On Apr 3, 6:15*pm, panabiker wrote:
I have a TroyBilt (MTD made) riding mower and the battery is dead
after only 4 summers. I figured I used it no more than once a week for
no more than 25 weeks a year. If I start engine twice each time I cut
the lawn, that's 50 times a year and 200 times in 4 years. Compared to
a car, it's about 3 and a half months of worth of starter usage. My
question: which is the main cause of very short battery life?

1. Lawn mower batteries are not nearly as well made (1yr warranty vs
6-8 yrs for auto batt.), or
2. The mowers don't charge batteries properly, or
3. Lack of use in winter drains and damages the battery, or
4. Something else?

What did you do to maintain the battery in winter, a battery starts to
sulfate the plates as voltage drops just a bit, and permanent damage
occurs with just a small drop below full charge. Ive ruined expensive
boat, car, and tool batteries in one winter by not maintaining them.
This is where a float charger or topping it off regularly can add
years to a battery. Your car is started regularly and the voltage
stays up and in a normal range that keeps them from sulfating, store a
car and its the same thing, the battery will sulfate itself to an
early death fast. www.batteryuniversity.com has fairly complete
info on all batteries. On your next battery maintain the voltage when
its not used. But 4 years isnt that bad, ive bought new car batteries
that were duds and lasted 6 months