Batteries & Cranking Amps

Hey guys, Been working on a Yardman Rider and its got a 20 hp. two cylinder. Finally got it running today but it gave my battery a real work out. This tractor didn't come with a battery so I just pulled the one out of my Simplicity, (Its a single cylinder) What I am wondering is, how high of a cranking amp should I get for this twin cylinder? My battery is a 230 and it was wearing down pretty quick trying to start that big motor. My battery is only a year old and always fully charged, so I know their is nothing wrong with it. (It probably didn't help that the motor sat for over three years.) But once it finally started and ran for awhile, it restarted with ease. What batteries do you run in your two cylinders?

I run a regular lawn and garden battery for the Intek and it works fine. I have heard of people using car batteries, or you could use two lawn and garden batteries.

What I am using currently is a Lawn & Garden Battery made by Everstart. (And the way that motor was today I didn't think it was going to "Everstart" LOL) Can't use a car battery (Limited space), this is a mower made for mowing, I am not modifying it to be a off roader. I am just trying to fix it up and make a good profit. What is the cranking amps on your battery?

Being Canadian, and having to start engines at 30 below, I always fit the biggest battery I can in whatever soace I can.

Both my Fords run Auto batteries, while the off roader is going to get the biggest batt that will fit in the space.

Try tsc batterys i seen some there with very high cranking apms and those were lawn/garden batterys Thats the things about twins 2 more pistions to push and twice the compression lol

I think the battery I have in the Ariens (mowing tractor) is a regular Napa, and it has a 22 or 23 hp Kohler in it.

Usually above 600cca is for cold starts

I normally run truck batteries.

Thunderdivine wrote:

Usually above 600cca is for cold starts

dude my buddes trucks got 630, lol isnt that a little over kill?

My Fords both run batts over 800 CCA. The one in my snow pusher pushes over 1000 cca, but it runs the electric lift. Cold weather makes hard to start.

Hey guys, Thanks for everyones inputs. From what I've heard and seen, I think I am going to try to find something in the neighborhood of 300 to 500 cranking amps. Another question I have is, what is a DC Ampers meter/guage and what purpose does it serve on my riding mower? Thanks again!

RanchKing wrote:

Hey guys, Thanks for everyones inputs. From what I've heard and seen, I think I am going to try to find something in the neighborhood of 300 to 500 cranking amps. Another question I have is, what is a DC Ampers meter/guage and what purpose does it serve on my riding mower? Thanks again!

I believe it shows how much the alternator is putting back into your battery. Usually like 3v.

RanchKing wrote:

Hey guys, Thanks for everyones inputs. From what I've heard and seen, I think I am going to try to find something in the neighborhood of 300 to 500 cranking amps. Another question I have is, what is a DC Ampers meter/guage and what purpose does it serve on my riding mower? Thanks again!

The DC Amps ( Ammeter) gauge tells you how much power in amps your system is drawing at any given time.

Watts equals volts times amps

A Voltmeter on the other hand, tells you the voltage present in your system. A reading at more than 12.5 volts or so tells you that the system is charging. If it drops below 11.5, then the system has a load on it, and the the ammeter will tell you how much.

Once I got the Jonsered home to you the Craftsman, I measured the battery to about 13.1 volts tho the starter didn't even move. I found out later the battery was frozen, I changed it with a new one measured to 12.4 volts and it started instantly.

xxXMowerdudeXxx wrote:

Thunderdivine wrote:

Usually above 600cca is for cold starts

dude my buddes trucks got 630, lol isnt that a little over kill?

Indeed but I said usually :p

And you know metal in the cold? Tight! And mixed with a flooded engine, 600cca is suddenly not that much

I use a small car battery for my opposed. Works really well and doesn't give me problems. Cranks for along time