How To Install A Lawn Mower Battery?
Last Updated on July 25, 2024
If you’re reading this, it means you have an electric lawnmower that needs its battery changed or maybe you’re just bored and lost. Regardless, this article will show you step by step on how to change a worn-out battery or install a new one.
How To Install A Lawn Mower Battery?
Step 1: Choose a safe place to work on your mower. Take precautions by putting on gloves and safety goggles. Make sure your mower is completely off and remove the key then disconnect the spark plug wire.
If your mower is a riding mower, disengage the blade, engage the parking brake and put the transmission in neutral. The battery compartment of a mower is usually under the seat or hood of a riding mower or at the back or top of an electric push lawnmower.
Step 2: After finding the battery, move anything that covers it like panels, covers or shrouds. On most mowers, there are covers, panels or coverings held in place by screws or clips, which need to be undone by a screwdriver.
On other mowers, however, these panels, covers or shrouds are held in place by bolts which can be undone by a proper wrench.
Step 3: Disengage the black or negative cable from the worn-out battery’s negative terminal by unscrewing the bolt or screw that holds the cable to the battery terminal. You can see the negative terminal usually marked with “neg” or “minus.”
Pull off the cable away from the terminal then disconnect the red or positive wire in the same way. You will find the positive terminal marked with a plus sign, “plus” or “pos.”
If you see a connector corroded, scrub off the corrosion with a durable wire brush or a steel scrubbing pad. If the connector is stiff or tight, carefully pry it loose with a screwdriver.
Step 4: Remove anything that secures the battery to the mower. This means any rods, clamps, bars or frames, and make sure you are wearing gloves during the process.
With usual mower models, battery hold-downs are secured by hex bolts that can be undone with a wrench. Remove, then hold-down after unscrewing the pins, move the battery out of the battery compartment and set it carefully to one side.
Clean the battery compartment with a rag dipped in a mixture of baking soda and water with a 50-50 ratio then wipe the chamber dry with a different cloth.
Step 5: Dumping an old battery in the trash can cause harm to the environment. So take some time out of your day to pack the cell into a bag or box then sell it at a store that sells lawn mower batteries.
You can sell it, or you can trade your old battery for a new one that suits the model of your lawnmower. Make sure the replacement battery matches the dimensions, capacity, voltage and final placement of the old battery.
After having bought the new battery, place it in the battery compartment of your mower the same way your old battery used to be positioned. Then put the battery hold-down back into place by screwing the bolts back on.
Step 6: Reconnect the cables of the battery to the new battery. Tighten the bolts and screws, make sure the negative or black wire and the positive or red cable is connected correctly to their respected terminals.
After following these steps, start your mower. If you hear the purr of the engine, then congratulations! You just installed a lawnmower battery!
