Battery Not Charging on My New Mower – Help!

Hey all, I just got a new cordless mower (Ryobi 40V) and the battery won't charge. It's the first time I'm using it. I plug it in, the charger light stays green (meaning fully charged?) but the mower won't start. I checked the battery level indicator and it shows full. What am I missing? I'm about to return it but wanted to see if I'm doing something dumb.

That green light on the charger might mean 'charge complete' or 'standby' depending on the model. Sometimes if the battery is too hot from use, it won't charge until it cools down. But if it's brand new, could be a defective battery or the charger is not making full contact. Check the terminals for any plastic shipping covers – some batteries have a small tab you need to remove. Also, clean the contacts with a dry cloth. If that doesn't work, test with another battery if you have one. I've seen new batteries fail out of the box more often than you'd think.

Before you return it, make sure you're using the correct charging procedure. Some chargers require you to push the battery in until you hear a click. And don't charge it in direct sunlight or on a hot surface – I've had that cause issues. Also, check the manual: sometimes the green light blinks to indicate an error (like over-voltage or short circuit). If your manual says 'steady green = connected, not charging', then it's waiting for something. Finally, make sure you're not trying to charge a fully charged battery – that might show green but not actually charge. If it was fully charged from the factory, try running the mower for a few minutes to drain it a bit, then charge.

Good points. I did remove the little plastic cover, so that's not it. I'll try the cool-down thing and cleaning the contacts. The battery did feel a bit warm. Also, I checked the manual – it says green light can be 'connected' or 'fully charged'. So maybe it's just not charging because it's already full? But then why won't it start? I'll try running it a bit and see if it cuts on. If not, I'm taking it back.

That's the key – if it's fully charged and still won't start, then there's a connection issue between the battery and the mower. Check the metal contacts on the battery and inside the mower – sometimes they can be misaligned. Also, check if the safety key or start button needs to be toggled – some mowers have a key that must be inserted or a button you hold while pulling the bail. Also, look for any blinking lights on the mower itself. If it's still under warranty, definitely return it and get a replacement. No point in messing with a lemon.