My Craftsman Lawn Tractor Battery Keeps Going Dead

Time in Storage

• Batteries slowly lose their voltage over time while they are unused in storage. If the lawn tractor was sitting all winter in storage, there is a good chance it might not have enough power left to turn over the engine. Bring the battery in to a warmer storage area where it will not be subjected to freezing temperatures.

Short Mowing Time

• Short mowing times translate into not enough alternator time. Batteries need at least 20 minutes of drive time for the alternator to have enough time to recharge the battery. Short bursts of mowing conducted over a few weeks will leave the battery drained a little more each time until you will not have enough power to turn over the engine.

Ignition Left On

• Take the key out of the ignition after you turn off the mower. The Craftsman lawn tractors shut down the engine when you throttle down. If you forget, you might leave the key in the “on” position, slowly draining the battery. Make a habit of turning off the ignition and removing the key when you finish mowing.

Lights Left On

• Check the lights. Craftsman lawn tractors have nice headlights in case you feel like mowing in the dark. During the day, you might not notice that the lights are on. Once the engines stops running, the lights continue to drain the battery. Manually turn off the lights until you need to use them.

Old Battery

• Batteries do not live forever and they will not always hold a charge. If you take your battery to an automotive supply store, they will often test the battery for you to see if it holds a charge. Over time, the battery’s capability to create electricity decreases. Change out the old battery for a new one. The store will credit you for the return of the old battery.