I was just given a 2003 troybilt bronco riding mower because my older neighbor did not want to mess with it. At times it runs / starts fine then others it will not quite turn over. I changed the battery for her last fall and that seemed to "fix the problem for a while. This spring it was serviced by a small engine place when it started to act up and they replaced the solenoid and it seemed to work for a week. Today she gave it to my son and I to have and it would not start. The starter fires and almost turns over then nothing.. I charged the new battery and ater a while it started up and ran great. My son was driving it around with the headlights on and it started to smell like an electrical burn. The solenoid didn't seem hot nor the battery cables. The tractor ran great.. Also during this last no starting era the transmission seemed to be locked despite being in neutral and the brake off. Any thoughts? Starter switch? Safety switch on the transmission? How does this tractor charge the battery? The amp meter indicates charging.

OK. Batteries can be tested to reveal ESR or effective starting reistance. This degrades to the point that it can no longer turn the starter. The ammeter constantly indicating charging also indicates that something is wrong.

During storage you MUST keep a trickle charger on the battery. All sorts of bad things happen if you don't.

You going to hate what I am going to say: Get new battery and/or get the old battery tested, Make sure ammeter behaves.

When it goes into storage, buy a trickle charger.

The battery is bad because you don't how to take care of it.

Water and trickle charge and warm temperatures.