What's the best cordless Lawn Mower?

[Modbikemax]

There are a lot on the market now with lithium batteries but what about other things like brushless motors, best catcher, blade replacements, reliability.
Has anyone built one or done a conversion?
Seems there is some crossover with what we do on the bikes.
I had a Flymow for many years and that was ok but the cord was a nuisance. I have since gone back to petrol but I want to have another go at electric.

[Ykick]

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewto ... lit=+Mower

[gogo]

Sheep.

Cord optional, fence or supervision may be required.

[wineboyrider]

I have been mowing with my 40v Greenworks mower for over a year and I love it. I can mow 1/4 acre or about 40 minutes with it, it bags and cuts very nicely and it's quiet and super light. I will never buy another gas mower again.

[marty]

Robot! Bought one a few years ago. Been working perfectly. Does a beautiful job.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/ro ... omeowners/

[The fingers]

First, I need a robot that sniffs out dog piles and removes them.

[dogman dan]

Now you are talking, a Roomba for dog shit would be awesome.

I was pretty impressed with Wineboys yardworks mower, saw, weedwhacker etc. Clearly better than my now obsolete 24v B&D. But if you see one of those in the freecycle pile grab it. Likely just needs a battery, and still mows fine once you lipo it.

Similarly, any of the new version mowers should be pretty ok. All are running 12s 4 ah packs I think. Beats the hell out of 6s mowers. One of the new mowers and two batteries should handle any yard up to half an acre.

[Matt Gruber]

i got a self propelled from sears, and it only used a half gallon all season. was $219.
small lawn, true. no cord.

[AussieJester]

We have the ryobi 36v cordless mower, works brilliantly..

KiM

[Modbikemax]

I bought a Victa today from Mower City 18 Rudloc Road Morley Perth WA.
It's an old fashioned mower shop with old fashioned service. It's the second mower I have bought from them.

It's the Vitca V Force + Lithium. Model VLM4016 16" 40v Lithium -ion battery.
I guess that means a 10 cell battery at 4ah.
The first thing to note is the build quality, it's mostly plastic with over centring clamps for the handle and a notched height adjuster. All looks pretty well thought out and well made.

The next thing of note is how quiet it is. It is quiter than my vacuum cleaner.
It cut all my grass with 2 out of 5 lights on the charge indicator left. I am pretty pleased.
So please I plan to get the blower vac and whipper sniper as soon as possible.

You get a battery with every item so 3 batteries makes 12ah at 40v enough for my next Ebike project

[Nehmo]

I recognize I'm transgressing in that my comment is only tangentially related to the subject of the thread, but this is a pro-electric group, which consequently is pro-environmental, and I justify my comment accordingly. I answer OP's question with - Although doing so with an e-mower is more acceptable, Don't cut in the first place. Spend the saved money on e-bike stuff, and spend the saved time riding enjoying the cleaner air and better view (both of which improved by your not cutting).

Cutting grass, particularly to the extent it's done in modern America, is ecologically, atmospherically and socially disastrous. There are several detrimental effects to grass cutting:

• Reduces oxygen producing, CO2 converting, photosynthetic leaf area (This speeds global warming, for one thing.)
• Reduces habitat for indigenous plant and animal wildlife
• Causes higher water usage
• Causes a huge amount of pollution of several kinds.
  • The EPA estimate is that 5% of all air pollution from mobile sources (including cars, airplanes, and trains) comes from lawn cutting.
  • From spillage, puts liquid and gas pollutants into the environment (one estimate puts this as equivalent to an Exxon Valdez wreck every year)
• Causes incredible number of injuries, many serious (U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission: Each year 800 children are run over by riding mowers or small tractors; 75 people are killed, and 20,000 injured; one in five deaths involves a child.)
• Money grubbing unethical companies push legislation to force grass cutting. And they encourage untrained non-professionals to do the job. By complying and buying products from these companies, we are rewarding these villains.
• Is done so much, it actually weighs down many private property and municipal budgets
• From enforcement of grass-cutting laws, infringes on the First Amendment right of freedom of expression. If someone doesn't cut their grass, the municipality will issue a code violation citation, and maybe send the property owner or renter or to jail.

It would be one thing if grass cutting were done in particular private areas for some person's idea of neatness. But it's done on an obsessively huge scale as you can see from a drive about any city of America. People cut grass even in areas hidden behind structures that would be unlikely to be viewed by anyone.
It's crazy. But cutting grass is so imbedded in American culture, hardly anyone even notices the craziness.

[Modbikemax]

You are right Nehmo, lawns are a pain in the arse. But it is probably easier to make an electric lawn mower to at least address a few of the issues you raised than to change minds and habits.
In Australia there is a shift away from large suburban homes with sprawling lawns and a move to European style high density living. Ideally for the environment sake we should all live in high rise apartments close to work just like they do in China or New York. One day we may have no choice in the matter.
For now I have made a small step getting rid of another petrol engine in my life. I don't drive my car much anymore and ride my bike as a first choice. One day I will buy an apartment around the corner from work and do away with the lot.
I might keep the bike for fun

[jateureka]

I just bought the EGO 56V battery powered lawn mower and line trimmer from Masters yesterday, along with a spare 4Ah battery and fast charger. The mower comes with a 4Ah battery and standard charger for $599 AUD, which I believe is a bit cheaper than the Victa V-Force. The trimmer comes with a 2Ah battery and standard charger for $299 AUD.
The units have a 5 year warranty and the batteries/chargers have a 3 year warranty.

We live on just over an acre with 60m of driveway to edge and with the 3 batteries we did all the areas we'd normally do with the self-propelled petrol mower and trimmer, with no waiting for a recharge - just swap and go. We still do the large lawn with the ride-on, but I will be selling our self-propelled mower and trimmer now as the battery units worked flawlessly. The mower is so light weight I didn't even miss it not being self-propelled.

We will also be buying the chainsaw as a skin when it comes available at Trade Tools for $229 AUD at the end of February!

[jateureka]

Sun Joe Mow doesn't seem to be available in Australia. What battery voltage is it?

The EGO has a 20" cutting deck and cuts just as well as our self propelled mower. The sales pitch says it's 56V but I haven't found the cell chemistry or number of cells written anywhere.

[dogman dan]

Definitely you can just mow taller than the norm for the USA. My city code allows 12" before you are in violation of the weed ordinance. Taller grass takes less water believe it or not. just mow at 4-5 inches, and let it grow to about 8. Unless you need it shorter for a reason.

My back yard is partly regular lawn, for the enjoyment of my dogs. And to keep the area near my house walls cooler. Cut short so I can find the dog shit. I control overgrowth by holding back the water, which works fine here in the desert.

Front yard is native wild grass, and wild flowers. It gets cut at most 4 times a year. When I mow it, it's done very tall. Watered weekly all winter to sprout the flowers, then not at all in summer when the native grass takes over. IMO, the best looking lawn on the block. Many are just rock ground cover.

[Modbikemax]

I have genetically modified buffalo grass engineered to have long roots and slow growing and reduced running. 4to 6 weeks between mows. Now if they could just engineer it to mow itself.
You gotta love science

[dingoEsride]

I like that Victa V force modbike, I would've got that if I knew about it but am very happy with my Royboy 36v (ryobi) except that it only has a lonely 2.6ah batt, could get another tool with similar batt or make up a bigger one, I agree that having longer grass uses less water and absorbs more co2 but mine generally goes to weed if left cause I don't water it due to a shortage of expensive water here a very hardy grass mind you cooch is, just bounces back when it rains

[Modbikemax]

I did look at the ryobi, they have 2 versions, one with a big battery and one which uses 2 of the 18v cordless drill batteries.
But I just couldn't bring myself to buy from Bunnings ( Aussie version of Home Depot ).
The mower shop was cheaper by about $100 and he traded in my old mower. So much for 'cheaper prices'.
Support the small business if you can or some day the only choice will be no choice.

[Hillhater]

4to 6 weeks between mows. Now if they could just engineer it to mow itself.
:

Well,... There is always the sheep or Goat option !

[Modbikemax]

4to 6 weeks between mows. Now if they could just engineer it to mow itself.
:

Well,... There is always the sheep or Goat option !

You mean a genetically engineered sheep that sleeps for 4 weeks, wakes up, eats your lawn and nothing else, poops it out on the garden beds then goes back to sleep for another 4 weeks?
That's just crazy.

[amberwolf]

I have a couple of them here, but they're pretty irregular about which areas they munch on, and while they sleep a lot, it isn't for a month at a time. They always wake up for dinner and breakfast (and make sure to wake me if I'm not ). Also, while they sometimes poop in the garden stuff usually they just dig in it or eat it, too.

I think something went wrong in the gengineering process.

[Hillhater]

4to 6 weeks between mows. Now if they could just engineer it to mow itself.
:

Well,... There is always the sheep or Goat option !

You mean a genetically engineered sheep that sleeps for 4 weeks, wakes up, eats your lawn and nothing else, poops it out on the garden beds then goes back to sleep for another 4 weeks?
That's just crazy.

No No,..you are still thinking conventionally with intermittent mowing period.
I am refering to the latest tech automatic, continuous, selective, mowing. and fertilisation. !
The tallest grass is "cut" first, whilst the weakest is being fertilised.
The only major issue is height control ! ..You may have to fit your own "height control" nose wheels,.. if you want that 6" high stuff !

[Modbikemax]

No No,..you are still thinking conventionally with intermittent mowing period.
I am refering to the latest tech automatic, continuous, selective, mowing. and fertilisation. !
The tallest grass is "cut" first, whilst the weakest is being fertilised.
The only major issue is height control ! ..You may have to fit your own "height control" nose wheels,.. if you want that 6" high stuff !

All the sheep I have ever seen eat the grass down to the base so you end up with something that resembles a cricket pitch with crap everywhere. Not only that they only eat the nice stuff and leave the weeds. Goats will eat everything including the trees. They are a pest in Australia.
At first glance a green solution may seem like a good idea but usually ends in disaster.