Lawn mowers and other power equipment with electric starts are certainly convenient, and they have prevented countless shoulders from straining while starting with a rope. What happens, though, if your lawnmower won’t start?

Ideally, a lawn and garden battery would last three to five years. Throughout the winter, you should keep the battery free of corrosion and maintain it with a battery charger.

A difference of this magnitude can be made by picking the right battery! That brings us to the subject of this blog post: the average lifespan of lawn mower batteries. Which lawn mower batteries last the longest? Find out in the following paragraphs!

How Long Do Lawn Mower Batteries Last?

An expensive purchase might be a lawnmower capable of handling larger properties. The energy you have will be completely sapped by a push mower. Riding lawn mowers, or better yet, zero-turn mowers, are typically the best option for larger properties. There is a starter battery needed for these internal combustion engines. That brings us to our topic: the best types of lawn mower batteries and how long should they last.

Now, selecting the best mower for you can depend on a number of variables. Is it for personal or professional use? Would you prefer to spend less money now or later? How frequently do you mow the lawn?

Read More: Electric vs. Gas Lawn Mowers

The two most common types of lawn mower batteries are. The first are more frequently required to be replaced, but they are also more expensive, frequently heavy, and require extensive maintenance. Lead-acid batteries are the subject here.

The lithium LiFePO4 battery is the second kind of lawn mower battery. Although they are more expensive up front, they weigh about 50% less, are maintenance-free, and last 4-6 times longer than lead-acid batteries. In the long run, you’ll probably save a lot of money.

We can now respond to the query, “How long do lawn mower batteries last?” It can be costly to replace the batteries in your lawn mower, so it’s critical to have batteries that last as long as your mower.

How Charging Cycle Will Affect Battery Life?

Lead-acid batteries, as we have seen, cannot be recharged to their full capacity after being drained to about 70% of their initial capacity. The charging will only reach a level of about 70%, so it will never return to 100%.

Batteries made of lithium-ion are distinct. In contrast to lead-acid batteries, they can be fully charged even after being charged to 50% and then completely discharged.

Since they can only be charged 500 times before running out of power, lithium-ion batteries are dependent on the charging cycles. The best practice for lithium-ion batteries should be charging them to

using them until they are discharged after using them to their maximum capacity. To extend the battery life, repeat this cycle.

If you notice that your lawnmower is taking longer than usual to charge, the batteries in your lawnmower are likely getting older because they will take longer to charge and less time to discharge as they age. Old batteries are the cause if your lawnmower’s charging time has increased and now takes 120 minutes to reach 100%. It used to take 90 minutes. Though it will take 2-4 years for this change to materialize.

When to Change a Lawn Mower Battery?

Here are a few indicators that will help you determine whether you should swap out the battery or investigate your lawn mower’s electrical system more thoroughly.

Interlock Problems

Lawn mower batteries are frequently discovered to be dead at the start of the mowing season and after spending months in winter storage, but that’s not the only cause of a no-start condition. If the battery is sound, another obstruction, such as the starter interlock, may be preventing the starter from turning on.

On lawn mowers, the starter interlock switches are usually found in the handle or under the seat. No matter how strong the battery is, the interlock won’t enable the starter motor if the contacts are bent, broken, corroded, or if mice have chewed through the wiring. Trace the interlock circuit using your DMM to make necessary repairs or adjustments.

Resistance Problems

Getting enough power to the starter motor can be a challenge even with a good interlock and battery. When attempting to start the lawn mower engine, there are a few potential causes of the depressing click or buzz that you may hear.

Sulfuric acid, water, electricity, and different metals all contribute to corrosion. Lead and copper sulfate, which are byproducts of corrosion, are excellent insulators as well. Fortunately, neutralizing battery acid and getting rid of resistance only requires a wire brush and some baking soda solution.

Another frequent occurrence is pitting in the starter relay, which happens when a sudden circuit break arcs and burns away the contacts. The starter motor’s power supply may completely stop if there is enough pitting. The relay or solenoid may be able to be bypassed, depending on the configuration, to start the engine.

Battery Problems

Obviously, even if everything else appears to be in good working order, the battery could still be weak or dead, resulting in any of these symptoms. A lawn mower battery should typically last three to four years given that they frequently sit unused during the winter months.

It’s probably time for a new lawn mower battery if your DMM has confirmed that the battery and connections are weak. If the voltage is less than 7.5 volts, you might be able to revive it with a charger, but the harm may already be done and cannot be undone. After several hours of slow charging, replace it if it still won’t hold a charge.

Maintaining a clean, dry environment and shielding the battery terminals from corrosion during the mowing season are the best ways to extend the battery’s lifespan. Disconnect the battery from your lawnmower and store it somewhere clean and dry, ideally somewhere it won’t freeze, when storing your lawnmower for the winter. To ensure it is in prime condition for the upcoming season, think about using a 12V float charger.

Tips for Extending the Life of Your Mower and Batteries

Being careful about when you use your mower is one of the best ways to increase its lifespan. Mowing when your yard is dry will lessen stress on the engine because mowers work much harder to cut damp or wet grass.

The mower deck needs to be cleaned periodically as well. By doing this, you lessen the load on the engine needed to turn the blades and consequently, the demand placed on your batteries.

Finally, always remember to sharpen your mower’s blade at least twice during each cutting season—more often if it seems to be cutting the grass unevenly.

Mower blades that are sharper cut more precisely and lessen the load on the device’s batteries. A great way to keep up with your lawn maintenance is to purchase a spare blade and keep a sharp one on hand to swap out.

Final Thoughts

Each type of battery has benefits and drawbacks of its own; depending on the task, one battery type may be preferred to another. However, a lithium-ion battery is typically used for the lawnmower. The longevity of lithium-ion batteries is dependent on charging cycles, and proper charging cycle implementation will prolong battery life. The battery’s life will also be extended beyond the typical lifespan by using the lawnmower properly, storing it properly, and following certain instructions.

We anticipate that lawnmowers will become more sophisticated in the future, using less energy and extending battery life.

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