Dang new deck wheels killed the battery....:D

[Cranky]

Finally got some new deck wheels for my old (1984) Gravely garden tractor. The new wheels didn't kill the battery as it was 13 freaking years old!! Got to thinking that the next battery will only be the 4th one for it. Bought the garden tractor used around 88 after looking at some others including a JD 318 but decided on the Gravely as the price was less plus I didn't want to mess with power steering that was on the JD. Just more maintenance plus the manual steering on the Gravely is pretty easy. Also, the lawn/garden battery was pretty much junk in the Gravely when I got it so bought another which only lasted about 1 1/2 years. Screw the lawn/garden batteries and bought an automotive battery the next go around and it lasted nearly 10! That run was impressive since it was a ChinaMart unit. This last one is a Sears Plus Start and 525 CCA's. Man, and the Sears Hardware near me closed a couple of years ago so it looks like ChinaMart is on the radar. Oh well, been using a charger to boost it up a bit between mowings for the last couple of years so figured it wasn't long for this world but it lasted way longer than I ever dreamed.

 

[Darter6]

Good one. Gravleys are darn good equipment. Had a bunch of 'um on the farm/winery where I worked.Mowed plenty of acres with the sulky behind the multi purpose with the handle bars.Damn thing was a real workout.

 

[Cranky]

Mowed 3 acres for years plus had a 4' box blade for it which was used a lot. It also pulls a roller from time to time and moved my 16' foot trailer many times. It's been good but is getting old. Looking for a clutch hub to machine and fit it to it soon....

 

[khryslerkid]

I've had good luck with Walmart's batteries. No I didn't use one in my '62 but I've used them in everything else with good success.

I'm using an Exide in the '62 and the only time I've had a charger on it was when doing a compression test. Sits through the winter with no tender. I think the tender shortens the life of a regular wet cell. JMO

Happy Mowing

 

[Cranky]

Don't know about that tender....never used one myself but have a 2amp charger that I've used on it a lot. Usually, there's nothing on it until just before startup which is about every 10 days on average. The generator/starter on the tractor doesn't do much to keep it charged and never has.

 

[Lefty71]

I think the tender shortens the life of a regular wet cell

Good ones are't supposed to. But the cheapie style like they put on battery backup sump pump deep cycle wet cells just bake 'em dry! Piece of mind, pfft!

 

[Slap Stick]

China Mart?

 

[khryslerkid]

China Mart?

Never been there???

 

[493 Mike]

This looks like too many peanut/bologna sandwiches! Ever try one? they are good!
The battery in my Neon was acting strange last week (on the tender-waiting for winter) after its monthly exercise lap. It did not want to come back to maintenance/ float condition after the 3 mile monthly run so I looked up the replacement date. Almost 12 years so I guess I'll buy a new one and not bitch about it!
Mike