Help with my riding mower

[scpapa]

I used my Craftsman riding mower about 2 months ago to mulch leaves; it ran fine.
I went use it today and it acted like the battery was dead; I turned the key and nothing happened. No clicking, the ampere gauge didn't move, nothing. I checked the battery and it is fully charged; I even hooked a charger up to it and still nothing. After banging on the side where the starter relay is I get a few clicks. Replaced the relay and got plenty of clicks when I turn the key, but that's it even with the charger on it. What's my next step (and I am not electrically gifted.)
Thanks for any help.

Rick

[R Clark]

How do you know that battery is charged?  I presume you got a reading of something over 12V (if it's a 12-volt system).


I'm no electrical expert, but I learned a couple things about batteries this winter season.  I ruined the batteries in an ATV and in my zero-turn mower, both by leaving the master switch on (story best left for later).  They were so dead that the charging unit didn't react at all when I hooked them up.  I managed to get the ATV started, as long as I was jumping it with my pickup truck.  As soon as I disconnected, the machine would die.  I never could get any response out of the mower.  New batteries fixed both.

[scpapa]

How do you know that battery is charged?  I presume you got a reading of something over 12V (if it's a 12-volt system).


I'm no electrical expert, but I learned a couple things about batteries this winter season.  I ruined the batteries in an ATV and in my zero-turn mower, both by leaving the master switch on (story best left for later).  They were so dead that the charging unit didn't react at all when I hooked them up.  I managed to get the ATV started, as long as I was jumping it with my pickup truck.  As soon as I disconnected, the machine would die.  I never could get any response out of the mower.  New batteries fixed both.

Yes, I got a reading of 12+ volts. Also, I have jumped started that mower, with a different battery, using the charger before.

Thanks
Rick

[Bill Wilson]

Yes, I got a reading of 12+ volts. Also, I have jumped started that mower, with a different battery, using the charger before.

Thanks
Rick

Clean and tighten the terminals?  I've had perfectly good batteries act like that in cars.  Terminals didn't even look corroded, but once they were cleaned and the clamps put back on, the car fired right up.

[Bill Wilson]

Also, what about any safety switches that may interfere with starting?  My mower is old enough that it only has the seat switch and it's bypassed, but I don't know what may be on newer models and how they might affect starting.

[Robert Adams]

Assuming the battery is at 12.6 is and the battery connections have been taken apart and cleaned. Basically assuming all the easy stuff has been checked... 

     It sounds like the starter relay is clicking since you replaced it. The next step is the starter itself. Back when I worked at a friends mower shop we rebuilt lots of starters. The briggs starters are really cheaply made and in a very dirty environment. Often just disassembling and cleaning and re oiling as well as sanding the crud off the commutator  and getting it smooth again..  The permanent magnets in them are ceramic and they will loose their magnetism over time which reduces starter power as well. Also if the starter ever has a sharp impact like from dropping it or a hammer hit etc then it's usually junk as the magnets will easily break, same goes for car starters now.

      You can try manually turning the starter a hare and see if has a dead spot.

[Snipe Hunter]

Is the blade clutch engaged? Won't start that way.
Is your foot on the brake? Probably won't start without that.

Have you looked at the starter motor? Pull whatever cover off that's covering the area where the starter engages with the fly-wheel so you can see it. Then check your negative cable connection at the battery and the one at the ground/frame. Clean and re-attach both ends of the ground/negative cable. Try to start it. If that fails, disconnect the positive on the battery and at the starter. With the key off, connect a jumper to the + on the battery and touch the other end to the starter + where you disconnected the red starter cable. It should engage and turn the starter. It would be a good idea to look at the starter first, make sure it's not already stuck in the start position. That can happen if the solenoid fails, if the shaft is corroded or if the mounting bolts have worked themselves loose. It may be something as simple as lubing the shaft. Or just remove the starter and bench test it with jumper cables. Black to the casing, and touch the red to the hot(+) terminal.

You can test your starter relay by jumping it.

[scpapa]

All of the easy stuff has been done; terminal cleaning, etc.
Testing was done with a person on the seat with brake depressed.
I'll take the cover off and try to jump the starter as suggested.
Thanks for all the input.

Rick

[Pirate]

Jump the solenoid. Old screwdriver accross 2 big terminals. Beware. It can start, in gear, or with blade engaged!
If no go check bat connection at starter.
Check starter with jumper cables from car to battery terminal on starter, and to starter housing.

[scpapa]

With the electrical interfaces engaged, I get 1.6 volts at the starter terminal with the key in start position.
Then I jumped from + on battery to + terminal on starter and get some sparks but that is all.
Now what??

Rick