AGM battery for garden tractor?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Many years ago, my brother in law gave me his AGM battery when he shipped his motorcycle. Despite sitting for months at a time on his bike, the battery was strong and cranked my garden tractor with vigor, even with its smaller size. When it finally gave up, I replaced it with a typical lawn and garden battery, then two years later, another. Even when new the LG batteries don't have the power of the AGM. My current battery is struggling in the colder weather. I am thinking about another AGM but they are $80 vs $30-$40 for the LG batteries. The AGM would need to last 6-8 years to break even. Worth it?

[Winger Ed.]

Sounds cost effective. I'd get the good one.

Manufacturers can 'adjust' the quality and life of batteries just like they can with light bulbs.
Like so many other things, it tends to be a 'get what you pay' for industry.

Years ago, I knew a guy that worked at the old Dallas Lead Plant.
He said they could analize a lead alloy for batteries and tell you almost to the month how long it would last in a given climate.

For example: Batteries don't like being cold any more than I do.
The 'die hard' with a 72 month warranty sold in New York,
is about twice as good as the one you buy in Texas with the same warranty.

One of our warehouse suppliers had a new area manager move down from NYC with a die hard in his car.
As he traded cars around, he kept/swapped out the old battery.
It was about 10 years later when he sold a car ,,,,,,, and it had that old battery- still on the job..

[Hossfly]

Yep, used to buy batteries at big box stores, for lawn mowers, wouldn’t last maybe 1 year. Buy a good one name brand now they last. In batteries you do get what you pay for. Had several AGM batteries, but not good comparison because were old when i got them but lasted a good while, don’t think there meant for this application tho. Mostly for power chairs and scooters. JMO.

[Mal Paso]

AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat. They are Lead acid batteries but the acid is in a fiberglass mat to keep it from spilling. The likely difference is a $40 battery VS an $80 battery.

[georgerkahn]

With six pieces of equipment I, too, played the costly buy at least one new battery per year game. I bought NAPA batteries for the most part, too. Then -- a decade ago -- a friend turned me on to Battery Minder, and Battery Tender products. I bought, and they even maintain batteries of several units, in parallel. You fasten a short provided wires to the battery, and then plug the cord from the unit into it. NO measurable effect on the electric bill; they're plugged in 24/7, except when I am on them; and -- best of all -- it's been pretty close to ten years since I needed to replace a battery! With their built in de-sulfator circuitry. they even make the batteries better! Amazon, Northern Tool, and others purvey these for less than thirty bucks -- I got mine for ten dollars less, on sale. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=48&Ntt=BatteryMINDer®+Plus+Charger+Model+12117Battery MINDer®+Plus+Charger+Model+12117
geo

[xs11jack]

I was given a Toro Lawn mower that has electric start. I took the battery out last fall. It is a small rectangular box with two small tabs for connecting to the starter. The box is completely sealed there isn't any marking on it. So does any one know it this is a type of battery with a bunch of single cad all tied to gather or some other scheme.
Ole Jack

[Winger Ed.]

I was given a Toro Lawn mower that has electric start. I took the battery out last fall. It is a small rectangular box with two small tabs for connecting to the starter. The box is completely sealed there isn't any marking on it. So does any one know it this is a type of battery with a bunch of single cad all tied to gather or some other scheme.
Ole Jack

Just a wild guess, but if there is no manufacturer's label on it-- whoever made it isn't too proud of it either.
So I would figure it's a throw away rather than a real good one.

[metricmonkeywrench]

So for me it's all about convienance, here mower batteries seem to last 2yrs or so. Wally world is just down the street. I hate having to hold up mowing for something that simple.

[rancher1913]

the agm batteries are built to take shock and even be used upside down, its what is in most skid loaders.

[Bazoo]

I've has good luck out of duralast batteries from autozone. Got a tough one in an old bronco, and got one that's 6 years old in the mower. It sets a month or more sometimes and always fires up.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I had a AGM battery explode in my ATV (Honda 450).
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?258951-12v-Battery-explodes
I had got 4 years of use before it blew up.
I replaced that with another AGM battery ($100), only lasted two years, then would no longer hold a charge.

Since that one didn't last long, I figured I may as well go cheaper, so i bought a Chrome-Pro iGel battery on Fleabay for $40. It has a built in digital volt meter, kinda neat. That one is still going strong, I'm in my 3rd year with it, and started my 450 Honda in the below zero temps a few weeks ago, no problems. I see they are now $56 on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Chrome-Battery-YTX14-**-iGel-Performance-Rechargeable-Replacement-Maintenance/dp/B01BX9OYIU

I am rebuilding a small riding lawnmower this spring, I will probably buy another one of these for it, instead of using a cheap walmart LG battery

[starmac]

My luck with batteries are they are just batteries, I have bought what is suppose to be the best gel filled batteries for cold weather at redicoulas prices, the only good thing I can say is they did replace them several times. I have bought the cheapest at sams for my 4 wheeler and it sits outside all winter and has seen it 50 below, bit fires right up in the spring the first 2 years, I did have to charge it the 3rd, but it wasn't dead, just wouldn'tspin it fast enough. Then I put 4 new batteries in my truck, that has battery shutoffs in it that froze so bad they broke the tie downs, I had put the old ones in my other truck and it fired right up the next spring. They were the same brand, figure that one out.
My air comp generally sits outside and rarely gets started during the winter, I just bought the first replacement battery last week for it. It was the first time it has gone dead, in the 6 years I have owned it, and I bought it used.

[jonp]

I buy mine at WalMart. I keep it on a trickle charger and they last several years with no problem.

[bob208]

in 2000 I bought a new Harley the battery lasted for 8 years. I have not been able to get a battery to go more then 2 years since. in fact I have had the last 2 sealed batteries die while out on the road.

[Hickory]

I have my battery in my motorcycle and tractor wrapped with heat tape.
I plug them in when the temperature drops below freezing.

[lead-1]

My son had a Yardman rider that would eat a battery in a months time, average four mowings a month at 90 minutes each. I figure the charging system was junk at best so I built a bracket that bolted on the back of the frame and it housed a small car battery that I had as a spare, 500 cca out of an Escort, that battery went over 1 1/2 seasons before needing a charge and it sat all winter in an unheated shed.
I have that mower now and a new lawn mower battery lasted about a month so now I just put a ten amp charge to it for five or ten minutes to start it, tired of messing with it so to speak.

[Boolit_Head]

I used to get a substantial discount at a battery distributor. I'd go into the office and buy a battery then go to the loading dock to get it. There whey would get the battery and ask me what label I wanted on it. Seems there are only maybe 3 battery manufacturers in the US. I was offered Die Hard and Interstate labels along with others. I don't remember them all.

[higgins]

My John Deere mower battery, which was original equipment when I bought the mower new five years ago, is still good. I don't know that there's anything special about it. It has cell holes where you add water like any other battery. It spends the off season in an unheated barn; I'll start if a few times through the winter when I think about it. All I do is keep it full of distilled water, and I've never had to charge it. After my experience with disposable ATV batteries, I'll probably get another JD battery when the time comes. I'm sure it'll be more expensive, but probably worth it.

[tomme boy]

I work part time at one of the big parts stores. I can not say which one. But I can tell you this pretty much all batteries are made by about 3 companies and it is how you treat them is how they are going to last. Especially the garden tractor batteries. They are about the cheapest made batteries made. The AGM batteries are really good. But they really need a smart charger to make them last to their full potential. Plus they need to be unhooked and taken in the house over winter. All batteries should that are not going to be used.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I probably use my tractor at least every 2-3 weeks over the winter.

[Petrol & Powder]

AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat. They are Lead acid batteries but the acid is in a fiberglass mat to keep it from spilling. The likely difference is a $40 battery VS an $80 battery.


/\ Spot ON /\

And for the OP, my question is will the garden tractor outlive the next battery?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

/\ Spot ON /\

And for the OP, my question is will the garden tractor outlive the next battery?

Sure hope so, but it is 50 years old...

[Petrol & Powder]

With six pieces of equipment I, too, played the costly buy at least one new battery per year game. I bought NAPA batteries for the most part, too. Then -- a decade ago -- a friend turned me on to Battery Minder, and Battery Tender products. I bought, and they even maintain batteries of several units, in parallel. You fasten a short provided wires to the battery, and then plug the cord from the unit into it. NO measurable effect on the electric bill; they're plugged in 24/7, except when I am on them; and -- best of all -- it's been pretty close to ten years since I needed to replace a battery! With their built in de-sulfator circuitry. they even make the batteries better! Amazon, Northern Tool, and others purvey these for less than thirty bucks -- I got mine for ten dollars less, on sale. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=48&Ntt=BatteryMINDer®+Plus+Charger+Model+12117Battery MINDer®+Plus+Charger+Model+12117
geo

I'll second this !

I've been using a battery tender (although a different brand name) for years and it is a night and day difference in battery life and reliability. I even purchased one for my neighbor so that I wouldn't have to go jump start their mower every spring :-D

If the equipment is stored far from a mains powers source, another option is a small solar panel and a charge controller.

I don't like those little pig tail wires dangling off of various pieces of equipment so I hard wire a socket onto the tractor and put a plug on the other wire.

A battery tender will pay for itself in one battery replacement cycle.

[6bg6ga]

Some may think that batteries sold in the northern part of the country are different than the same battery that is sold in lets say Texas. I will disagree. The batteries sold in hot states like Arizona, New Mexico, texas and others don't last as long and that is a result of the heat. Heat kills batteries. Heat kills tires. Heat is hard on automobile finishes. Get the point? The battery PN's internal composition and so forth is the same no matter what state. A YTR%^ battery is going to be the same in Maine as the AYTR%^ battery sold in Texas or any other state.

[Hossfly]

Summer kills a battery, winter buries it.

[mold maker]

My original 03 Dodge battery was still strong and reliable in "17 until someone left it with the door open and the radio thumping. At that age, dead was forever.

[Petrol & Powder]

Summer kills a battery, winter buries it.

Very True.
The heat kills the battery but the damage often doesn't manifest itself until the cold sets in.

A battery weakened by heat will often still start an engine during hot weather when the oil is thin and the battery is still producing useful current. Fast forward to cold weather with that same weakened battery and the engine is harder to turn over and the cold reduces the efficiency of the chemical reaction in the battery - what was a marginal battery in the summer becomes a dead battery in the winter.

The damage to the battery occurred in the summer but the effects of that damage show up in the winter.

People that live in climates that are cooler year round get far more life out of their batteries than people with batteries that get "cooked" in the summer.

[starmac]

You may be on to something, battery blankets were a hot item here for a short while, but it was soon found out they cooked the batteries to death.
Most folks that think they need something on their batteries use battery tenders instead, I have found synthetic oil is the best to use if you want it too start in cold weather, but I do have a tender on one pickup that is plugged in any time the block and oil heater is used.

[Finster101]

AGM batteries tend to hold up better where there is more vibration such as motorcycles and such.

[454PB]

I replace the AGM battery in my Honda 1800 Gold Wing every 3 years, and the old battery is still functional. I then put the old battery in our riding lawn mower. The one that's in the mower now spent 3 years in the bike, and 3 years in the mower and is still doing well. I use a battery tender on both of my motorcycles during the winter lay up, but I don't even look at that mower battery until April and it still keeps on cranking.

[DocSavage]

I had to replace a battery on my snow blower at one point got a Duracell from Batteries to Go had it for 2 maybe 3 yrs was still going strong when I sold it to fund a bigger snow blower,in fact the onboarding battery is a Duracell.

[john.k]

The battery in my Ford pickup ,made in Thailand ,lasted 12 years,and I replaced it thinking it was cranking slower,the new battery cranked the same.....anyhoo,I put in my tractor,which has a 270ci diesel,didnt use the tractor very frequently,and it died.But new batteries bought for the pickup and tractor dont seem half as good.........I think you get a good idea of a battery by the weight ,some cheap ones have plates half the size of good batteries ..........the Thai battery ,the plates were almost to the top,the new ones ,about half way up...and they wernt cheap batteries either.

[ga41]

I purchased an Interstate oh about 15 years or so back. Thought it died ( can't remember why) Turned a different battery in for the core. Then at about the 12 year mark, I decided to try charging it, well shoot, charged right up and holds a good charge as long as needed...

[Geezer in NH]

My lawn tractor a 2004 MTD White is on it's second battery. I take the batery out in the fall and keep in the cellar. Charge in spring and re-install it. When it does not start I will replace it with another Wal-Mart battery at a cost of $19.95 Cheap as under 10 bucks a year.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

UPDATE! Rural King Lawn and Garden battery didn't make it 12 months. My last Walmart battery mad it almost 3 years so that is where the replacement is coming from. Still very tempted to try an AGM, but no matter the brand, there are several reports of early failures.

[john.k]

I used to buy Ford cars new.....you could guarantee the battery would last two years and one week,and it would be stone dead.....Yep Ford had it down pat.....2 yr warranty ,battery dies in another week......Best battery i ever had was a Jap made Yuasa.....it was in a 8 ton V8 gas truck ,reckon it lasted 18 years ......always maintained ,water kept to level ,and was used 5 days a week ,so it never went flat.

[GregLaROCHE]

They’ve got it all figured out. The thickness of the plates, today mostly fiberglass coated with lead, unless it is a deep cycle type. They are going to last pretty darn close to the time they are guaranteed to. Usually, the more they cost, the longer they last. To get the most out of a battery, don’t run it all the way down and charge it back up as soon as possible. Use a slow charge. If you don’t use it in the winter, consider taking it out and clean the terminals. Set it on something insulting, not on the ground or cement. If you don’t take it out, disconnect it. Consider giving it a trickle charge sometimes if you can. A fully charged battery will not freeze, but a dead one can. Check the level in the cells if you can. Some that say maintenance free can be pried open and topped off if needed. Use distilled water. Rainwater today risks having contaminants in it. Always keep your terminals corrosion free.

[Mr_Sheesh]

RIG is really good on battery terminals.

[jonp]

RIG is really good on battery terminals.

I put Ballistol on mine. I think about any grease or lube that will keep moisture out will work. I sprayed the lawn tractor with Rem Oil I think.

[gwpercle]

The best batteries on the market ... Interstate Batteries
Trust me on this ... Outrageously dependable long lived and not stupid expensive ...THE BEST!

www.interstatebatteries.com

Sears needs to change their battery's name to Fail Quick....they suck rocks now .

[Petrol & Powder]

As for protecting terminals from corrosion there are two schools of thought:
1. Some type of grease
2. some type of lacquer or other sealant
They both work about equally as well.

The problem with grease is once you put grease on the terminal, you're pretty much stuck with grease from there on out. Grease is cheap, readily available and easy to re-apply.
The spray on sealants are a little more permanent and a little less messy but you have buy the stuff.

A spray can of sealant for battery terminals will last for years and the stuff is good for weatherproofing other things as well.

When I get a new battery, I clean the terminals and cable ends (even on a brand new battery) assemble everything and spray the connection with sealant; usually two coats.

I am also a HUGE, HUGE fan of battery tenders. The little extra expense of a battery tender (or a small solar charger if stored in a remote location with mains power unavailable) is worth its cost several times over. A 110 volt automatic battery tender is a one time expense and it will pay for itself in one battery replacement cycle. The electronics for those devices have become inexpensive and durable.

[blackthorn]

Years ago, we heated a copper penny and stuck it close to each battery terminal. The pennies would corrode but the terminals did not.

[GregLaROCHE]

Years ago, we heated a copper penny and stuck it close to each battery terminal. The pennies would corrode but the terminals did not.

Back then pennies were real copper too.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Found a Made in USA battery (Magna Power) locally, so I decided to try one of those. Swapped it in and the tractor cranked right up. Will update as the months/years pass. Hope it doesn't turn out to be a charging system problem.

[Mal Paso]

Years ago, we heated a copper penny and stuck it close to each battery terminal. The pennies would corrode but the terminals did not.



Back then pennies were real copper too.

The new copper plated zinc pennies should work too then. Zinc is what they use on boats to save the propeller.

[jonp]

As for protecting terminals from corrosion there are two schools of thought:
1. Some type of grease
2. some type of lacquer or other sealant
They both work about equally as well.

The problem with grease is once you put grease on the terminal, you're pretty much stuck with grease from there on out. Grease is cheap, readily available and easy to re-apply.
The spray on sealants are a little more permanent and a little less messy but you have buy the stuff.

A spray can of sealant for battery terminals will last for years and the stuff is good for weatherproofing other things as well.

When I get a new battery, I clean the terminals and cable ends (even on a brand new battery) assemble everything and spray the connection with sealant; usually two coats.

I am also a HUGE, HUGE fan of battery tenders. The little extra expense of a battery tender (or a small solar charger if stored in a remote location with mains power unavailable) is worth its cost several times over. A 110 volt automatic battery tender is a one time expense and it will pay for itself in one battery replacement cycle. The electronics for those devices have become inexpensive and durable.

Ballistol, then and when you change your oil just wash off the top of the battery with a little baking soda and water then reapply

[Petrol & Powder]

Well that's one method but with the spray on sealant there's no corrosion that you need to wash off with baking soda and water.

[jonp]

I tried some spray on sealent, maroon in color. Got worse corrosion than when they were bare for some reason.

[Petrol & Powder]

You have to start with perfectly clean terminals and cable ends. Plus you really need to coat those suckers.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

For years, I've coated automotive battery terminals with standard grease, with one exception, it worked just fine. I don't grease or coat the GM style side terminals, they have never severely corroded for me, maybe a better design being on the side?

For motorcycle battery terminals, I just use ordinary spray paint from the hardware store. If everything is clean, it works fine.

[alamogunr]

I usually get 6-7 years from original Toyota batteries. Right now I'm on the 7th year for the Tundra. Last trip to dealer for oil change, they told me my battery was on it's last legs. I decided I would wait until it died or signaled it was ready to. It has been about 4 months of Tennessee winter and going strong. I expect that summer will kill it.

By experience, I have found that replacement batteries that Toyota uses fall far short of original equipment. I suspect that each dealer choses what level of battery to use.

I should have mentioned that after 7½ years with the Tundra, I only have slightly less than 38K miles on it. Us senior citizens do get some percs.

[Tripplebeards]

I had a AGM battery explode in my ATV (Honda 450).
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?258951-12v-Battery-explodes
I had got 4 years of use before it blew up.
I replaced that with another AGM battery ($100), only lasted two years, then would no longer hold a charge.

Since that one didn't last long, I figured I may as well go cheaper, so i bought a Chrome-Pro iGel battery on Fleabay for $40. It has a built in digital volt meter, kinda neat. That one is still going strong, I'm in my 3rd year with it, and started my 450 Honda in the below zero temps a few weeks ago, no problems. I see they are now $56 on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Chrome-Battery-YTX14-**-iGel-Performance-Rechargeable-Replacement-Maintenance/dp/B01BX9OYIU

I am rebuilding a small riding lawnmower this spring, I will probably buy another one of these for it, instead of using a cheap walmart LG battery

AGM batteries are junk imo. I managed an auto store for four years That carried diehard AGM. I got to the point where I didn’t order any for inventory because everyone came back defective within a couple of months. I got to the point where I didn’t order any for inventory because everyone came back defective within a couple of months The regular entry-level batteries lasted way longer. It’s a gimmic. You also need a special charger for a lot of them which killed the goofy AGM batteries in the process from improper charging. You literally have to zap them With a booster charge To “wake” them up to get them to charge.

[alfadan]

my poulan ZTR came with an AGM and it has held up without winter charging for 4 years now. On regular lead-acid batteries, if the terminals are corroding its due to the mechanical seal on the post leaking acid. I like those red and green grease soaked felt things under the terminals for those. Also on any battery, heat is the killer; cold just makes the reaction less energetic.

[Petrol & Powder]

There's more marketing that goes into selling batteries than there is engineering that goes into selling batteries. There are hundreds of battery brands but only a handful of companies that actually make lead acid batteries. Yes, they do make different grades but there are no secret deals out there.

When you get right down to it, a battery is nothing more than a device than uses a chemical reaction to create and store electrical energy.

There are a lot of compromises when it comes to lead acid battery designs and price point is a BIG part of those compromises.

If you take the time to educate yourself a little (and DO NOT educate yourself by reading advertising provided by the seller), you can make good informed decisions about batteries.

Learn what the ratings actually mean:
Cold Cranking amps is not the end-all / be-all of battery ratings. CCA is probably one of the most relied upon ratings and perhaps one of the least important.
Warrantees don't really tell you much.
Reserve capacity is one of the better ratings and probably the one that is most overlooked.

There are no free lunches when it comes to batteries. A Cheap battery will be just that - a cheap battery.

A 5 year battery that has a pro-rated warrantee probably isn't worth much more than a 4 year battery. (that's a whole new thread on that scam all by itself).

A few laws that don't change - heat kills batteries but the damage usually appears during cold conditions. (reduced temperatures impede the battery's ability to produce current AND turning cold engines with thick oil is harder than spinning the same engine in warm weather). So the battery that got cooked during the summer will continue to work well enough to start the engine as long as the weather is warm.
Thicker plates means fewer plates in the same space but more resistance to vibration.

[Petrol & Powder]

And just for the record, Reserve Capacity for automotive batteries is defined as:

The number of minutes a battery at 80 degrees Fahrenheit can produce a continuous output of 25 amps before the voltage drops below 10.5 volts.

[alamogunr]

Learn what the ratings actually mean:
Cold Cranking amps is not the end-all / be-all of battery ratings. CCA is probably one of the most relied upon ratings and perhaps one of the least important.


Cold Cranking Amps are what the dealer quoted when they recommended I replace the battery in my Tundra.

[Thundarstick]

It has been about 4 months of Tennessee winter and going strong. I expect that summer will kill it.

What Tennessee winter? If it hadn't been so wet, I'd mowed my yard Monday!

As far as AGM batteries go, there seems to be good indications (around the net) that they are more prone to sudden death than some other designs. I know the battery on my Jeep Wrangler gave me almost no warning of an impending failure. It lasted just under 5 years.

[Petrol & Powder]

Cold Cranking Amps are what the dealer quoted when they recommended I replace the battery in my Tundra.

A lot of people think CCA are THE measure of a battery. CCA is ONE measure of a battery.

CCA is the amps that can be delivered by a 12-volt battery for 30 seconds at 0°F and at the same time maintain a minimum voltage of 7.2 volts.

While the rating provides a means to compare one battery to another, the rating only tells you one aspect of the battery's performance.
It's possible to make a cheap battery with a very high CCA rating but that doesn't mean the battery will hold up for several years or have a decent reserve capacity.

You need enough CCA available to start the engine under the worst case scenario but beyond that, more amperage available doesn't help you.
Here's some hypothetical numbers for an example. Let's say that under the worst conditions your starter motor draws 400 amps. You might want some extra margin there and select a battery that is capable of delivering 600 CCA. Selecting a battery that is capable of producing 1000 CCA will not help you much more. If the 600 CCA battery has a reserve capacity of 120 minutes and the 1000 CCA battery has a reserve capacity of only 20 minutes - You might be far better off selecting the 600 CCA battery. In that hypothetical example the 600 CCA has more than enough power to start the engine and it has a better reserve capacity than the 1000 CCA battery.

Your dealer is partially correct, there's a certain amount of CCA that you must have. So yes, that's an important number. However, it's not the only rating you should look at.

[blackthorn]

I bought a 4 year old Toyota Highlander (2004 model). I assume it had the original battery, but I don't really know. In the fall of 2018 my mechanic told me the battery was weak and I replaced it. We will see how long this one lasts (may well outlast me). As far as I know, the battery in my 2006 Tundra is the original (it was also 4 years old when I got it.

[Petrol & Powder]

blackthorn - the key to that long battery life is your location. A battery in British Columbia will outlast the same battery in Houston, Texas.
Heat kills batteries.

[Thundarstick]

In your experience, does any one type of battery seem prone to sudden death, or is that dependent on outside factors as well?