I have a Lawn tractor with an electric ignition. I got it used from my in-laws 3 years ago. At that time the battery was dead. I bought a new battery from Wal-Mart, used it about 3 months and it kept needing jumped. Eventually it got to the place where I was not even able to get it to take a charge.

Side Note-Keep in mind with all of this, I disconnect the battery in between mowings to make sure there is not a short draining it.

I returned it and got me a new Interstate Battery, this was 2 years ago. It made it through the season. Last Spring, it was dead and I charged it and as the season progressed, I was having to charge it more & more between mowings.

This past week, I once again had to charge the battery and it fired right up. However, after mowing, I shut it down to leave. When I came home, I could not start it again. Just a clicking.

The user manual states it could be a bad solenoid. So I am not sure which to do... replace the solenoid or the battery.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Randy

Sounds like it could be the solenoid.but first put you habd on top of the engine and spin it backwards just in case the starter is stuck up.If not probably is the solenoid,need to get it running and check the charging system,while running put volt meter on dc volts at battery should have over 13 volts.
If this is a briggs engine it may be less they charge real slow.it takes about 15 minutes just to charge back what it takes to start.
Luck

sounds like it could be the solenoid.but first put you habd on top of the engine and spin it backwards just in case the starter is stuck up.If not probably is the solenoid,need to get it running and check the charging system,while running put volt meter on dc volts at battery should have over 13 volts.
if this is a briggs engine it may be less they charge real slow.it takes about 15 minutes just to charge back what it takes to start.
luck

So let me ask this. I am not real mechanically inclined. But what is it that does the charging on a lawn tractor? Is that the purpose of the Solenoid... to charge? There is not an alternator on it... correct?

No this has a stator under the fly wheel.