Battery Powered Lawn mower

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Battery Powered Lawn mower

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

7413 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2850

ID Verified

Trusted

#1464840 7-Jan-2016 08:29

timmmay: Wow, with mowers around $600 and a battery replacement of around $200 every two years, that's one expensive way to cut grass. Say a ten year cost of $1600. The electric one I have works great, so long as you're not mowing a field, and at $250 odd and requiring no maintenance for (so far) 7 or 8 years it's great value. Cords aren't that much trouble, you get used to it.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess... I owned one of those Victa (plug-in) electric mowers a few years back and loathed it. The only advantage it had over other mowers I've had was that it was light. The worst feature was as soon as it stopped the grass fell forward from within the catcher to cover the blades, and the motor wasn't powerful enough to restart it, so each time I'd have to turn it over to push the grass back into place! It also couldn't cope with either particularly thick or long grass. The cord was a pain (ran over two or three, I think!). And then I started getting fireworks from the power trigger, at which point it went to the tip (the plastic casing was in poor condition, after having been damaged by a stone).

I didn't learn, however, and bought a more powerful electric mower, trying to stick with a more environmentally friendly option than a petrol mower (having been bought up on hand push mowers!). Again it was similarly frustrating to use. A couple of years back I gave up and bought my first petrol mower, and now I'd never go back to a plug-in electric model. That said, I'd certainly think about battery-powered if I could afford one of the quality-sounding models like that 36v Ryobi discussed above! Certainly would be cautious about the cheaper battery models, and wouldn't purchase those without trialling them first...

k14

630 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 94

#1464843 7-Jan-2016 08:38

timmmay: Wow, with mowers around $600 and a battery replacement of around $200 every two years, that's one expensive way to cut grass. Say a ten year cost of $1600. The electric one I have works great, so long as you're not mowing a field, and at $250 odd and requiring no maintenance for (so far) 7 or 8 years it's great value. Cords aren't that much trouble, you get used to it.

Li-ion batteries will last a lot longer than 2 years (unless you are mowing your lawn twice a day). The batteries will last at least 5 years I reckon. Plus, in 5 years time a battery will cost $50 not $200. I'd mow my lawns maybe 15 times a year so I'd hope to get more than 30 cycles out of a battery. Plus I can buy the weed eater to replace my crappy 2 stroke one and just use one battery for both.

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3317

Trusted

#1464844 7-Jan-2016 08:42

We have about a 700 square metre section, of which probably 400 m is grass. We have a 1300 watt mains powered lawn mower. I find that if the grass is too long, the mower struggles to cope, and it would have way more wattage than you'd get from a battery mower, even with the battery in top condition.

timmmay

20653 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5166

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1464847 7-Jan-2016 08:47

jonathan18: Different strokes for different folks, I guess... I owned one of those Victa (plug-in) electric mowers a few years back and loathed it. The only advantage it had over other mowers I've had was that it was light. The worst feature was as soon as it stopped the grass fell forward from within the catcher to cover the blades, and the motor wasn't powerful enough to restart it, so each time I'd have to turn it over to push the grass back into place! It also couldn't cope with either particularly thick or long grass. The cord was a pain (ran over two or three, I think!). And then I started getting fireworks from the power trigger, at which point it went to the tip (the plastic casing was in poor condition, after having been damaged by a stone).

I didn't learn, however, and bought a more powerful electric mower, trying to stick with a more environmentally friendly option than a petrol mower (having been bought up on hand push mowers!). Again it was similarly frustrating to use. A couple of years back I gave up and bought my first petrol mower, and now I'd never go back to a plug-in electric model. That said, I'd certainly think about battery-powered if I could afford one of the quality-sounding models like that 36v Ryobi discussed above! Certainly would be cautious about the cheaper battery models, and wouldn't purchase those without trialling them first...

Yeah, different situation. I haven't found the grass falls back in and never a problem restarting. You can't fill it to overflowing though.

k14: Li-ion batteries will last a lot longer than 2 years (unless you are mowing your lawn twice a day). The batteries will last at least 5 years I reckon. Plus, in 5 years time a battery will cost $50 not $200. I'd mow my lawns maybe 15 times a year so I'd hope to get more than 30 cycles out of a battery. Plus I can buy the weed eater to replace my crappy 2 stroke one and just use one battery for both.

K14, your post is rude and offensive, and inappropriate on geekzone. Suggest you edit your post to talk about the idea, rather than have a go at me - especially since I was quoting someone else on the two year thing.

NB: the post and the quoted post have been edited by a moderator.

A poster above said they had to replace their batteries after two years. A good LiIon or NiMH battery that's treated well should last 500 - 1000 charges, so if you mow your lawn on average every two weeks that's a lot of years. I think batteries wear out before that.

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 138

#1464869 7-Jan-2016 09:03

DarthKermit: (snip)....I find that if the grass is too long, the mower struggles to cope, and it would have way more wattage than you'd get from a battery mower, even with the battery in top condition.

This isn't a problem restricted to electric mowers.

Too often folk still try to do a full width cut when grass is too long, and choke their mowers (whatever type they've got). Pays to mow smaller width strips and/or mow once at a higher cut height, then repeat. Either way using a catcher as you go makes it easier. And then try to stay on top of it.
We're all guilty of expecting more from the mower than it can deliver, by simply leaving it too long between cuts.

Jase2985

13513 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5942

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1464872 7-Jan-2016 09:04

DarthKermit: We have about a 700 square metre section, of which probably 400 m is grass. We have a 1300 watt mains powered lawn mower. I find that if the grass is too long, the mower struggles to cope, and it would have way more wattage than you'd get from a battery mower, even with the battery in top condition.

ac vs dc though so not directly comparable

k14

630 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 94

#1464873 7-Jan-2016 09:05

timmmay: K14, your post is rude and offensive, and inappropriate on geekzone. Suggest you edit your post to talk about the idea, rather than have a go at me - especially since I was quoting someone else on the two year thing.

A poster above said they had to replace their batteries after two years. A good LiIon or NiMH battery that's treated well should last 500 - 1000 charges, so if you mow your lawn on average every two weeks that's a lot of years. I think batteries wear out before that.

I think it was spot on. You are misconstruing the facts. The post you refer to (use the quote function in future to make things easier to understand) refers to a lead acid lawnmower. They are very crap compared to the Li-ion models discussed in the majority of the thread. The li-ion batteries have a 2 year warranty and i would expect them to last 5 if not more years (quite likely 10). My 18v cordless drill with nicad (highly inferior to li-ion batteries) is still going strong after 6 years. So in fact, after 10 years the cost is probably closer to $600 not $1600. Batteries don't just "wear out", their capacity slowly gets less and less. Lead acids suffer from this much more than li-ion.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3317

Trusted

#1464876 7-Jan-2016 09:08

Indeed. I've had to resort to mowing half a strip at a time, or mowing on the highest setting. I don't mow with a catcher, I use the side attachment to spit the grass out to the right. It does mean you can only mow in one direction, as you don't want to be mowing back over freshly cut grass.

I have a mains powered electric drill and a battery drill (DeWalt). I know which one is more powerful. The same would apply with mowers.

Jase2985

13513 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5942

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1464877 7-Jan-2016 09:10

timmmay:
k14: Li-ion batteries will last a lot longer than 2 years (unless you are mowing your lawn twice a day). The batteries will last at least 5 years I reckon. Plus, in 5 years time a battery will cost $50 not $200. I'd mow my lawns maybe 15 times a year so I'd hope to get more than 30 cycles out of a battery. Plus I can buy the weed eater to replace my crappy 2 stroke one and just use one battery for both.

K14, your post is rude and offensive, and inappropriate on geekzone. Suggest you edit your post to talk about the idea, rather than have a go at me - especially since I was quoting someone else on the two year thing.

wow really?

timmmay:
A poster above said they had to replace their batteries after two years. A good LiIon or NiMH battery that's treated well should last 500 - 1000 charges, so if you mow your lawn on average every two weeks that's a lot of years. I think batteries wear out before that.

their mower had a 24v SLA battery not a NiMH or LiIon

timmmay

20653 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5166

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1464883 7-Jan-2016 09:18

Jase2985:

wow really?

Mauricio has edited the original post and my quoted reply to remove the offensive part. I won't repeat it, but "play the ball not that man" would be good advice for K14.

timmmay

20653 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5166

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1464884 7-Jan-2016 09:19

k14:
timmmay: K14, your post is rude and offensive, and inappropriate on geekzone. Suggest you edit your post to talk about the idea, rather than have a go at me - especially since I was quoting someone else on the two year thing.

A poster above said they had to replace their batteries after two years. A good LiIon or NiMH battery that's treated well should last 500 - 1000 charges, so if you mow your lawn on average every two weeks that's a lot of years. I think batteries wear out before that.

I think it was spot on. You are misconstruing the facts. The post you refer to (use the quote function in future to make things easier to understand) refers to a lead acid lawnmower. They are very crap compared to the Li-ion models discussed in the majority of the thread. The li-ion batteries have a 2 year warranty and i would expect them to last 5 if not more years (quite likely 10). My 18v cordless drill with nicad (highly inferior to li-ion batteries) is still going strong after 6 years. So in fact, after 10 years the cost is probably closer to $600 not $1600. Batteries don't just "wear out", their capacity slowly gets less and less. Lead acids suffer from this much more than li-ion.

True that LiIon and SLA are quite different. Yes I understand how batteries work, I've read quite extensively on battery university, my NiMH cells tend to least 5 years with good treatment. The thread is about battery powered lawnmowers, not LiIon battery powered lawnmowers, but the 2 year thing isn't widely applicable to most mowers.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2850

ID Verified

Trusted

#1464888 7-Jan-2016 09:23

timmmay:
Jase2985:

wow really?

Mauricio has edited the original post and my quoted reply to remove the offensive part. I won't repeat it, but "play the ball not that man" would be good advice for K14.

That explains it then! I wondered why you were getting upset about an innocuous (if direct) post...

Jase2985

13513 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5942

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1464890 7-Jan-2016 09:24

i know what he said and his comments wasn't far off the mark

you failed to realise that the mower/person in question wasnt a NiMH or LiIon battery for their mower like all the others being discussed and was a lot more susceptible to the battery loosing capacity. So for that mower yes the running costs would be high, but for almost every other battery mower out there, it was completely off the mark.

your comment was rather general

psychrn

1605 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 151

ID Verified

Trusted

#1464896 7-Jan-2016 09:32

Being the starter of the thread I specifically ruled out Electric mowers. !!
Been a bit busy so havnt caught up till this morning on the thread. Been some interesting discussion.
Ill definitely go check out the Ryobi system.
You guys will laugh as our lawn is only about 60 square metrs.
Cheers
Chris

GZMCC. Lenovo Yoga C640. 8 gb Ram and 256Gb SSD, Cam Am Spyder 2016 F3 LTD. GoPro 5 Black, Samsung S22 Ultra, Huawei Watch D. Samsung S6 Lite Tablet, Amateur Radio Callsign ZL1CJH

Jase2985

13513 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5942

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1464904 7-Jan-2016 09:41

if its only 60sqm why dont you just buy a cheap mower that comes with batteries? the the ozito ones from bunnings?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4