bahia battery question

Hi, the knackered varta battery on a bahia we have is rated at 18ah ( code YB18L-A). I was wondering if this is the correct battery for the machine (briggs engine) and if i can get away with  using a lower rated battery ?  The 18ah ones are over forty quid each and lower rated batteries are quite a bit cheaper.

Cheers, mike.

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Permalink Reply by Simon Smith on February 10, 2012 at 16:46

You'll find it harder to start when very cold and more likely to have general staring problems if you lower the amperage


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Dan Frazer Gardening on February 10, 2012 at 17:29

I think from memory it's a 20ah battery you need. No point going lower as you'll run out of charge very easily.


Premium SupplierPermalink Reply by Derek Tucker on February 10, 2012 at 17:53

Unfortunately I have to agree, cheaper lower ah batteries will work cost you more in the long run, and can also potentially damage the electronics on the engine charging side.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Stephen @ SJS on February 10, 2012 at 18:12

Always better looking at it rather than looking for it ! Batteries are rated for the reason mentioned starting current in lower Ah rated batteries will cause problems with starting etc....... 

Permalink Reply by Simon Smith on February 10, 2012 at 19:53

One of the reasons is damage to starter rings/ one way clutches caused by lower cranking amps, damage to a starter clutch is major money. Its also more common on big V-twins or big singles which are harder to start.

If you use the machine regularly and keep it indoors so its never really cold it may be ok but why risk it.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Neal Barker @ Etesia uk on February 11, 2012 at 22:52

i ecco all above

if you go lower ampage you will (not might) struggle to start in cold weather and it will also lead to other problems on the machine to.

the batterys we recomend and use on our machines are rated for a reason

1 question = would you want to spend 40 quid and be able to go out mowing or spend 20 and lose a days work or have to use hand mowers ? i know what i would rather do!

 

regards neal

Permalink Reply by briggsandscrapem on February 12, 2012 at 15:12

Cheers guys, forty odd quid it is then (again). I wish these machines had pull starts on them.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Neal Barker @ Etesia uk on February 13, 2012 at 12:41

i have to ask mike

how do you store your mower trough the winter months ?

do you remove the battery and put it on a slow charge at all ?

 

any machine that is put away for the cold months in a garage / shed, and not used for a while should have the battery removed and placed in a warmer location, on a slow charge to keep the battery in top condition (i have my motorcycle battery doing this now), this helps to keep the cells from deep discharge damage, especialy on the smaller bike/atv style batterys

also try and look for the LP (land port) Y50-N18A-A battery

its what we use now


briggsandscrapem said:

Cheers guys, forty odd quid it is then (again). I wish these machines had pull starts on them.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Neal Barker @ Etesia uk on February 13, 2012 at 13:17

just to note this is 20A its the 18A type on the machine

Permalink Reply by briggsandscrapem on February 15, 2012 at 21:43

Cheers Neal, i will look into the LP batteries.

I'm afraid our yard is quite a disorganized place and things like battery care are often overlooked especially as there is no direct access to mains electricity (we have to "borrow" it from the mechanics next door).

The bahias are stored outdoors with a tarp thrown over them. One has been working over the winter with a makeshift transport box fixed to the back (no grassbag) and the other has a dead battery.

I don't think these motorbike type batteries are any good for commercial use. They should be fitted with a full size battery or better still, a pull start.

I will be paying closer attention to them in the future.

best wishes, mike.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Neal Barker @ Etesia uk on February 16, 2012 at 9:31

in all honesty mike the batterys on the bahias are fine,

 i would not like to have pull starts on these (had an old quad bike years back with pull start and ended up loseing to much skin of my knuckles trying to start this)

i think that if its possible remove the batterys trough storage times and if this is not possible then maybe use a blanket etc under the tarp to help keep out the cold and still remove the cables from the battery so it is not running the risk of discharge trough the machine.

Permalink Reply by briggsandscrapem on February 16, 2012 at 17:35

We will have to agree to disagree about the suitability of diddy batteries in a commercial environment. I'm not slagging bahias as they are built primarily for a different market than me.

Did your quad have decompression ? The 14hp kawasaki FC420v with automatic decompression on our Scag pull starts like a dream and with the added bonus of no battery, no starter and no annoying wiring problems.

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