Have a Ryobi Battery That Won’t Charge? You Can Fix That.
Lithium ion batteries are a wondrous invention that are lightweight and long lasting. But it’s infuriating when the battery won’t recharge. You stick the battery in the charger and. nothing. Guess what? You can fix these batteries that appear to be completely dead. Read on.
This post is NOT sponsored by Ryobi. They do not approve of or endorse this method for fixing a Ryobi battery. AT all.
One of two things are going to happen as you read this post. You will either unfollow me due to my pathological boringness or. you will propose marriage. So get ready to act accordingly.
If you have any sort of cordless power tool, but especially one powered by a Ryobi 18V battery, you have no doubt encountered the dreaded flashing red charger light.
And if you haven’t. you will.
It inevitably goes like this. you run to the basement to grab your cordless drill because after 10 years of thinking about it, you’re finally going to build that 4 level, Tudor style treehouse with kitchenette.
Or you’re going to hang a picture.
Either way you put your battery in the charger and all you get is a flashing red light, which according to the label on the charger means your battery is defective. It isn’t just dead. It’s defective.
I’m here to tell you you it isn’t. You probably left it in the charger too long which drains the battery.
Your battery is fine. It just needs a little boost.
You Can Fix a Rechargeable Battery That Won’t Take a Charge.
You heard me right. You do NOT have to buy a new 50 battery. You do not have to call the company and swear at them because this stupid defective battery is only 2 weeks old. (although by all means feel free to do so) You do not have to wait until they ship you a replacement battery to finish your project. You can get that battery up and working in about 5 minutes.
NOTE: First try pulse charging.
Pulse charge your battery by plugging and unplugging your charger (with the battery in it) for 10 seconds. Try this a few times. If it doesn’t correct the problem, continue on with this tutorial.
How to Fix an 18V Battery
What You Need
- A multimeter. (this is actually optional but helpful. if you don’t have one don’t worry, you can still fix your battery)
Note: If you aren’t used to doing this sort of thing, or using things like a multimeter this is going to seem crazy and hard and way out of your DIY league. It isn’t.
Step 1. Cut the end off of your AC adapter. That’s right. Just cut it off. It’s for a 10 year old cell phone, you’re never going to use it again anyway. It’s frankly kind of weird that you saved it to begin with.
Step 2. Separate and strip off 1 of each wire. You have just made booster cables! Good for you.
Black wire = negative Striped or solid white wire = positive
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT MIX THE TWO UP.
Step 3. Remove the screws holding the battery together.
For Ryobi batteries it’s a star shaped screw head like the one below.
A few years ago I bought a kit of small screwdriver heads from Amazon that has every small, weird, head you’d ever need.
There’s a hidden screw under a piece of plastic. You need to pry the plastic off to get at the screw underneath. I used a very thin screwdriver to pry it off.
Step 4. Pull the top off of the battery case.
Step 5. Remove the 2 plastic side pieces. They’re the things you press in to remove your battery from your drill.
Step 6. Lift the battery pack out.
Step 7. Set the Multimeter to read volts. For testing an 18 volt battery choose the 20 volts setting. This will give you the most accurate reading. (If you don’t have a multimeter skip to Step 9 and hope for the best)
Volts are symbolized by a V with one or two straight lines over it on a multimeter so it’s that section of the multimeter that you use. The section under the V with the straight line(s). Not the squiggly line. The straight line.
Step 8. Touching the red probe to the positive (red) terminal and the black probe to the negative (black) terminal, read the voltage shown on the multimeter. In my case the battery was carrying a charge of 0.06 volts. Which is almost nothing, but not completely nothing.
Step 9. Plug your AC adapter in and using the wires, boost your dead battery. Just touch the black wire to the negative terminal (the one with the black wire going to it) and the white wire (or striped wire) to the positive terminal (the one with the red wire going to it). Do this on and off for approximately a minute.
Apparently lithium ion batteries should be pulse charged. Which means you hold your wires down for 15 seconds or so, then release them. Then hold them down again. Over and over.
Bosch electric lawnmower fault repair
DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU ARE TOUCHING POSITIVE TO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TO NEGATIVE.
Step 10. Test your the voltage on your battery pack again. It should be higher than it was before boosting. (Again, if you don’t have a multimeter don’t worry about this. you’ll just have to press on without one)
Mine went from 0.06 volts to 7.58 volts after a minute long boosting session.
Step 11. Put the plastic cover back on the battery pack (just the part that goes into the charger) and set your battery on the charger to see if it will take a charge.
If you still only get a red flashing light and the battery won’t charge, boost the battery some more. I find the battery charger will recognize that the battery is good again when you boost it to between 10 and 14 volts.
Just keep repeating the pulse boosting and testing the battery until it will finally be recognized by the charger and you get the green light.
To those of you who found this subject matter to be on par with spending 3 hours in a waiting room, sorry ’bout that.
For the rest of you? I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way. Let me know exactly how elated you were after you brought your first battery back to life in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section.
Here’s a 3 minute tutorial video showing me as I fix my own battery.
How to Fix a Ryobi 18v Rechargeable Battery
You have an almost brand new Ryobi battery that the charger won’t recognize and won’t charge. Here’s how to fix that.
NOTE: Before doing all this, first try to pulse charge your battery by plugging and unplugging your charger (with the battery in it) for 10 seconds. Try this a few times. If it doesn’t correct the problem, continue on with this tutorial.
Instructions
Cut the end off of your AC adapter. That’s right. Just cut it off. It’s for a 10 year old cell phone, you’re never going to use it again anyway. It’s frankly kind of weird that you saved it to begin with.
Remove the screws holding the battery together. There’s a hidden screw under a piece of plastic. You need to pry the plastic off to get at the screw underneath. I used a very thin screwdriver to pry it off.
Remove the 2 plastic side pieces. They’re the things you press in to remove your battery from your drill.
Set the Multimeter to read volts. For testing an 18 volt battery choose the 20 volts setting. This will give you the most accurate reading. (If you don’t have a multimeter skip to Step 9 and hope for the best)
Touching the red probe to the positive (red) terminal and the black probe to the negative (black) terminal, read the voltage shown on the multimeter. In my case the battery was carrying a charge of 0.06 volts. Which is almost nothing, but not completely nothing.
Plug your AC adapter in and using the wires, boost your dead battery. Just touch the black wire to the negative terminal (the one with the black wire going to it) and the white wire (or striped wire) to the positive terminal (the one with the red wire going to it). Do this on and off for approximately a minute. DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU ARE TOUCHING POSITIVE TO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TO NEGATIVE.
Test your the voltage on your battery pack again. It should be higher than it was before boosting. IF IT IS NOT, THEN STOP. YOUR CELL COULD BE DAMAGED AND CONTINUING COULD BE DANGEROUS.
Put the plastic cover back on the battery pack (just the part that goes into the charger) and set your battery on the charger to see if it will take a charge. If you still only get a red flashing light and the battery won’t charge, boost the battery some more. I find the battery charger will recognize that the battery is good again when you boost it to between 10 and 14 volts.
Repeat the pulse boosting and testing the battery until it will finally be recognized by the charger and you get the green light.
There are a number of reasons, mechanical and otherwise, why a mower won’t run. The good news is that fixing most all of the issues is easy enough for a DIYer to handle.
By Tony Carrick and Manasa Reddigari | Updated Aug 8, 2022 4:03 PM
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
Lawn care can be tedious, but once the grass starts growing in the spring, mowing becomes a fact of life in most neighborhoods. When you finally muster the strength to tackle that first cut of the season, there are few sounds as disheartening as that of a lawn mower engine that turns over but doesn’t start.
Before you drag the mower in for repairs or invest in costly replacement parts, first make sure that a clogged air filter, soiled spark plug, damaged safety cable, clogged mowing deck, or contaminated gas isn’t to blame. Work through the following steps, and you may be able to get your puttering grass guzzler up and running again in no time.
A lawn mower repair professional can help. Get free, no-commitment repair estimates from pros near you.
Change the lawn mower carburetor filter.
Your lawn mower’s air filter guards the carburetor and engine from debris like grass clippings and dirt. When the air filter becomes clogged or too dirty, it can prevent the engine from starting. To keep this from happening, replace paper filters—or clean or replace foam filters—after every 25 hours of engine use.
The process for removing the filter depends on whether you are operating a riding or walk-behind lawn mower. For a riding mower, turn off the engine and engage the parking brake; for a walk-behind mower, pull the spark plug wire from the plug. Then, lift the filter from its housing.
The only choice for paper filters is replacement. If you’re cleaning a foam filter, wash it in a solution of hot water and detergent to loosen grime. Allow it to dry completely, and then wipe fresh motor oil over the filter, replace it in its housing, and power up the mower—this time to the pleasant whirring of an engine in tip-top condition.
Check the spark plug.
Is your lawn mower still being stubborn? The culprit may be the spark plug, which is responsible for creating the spark that ignites the fuel in the engine. If it’s loosened, disconnected, or coated in water or carbon residue, the spark plug may be the cause of your machine’s malfunction.
Locate the spark plug, often found on the front of the mower, and disconnect the spark plug wire, revealing the plug beneath. Use a socket wrench to unscrew the spark plug and remove it.
Check the electrode and insulator. If you see buildup, spray brake cleaner onto the plug, and let it soak for several minutes before wiping it with a clean cloth. Reinstall the spark plug, first by hand, and then with a socket wrench for a final tightening. If the problem persists, consider changing the spark plug.
Clear the mower deck of debris.
The mower’s deck prevents grass clippings from showering into the air like confetti, but it also creates a place for them to collect. Grass clippings can clog the mower deck, especially while mowing a wet lawn, preventing the blade from turning.
If the starter rope seems stuck or is difficult to pull, then it’s probably due to a clogged deck. With the mower safely turned off, tip it over onto its side and examine the underbelly. If there are large clumps of cut grass caught between the blade and deck, use a trowel to scrape these clippings free. When the deck is clean again, set the mower back on its feet and start it up.
Clear the vent in the lawn mower fuel cap.
The mower started just fine, you’ve made the first few passes, then all of a sudden the mower quits. You pull the cord a few times, but the engine just sputters and dies. What’s happening? It could have something to do with the fuel cap. Most mowers have a vented fuel cap. This vent is intended to release pressure, allowing fuel to flow from the tank to the carburetor. Without the vent, the gas fumes inside the tank begin to build up, creating a vacuum that eventually becomes so strong that it stops the flow of fuel.
To find out if this is the problem, remove the gas cap to break the vacuum, then reattach it. The mower should start right up. But if the lawn mower won’t stay running and cuts off again after 10 minutes or so, you’ll need to get a new gas cap.
Clean and refill the lawn mower fuel tank.
An obvious—and often overlooked—reason your mower may not be starting is that the tank is empty or contains gas that is either old or contaminated with excess moisture and dirt. If your gas is more than a month old, use an oil siphon pump to drain it from the tank.
(It’s important to be careful as spilled oil can cause smoking, but there are other reasons this might happen. Read more about what to do when your lawn mower is smoking.)
Add fuel stabilizer to the tank.
Fill the tank with fresh fuel and a fuel stabilizer to extend the life of the gas and prevent future buildup. A clogged fuel filter is another possible reason for a lawn mower not to start. When the filter is clogged, the engine can’t access the gas that makes the system go. If your mower has a fuel filter (not all do), check to make sure it’s functioning properly.
First, remove the fuel line at the carburetor. Gas should flow out. If it doesn’t, confirm that the fuel shutoff valve isn’t accidentally closed. Then remove the fuel line that’s ahead of the fuel filter inlet. If gas runs out freely, there’s a problem with the fuel filter. Consult your owner’s manual for instructions on replacing the filter and reassembling the mower.
Inspect the safety release mechanism cable.
Your lawn mower’s reluctance to start may have nothing to do with the engine at all but rather with one of the mower’s safety features: the dead man’s control. This colorfully named safety bar must be held in place by the operator for the engine to start or run. When the bar is released, the engine stops. While this mechanism cuts down on the likelihood of horrific lawn mower accidents, it also can be the reason the mower won’t start.
The safety bar of a dead man’s control is attached to a metal cable that connects to the engine’s ignition coil, which is responsible for sending current to the spark plug. If your lawn mower’s engine won’t start, check to see if that cable is damaged or broken. If it is, you’ll need to replace it before the mower will start.
Fortunately, replacing a broken control cable is an easy job. You may, however, have to wait a few days to get the part. Jot down the serial number of your lawn mower, then head to the manufacturer’s website to order a new cable.
Check to see if the flywheel brake is fully engaged.
The flywheel helps to make the engine work smoothly through inertia. When it isn’t working properly, it will prevent the mower’s engine from working.
If it is fully engaged, it can make a mower’s pull cord hard to pull. Check the brake pad to see if it makes full contact with the flywheel and that there isn’t anything jamming the blade so the control lever can move freely.
If the flywheel brake’s key sheared, the mower may have run over something that got tangled in the blade. It is possible to replace a flywheel key, but it does require taking apart the mower.
Look out for signs that the mower needs professional repairs.
While repairing lawn mowers can be a DIY job, there are times when it can be best to ask a professional to help repair a lawn mower. If you’ve done all of the proper mower maintenance that is recommended by the manufacturer, and gone through all of the possible ways to fix the mower from the steps above, then it may be best to call a pro. Here are a few signs that indicate when a pro’s help is a good idea.
- You see black smoke. The engine will benefit from a technician’s evaluation, as it could be cracked or something else might be worn out.
- Excessive oil or gas usage. If you’ve changed the spark plugs, and done all of the other maintenance tasks, and the mower is consuming more than its usual amount of oil or gas, consult a professional for an evaluation.
- The lawn mower is making a knocking sound. When a lawn mower starts making a knocking sound, something could be bent or out of alignment. It may be tough to figure this out on your own, so a pro could help.
- A vibrating or shaking lawn mower can be a sign of a problem beyond a DIY fix. Usually something is loose or not aligning properly.
I’ve Been Mowing Lawns 30 Years, and the Ego Mower Is My All-Time Favorite
The 56-volt Ego Power Select Cut Mower LM2135SP is the best lawn mower I’ve ever used, and I’ve been mowing lawns my whole life.
I earned my first 20 shoving a rusted Craftsman up the hills of north Georgia when I was barely big enough to yank the cord to get the engine started.
I raced Toro TimeCutters across the parking lots of megachurches while working on a pro mowing crew.
Now I whip the Ego mower up and down a Los Angeles hillside so steep, it’s hardly safe to mow. And after mowing grass with every mainstream mulching machine of the past three decades, I’m sure that only the Ego mower could pull this one off.
But forget my personal mowing memoirs. This is about your mowing needs, and I’m telling you that this mower is satisfying even if the smell of a gas mower’s four-stroke is like noxious nostalgia in your nose.
The Ego mower is quiet. Maintenance is simple—there is no maintenance. No emissions. No noise. Your scowling neighbors will smile. Everything is better with the Ego mower.
The best lawn mower
This self-propelled machine easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower. Its battery runs for about an hour.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 699.
Slinky Studio
View Original
Bosch Rotak 43 LI Ergoflex Cordless Lawnmower Review
The Bosch Rotak lawnmower has been a familiar favourite amongst corded lawnmower users, but of more interest to us is their cordless top dog 43 LI variant that champions all the Rotak design and features but without the trailing power cord. So is it the obvious and improved evolution to the line for £449 with the battery, charger and mower all in?
Design
Set-up was a tool free matter. All that’s required is to join the handle system and clip the grass box together. The wheels, blade, body shell and everything else are pre-assembled and the battery is pre-charged. so it’s an almost instant start to proceedings. We count ourselves fans of the soothing green body and curious contrasting silver muscular American truck styled front panel design. It does stand out amongst the crowd; looking unmistakably futuristic, helped more so by the lack of a cord. Something we immediately became accustomed to on the Rotak was the QuickClick folding handle. collapsible in seconds by unclipping either side. and this mechanism doesn’t scratch the handle’s paintwork either. On the main body is a separate carry handle making light work of carrying the 14kg mower up steps or over gravel pathways. in fact, it’s the lightest cordless mower we’ve reviewed! It takes up a conservative amount of garage or shed space, despite a wide cutting width of 43cm. (Which incidentally eclipses the 38cm Black Decker and 36cm Einhell Power X-Change GE-CM cordless lawnmower widths. In comparison it runs closer towards the enormous self-propelled Cobra MX46S40V cordless lawnmower‘s cutting width of 48cm but in a compact design. impressive!) Furthermore a 50 litre grass box has been supplied. which is large for the mower’s size, but this is accomplished because the box is taller and more contoured than most thus leveraging all the space it can sensibly consume. Something that could be improved is the quick release cutting height adjustment lever located on the left side of the mower, adjustable between 20–70mm in height. strangely we found it harder to manoeuvre than other brands of cordless models.
There’s a few unique features the Bosch Rotak 43 LI has that we haven’t seen within the cordless sphere yet. The first appears to be a deliberate appeal to the UK lawnmower market that is obsessed with stripes! For whilst it’s true the introduction of brilliant robot mowers like the Robomow have diluted our love affair with stripes for a no-work clean cut, we can’t help but enjoy the look of a tidy striped lawn. it accentuates the size too. What Bosch have done is to mount onto the front of the mower what they refer to as grass combs. These are intended to help mow right to the edge but the byproduct is opposing directional stripes. we reveal how well it works later on. Another unique self explanatory introduction is LeafCollect. it’s a steel blade assembly calculated to generate a stronger airflow, although thankfully the rest of the body is made from much lighter and hard wearing plastic. Seriously, we’ve crashed our Bosch into rocks, grazed it against fencing and, of course, it’s spent a fair bit of time underneath scratchy hedging: the outcome is that at the end of every mowing cycle we’re always surprised by the resilience of the plastic shell. And from our eclectic experience of cordless mowers with plastic bodies they generally provide longevity after years of weekly cutting.
Battery Life Charging
Every cordless lawnmower we have ever reviewed has been supplied with 2 batteries and it therefore seems understandable that the lone battery supplied with our variant of the Bosch Rotak 43 LI cordless lawnmower had us anxious regarding wait times during charging intervals. After testing, our anxieties turned into great delight when we witnessed the longevity of charge from the Polish made 36v 4.0Ah battery. wait times did not come to reality when cutting our lawns. We have extracted a consistent 50-55 minutes of cutting time thanks to the clever Syneon Chip that leverages performance ratios between electric current and voltage to the output of the motor according to what the application demands. To put these runtime figures into perspective, the single Bosch battery density outruns both the Black Decker and Einhell offerings that have a span of cutting time between 35-40 minutes from 2 separate batteries combined. The only other cordless mower we’ve reviewed to attain similar battery runtimes is the Cobra MX46S40V mower, but again it has 2 very large batteries to power a self-drive function that eats into the battery when enabled. For most domestic lawns the 55 minutes is an abundant runtime, but if you desire a longer runtime then we’d recommend purchasing another battery. pricing varies between £85-£164 depending on the capacity. This is because once the battery has been used to capacity it takes around 2 hours to fully recharge. No doubt the charger is rebalancing the cells as well as charging but this is a lengthy time to wait.
Manoeuvrability
We’ve been pushing the Bosch up steep inclines, over bumpy lawns, flat lawns and there’s also some congestion of obstacles to get around too. Pushing the Bosch along our flat lawns is a fairly straightforward affair and the handlebars, with their dual grip/button zones as seen within our above photos, make hand fatigue something that can be controlled. Pivoting the mower at the end of each line of run is not a demanding task due to the solidity of the handlebars keeping the mower well balanced. Tracking around trees and flower beds feels easy to control too. We’ve even used the Rotak 43 LI as we would a trimmer on a few occasions alongside a pathway, cutting narrow 30cm verges either side with just the lefthand wheels tracking, and it was a doddle to balance whilst we achieved tidy pathway grass edging.
Now, something we’ve noticed is that the unique rubberised wheels seem very grounded and, when this effect is combined with the forward mounted grass combs, the front end grips downwards. So, because our pushing power is at the rear, we’re marginally pushing against this downwards force, making mowing a little more tiresome in comparison to the previously mentioned Black Decker and Einhell models. However, this is a very small amount of extra energy needed and we think worth it for the stripes and exceptional evenness of the cut on flat lawns. Nevertheless we have to warn those with severely hilly lawns, some of which we have here at the studio. of a rather large size we should add. that we’ve discovered the hard way it’s a real workout for the arms and back. Obviously the lower the cut, the harder the push. It’s not unbearable, just something to keep in mind if you have large lawns like us that require a good 50 minutes of cutting.
Cutting Performance
You could be forgiven for thinking that because the battery extends to such a long runtime the Rotak 43 LI lawnmower, with its Syneon Chip, could potentially try too hard in its cause to preserve energy and thus produce a frugal performance, but this is not at all the scenario. In fact, the Bosch Rotak 43 LI is fierce in the cutting power it presents. whizzing through thick 2cm branches, tree bark and in one instance severely overgrown 20cm high grass was sliced through without any hesitation from the motor. The Powerdrive LI motor system doesn’t fade and we’ve only had it cut out when we accidentally left the cutting height on the lowest setting allowing the blade to ground. We usually stay on level 5 when selecting from the 7-level height adjustment settings ranging between 20–70mm.
One benefit of testing a lawnmower at this time of the year is that we can utilise its vacuum abilities and see how well it can whisk up the littered leaves, pine needles and branches from our autumnal lawns. This is where that sticky feeling when pushing the mower becomes a useful element, because with just one pass we glance over a shoulder to see a completely clean lawn: this is on a meticulous level we’ve never previously witnessed, thanks to a tight seal with the ground and the front mounted grass combs disturbing debris for quick consumption. Furthermore the quality of grass cut is silky, concise and full. The latter aspect is a new one for us, the reason being that the grass combs encourage the grass strands to stand tall after cutting. Uniquely the blade has sharp edges and this definitely works well, especially when cutting lawn edges. The grass combs, as demonstrated by our photos, have produced stripes when looking down the lines. When viewed sideways the effect is weakened but still perceivable. nonetheless a roller is still the proven Champion of stripes. Moving onto our hilly lawn, our photo below demonstrates the smoothness of cut over different terrain heights, and this lawn was plagued with pine needles, leaves and small twigs before mowing too. If needed, the collecting box can be removed and the redistribution or mulching of trimmings onto the lawn is possible, and it is quite effective in hiding/embedding the shorter cuttings when used like this.
Verdict
In one light, the Bosch Rotak 43 LI is the best cordless lawnmower offering we’ve reviewed to this date. It’s the lightest cordless mower we’ve used, has an easy to fold lightweight design, is quiet in operation, creates stripes, has a really impressive lengthy 55 minute runtime (with the 4.0Ah 36V battery), has high torque power that blasts through thick twigs, etc. and, as we’ve also discovered, it’s an excellent lawn vacuum cleaner in the autumn and winter months. On the negative side of things the design encourages a gripping profile against the ground, making it a bit harder to push than other cordless mowers we’ve reviewed on flat lawns and a reasonable strain on sloped ones. Yet this character is what unleashes its excellent cutting attributes, the byproduct of which is a shimmery evenly cut lawn with striping and no leaves or debris.
This is Why Your Battery Lawn Mower Won’t Start: SOLVED
Battery power lawn mowers are becoming a popular option when it comes to lawn maintenance. This is because they are quieter and have lower maintenance than traditional gas-powered lawn mowers.
You don’t have to mess around with engine oil changes or regularly run to the gas station to keep your mower running. While battery lawn mowers are convenient, they are not problem-free.
A battery lawn mower will not start when the battery is not charged or installed correctly making good contact with the mower. A bad battery charger; hot battery; pinched or loose wires; bad switch or motor; or plugged lawn mower deck can also result in a battery mower not starting.
Keep reading for more items that can cause a battery mower not to start. Before repairing your mower or performing work on your electrical system and mower deck, remove the battery to prevent the mower from starting while working on it and to avoid electrocution.
Follow all other safety guidelines provided in your battery mower owner’s manual.
This post may include affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may provide a commission for us, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow all safety instructions provided in your equipment operator’s manual before diagnosing, repairing, or operating. Consult a professional if you don’t have the skills, or knowledge or are not in the condition to perform the repair safely.
Reasons Your Battery-Powered Lawn Mower Won’t Start
Insufficient Battery Power
A battery-operated lawn mower won’t start when it doesn’t get sufficient power from the battery. Make sure you are using the correct type and size battery required to run your lawn mower so you get sufficient power and don’t damage your lawn mower.
Battery is Not Correctly Installed
Check that the battery is correctly installed. It must be securely in place making good contact. If there are grooves along the sides of the battery, make sure the grooves are lined up correctly when sliding the battery into the mower. Most batteries snap into place so you can easily tell the battery is in place.
Bad Connection with the Charging Port, Battery Charger, or Wall Outlet
Depending on the type of battery lawn mower you own, the battery may be charged while it is installed in the mower or you may have to remove it to place it in an external battery charger to charge.
Confirm the cord connection between the charger and the outlet is securely in place. You can use a standard 120V outlet. The plug style must match that of your outlet. Do not attempt to modify the plug.
When you insert the battery into an external charger, make sure the contacts on the battery pack are securely in place. They must engage the charger. Most chargers include a light indicator that shows the charging level and that the battery is charging.
Battery is Excessively Hot
Your lawn mower will shut down when the battery gets extremely hot. You will need to wait for the battery to cool down before you can start and operate the mower.
Battery is Dead
It’s no surprise that a battery-powered lawn mower won’t start when the battery is dead. You may be able to check the level of battery charge by referring to the LED lighting system. Most battery lawn mowers have some sort of lighting system to indicate battery charge.
This lighting system varies by model. You may find it on the battery, on the mower’s indicator panel or you may have to place your battery on the charger to read the charging status.
You can tell your battery is going bad when you fully charge the battery and it is no longer holding a charge as long as it once did. Losing the ability to hold a charge is a sign the battery is dying. Another sign your battery is going bad is when it becomes very hot.
You need to buy a replacement battery if you begin to notice your battery can’t hold a charge, is charging very slowly, or is getting extremely hot. Batteries begin to fail because they become old, are exposed to extreme temperatures, or fail mechanically.
Not Set Up Correctly
Set up your battery lawn mower correctly. Your lawn mower manufacturer may have safety devices that prevent the mower from running if it isn’t set up in the correct position to operate the mower. An example of this is extending the handle to the right position and locking it in place.
Your mower may not have an adjustable or foldable handle so you may not have to worry about this. Others may have a safety switch in the handle where, unless it is properly extended, it will not allow the mower to start.
Incorrect Starting Procedure
Whenever you purchase a battery mower that is new to you, read over the operator’s manual to understand the safety features built into your mower. These safety features are to prevent children from accidentally starting and running the mower.
You will find a safety feature that will prevent you from starting the machine without proper starting procedures such as depressing the safety bar while starting and operating the mower. Your model mower may also include a key to insert in order to start the mower.
When you don’t follow the manufacturer’s steps to start a battery lawn mower, your mower may not start.
Bad Safety Switch
A faulty safety switch will prevent your battery mower from starting. Test your safety switches by temporarily bypassing them with a jumper wire. Replace a switch if it is bad.
Never operate your mower without all safety switches installed and working. Doing so will compromise your safety and the safety of others.
Loose or Pinched Wires
There are a lot of electrical wires that run through your lawn mower. Check the wires for a short that can prevent your battery lawn mower from starting or it may cut out while mowing. A short can happen when a wire becomes loose or pinched.
To find a short, wiggle the wires or use a multimeter. Start with the locations that can present a pinch point. In a push mower, this may be where the handle folds. When folding the handles, the wires will bend and can get pinched in the process.
Repair these loose or pinched connections using a wire nut. Before beginning the repair, remove the battery. Also, before making the repair, check with your mower manufacturer to see if the mower is still covered by its manufacturer warranty. Repairing a damaged wire yourself can void the warranty.
Lawnmower No Start Just Clicks Easy DIY Fix Works On Most Mowers. Battery, Solenoid or Starter?
Debris Restricting the Blade Rotation
A packed lawnmower deck can keep your battery lawn mower from starting. This is because a deck that is plugged with dirt and grass clippings can inhibit the blade from rotating. This puts an overload on the motor preventing it from starting.
To reduce overloading the motor, avoid cutting wet grass and raise the cutting height when cutting thick or tall grass. Reduce your ground speed to reduce the load on the motor.
Damaged or Worn Components
Just like with any other type of lawn mower, components on your mower will wear and eventually fail whether you like it or not.
Many pieces need to be replaced routinely and come at a minimal cost, but the most problematic pieces might cost you more than the lawn mower is worth after purchasing the replacement and any professional help required to fix it.
This includes components like the switch and motor that will require an experienced mechanic to repair the mower.
Consult with your lawn mower dealer to determine whether it is worth fixing your battery mower or replacing it with a new one. Take into consideration the age and condition of the mower; the cost of the replacement parts; and the labor cost to make the necessary repairs.
Some parts that are regularly replaced on a battery lawn mower include:
If you are not experienced working with electric components, it’s best to take your lawn mower to an experienced repair shop so you don’t damage the mower or injure yourself.
Vents Clogged
Similar to a gas-fueled lawn mower’s air filters, your electric lawn mower is built with vents that are an essential component of your machine. These vents help keep your battery lawn mower’s motor cool and maintain an optimal temperature during use.
Vents clogged on your batter lawn mower will increase the risk of overheating your motor. This is why most electric lawn mowers won’t even turn on if the vent is somehow blocked or clogged as it would likely damage the motor.
You will want to be extremely cautious when cleaning or unclogging your lawn mower’s vents, as you could potentially damage your motor in the process, which will definitely prevent the machine from starting.
Try to use a clean, dry cloth to wipe off anything that might be on the vent, and refrain from using any liquids as they disintegrate your motor’s lubrication.
In the event that you can’t clean or unclog your vent with a rag, opt for an air-related tool, like a compressed air can, to spray inside and dislodge any remaining debris
How to Prevent Issues with A Battery Lawn Mower Not Starting
No one likes when their lawn mower won’t start, but most people run into this problem sometime over the life of a lawn mower. To prevent starting problems and keep your battery mower running at its best, follow these maintenance tips:
- Don’t leave your mower in the rain. Water and damp locations can cause components on your mower to hold moisture and begin to corrode affecting the electrical system.
- Remove any dirt and grass clippings that accumulated under your mower deck.
- Keep track of your battery’s age and charge.
- Charge your battery an hour or two prior to using it so it is fully charged.
- Leaving a battery in your mower will lose some of its charge over time.
The article written.why a battery lawn mover will not start- is very well written for the layperson to understand, I have no knowledge of the mechanics of a lawn mower, all I can do is glide the lawn mower to cut the grass.
Your article educates and informs the reader.what causes the problems, and the steps to take, to correct and prevent such problems, which you have provided in detail. Thanks to the ‘Powered Equipment Team’, for a good educational read. Thank you kindly.
Wednesday 10th of May 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave a message. It’s great to hear the information we provide is helpful.
Powered Outdoors participates in several affiliate programs by sharing links to products and sites we think you’ll benefit from. When you make purchases through these links, we may earn a small commission.