Make Your Battery Mower Run Longer With One Consumer Reports Approved Tip

Imagine this: you are mowing your lawn on a calm Sunday morning and all of a sudden, your mower battery dies. Sound frustrating, no? Well, you are not alone. It happens to many of us and is a common issue with battery-powered mowers. So, is there anything you can do about it? Well, according to Consumer Reports, you can keep your battery-powered mower running longer if you don't let the grass grow tall, mow it on a schedule, and keep its blade sharpened. That said, tough, battery-powered mowers still have their limitations. Even in Consumer Reports' testing, no battery-powered mower lasted more than 2 hours.

If you are someone who needs to perform longer mowing sessions, it is much better to just pick a gas or plug-in mower. However, if you already have a mower that runs on battery, start by sharpening its blade. If your mower blade is dull, the mower will consume more power. Plus, it can create ragged cuts on the grass that can lead to lawn diseases. You can even sharpen your mower blades by hand, so don't skip it.

Consumer Reports recommends keeping the grass around 3½ inches in cool weather and 4½ inches when it's hot. If you let the grass grow any longer, it will push the mower harder, straining the battery, which will significantly reduce its run time. Also, keep in mind that mowing extra-long grass can damage your lawn and mower, so make sure you mow it on time.

If you want your battery mower to run longer, it is also important to keep the mower deck or blade housing clean. In fact, it is one of those lawnmower maintenance tasks you should be doing after every mow. Grass clippings and other debris from the lawn can clog these places over time. This can increase friction for the spinning blade, which again will push the mower to work harder, causing the battery to drain faster. 

Besides that, it is also important to charge the battery mower correctly. For instance, you should never leave the mower plugged for days. Batteries don't like sitting on 100% charge all the time. It can reduce their life and run duration very significantly over time. Plus, try only to use the charger that came with the mower. If you don't have that, however, then try to choose the best charger for your lawn mower battery, considering its voltage and other parameters. Furthermore, if you are not planning to use your battery mower for a while, keep the battery charge at around 50%, and store it in a dry place.

Also, keep in mind that if your mower uses a flooded battery, you need to check the electrolyte level regularly and top it up, if needed. Flooded batteries run less if their electrolyte levels are low. Lastly, don't mow your lawn when it is either too hot or too cold outside. Temperature extremes reduce the run time of batteries and also reduce their overall lifespan.