Do you have an Auto Zone or a Rural King (Farm Supply) store in your area? Plenty available here.

Walt Conner

There's probably an Auto Zone around. So this isn't some massive conspiracy to confuse me? I guess it's possible both stores had a run on batteries. It's not like I prefer the old-fashioned kind if the new ones are better (assuming they're interchangeable), it's more like I'm just trying to figure out how to buy what I need to fit my tractor. The new ones have a picture of a tractor along with a motorcycle.

suobs - one thing to keep in mind... make sure the replacement battery you select has it's positive and negative posts in the same physical location as your existing battery.

Some are reversed, possibly causing installation problems.

Walmart doesn't sell too many riding tractor mowers, so not too surprised that their battery stock would be minimal. But - very surprised that Lowe's doesn't as they do sell such... ?

Most likely, the big-box stores discontinued stocking wet cell batteries due to the liability and hassle of storing core exchanges. I purchased from NAPA in the past after discovering their comparable batteries to be MUCH cheaper than the John Deere dealership - my prior supplier for years.

More recently, bought from BJ's wholesale club (similar to Sams) for even less $$$.

The battery you saw is frequently referred to as a motorcycle battery. Do not buy this for your riding mower unless it was originally equipped with this type of battery.

Take your old battery to NAPA or one of the auto stores. As already mentioned, the batteries are offered with the positive battery post on either side. The mower batteries are also offered with 4 power levels. Usually a battery with 290 CCA is suitable for the larger twin cylinder mower engines. The 230 CCA is suitable for the single cylinder engines.

Batteries with water caps usually develop corrosion problems on the battery cables and frequent attention is required. Most of the batteries from Sears, Napa, Auto Zone, and department stores are the water cap style.

Sealed Batteries do not have water caps and corrosion problems are less likely to occur. The sealed batteries usually cost about $5.00 - $10.00 more than the other batteries. These are usually available from Battery outlets like Hensley Battery but are sometimes offered by the ranch stores.

Finally, none of the batteries are made by Napa, Sears, or any of the other department stores. They are usually supplied by the cheapest bidder. Most of the batteries are made by large battery companies like EXIDE or EAST PENN.

The batteries are so-called Dry Charge. They stay fresher longer while awaiting a retail buyer. Wet cell batteries start dying the moment the electrolyte is added-- whether you or the manufacturer does it. After adding the electrolyte, charge it for several hours at low rates, either trickle charger or the lowest setting on your conventional charger. The small batteries now seem to be made in China. They have worked OK for me.

Some wit wrote in about buying a lawn tractor battery, and said that since the caps didn't have holes in them--he'd have to drill holes in them himself! OHHH, Yeah!
And, i have never seen any type of battery with a card-board case! UMMMM. Might have been the box it came in. How long would a battery with a card-board case last, after you poured in the electrolyte???
Must be the heat gripping everywhere, except maybe Alaska!

A couple of weeks ago I bought a 230 CCA battery for about $25 dollars at Walmart in the Raleigh NC area. I shopped around and this was the cheapest I have found.

On the batteries you saw, was the price with or without the old battery rebate?

Can't speak for Lowes or Home Depot, but the local Wal-Marts in both Princeton and Hamilton. NJ carry the U1 and U1-R lawn tractor type wet-charge batteries in at least a couple of CCA capacities. I recently bought the cheapest one for a small Sears lawn tractor I was sellling. Cost was about $25, net of the trade-in of the core.

Hmm, I've been using a jump box to start the Inty. Crazy to chance messing up the charging system for the want of a 25$ battery. I saw them at local Loews for 30. I consider lawn mower batteries to be a wear item worse than belts. Lead acid batteries dont like vibration. Or temperatures above or below 70F. It is just the way they are. 3 yrs is about the most I get from one.

Maybe the OP saw some replacement batteries for electric lawnmowers. Some Lowe's are carrying them now.

I guess it's what you guys are calling a motorcycle battery. It's packaged in cardboard and you add an electrolyte before using. It was just coincidence that both stores were out of the "normal" 230 CCA batteries, found them at another WalMart, or maybe that neighborhood doesn't have many lawn tractors.

After eleven years, my Deere original equipment battery was failing, replaced it with a Die-Hard from Sears. Very happy with the way it kicks the Kohler into starting. Also, terminals located in exact position as the original.

I have owned a couple of riding mowers that used motorcycle batteries as original equipment. No room for anything larger.

You can adapt a regular lawn tractor battery to a tractor that previously had a motor-cycle type battery. Make a sling from galvanised tin, bend it with ears that will set on the part under the seat where the old battery lived, open up the hole to the correct width, bolt the sling in place, slide the bigger battery down in place, make some way to keep it from jiggling, and the problem is solved. BT/DT: Rusty J.

Sears Diehard Lawn Garden Battery Gold series running 59. now. Usually get 3.5 years out of them if You store in shelter over the winter. Will only get 2 years out of them if you store them outsideâ¦

OK, I get it, duh! I happened to go to 2 stores without normal small 12v batteries, and both happened to have these things. Since it had been a couple of years since I'd bought a battery, I concluded prematurely that a technological revolution in batteries must have happened since the last time I had to buy one. Here are the only batteries I found at Lowes (and WalMart) that day in the garden department aisles. Note the little blurb that says "Riding Mowers"! I've since found "normal" batteries at other WalMarts (but not any Lowes):

Also the price label says "L&G Tractor Battery".

The kindest thing you can do for your small batts that will be stored for the winter is buy a Harbor Freight float charger for about $8. Hook it and keep it plugged in all winter and spring until it's time to use it.
Mike

Just be sure to test the charger ASAP. I've gotten 3 in a row from harbor freight that didnt put out a charge at all.