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Garden Tractor Battery - 9/11/2005 5:47:44 AM   
LarryC


 

Posts: 405
Joined: 10/9/2002
From: Brookland, AR, USA
Status: offline 		I have a garden tractor battery that I bought from the local big-mart for less than $20. It sees a lot of use running starters, charging small lipos, etc. It works well for all of these things, so long as you remember to recharge it after charging lipos.

Does anyone know what the amp-hour rating of this type of battery is? They are only marked with a cold-cranking amp capacity.

Larry
       Post #: 1

RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/11/2005 3:14:20 PM   
Red Scholefield



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From: Newberry, FL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: LarryC

I have a garden tractor battery that I bought from the local big-mart for less than $20. It sees a lot of use running starters, charging small lipos, etc. It works well for all of these things, so long as you remember to recharge it after charging lipos.

Does anyone know what the amp-hour rating of this type of battery is? They are only marked with a cold-cranking amp capacity.

Larry


There are quite a number of different batteries in the garden tractor class. Can you give us some numbers on yours?



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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/11/2005 3:25:17 PM   
LarryC


 

Posts: 405
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From: Brookland, AR, USA
Status: offline 		Red,

This is an Everstart, part number U1R-7

Markings are 225 cranking amps @ 32 degrees
275 Cold cranking amps

Distributed by Johnson Controls.


Larry

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/12/2005 1:41:13 AM   
BillS


 

Posts: 3047
Joined: 9/6/2004
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Status: offline 		My garden tractor battery is used mostly to power the fuel pump with an occasional electric starter use.

I started out charging about once a month but ended up at the field with dead battery several times. Now it gets recharged after every flying session. I suspect the batteries were designed to give high amps during starting and then be recharged. The need for frequent recharge was unexpected.

Bill

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/13/2005 7:16:47 AM   
vertigo72480



Posts: 361
Joined: 6/4/2003
From: St. Louis, MO, USA
Status: offline 		I work for Sears and we sell the garden tractor batteries from Johnson Controls as well. Ours are marked DieHard instead of EverStart, and the internals of the DieHard are better reinforced. While tractor batteries are great for starting motors, they lack the deep cycle capability that other batteries have, such as sealed lead acid batteries. The reason that the tractor batteries will last for several seasons in a tractor is due to the charging circuit that is built into the mower. This works a lot like an alternator in a car. Engine runs, battery charges. I can't tell you how many batteries we end up making warranty claims on at the beginning of Spring because people didn't leave the battery on a trickle charger over the winter. The tractor batteries don't have the deep cycle capability, the battery ends up dead. Sure tractor batteries are cheap but they end up leaving you flat. I have a sealed lead acid battery in my flight box that provides 7 Ah at 12 volts, much like the starter batteries you see sold in your LHS. Being HAM radio operator has taught me a lot about batteries, as well as working in automotive. Do yourself a favor and dump the tractor battery. Invest, yes it is an investment, in a sealed lead acid battery. They hold their charge much, much longer, and are far more reliable.

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/16/2005 7:19:14 AM   
KB9STD


 

Posts: 214
Joined: 4/26/2002
From: Evansville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		I also use a 7amp/hour sealed battery in my flight box,But that's not the point I want to make.I bought a "Maintenance charger" at Wal-Mart(Actualy, I bought it for my Mother's lawnmower.But the mower died,and Mom got too feable to do yard work.) I found it is perfect for keeping my flight box battery ready to go.I put banana plugs on the leads,and just plug it into the "Starter" jacks.It charges the battery,then stops and kicks back in whenever the battery voltage drops a bit.I plug it in as soon as I return from the field and leave it alone until the next flying session.I even leave it connected during the "Off SSeason"(Winter).I've used it arund 5 years now,and never have to give the flight box battery a second thought.

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/21/2005 11:42:59 AM   
jlkonn



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Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Planet Earth, IA, USA
Status: offline 		KB,
The charger you describe sounds exactly like what I have been looking for.
Can you give me more information...
Did you find it in the automotive or garden section of Walmart?
Do you remember appox price?
Can you give me the name on the box?
Thanks!
JLK


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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/21/2005 5:19:45 PM   
Rodney



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Joined: 12/8/2001
From: FL
Status: offline 		These garden tractor batteries will give you good service as long as you never deep discharge them. Always recharge as soon as the "under Load" voltage falls to 11.9 to 12 volts.

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/21/2005 5:51:50 PM   
JNorton



Posts: 3135
Joined: 1/29/2002
From: Montague, MI, USA
Status: offline 		They go under the name of battery tenders this is Sears version. Most car stores sell them too.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=02871220000

Couldn't find one on Wall Mart's web site.

John

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/22/2005 10:09:58 PM   
ScottK



Posts: 186
Joined: 4/15/2002
From: Plant City, FL, USA
Status: online 		FYI: Harbor Freight often has the battery tender I use on sale for $9.99.

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/22/2005 10:37:48 PM   
jlkonn



Posts: 1253
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From: Planet Earth, IA, USA
Status: offline 		John,
Don't have a Sears here in rural Iowa...
I went to Walmart and bought a Black & Decker battery maintainer for $17 something.
It works great and is what I was looking for.
Thanks!
JLK


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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/23/2005 1:29:34 AM   
AS-EE


 

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From: Greenville, SC, USA
Status: offline
quote:

John,
Don't have a Sears here in rural Iowa...
I went to Walmart and bought a Black & Decker battery maintainer for $17 something.
It works great and is what I was looking for.
Thanks!
JLK







Or if you have electric knowledge like me you could get a center tap transformer and convert its output to DC with full-wave rectification with an output voltage of about 14.4 volts to charge sealed lead acid batteries.

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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/23/2005 1:37:02 AM   
jlkonn



Posts: 1253
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Planet Earth, IA, USA
Status: offline 		Oh crud!!!!!!!!

Why didn't I think of that?????????????????

JLK


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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/23/2005 1:59:36 AM   
AS-EE


 

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From: Greenville, SC, USA
Status: offline


Use 1N5408 rectifiers and find a center tap transformer that measures 15 volts at CT (center tap).



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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/23/2005 2:32:23 AM   
jlkonn



Posts: 1253
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Planet Earth, IA, USA
Status: offline 		AS,
I really appreciate your help but you have to understand you are dealing with a complete electrical nimcumpup (sp?) .
I wish I even knew what a centertap transformer was.
I have always admired folks that were good at this stuff.
I am willing to learn if you want to try to teach me.
Thanks!
JLK


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RE: Garden Tractor Battery - 9/23/2005 3:07:12 AM