A quality lawnmower should last between eight and 10 years, while a cordless lawn mower’s battery should last around five years. The batteries in the cordless mower should be replaced as rechargeable batteries lose about 5% of their charge capacity each year, and old batteries can lose their charge before you finish mowing. Making your lawnmower and its battery lasts as long as possible requires proper care and maintenance of both.
Riding lawn mowers typically have a 12-volt battery which is a similar, smaller version of what you would find in a standard car, although some have an even smaller six-volt battery. In general, however, what you need to know is that your lawn mower’s battery is responsible for generating the power needed to start the engine. The mower charging system continues to provide power to the battery while the equipment is in use.
Learn More About Lawn Mower Battery Life
Gone are the days when lawn mowers used cord starters. Most larger lawnmowers these days have a battery to start. Many are even fitted with basic alternators and voltage regulators to function as a functioning charging system that keeps the battery charged.
Comparing lawn mower batteries to car batteries doesn’t always work accurately, given the many differences that exist. However, there are certain similarities. For starters, many lawn mower batteries use cells whose lead plates are submerged in an acid electrolyte.
As the battery drains, these plates become covered with sulfate, which means the acid becomes alkaline. As it is recharged, the sulfates in the plate return to the acidic electrolyte, becoming acidic again. In lawnmower and car batteries, the antimony and acid content in a battery can eventually lead to corrosion problems.
The lead-acid battery design that is used in many lawnmowers and in a number of passenger vehicles is about a century-old technology. However, not all lawn mowers use these types of batteries, so their lifespan varies.
Different Types of lawnmower batteries
Electric lawnmowers have two types of batteries that is to say lead-acid battery and lithium-ion battery. Therefore, first, you need to know which of the two is suitable for your lawnmower. Both batteries are described in detail below.
Lithium-ion battery
This type of battery is the latter of two that were imaginary in the 1980s. They were next produced in large numbers for use in devices such as cell phones and lawnmowers.
These batteries have a high energy density, low self-discharge, and no memory effect. They have sole qualities like longer lifespan, faster charging, and more energy storage due to the materials used in manufacturing.
The lithium-ion battery produces 4 volts for each cell. There’s even 100-volt battery power for some electric lawnmowers. This battery can last 3-5 years or 500 charge cycles.
Solid acid battery
These are the first rechargeable batteries that were invented in 1859. It has the supply of stable current for longer not to mention that it is cheaper.
However, you should not use up the charge as this affects the cells and they will never charge to their full capacity. This battery can be recharged 200 to 300 times over a period of three to five years. However, it can also last up to 12 years depending on the maintenance.
How to properly charge your lawn mower battery
At least all battery mowers come with their specific chargers and user manual. There is so much conflicting information about whether you should let the battery fully discharge before you recharge it.
For lithium-ion batteries, as already mentioned, allowing the battery to fully discharge or overcharge will dramatically shorten its life. It is advisable not to let it drain too much, and even to unplug it from the charger once it reaches 100%.
However, it is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, as different brands may have different battery chemicals.
Dos and Don’ts of Charging Your Lawn Mower Battery
Even when charging your lawn mower battery, observe the following rules:
Protect the battery terminals.
Use an original charger from the manufacturer
Do not charge it is a too cold or too hot environment.
Charge it away from a damp or wet area
Do not place it near sources of heat or fire, as this may cause an explosion.
Do not try to change the original voltage at which it is charged.
Manage your lawn mower’s battery to extend battery life
Fortunately, there are things you can do to extend the life of your batteries. If your lawnmower has brushless motors it helps because a brushless motor will only require the power it needs at any given time.
For example, cutting thick grass will tire the engine more. A brushless motor will sense the extra voltage and draw more power from the battery. However, once the thick grass is cut and the grass becomes thinner, a brushless motor will use less power.
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Storage
Lead-acid batteries are not as sensitive to temperature changes as lithium-ion batteries, but both have preferred temperature ranges where they perform best. Store both types of batteries indoors for the winter, in an air-conditioned area if you can.
Lithium-ion batteries are best stored at 50 to 75 F, while lead-acid batteries should be in the 40 to 75 F range. Each type of battery should be stored fully charged and kept fully charged throughout its season. storage.
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Charge the batteries
The reason for fully charged lead-acid batteries is that they have a kind of “memory”. A dead lead-acid battery will never be 100% charged again.
Lithium-ion batteries, fortunately, do not have this “memory”, so they can be completely depleted before they need to be recharged; That said, it’s best to fully charge and completely drain lithium-ion batteries to minimize the number of charge cycles you use, thus extending the life of the lithium-ion battery.
Final remarks
Each type of battery has its own advantages and disadvantages; one can be used on top of the other for desired purposes. However, for the lawnmower, a lithium-ion battery is normally used. The health of lithium-ion batteries depends on charge cycles; Correct implementation of the charge cycle will improve battery life. In addition, proper storage and optimal use of the mower while following certain instructions will surely increase the battery life beyond the average life.
We expect lawnmowers to be more advanced in the future, use less power, and extend battery life.