuration (True Sine Wave Inverter) that meets existing legal wiring codes. In your instance above, with a True Sine wave inverter, the Neutral Line would remain bonded to the Household ground
Oh, Hey! I made one of these last week. Min is made from a vintage 1980 Lawn Chief ride-on mower. The engine died, so i tore the whole thing apart and put in a 5hp Honda engine. the new engine connects to the transmission, and also a 55-amp alternator. (I couldnt afford a more powerful one) it generatoe loads o power that run it’s seven 55W halogen lights. i havent hooked an inverter to it yet, but i was planning on doing the exact same thing as you. I have it on YouTube: http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=vK7WSZER9yI
I was half thinking of rigging an alternator on a treadmill type of devise and just chaining the yard tractor up on it. this makes much more sense
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Applications List
| MAKE | TYPE | MODEL | YEAR | ENGINE |
| JOHN DEERE | Mower | 2500 | All | Kawasaki 18HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Mower | 2500A | All | JD Series 220 20HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Mower | 2500B | All | Kawasaki 19.9HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Mower | 2653A | All | All |
| JOHN DEERE | Mower | 2653B Trim Surrounds Mower | All | Yanmar 19HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | F915 | 1986- ON | Yanmar 3TNA68 |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 415 | 1995 | Yanmar 16HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 415 | 1996 | Yanmar 16HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 415 | 1997 | Yanmar 16HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 425 | 1993 | 20HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 425 | 1994 | 20HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 425 | 1995 | 20HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 425 | 1996 | 20HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 425 | 1997 | 20HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 445 | 1993 | 22HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 445 | 1994 | 22HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 445 | 1995 | 22HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 445 | 1996 | 22HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 445 | 1997 | 22HP Gas |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 455 | 1993 | Yanmar 22HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 455 | 1994 | Yanmar 22HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 455 | 1995 | Yanmar 22HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 455 | 1996 | Yanmar 22HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | 455 | 1997 | Yanmar 22HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X475 | All | Kawasaki 23HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X485 | All | Kawasaki 25HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X495 | All | Yanmar 24HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X575 4WD | All | Kawasaki 23HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X575 | All | Kawasaki 23HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X585 4WD | All | Kawasaki 25HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X585 | All | Kawasaki 25HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X595 4WD | All | Yanmar 24HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X700 | All | Kawasaki 23HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X720 | All | Kawasaki 27HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X720SE | All | Kawasaki 27HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X724 | All | Kawasaki 27HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X728 | All | Kawasaki 27HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X728SE | All | Kawasaki 27HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X729 | All | Kawasaki 27HP |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X748 | All | Yanmar 24HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Lawn Tractor | X748SE | All | Yanmar 24HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1989 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1990 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1991 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1992 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1993 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1994 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1995 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 1070 | 1996 | Yanmar 4TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 2210 | All | Yanmar 23HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 2305 | All | Yanmar 24.1HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 2320 | All | Yanmar 24.1HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 2520 | All | Yanmar 26.4HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 4010 | All | Yanmar 18.5HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 4100 | All | Yanmar 20HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 4110 | All | Yanmar 20HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 4115 | All | Yanmar 24HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1989 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1990 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1991 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1992 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1993 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1994 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1995 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 670 | 1996 | Yanmar 3TNA72 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1989 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1990 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1991 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1992 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1993 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1994 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1995 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 770 | 1996 | Yanmar 3TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 790 | All | Yanmar 27HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 790 | All | Yanmar 30HP Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1989 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1990 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1991 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1992 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1993 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1994 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1995 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 870 | 1996 | Yanmar 3TN84 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1989 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1990 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1991 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1992 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1993 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1994 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1995 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 970 | 1996 | Yanmar 4TN82 Dsl |
| JOHN DEERE | Tractor | 990 | All | Yanmar 4TNE84 Dsl |
Replaces These Part Numbers
| ANDRE NIERMANN | 02D12915 |
| ARROWHEAD | APM0010, APM0005, 400-58013 |
| Atlantic Quality Parts | 1400-0533 |
| JN Electrical Products | 400-58005, 400-58001, 400-58005, 400-58013 |
| JOHN DEERE | AM877557, AM879144, CH15587, MIA10338, SE501822, SE501843 |
| KOMATSU | YM129150-77202 |
| LESTER | 10939 |
| PIC | 299-145 |
| WAI | 10939N |
| YANMAR | 129150-77201, 129150-77202 |
Riding Lawn Mower Won’t Start—What Could Be Wrong?
You hop on your lawnmower, ready to spend your time mowing your lawn, only to realize it won’t start. What could be the issue? Well, fortunately for you, we’ve researched in-depth the reasons your lawn mower won’t start and have some possible answers for you.
Your riding lawn mower not starting could be because:
We’ve given you several reasons that could be preventing your riding lawn mower from starting. However, you should keep reading as we elaborate on each one and give you ways to diagnose each issue. Additionally, we’ll go over some other questions you might have about your lawn mower starter or battery.
Out of Gas
Just like cars, lawnmowers can run out of gas too. Fortunately, the easiest problem to diagnose is whether there is gas in your lawnmower. So, is it possible the tank is low on your mower? Some gas tanks have a dipstick that you can use to check the fuel level. If it’s low, try topping it up and then try to start your lawnmower again.
Gas is Stale
If the gas isn’t low but has been sitting in the tank a long time, this could also be an issue. Gas that has been in the tank a long time without being used can become stale.
One of the easiest ways to tell if your gas is stale is to open the gas tank and smell it. The gas will smell like varnish instead of gas, and its appearance will also be different. Stale gasoline will look muddy or darker than it originally did.
Bad Battery
If the gas isn’t to blame, the problem could be with the lawnmower’s battery. You can check whether a lawn mower’s battery is dead by using a multimeter. Multimeters are used to test electrical voltage, currents, and resistance.
The multimeter will let you know the voltage of the battery in your lawnmower. If it’s 12.7 volts or higher, the battery is fine, and the problem lies elsewhere. If it is below 11.5 volts, you will need to replace the battery with a new one. Sometimes the reading may be between 11.5 and 12.7. If this is the case, the battery may just need charging.
How long do riding lawn mower batteries last?
Riding lawn mower batteries typically last around 3 to 4 years. Once a battery passes this point, you’ll likely start to encounter issues with it. Your lawnmower might begin to lose power, and eventually, it won’t start at all.
How much does a riding lawn mower battery cost?
Lawnmower batteries will typically cost between 50 and 75. However, there are more expensive and cheaper options available depending on the type your mower needs.
Bad Alternator
There are several signs you can look for that might point to the alternator of your lawnmower being a problem. If your battery keeps dying, but the battery itself is fine, the alternator might be to blame. You can also test the alternator with the multimeter device we mentioned earlier. Your owner’s manual should tell you what reading you should achieve from the multimeter.
You can also test the alternator by performing a test using the headlights. If you turn on the lights and then turn off the power to your lawnmower, the lights should dim. If they do not dim, there is a problem with the alternator. Alternators typically go bad due to overheating. Think back to whether you’ve been running your mower for long periods of time, as this could be to blame.
Bad Starter Motor
Once you’ve tested the alternator or battery and found they aren’t the problem, you should switch your diagnostics to check the starter motor. The starter motor is the connection between the battery and the lawn mower’s ignition system. If you are having any electrical issues that can’t seem to be ruled out as issues with other parts, the starter motor may be to blame.
What are the Symptoms of a Bad Starter on a Riding Lawn Mower?
Symptoms of a bad starter on a riding lawn mower include the lawn mower not starting or clicking or cranking noises coming from the mower when you try to start it. The most obvious sign you have a problem with the starter motor will occur when you turn the key. If you turn the key and it makes a noise, but the engine doesn’t start, it’s likely the starter.
How Do you Test a Lawn Mower Starter?
You can test a lawnmower starter using jumper cables. Before you attach the jumper cables, make sure to brush off any dirt or debris that might have accumulated. This will help promote the best possible electrical connection.
Once you have attached the jumper cables, the starter should turn over. If it doesn’t, you will need a new starter motor. If the starter does turn over, this likely isn’t the part of the mower that is preventing it from starting.
Sometimes it’s easier to see the process done to understand what you have to do, so if you’d like to see a video on how to test a lawn mower starter, check out this handy YouTube tutorial:
How Do you Start a Riding Lawn Mower with a Bad Starter?
So what if your starter is bad, but you desperately need to mow your lawn? Well, unfortunately, if your starter is truly bad, you can’t. You will need to replace the starter before you try to mow your yard.
However, first, you should make sure that it is definitely the starter causing you problems and not the battery or alternator. You can also try cleaning any dirt and debris from the parts to see if that is causing interference.
Low Oil Level
If the issue with your mower doesn’t seem to be electrical or gas related, it could be your oil level. Many ride-on mowers, especially newer models, will not start if the oil level is too low. This is in order to prevent damage to the engine of the mower.
Your lawnmower should come with a dipstick in the oil tank so you can check the level. Wipe the dipstick clean and reinsert it. Remove it again to see the current oil level.
If your oil is, in fact, low, check your owner’s manual to see which type of oil your mower needs, and follow the instructions for adding oil to your machine.
Problem with the Ignition Switch
If you’ve noticed your lawnmower stalling during previous uses, this could indicate you have a problem with the ignition switch. It can cause the engine to stall and then be the reason it won’t start later on.
Just like the battery and the alternator, the ignition switch can be tested using a multimeter to measure the ohms of the switch. To measure the ohms of the switch, the multimeter should be set to resistance mode.
Here’s a YouTube video showing you a way to test your ignition switch:
Seized Engine
If your lawnmower has been sitting in storage for a long time, it might have a seized engine. A seized engine will prevent the mower from starting. Engines can seize due to low oil levels or from being exposed to the elements too long.
Fortunately, there are methods you can try to unseize an engine. Depending on how bad the engine is, it may require more complex methods to unseize it, and you may need a professional. However, if this doesn’t work, you will likely have to replace the mower entirely.
The most simple method involves removing the engine’s spark plug and using an engine lubricant to help unseize the engine. After you have got the engine moving again, you should replace your engine’s oil to help prevent it from happening again.
If all of this seems a little overwhelming, don’t hesitate to call a professional to take a look before completely giving up.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are a lot of issues that could be preventing your lawnmower from starting. Hopefully, with the help of our article, you are one step closer to figuring out the problem with yours. Fortunately, most of the issues are relatively easy to check for, so you should be on your way to a running mower again soon! Good luck!
For more reading on similar topics, check out some of our other blog posts: