If your Power Wheels battery fails, the lawn mower battery laying around the yard can be a good alternative to it.
You have to make sure that the lawn mower battery is a deep-cycle lead-acid battery and its size is good enough to fit in the Power Wheels with little modification. The same voltage is also recommended.
To install the lawn mower battery, you need wires, crimpers, connectors, a multimeter, and a toolset.
Installing the lawn mower battery will save you money, and the parents don’t need to be battery experts; they can do it by following some easy steps.
Table of Contents
Factors to Consider Before Installing a Lawn Mower Battery
Although it is possible to put the lawn mower battery in Power Wheels, it is necessary to consider some factors before going for it. These factors will decide whether it is possible to install your lawn mower battery into the Power Wheels.
Battery Volt and Ah
It is recommended to install the battery according to the voltage compatibility of its motor in the Power Wheels. Mostly the Power Wheels are 12V, so make sure your lawn mower battery is also 12V. Although the higher voltage battery can increase the speed, the motor will die sooner.
A higher Ah battery can increase the battery’s runtime; you have to make sure that the lawn mower battery has a similar or higher Ah than the Power Wheels, otherwise, the runtime will be decreased.
Battery Dimensions
Battery Dimension is the most important thing to decide whether the lawn mower battery can be installed into the Power Wheels or not because the standard Power Wheels batteries are slightly smaller in size than the lawn mower battery.
Different Power Wheels models have different sizes, so it is possible to fit the bigger lawn mower batteries in some models. You can also have the lawn mower whose battery is the same size as the Power Wheels.
If the battery doesn’t fit, you may have to do some modifications to the Power Wheels so you can fit the battery. It is only possible when your Power Wheels have the gap for modifications.
You can cut certain parts to make the place in the battery compartment. It needs to be done carefully, so you do not damage the Power Wheels.
Always measure the battery compartment in the Power Wheels and compare it with the size of the lawn mower battery. Also, check for the modification gape, then you can decide whether to install the lawn mower battery in your Power Wheels or not.
Battery Type
Keep in mind that all 12V batteries are not the same, although it looks same to you. Lawn mowers mostly have two types of batteries: starting batteries and deep-cycle batteries. Standard Power Wheels use deep-cycle batteries.
The starting batteries are designed to give a boost of power to start an engine. These batteries use an alternator to get recharged internally. These batteries are not recommended for Power Wheels because the boost of power can burn the motor.
On the other hand, deep-cycle batteries are recommended for Power Wheels. This battery is designed to recharge externally. You can use these batteries for extended periods. Make sure your lawn mower battery is the deep-cycle battery.
Charger compatibility
If you replace the Power Wheels battery with a lawn mower battery, the Power Wheels charger will not be compatible with that battery because of the different charging plugs.
You cannot use the lawn mower charger directly in the Power Wheels. You can convert the Power Wheels charger to charge the lawn mower battery by following a few steps:
- Remove the charging plug from the charger, the plug you have used to charge the Power Wheels battery.
- Strip the two wires and connect clips to both of them.
- Connect the clips to the lawn mower battery; make sure to connect with positive and negative points correctly. The battery will take time for charging according to the Ah of the battery and charger.
Similarly, you can also convert the lawn mower charger to charge the battery in Power Wheels. The main factor is Ampere compatibility.
How to Install a Lawn Mower Battery in Power Wheels?
Parents can install the lawn mower battery into Power Wheels at home by following some simple steps. Before starting, you have to arrange the following tools and parts.
- Power saw
- Screwdrivers
- Wire strippers
- Crimpers
- Pilers
- Connectors
- Multimeter
- Inch tape
Find a place that has enough space for the lawn mower and Power Wheels. Follow the steps to start conversion.
- First of all, take out the lawn mower battery, check its voltage by the multimeter, and check that it is the deep-cycle lead-acid battery. If the voltage is in the normal range, go for the next step, take out the Power Wheels battery.
- Look for the hook-up connector coming from the Power Wheels motor to the battery. It will be a rectangular plug with two wries. Cut these wires and remove the plug, which will disconnect the battery. Please keep the battery in a safe place; it needs to be disposed of safely later.
- Put both batteries in place and check the size. If the lawn mower battery is bigger, use the inch tape to measure battery place in the Power Wheels and compare it to the battery.
- If the battery does not fit, then look for the modification space, use the power saw to make some space in the Power Wheels. Make sure the battery fits perfectly, and it has enough space for closing the hood.
- To connect the lawn mower battery to Power Wheels, you have to dispose of the Power Wheels battery plug; it is no use for a lawn mower battery.
- You have to strip the wires to connect them to the battery connectors. Connect the battery to the Power Wheels. Make sure positive and negative points are connected correctly.
- When the battery is connected, use the modified charger to charge the battery. With charger modification, you don’t need to take out the battery to charge it every time.
Once the battery is charged fully, now it’s time to test the Power Wheels. If the battery is a higher voltage, it will increase the speed.
Higher voltage batteries are recommended to make the Power Wheels faster, but they can affect the motor’s life.
If you think it is safe for your kid, you can let him test drive on all kinds of terrains.
Safety of Lawn Mower Battery
You probably wonder that is it safe to equip Power Wheels with a lawn mower battery. The answer to this will be yes, it is safe. The lawn mower battery is usually the same as the Power Wheels battery, and both are deep-cycle batteries designed to have a long term.
Always read the battery instructions for both before starting the conversion. Proper handling and storage are strongly recommended for safety.
Avoid overcharging this battery; it may cause burning the battery. Keep it in normal condition, avoid excessive heat, snow, and humidity.
Conversion Cost and Time
Converting Power Wheels to a lawn mower battery can be the cheapest solution to the Power Wheels replacement batteries. The connectors and wires can cost from $10 to $20 maximum. You may already have the tools required for modifications.
The conversion will take as long as 1.5 hours to complete the process if unfamiliar with the tools. An experienced person will take less time.
Can Any Lawn Mower Battery Be Installed in Power Wheels?
The answer to this is yes, it is possible, however, it is not recommended. There are a few types of lawn mower batteries, starting batteries and deep-cycle batteries.
Power Wheels are designed to run safely on deep-cycle batteries. The starting batteries are used to give a power boost to start a motor, this power boost may burn the motor, so they are not recommended to use in the Power Wheels.
On the other hand, lawn mower batteries also have different types in terms of chemistry. Some use lead-acid batteries, and some use lithium-ion batteries.
All of the stock Power Wheels batteries are lead-acid batteries. You cannot use the lithium-ion batteries directly in the Power Wheels.
You can install the lithium-ion batteries in Power Wheels by applying proper drill conversion, which requires a new adapter and charger.
Are Lawn Mower Batteries a Good Alternative for Power Wheels?
It is a good alternative if you are fed up with buying replacement batteries for your kid’s Power Wheels. The lawn mower batteries are reliable alternatives if you don’t want to buy cheap replacement batteries for Power Wheels.
This conversion saves you a lot of money, and you can do this conversion easily at home.
Lawn mower batteries have higher Ah, which makes Power Wheels run longer so your kid can enjoy more time in one charge.
A lawn mower battery is a good alternative because it is available at home or backyard at the time.
What if the Lawn Mower Battery Voltage Is Different From Power Wheels?
Most of the time, the lawn mowers come with 6V or 12V batteries. It is recommended to install a battery in Power Wheels compatible with the motor, which means the voltage should be the same in the battery and motor.
If the lawn mower battery is 6V and the Power Wheels are 12V, it will not give enough power to the motor, and Power Wheels will not run.
If the lawn mower battery is a higher voltage than Power Wheels, this will increase the speed of the Power Wheels. However, it is not recommended because it will decrease the life of the motor.
Conclusion
Lawn mower batteries are a good alternative to Power Wheels replacement batteries. The process is cheaper and easy to handle at home by the parents. All the parts and tools required for the conversion are easily available.
Battery type is the most important factor for this conversion. The lawn mower battery should be a deep-cycle and lead-acid battery. It is also possible to install lithium-ion lawn mower batteries in Power Wheels with proper drill conversion.
A bigger size battery will need a modification in the battery space. The voltage should be compatible with the motor. You will also need to modify the Power Wheels charger to charge the lawn mower battery.
Make sure to test the Power Wheels before giving it to your child.
