Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

The question isn't what's the capacity now, it's what will the capacity
be in two years time...

Ben

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Not used one, but is there any reason to suggest they would be any
better than a mains powered electric mower? If not then stick to petrol!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:07:00 +0000, NoSpam
wrote:

I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Does it say what the charge time is?If you only manage to cut half the
lawn (Think first cut of the season which may well be a bit long, or
when you've missed the right length cos of a holiday) then you'll
struggle to get it charged and cut again the same day.
--
http://www.orderonlinepickupinstore.co.uk
Ah fetch it yourself if you can't wait for delivery
http://www.freedeliveryuk.co.uk
Or get it delivered for free

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

NoSpam wrote:

I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Smallest petrol engined mowers I've seen have been 2hp, which is
1.5kW.
To get 1.5kW for 1 hour at 12v would require 125A and 125Ah - or
allowing 25% for fast discharge, 156Ah. IRL they'll be higher than
12v, but thats to give an easy comparison to batteries we're all
familiar with.

IOW something has to give, with real life power output being lower
than the lowest available petrol mower.

Also a large set of batteris and charger costs a lot more than a
mains lead, so again you're getting a lot less mower for the
equivalent cost.


NT

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

On Tue, 30 Oct 2007 03:19:30 -0700, wrote:

NoSpam wrote:

I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Smallest petrol engined mowers I've seen have been 2hp, which is
1.5kW.
To get 1.5kW for 1 hour at 12v would require 125A and 125Ah - or
allowing 25% for fast discharge, 156Ah. IRL they'll be higher than
12v, but thats to give an easy comparison to batteries we're all
familiar with.

IOW something has to give, with real life power output being lower
than the lowest available petrol mower.

Also a large set of batteris and charger costs a lot more than a
mains lead, so again you're getting a lot less mower for the
equivalent cost.


NT
Had a sealed lead-acid battery powered mower a few years ago - one of
the "better" makes. ( One of the brands owned by Bosch)

Was impressed with how much grass it did cut on a charge, but
batteries no good after 2 seasons and the official replacements -
non-standard size were about £100.
I managed to use a standard size but it still works out expensive.

The advantages for me was the stop start facility of an electric mower
without using 100m + of extension cable and the low noise level
compared with a petrol powered one.


It kept falling to pieces and I couldnt be bothered to fault find the
pcb when it stopped working as I was about to move.

Batteries are very heavy as well.
Robert

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave
Dave,
No idea how good these are but I can buy them at discount. I've mislaid
your email addy but you can contact me at bobdotminchinatntlworlddotcom
and I'll send you the staff prices.

Bob

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:07:00 +0000, NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Talking about the Li-ion batteries, how do these hold/deliver charge in
cold weather?
I've noticed that the batteries for my camera (also Li-ion) last a
matter of minutes when I'm using the camera at night during the
winter. Now I appreciate that you (probably :-) won't be cutting
your grass at night, but the chemistry in the cells does reduce
their capacity when they're cold. So you may find that you'll get
less grass-cutting capability in the early morning if your mower's
been kept in a cold shed overnight.

--
.................................................. .........................
.. never trust a man who, when left alone ...... Pete Lynch .
.. in a room with a tea cosy ...... Marlow, England .
.. doesn't try it on (Billy Connolly) .....................................

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

Peter Lynch wrote:
On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:07:00 +0000, NoSpam wrote:

I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Talking about the Li-ion batteries, how do these hold/deliver charge in
cold weather?
I've noticed that the batteries for my camera (also Li-ion) last a
matter of minutes when I'm using the camera at night during the
winter. Now I appreciate that you (probably :-) won't be cutting
your grass at night, but the chemistry in the cells does reduce
their capacity when they're cold. So you may find that you'll get
less grass-cutting capability in the early morning if your mower's
been kept in a cold shed overnight.

Lion would be a pretty expensive technology for a high power battery.
Output falls with lead acids too of course, at sub zero.


NT

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

Peter Lynch wrote:
On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:07:00 +0000, NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Talking about the Li-ion batteries, how do these hold/deliver charge in
cold weather?

Hold is good, deliver is less good. But probably good enough. They are
far more like lead acid in their general feel and behaviour than nickel
base cells

I've noticed that the batteries for my camera (also Li-ion) last a
matter of minutes when I'm using the camera at night during the
winter.

That is probably poor cells that simply sag under load when cold: the
capacity should not be affected. Ive seen cells that run past limits
appear to do just that, but if left for a few minutes, the voltage comes
up and they will deliver full capacity.


Now I appreciate that you (probably :-) won't be cutting
your grass at night, but the chemistry in the cells does reduce
their capacity when they're cold. So you may find that you'll get
less grass-cutting capability in the early morning if your mower's
been kept in a cold shed overnight.

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

On Wed, 31 Oct 2007 03:43:21 -0700, wrote:

Peter Lynch wrote:
On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:07:00 +0000, NoSpam wrote:

I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

Talking about the Li-ion batteries, how do these hold/deliver charge in
cold weather?
I've noticed that the batteries for my camera (also Li-ion) last a
matter of minutes when I'm using the camera at night during the
winter. Now I appreciate that you (probably :-) won't be cutting
your grass at night, but the chemistry in the cells does reduce
their capacity when they're cold. So you may find that you'll get
less grass-cutting capability in the early morning if your mower's
been kept in a cold shed overnight.

Lion would be a pretty expensive technology for a high power battery.
Output falls with lead acids too of course, at sub zero.


NT
May be expensive but being used more and more - Latest electric
outboard motor uses Lion instead of Lead Acid.

One of the claims is that Lion can be repeatedly fully discharged
without ill effects unlike Lead ACid.
Thus a Lion battery with half the capacity can be used.

Isnt one of the latest hybrid drive cars using Lion ?
Robert

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

On 29 Oct, 20:07, NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

May not be your cup of tea but you could get a scythe.
A lot less pollution than a mower.
Cheaper to run and service
Good exercise
£39 in p&p from http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

On Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:51:11 -0700, nafuk
wrote:

On 29 Oct, 20:07, NoSpam wrote:
I've just decided the old petrol rotary is too rusted to repair again
and, while doing some research into a replacement, have stumbled over
cordless mowers.
I'm naturally cynical about claims but the Bosch Rotak specs claim
they're OK for 400m2 of lawn on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion
batteries should last well (if they don't burst into flames :-( ) - but
has anyone actually used one? Are they any good?

Dave

May not be your cup of tea but you could get a scythe.
A lot less pollution than a mower.
Cheaper to run and service
Good exercise
£39 in p&p from http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm
Dont forget the cost of plasters and trips to A&E if you get it
wrong.
Robert

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

In message ,
lid writes
May not be your cup of tea but you could get a scythe.
A lot less pollution than a mower.
Cheaper to run and service
Good exercise
£39 in p&p from http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm
Dont forget the cost of plasters and trips to A&E if you get it
wrong.

I used a scythe for 2 summers as a teenager - only injuries were
splinters from the less than perfect handle. :)

--
Si

Cordless lawn mowers - any good?
 

Si wrote:
In message ,
lid writes

May not be your cup of tea but you could get a scythe.
A lot less pollution than a mower.
Cheaper to run and service
Good exercise
£39 in p&p from http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm
Dont forget the cost of plasters and trips to A&E if you get it
wrong.

I used a scythe for 2 summers as a teenager - only injuries were
splinters from the less than perfect handle. :)

Long handled ones are unwieldier, but can cut much more per
stroke. However, is a scythe going to be up to cutting through all
the woody bits?


NT