Craftsman Lawn Tractor Won't Start

Posted by Srgnt Billko on November 11, 2007, 7:20 pm

> wrote:

>> I have a 24 hp 48" deck Craftsman lawn tractor, model 917.275702, just
>> over
>> two years old.
>> I have always (until this past month) started it at least weekly to
>> maintain
>> the charge. I let that go for about the last month, and now the engine
>> won't turn over. If I switch the headlight switch on, there are no
>> lights.
>> My guess (but not certain) is the battery is now undercharged.
>> If that's the problem, I need to recharge it or replace it. The manual
>> says
>> don't jump start the 12V battery unless your source is 12V. Dumb
>> question -
>> is a regular car battery 12V? Can I jump the tractor battery with a car
>> battery?
>> Should I buy a charger? The manual instructs to recharge at 6 to 10 Amps
>> for 1 hour.

> Consider buying one of these...
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39954
> It's much easier to take this to the tractor or a car that needs a
> jump than using your vehicle and jumper cables. Plus you get a
> somewhat useful air compressor, a flashlight and a 12 volt power
> supply. (I rigged mine to $2.00 flasher unit to flash the lights on my
> trailer on Halloween night.)
> In addition, with the sophisticated electronics in cars/and truck
> these days, I'm reluctant to use my car to jump another vehicle.

I use these little jump starters all the time. I have a bunch of tractors
and several jump starters. I buy them on sale locally - a couple from
Sears, 1 from Target and I can't remember where my red one came from. I have
separate compressors - the kind that plug into cigarette lighters. The jump
boxes all have cigarette lighter recepticales. I also plug a 12 volt fan in
when using a Kerosun heater in a workshop in the winter. And a 12 volt
tramp cord / light.

Posted by Bob on November 12, 2007, 2:42 am

>I have a 24 hp 48" deck Craftsman lawn tractor, model 917.275702,
>just over two years old.
> I have always (until this past month) started it at least weekly
> to maintain the charge. I let that go for about the last month,
> and now the engine won't turn over. If I switch the headlight
> switch on, there are no lights.
> My guess (but not certain) is the battery is now undercharged.
> If that's the problem, I need to recharge it or replace it. The
> manual says don't jump start the 12V battery unless your source is
> 12V. Dumb question - is a regular car battery 12V? Can I jump
> the tractor battery with a car battery?
> Should I buy a charger? The manual instructs to recharge at 6 to
> 10 Amps for 1 hour.

First of all, your mower headlights are not run off the battery.
There is a separate generator for them, so the engine has to be
running before headlights will work. (At least this is the way it
works on most mowers I have seen.)

Second, instead of starting your mower to charge the battery, I
suggerst buying a battery charger - a very cheap one will do fine.
Then, once a month, attach the charger to maintain a full charge all
winter. After the battery is initially fully charged, it should
take less than five or ten minutes to top it off, using the lowest
setting on the charger (trickle charge). A battery charger will
save $$ over the gasoline it takes to run the engine just to charge
the battery.

I do this summer and winter and my batteries last a long time. I am
still on the original battery on my tractor which is 11 years old.
I have a trolling motor battery that will be fifteen years old next
spring and still works, although not as peppy as when it was a teen
ager.

Bob-tx

Posted by TD on November 13, 2007, 12:24 am

>>I have a 24 hp 48" deck Craftsman lawn tractor, model 917.275702,
>>just over two years old.
>> I have always (until this past month) started it at least weekly
>> to maintain the charge. I let that go for about the last month,
>> and now the engine won't turn over. If I switch the headlight
>> switch on, there are no lights.
>> My guess (but not certain) is the battery is now undercharged.
>> If that's the problem, I need to recharge it or replace it. The
>> manual says don't jump start the 12V battery unless your source is
>> 12V. Dumb question - is a regular car battery 12V? Can I jump
>> the tractor battery with a car battery?
>> Should I buy a charger? The manual instructs to recharge at 6 to
>> 10 Amps for 1 hour.

>
> First of all, your mower headlights are not run off the battery.
> There is a separate generator for them, so the engine has to be
> running before headlights will work. (At least this is the way it
> works on most mowers I have seen.)
>
> Second, instead of starting your mower to charge the battery, I
> suggerst buying a battery charger - a very cheap one will do fine.
> Then, once a month, attach the charger to maintain a full charge all
> winter. After the battery is initially fully charged, it should
> take less than five or ten minutes to top it off, using the lowest
> setting on the charger (trickle charge). A battery charger will
> save $$ over the gasoline it takes to run the engine just to charge
> the battery.
>
> I do this summer and winter and my batteries last a long time. I am
> still on the original battery on my tractor which is 11 years old.
> I have a trolling motor battery that will be fifteen years old next
> spring and still works, although not as peppy as when it was a teen
> ager.
>
> Bob-tx
>
>
>

Yup, battery charger is the way to go. It's not an instant start, but it
only takes about an hour.

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