My trusty old riding lawn mower has been a reliable tool for years now. But recently, it started giving me some problems.
Often, the mower wouldn’t start properly, and I had to worry whether it was finally nearing the end of its service life. But on the suggestion of my neighbor Mr. Cross (who’s an engineer and hence knows about these things), I checked out my lawn mower battery and found it weakening.
That’s when the question came to me: “how many volts is a lawn mower battery” anyway? To find the answer, I turned, as usual, to the internet. After some research, I found the answer to my question, along with a few other interesting tidbits related to lawn mower batteries.
Hi! I’m Stacy Smith, your very own neighborhood lawn care expert. And today, I’m going to share the information that I’ve learned about lawn mower batteries with you. Along the way, I’ll also teach you a method that can be used to test your lawn mower battery voltage.
So, let’s not delay any longer and get into the thick of things.
How Many Volts Is A Lawn Mower Battery
How Do Lawn Mower Batteries Work?
Most riding lawn mowers work by using a battery to start. Since these lawn mowers are usually gasoline-powered, the battery needs to supply a massive energy burst to the engine. This helps to activate the crankshaft and provide the spark plugs with the required voltage.
In general, lawn mowers use lead-acid batteries, which contain multiple cells. Each cell consists of two plates: one of lead and the other of lead oxide. These plates are dipped in an electrolytic solution of sulfuric acid and distilled water in a 9:16 ratio.
As these plates connect with the electrolytic solution, a potential difference is generated between them due to the electrochemical reaction. This results in the production of the voltage needed to spark the engine.
The many cells in the battery connect in series, which means the voltages produced in each cell get added to provide a composite voltage. So, the more the number of cells, the greater the voltage supplied.
How Many Volts Is Needed For A Lawn Mower Battery?
Now that you know how a lawn mower battery works, let’s answer the actual question: how many volts does it need? Most riding lawn mower batteries are 12V; however, some older models still use 6V batteries.
This voltage rating is a measure of how much current can flow through the battery at any instant in time. As you can probably well understand, the charging system and components for a 12V mower are different from that of a 6V one.
In most cases, the two systems aren’t compatible with each other. Just as a 6V battery will not power a 12V mower, a 12V battery can severely damage the components of a 6V mower. So, it’s best to check the voltage level of your mower battery to know its exact voltage level.
How To Check The Voltage Level Of A Lawn Mower Battery
In case you find your lawn mower having trouble starting, then checking the battery is an excellent place to begin. To do so, you need to use a device known as the multimeter. It’s a gadget that you can use to measure different parameters of electrical and electronic devices.
In the following sections, I will give you an overview of how you can test the voltage level of that lawn mower battery using a multimeter.
1. Find The Battery
The very first step to testing the battery is to find it. For this, I recommend you refer to the user manual of your mower. Usually, lawn mower batteries are located near the engine or below the seat, so these are places you can look in first.
2. Get Rid Of Surface Charge
Before you use the multimeter, I recommend getting rid of the surface charge from the battery; this will help give you accurate readings. To do this, just turn on the ignition and switch the mower lights on. Keep the mower like this for a few minutes, and you’re good to go.
3. Use The Multimeter
Now comes the step where you’re actually going to use the multimeter. Before doing so, check the mower’s user manual to find whether it’s a 12V or a 6V system. Then, set the multimeter to the appropriate voltage level.
Depending on your multimeter type, it’ll either have clamps or needle-probes that attach to the battery terminal. These will be color-coded (red for positive and black for negative), so you need to connect the probes to the correct terminals on the battery. The battery terminals should usually have a “+” sign for the positive terminal and a “-” sign for the negative one.
4. Check The Reading
The moment you connect the probes to the suitable terminals, your multimeter will show the voltage readings. For both 12V and 6V batteries, a multimeter reading of above 12V and 6V (respectively) indicates good battery health. Anything below this means that a battery replacement is in order.
- VERSATILE FUNCTIONALITY: Measures AC/DC voltage up to 600V, 10A DC current, 2MΩ resistance; additional features include continuity, diode test and battery test
- LEAD-ALERT PROTECTION: LEDs on the meter illuminate to indicate proper test lead placement, enhancing accuracy and safety during measurements
- BACKLIT DISPLAY: LCD shows clear readings in low-light conditions for enhanced visibility
- Customer Service: KAIWEETS provides a lifetime after sale service and technical support. This digital multimeter is included with 2 AAA batteries (pre-installed), comes with a carrying case and 2 decent cable leads.
- Multi-Function: This multimeter can test AC/DC Voltage, DC current (Can not for AC current), Resistance, Continuity, Diode Measurement.
- Sensitive Test: Please make sure the rotary switch is located at the right test range. Data hold function, backlight function helps you test clearly and quickly in a dim place.
Final Words
And there you have it! That’s everything that I found out about the voltage level on a lawn mower battery. Since my mower is a 12V model, I’ve got the battery replaced with a suitable one; now my mower’s running as usual.
One last piece of suggestion before I leave: when you’re going to test the battery with the multimeter, make sure you know how to operate it carefully. Many multimeters have settings that can be pretty complicated, and you might need a bit of practice before using them.
I sincerely hope that you found my guide on lawn mower battery voltages useful. I’ll be back again soon with more such interesting reads. Till then, keep your lawn pristine and stay safe and happy!