I bought a Craftsman rechargeable mower (Model 917.386401) in 1998.
Recently it doesn't recharge very well, although it still cuts grass
for about 10 minutes, at lower speed than before. I think it's time to
replace the battery. The service center guy says it costs $150 plus
about $30 shipping. That's still much cheaper than buying a new mower
(about $400). One newsgroup message says the battery model may no
longer be available and a replacement doesn't fit perfectly.

If I want to check the battery with a multimeter, how do I do that? The
owner's manual doesn't say whether or how to check the acid level. Is
it needed? Could other parts such as the electric motor be near their
lifetime? Should I just buy a new mower? Thanks for any advice.

Yong Huang
Email:yong321ATyahoo.com