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I know this will get many different opinions


MARK (LI)

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What is the best battery for a lawn or garden tractor and where do you get that particular one?...anyone ever used a duracell?...anyone know where they are available now?...I thought costco had them...but mine does not

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I've had good luck with Deka products in mowers and ATVs. I always go with sealed batteries. The ones that you have to add acid to never last for me. I think proper battery care goes a long way, obviously. 

Available at Lowes. 

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Batteries Plus has Duracell batteries and if you place an online order to your local store they give a ten percent discount

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I would also give thumbs up on Deka batteries, I worked with the lift truck industry most of my life and Deka is by far the best lift truck battery out there. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one for a garden tractor. One thing I have been doing is purchasing the highest cranking amp battery that will fit the tractor, they seem to work better, especially if your starter draws more current than it is supposed to. I put a low cranking amp battery in one of my tractors and it stared hard, it cranked fast enough but wouldn't fire until I let off the key, I'm sure the problem was the starter drawing more than it should robbing power to the coil. I put a higher cranking amp battery in and it started right up every time. (probably should have replaced the starter)

Greg

   

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On my old 1960s tractors I use a car battery. The battery which fits a 2003 Honda Element drops right in and definitely is an improvement over any other battery I've used. The smaller lawn tractor batteries just don't last and won't hold a charge over two months.

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I used to buy into the school of thought that a bigger, pricier battery translated to a longer lasting battery.  Unfortunately, I have been proven wrong too many times.  I have had mixed results with all batteries, pretty much, and no longer wish to dump money into gambling on a 'better' battery.  The only batteries that have pleasantly surprised me have been the 'bad' batteries...the cheap L&G batteries at the farm store, like Mark uses.  I just turned one in as a core, as this winter finally killed it.  It was dated 2012.  That's been typical for me.  I'm pretty happy with that, considering I know it was a $30-35 battery.  I buy the 300+ CCA batteries.  menards carries a brand now that has an integrated flip up handle...I love it.  I would trade a year of use for that handle.  It's so handy.  When they have their 11% sale, I usually pick one up as I always have project machines that need something before reselling.

I do move a trickle charger around to all my batteries during the winter.  Sometimes I throw the big carger on to, and a couple times each season I fire up any machines I haven't used in a while.  Sitting idle is probably the worst thing I do to any of them.  I'm actually pull starting any of my tractors that fire up easily at this point.  It's more reliable than tending to batteries.  My B-1's, Big Ten, most of my small frames (those with a rope), all pull start easy enough.  

 

This is my battery of choice right now.  We will see how long they last in tractors that run maybe once per month.  Under $30 with a core and they spin a single Briggs of any size just fine.

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/automotive-marine-hardware/automotive-batteries/fvp-reg-voltedge-reg-u1l-300v-lawn-and-garden-battery/u1l-300v/p-1508999329559-c-1516819218414.htm?tid=-2251466377028837020&ipos=3

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I personally use Deka batteries in all my machines and have had good success with them. However, on a couple budget jobs that I've had to do for customers, I have used some of the Walmart EverStart brand batteries. They are cheap enough at $22 for the 230 CCA with your old battery.  Sadly, I don't know anything about the longevity of these batteries but I haven't received any complaints from the customers that have opted for the el-cheapo. 

Also... just remembered that my 7117 had an EverStart 51R battery in it when I got it and the date on it is 2012 and it's still holding charge and going strong

Edited by Simplicity7013H
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The problem with our tractors or any tractors is that without an alternator they never really get a good charging without using a trickle charger of some sort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, gravey72 said:

The problem with our tractors or any tractors is that without an alternator they never really get a good charging without using a trickle charger of some sort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most mowers should be charging between 13-15 volts. That should be plenty to properly charge a battery. 

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17 hours ago, Simplicity7013H said:

... However, on a couple budget jobs that I've had to do for customers, I have used some of the Walmart EverStart brand batteries. They are cheap enough at $22 for the 230 CCA with your old battery.  Sadly, I don't know anything about the longevity of these batteries but I haven't received any complaints from the customers that have opted for the el-cheapo. 

Elliot, I'm thrilled (though not surprised) that you have "customers". dOd

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Most of these tractors were designed for using a 22NF battery. That is what works with the OEM hold down clamp systems. That being said, I do not have any 22NFs around here. I can't see buying a nearly $100 battery that only has a year warranty. The last one I bought was a Decka and it lasted maybe two years. It was very disappointing. Most of the old B-Series are missing their hold down clamps anyway. The problem with not using the clamp is that the battery will vibrate quite a bit. This shortens their life significantly. I use the cheap L&G batt's and get somewhere between 2-4 years out of them. I have had trouble with the exide  L&G batteries leaking at the positive post. I am switching to Johnson Control's batteries at Wal Mart. In a few years I'll know if they are any better. 

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Funny battery story...a friend of mine built a Mitsubishi Evolution II for a guy to compete in the Texas Mile.  We are talking full-blown 223 mph race car. It was sponsored by Optima batteries. Huge Optima decals all over the car. Pop the hood, and there sits a DuraLast battery. xD  I asked my buddy about it, and he said "Optima is junk (this was around the time they started manufacturing them in Mexico) I'll take their money but won't use their garbage."

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I have posted this before but will say it again.   Battery hold down is a critical safety item on these tractors with everything steel around the battery and the gas tank right next to the battery.  It does not take much of a bump for the battery to jump and have the positive post touch the steel dash or something else, and there is usually gas around the fill cap, as the cap does not seal perfectly.  An easy way to start a fire or an explosion.  It happened enough times that the mfg separated the gas tank from the battery.

I had an incident...  I dropped in a battery temporarily just to move a tractor.  Did not clamp it in, even though the 22nf could have been.  I let my young son move the tractor like he has done dozens of time before, but (without getting into details) the tractor ended on its side with gas running out the gas tank, and my son telling me that the battery was sparking!  Luckily the tractor was on its left side so the gas was running away from the battery.

Those things can happen so quickly. 

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1 minute ago, MARK (LI) said:

What is 22nf?  a brand or classification of battery?

Group number.  If you tell that number to a counter person and they don't understand, don't be surprised. Actual part numbers don't mean much to these "modern" parts people. It's getting scary out there. I expect the common person to not know group numbers, but the people selling them should. 

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I have a Deka outdoorsman,  that came with my 912h when I bought it several years ago. Although it's always dead it' nothing a charge on 2 amps doesn' fix and as long as my tractors running properly i don' have an issue. As long as you don' count cleaning the leaky positive terminal once a month or so. U cam let you know on a day or two how it faired this winter as it' charging now.  This year I don' do anything with ant tractors as we had little snow and we all have 4x at my house now. Same with last winter I believe.

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I've been using 450amp lawn battery from TSC with very good results, starts my 620 everytime but I do have a small external alternator on it.

I just bought a small Braille #B 129 battery from Summit to run on my mini modified tractor we'll see how it does, Only 9 lb.

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There is a battery shop in town thats been around for 50+year, same family, son and grandson run it now, old man is still around. Back in the day you traded your battery for a new one, or one of their reburbed ones. They use to refurbish the old ones, not anymore, now they just sell new ones. They use to sell Interstate, now the sell Deka, son says the Deka seams to be a little better battery now. Awhile back I ask him if a higher CCA battery was a better way to go. He said if you live where you are starting a vehicle in 40 or blow degrees on a regularly basis the higher the CCA the better, down here (Northwest Florida) just stick with what ever the manufacture recommends. He said the higher the CCA the more likely the battery will not last as long. He explained that if the battery case is the same size, the more the CCA the more plates inside it needs. To get more plates in they have to be thinner  making them more susceptible to vibration, and wear. He told me for a garden tractor just use what ever the manufacture recommends, anything else is over kill. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, now where did I put my coffee?  

 

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, B-16_IC said:

Group number.  If you tell that number to a counter person and they don't understand, don't be surprised. Actual part numbers don't mean much to these "modern" parts people. It's getting scary out there. I expect the common person to not know group numbers, but the people selling them should. 

Additionally, I heard that the 'NF' stood for Narrow Ford.

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I was in TSC behind a guy buying a garden tractor battery. 360CCA it was $52.00. They are higher every where else around here.

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I have a few of the "trickle" chargers that I use during the winter on my stuff that sits all winter, however, I do move the chargers from machine to machine during the winter, so there are times on each battery that it is not connected to a trickle charger for a few weeks.  Don't know if this helps or not, but one of my batteries on our watercraft was purchased in 2012, and a few of my tractor batteries are a few years newer than that.  Always seem to get a few years out of the 6 month warranty batteries. 

WATCH - now that I post this, I will probably end up with one or more dead ones this spring!

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I always used Fleet Farm batteries, had average life from them.  The last two batteries I bought are Interstate, they are more expensive but I always had excellent service in cars and trucks with them.  One died with just over a year of use.  The place I bought if from replaced it for half price, the warranty was one year.  The replacement is doing fine so far.  The other one was for my Agco Allis 918.  The interstate was $119.00.  OUCH!  I bought it just to see, it is less than a year old and so far is doing great.  The tractor needs a new voltage regulator so the battery gets charged regularly.  Hoping I get good service from them.  I don't use float maintainers, but if it is cold out, I get out a few hours before needing the tractor if possible and put a trickle charger on.  This has worked well for me.  I have known a couple of guys who had fires started with maintainers so I am a bit wary of using them.  

 

Steve

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