Anyone know anything about lead acid batteries?

lagremage · 05-10-2006, 01:13 PM

I bought a battery-powered lawn mower. It doesn't say specifically that it has a lead acid battery in it, but there's lots of clues that indicate that that's probably what it is. (things like, don't discharge it completely, because you can wreck it, and keep the charger on it always when not in use)

So... I charged it up last night and used it today on ridiculously long grass. (our gas mower broke last year, so we're talking loooooooooooong grass, here) So I got about half way through all of the mowing I had to do when the battery clearly was out of juice. I looked at the charge indicator, and the red light was on. (the red light comes on when you really desperately, like right now, need to put it on the charger) So now I'm all worried. It said in the manual that you should not operate it when the red light is on, as you might damage the battery. Did I damage it? *cries* I only just bought it!!! I have no idea how long the red light had been on for. You can't see it while you're mowing - you can only see it if you get down beside the thing and shade it from the sun.

Tindiyen · 05-10-2006, 08:22 PM

Generally speaking you should be fine. Lead acids only have real problems if you seriosuly drain it. Lead acids have the best recharge - reuse. Even if you really killed it and you dont want to take it back as "defective" the battery would like be less than 50$.

lagremage · 05-10-2006, 10:23 PM

Cool. Nice to know the cost of replacing the battery isn't so bad.

Well I recharged it and used it again and it seemed fine. *whew* (and the manual was right! It took exactly 8 hours to charge it, just like they said, lol)

This lawnmower is really awesome. Battery powered lawnmowers are just so cool. I would have been so upset if I had broken it.

Eye Gouge · 05-11-2006, 10:38 AM

The question is how does it cut long grass. I always heard that battery powered lawnmowers didn't have a big enough motor in it to be able to handle anything over 4 or 5 inches long. The lawnmowers just weren't powerful enough. I take that has changed?

Danth · 05-11-2006, 11:56 AM

When he said "long" grass, I assummed he meant like 2-4 feet long. A mower powered by the standard Briggs & Stratton 3.5 HP engine will cut that stuff with some difficulty (and no need to stop for a recharge); I wonder how an electric does. I've always thought of electrics as more suited to guys living in cities who don't have to mow much more than a tree lawn.

It's highly unlikely you did any damage to your battery. The type of battery used in a lawnmower will be designed for that kind of use and you'd have to seriously abuse it to mess it up.

Danth

lagremage · 05-11-2006, 01:06 PM

The grass was quite long, although not, like, prairie long. It was flowering, if that means anything to you. Soooo... About a couple of feet high in some places. I took a weed whacker to the really long thick stuff first, and then mowed it. The lawnmower chugged a few times here and there, but it did the job. We previously had a 5hp gas lawnmower and I can tell you that it would have stalled out on that stuff. I was very careful, though. I only cut about a quarter of the blade's width at a time (which meant that it took me a good 3 hours to mow the lawn, but oh well), and I either bagged it or let it fly out the side. (had to stop bagging it at one point because it was clumping and not going into the bag - essentially forcing it to mulch) I also refused to let my husband touch it. He's a lawn mower killer.

BTW, everything hurts today. That was hard work, lol. It's a good sized corner lot in a city, so lots of grass plus obstacles to get around (street signs, poles, etc). At least this mower is really light (unlike the gas powered one).

<-- is a she

Eye Gouge · 05-11-2006, 01:12 PM

LOL, I don't feel quite so bad now that my wife does the mowing. Not that I am a 'lawnmower killer', but I think the lawn is out to kill me. Any time I have to cut the grass I need to make sure the next day that from the time I wake up till about 5 hours afterwards that I have absolutely nothing to do because I will be useless cause my allergies are so friggen bad.

Now if only they made a riding lawnmower that was battery powered that was encased with a hypoallergenic bubble, i'd be good to go

lagremage · 05-11-2006, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eye Gouge

Now if only they made a riding lawnmower that was battery powered that was encased with a hypoallergenic bubble, i'd be good to go

I would love that, but our yard is way too small for that.

It's big for a city lot, but still way small compared to a country lot.

I, too, have really bad allergies, but we can't afford to keep buying new lawnmowers, lol. I love my husband, but he's really bad with lawn mowers. He lets the blade hit the sidewalk, and the marble stones we have in our yard (the benefit of the previous owner having worked for a marble works factory). I used to sit in the house and cringe every single time I would hear that characteristic crunch and then stall. I knew it was the end of our previous machine (the second in 5 years) when he came in and said "Dear, it won't even start, now. Can you fix it?" Um, no, lol. I suppose I could have bought a new spark plug for it, since that's about as far as my knowledge goes, but I chose instead to just replace it's oil-leaking, arm-breaking, pollution-producing ass. And now this new mower is MINE, lol. It will NOT be made to cut concrete and marble! Allergies be damned.

Nubb · 05-13-2006, 08:10 AM

Mows the lawn, cares for the equipment (mower), AND is female. Damn! The good ones are always taken.

I'd really be despondant if you were a gnome too.

Thanks,
Nubb

lagremage · 05-13-2006, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nubb

Mows the lawn, cares for the equipment (mower), AND is female. Damn! The good ones are always taken.

I'd really be despondant if you were a gnome too.

Thanks,
Nubb

Lol I don't think I'm that unusual. At least not where I live.

Oh, and I played a gnome in WoW. First time, actually, and it was fun! (60 gnome warlock, the most fun I ever had in WoW until they nerfed my build.

)

Razorwire · 05-16-2006, 09:20 AM

LMAO poor Nubb, find your dream girl and she is married.

way2cool · 05-17-2006, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lagremage

I bought a battery-powered lawn mower. It doesn't say specifically that it has a lead acid battery in it, but there's lots of clues that indicate that that's probably what it is. (things like, don't discharge it completely, because you can wreck it, and keep the charger on it always when not in use)

So... I charged it up last night and used it today on ridiculously long grass. (our gas mower broke last year, so we're talking loooooooooooong grass, here) So I got about half way through all of the mowing I had to do when the battery clearly was out of juice. I looked at the charge indicator, and the red light was on. (the red light comes on when you really desperately, like right now, need to put it on the charger) So now I'm all worried. It said in the manual that you should not operate it when the red light is on, as you might damage the battery. Did I damage it? *cries* I only just bought it!!! I have no idea how long the red light had been on for. You can't see it while you're mowing - you can only see it if you get down beside the thing and shade it from the sun.

why would you come hear there other sites for that

JAdams · 05-17-2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by way2cool

why would you come hear there other sites for that

Because this is a friendly site, and someone here just might know.

Besides, what do you think the OOC board is for?

Skarlath · 05-17-2006, 02:06 PM

OOC - Out of Order Contraptions. Seems like the right forum to me!

lagremage · 05-17-2006, 10:37 PM

Lol Skar I like that one.