All vehicle batteries eventually fail, unable to hold a charge over time. If you own a riding lawn mower, a golf cart, or an ATV and the battery is several years old, it’s probably time to learn how to replace an outdoor power vehicle battery. Such batteries don’t last much more than three to five years typically.

When you’re ready to replace an outdoor power vehicle battery, you don’t have to call for help. This is a task you can perform yourself, saving quite a bit of money in the process versus having an in-home service call that can cost $100 or more in labor costs. We’ll show you step by step how to replace a lawn and garden battery.

Before You Replace

If the vehicle makes a clicking noise when you attempt to start it, it’s possible that the battery needs replacing.

First though, check the condition of the battery. If you’re lucky, the battery will have a date it was created printed on it. As you can see from our photo above, this battery was created in March 2012, so that’s a strong clue that it’s time to replace the five-plus-year-old battery.

Then check the terminals. (These are the metal posts sticking out of the top of the battery.) If you see corrosion on the terminals, which looks like a white, fuzzy substance on and around the terminals, you need to clean them. Leaking acid from the battery causes the corrosion. A 50/50 mixture of baking soda and water applied carefully with an old toothbrush will clean this leaking acid. Use just a little bit of this mixture at first, only adding more as needed.

You must remove the battery cables from the terminals to perform a proper cleaning. We discuss this process further down in this article.

Once you’ve cleaned the terminals, try starting the vehicle again. It may work now.

If you don’t see corrosion or if cleaning the corrosion didn’t help, you can determine the battery’s voltage level with a digital multimeter.

If you have a 12-volt battery (which most outdoor power vehicle batteries are), any reading less than 11V or 10.5V indicates a battery that needs charging or replacing.

One of the best battery testing options is the Etekcity MSR-R500, because it’s easy to use with a backlit LCD with large numerals.

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If the voltage level is low, you can try charging the battery before replacing it.

Batteries for outdoor power vehicles will lose their charge if they’re left idle for several weeks at a time or subject to cold weather. The more times a battery loses its charge, the faster the chemicals inside the battery break down, eventually rendering the battery useless. So it’s a good idea to charge the riding lawn mower or golf cart battery every month if you aren’t using it to preserve the longevity of the battery.

To charge it, you can purchase a portable battery charger that plugs into a wall outlet and converts that power to charge the battery. Such chargers are smaller than the battery itself and easy to move around. One of our favorites is the Black & Decker BCS10B 10 amp charger, because it’s easy to use. Additionally, a 10 amp charger does the job two to six hours faster than a slightly less expensive 2 amp or 5 amp charger.

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If the battery still will not hold its voltage after charging, it’s time for a replacement.

Finding the Right Type of Battery

The type of replacement battery you choose will depend on the type of vehicle you have. The replacement battery must match the voltage level of the current battery.

You don’t have to purchase a battery from the manufacturer of your vehicle, although you can. Third party battery makers will offer batteries that are compatible with many outdoor power vehicles, and they typically will save you 15% to 35% from the manufacturer’s brand name cost.

Any third party battery should include a list of outdoor power vehicles with which it’s compatible. Only select a battery that is compatible with your vehicle, or you could cause problems with the vehicle’s operation. Additionally, some replacement batteries designate left or right orientation to allow the battery to line up with the power cables from the motor in the outdoor power vehicle, so pay attention to this.

Replacing the Battery

Once you have the replacement battery in hand, you’re ready to proceed. Tools you’ll need for this job include the following.

• Eye protection
• Gloves
• Old clothing
• Old toothbrush
• Baking soda/water 50/50 mixture
• Stiff bristled brush
• Shop rags
• Pliers or locking pliers
• Socket wrench or another set of pliers

You’ll want eye protection and gloves to protect you from any acid leaking from the old battery. Such acid will put holes in clothing too, so wear old clothes. Even if you can’t see any acid leaking from the battery terminals, it might leak when you move the battery. Keep any acid away from your skin or it will cause burns.

Two cables from the vehicle’s motor should be attached to the battery. Most of the time, the cable attached to the positive terminal is red and a black cable is attached to the negative terminal, just to make things clear and easier for you.

The terminals usually are in one of two shapes. It might be a U-shaped piece of metal with one hole in it that extends out of the top of the battery. Or the terminal is a round post sticking out of the top of the battery. The positive terminal is marked with a plus sign, while the negative terminal will have a minus sign or no sign. The positive terminal also may have a small plastic or vinyl cover that you can lift and slide out of the way.

Now remove the battery cables from the terminals. The end of the cables may consist of a bracket or a simple piece of metal. Either way, the metal end of the cable must be touching the battery terminal or the battery will not work. Both types of cables will attach to the battery terminal with a bolt and nut. You’ll have to hold the nut with pliers while turning the bolt with a socket wrench or another set of pliers.

Once the cables are completely removed, set the bolt and nut aside in a safe place, because you’ll need them again. Look for any straps or fasteners that are holding the battery in place and remove them.

Lift the old battery out of its compartment and set it aside. (It’s heavier than it looks, so you may need help.)

Look at the metal ends of the two cables to ensure they don’t have any corrosion on them. If they are discolored in anyway, clean them with the baking soda/water mix with the old toothbrush we described earlier. If you see rust, clean it with a stiff bristled brush. Dab them dry with a clean shop rag. Clean the nuts and bolts if needed too.

Lower the replacement battery into the compartment. Make sure that the positive terminal on the battery is on the same side as the positive cable from the motor.

Connect the terminals on the replacement battery to the battery cables, using the nuts and bolts that you removed earlier. Make sure everything is tight and that the metal on the battery cables is clearly touching the metal on the battery terminals.

If you’ve attached everything correctly, the mower should start immediately. If it doesn’t, use your voltage tester to ensure the battery has a full charge. (All batteries you buy for outdoor power vehicles should be sold with a full charge.) If the battery is charged and the vehicle will not start, you likely have another problem with the vehicle.

But this is rare. Most of the time, simply swapping out an old battery for a new one will ensure your riding lawn mower, ATV, or golf cart is up and running again.

Don’t Forget to Recycle

Make sure you take your old battery somewhere to be recycled. In fact, many stores where you buy the replacement battery will charge you an extra fee at the time of purchase that you’ll have returned to you once you bring in the old battery for recycling.

Never dump this old battery into a garbage can to be sent to a landfill. The corrosive components inside these large lawn and garden batteries are poisonous and could contaminate soil and groundwater. Recycling is the only safe option.

Save Money With DIY: How to Replace an Outdoor Power Vehicle Battery

If you’ve put off replacing an old, leaky shower head at your house, you’ll be surprised how quickly this job can be completed. Replacing a shower head is one of the easiest ways to save money with DIY at your home. We’ll help you learn how to change a shower head with so little fuss and mess that you probably won’t even need a shower when you’re finished.

Time Required

This is one of the more straightforward DIY projects you can tackle. As long as everything goes right, you should finish this project in 15-30 minutes. After doing this simple DIY job, you’ll wonder why you put it off for so long.

Tools Required

Replacing a shower head only requires a few tools.

• Pliers
• Adjustable wrench
• Electrical or other thick tape
• Teflon thread tape
• Scissors
• Steel wool

Savings

Even though this is such a quick job, most plumbers are going to have to hit you with a bigger than expected bill. Most of them have to bill a full hour, even if the job only takes an expert 10 minutes. So you could easily pay $75 or more for this job, plus the cost of the shower head.

Additionally, if you have an older, leaky shower head, you’ll save money on water usage with a new shower head because it won’t leak. Newer shower heads are more water efficient than older ones. And if you’re receiving better water pressure from your new shower head, you may take shorter showers, again saving money on water usage.

Here are three great options for new shower heads in varying price points. Just make sure the color of your new shower head matches the color of the pipe where you’ll be attaching it.

• Inexpensive: Delta Single-Function Shower Head

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• Mid-range: AKDY Rectangular Rainfall Jet Shower Head & Wand Combo

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• Expensive: Speakman High Pressure Adjustable Shower Head

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• Supplies: You may have to buy Teflon thread tape too, although some shower head kits ship with the tape included.

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Removing the Old Shower Head

You should be able to remove the old shower head by turning the nut on the shower head counter clockwise. A pliers should do the trick, but if it won’t budge, try an adjustable wrench.

Be careful with this step so that you don’t damage the pipe coming out of the wall. To protect the pipe, you can hold it in place with one hand while twisting the shower head nut with the pliers in the other hand.

Once the shower head is removed, you’ll see the end of the pipe with threads on it. It may also have some old thread tape on it.

Cleaning the Pipe

You need to clean the end of the pipe, making sure to remove all debris, including any old thread tape, rust, or other mineral deposits. If any debris is left on the threads, it could cause the shower head to leak.

We’ve found that steel wool is a good way to remove any debris. It’ll clean the pipe without leaving any additional residue.

If needed, use a flashlight to closely inspect the threads on the pipe for any debris.

Wrapping the Thread Tape

You may have to purchase the Teflon thread tape separately, but it’s becoming more common for shower heads to ship with some Teflon tape in the kit. The thread tape is white and almost has a feel of cloth to it.

Wrap it around the shower head pipe two or three times and cut it with scissors.

Attaching the New Shower Head

Before installing the new shower head, look at the area inside the nut. It should have a washer inside. This washer will prevent leaks, so it’s an important part of the shower head installation.

After checking the washer, spin the nut clockwise onto the threads of the pipe. You may need to hold the thread tape in place with one hand while you get the nut started. Just make sure the nut doesn’t push the thread tape upward and off the threads as you screw on the shower head.

Hand tighten the nut as far as you can. Then use an adjustable wrench or pliers to twist the nut until it’s tight.

Don’t tighten the nut on the shower head too far, or you could damage the shower head or the threads. Once the nut is no longer easy to turn with an average amount of force applied, stop turning it.

Additionally, take care to not scratch the nut with the pliers. You can place a thin towel between the pliers and the nut or you can wrap the nut in thick tape (such as electrical tape) so you don’t scratch it.

Testing for Leaks

Now for the report card on your work: Testing the shower head for leaks. (Have some towels handy, just in case.) Turn on the faucet and the water should flow through the shower head normally. If it isn’t flowing properly, turn off the water immediately. Some Teflon tape may have come loose and is blocking the shower head.

With the water is flowing properly, look at the shower head closely near the nut. If there is leaking occurring, this is where it will show up.

If you find a leak, turn off the water. Try tightening the nut a little more with a wrench or pliers. If you still can’t stop the leak, you may need to remove the shower head and try wrapping the Teflon thread tape again. Start with a new strip of Teflon tape. Wrap it tight. Test the shower head again.

More Complex Installations

If you have a hand-held shower head — one that attaches to the pipe coming out of the wall with a flexible hose — you’ll have to take an extra step. Attach the mount for the hand-held shower head to the arm with Teflon thread tape, just as you’d attach a permanent shower head as described above.

You’ll then attach the flexible hose to the mount and to the hand-held shower head, again using Teflon thread tape. Tighten all of the nuts, but don’t over-tighten them. Then check for leaks in all the spots where you made the attachments.

If you find you simply cannot attach the shower head without causing leaks, you may have to call in a plumber. But if you take care with attaching the nut and wrapping the thread tape properly, you should have no problem completing this DIY project cheaply and quickly!

Saving Money With DIY: How to Change a Shower Head