Lawnmower switches?
 

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without
forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to buy
a 'dead man's switch' for it.

Don't know what happened to the original.

I was expecting these 'see em on everything' switches would be available in
the shops as pattern items, but, after a couple of years keeping an eye out,
I've not seen anyone selling them.

Anyone know if there are pattern replacements or 'universals' anywhere?

Cheers,

S

Lawnmower switches?
 

"Stephen Howard" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:00 GMT, "spamlet"
wrote:

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without
forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to
buy
a 'dead man's switch' for it.

Don't know what happened to the original.

I was expecting these 'see em on everything' switches would be available
in
the shops as pattern items, but, after a couple of years keeping an eye
out,
I've not seen anyone selling them.

Anyone know if there are pattern replacements or 'universals' anywhere?

Have you tried your local tip?
My local one nearly always has a Flymo or two..alongside the Dyson
cleaners.
Going price should be about a fiver.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

That was quick Stephen!

I have eyed up the skips at the local tip but that puts me in a dilemma, as
I may well (in all likelihood will) be getting yet another mower that I can
also fix and won't want to destroy one to cure the other. I hate chucking
out stuff that still works but for a little tweak... (Which is how I came
to have a shed full of pushbikes even though I'll probably never be fit
enough to ride them again!)

I'll just have to learn to be a consumer I suppose!

Cheers,

S

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:00 GMT, "spamlet"
wrote:

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without
forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to buy
a 'dead man's switch' for it.

Don't know what happened to the original.

I was expecting these 'see em on everything' switches would be available in
the shops as pattern items, but, after a couple of years keeping an eye out,
I've not seen anyone selling them.

I bet if you have a look at the innards of the existing you should be
able to bodge a standard microswitch or something similar to do the
same job, possibly better than the original.
Think "engineer" rather than "consumer"... :-)

--
Frank Erskine

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:00 GMT, "spamlet"
wrote:

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without
forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to buy
a 'dead man's switch' for it.

Don't know what happened to the original.

I was expecting these 'see em on everything' switches would be available in
the shops as pattern items, but, after a couple of years keeping an eye out,
I've not seen anyone selling them.

Anyone know if there are pattern replacements or 'universals' anywhere?

Have you tried your local tip?
My local one nearly always has a Flymo or two..alongside the Dyson
cleaners.
Going price should be about a fiver.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:07:42 GMT, "spamlet"
wrote:


"Stephen Howard" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:00 GMT, "spamlet"
wrote:

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without
forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to
buy
a 'dead man's switch' for it.

snip

Have you tried your local tip?


That was quick Stephen!

I have eyed up the skips at the local tip but that puts me in a dilemma, as
I may well (in all likelihood will) be getting yet another mower that I can
also fix and won't want to destroy one to cure the other. I hate chucking
out stuff that still works but for a little tweak... (Which is how I came
to have a shed full of pushbikes even though I'll probably never be fit
enough to ride them again!)

I'll just have to learn to be a consumer I suppose!

Aye, I know what you mean - I have a 'collection' of around half a
dozen mowers at the moment...only one of which I know definitely
works, and one other that probably/hopefully works. The rest are 'too
good to throw away', all bar the Tecumseh engined jobby with the
plastic chassis ( poxy thing ).

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:41:27 +0100, Frank Erskine wrote:

I bet if you have a look at the innards of the existing you should be
able to bodge a standard microswitch or something similar to do the
same job, possibly better than the original.

I was thinking the same but pay close attention to the switch ratings and
the motor power you don't want a "dead mans handle" switch getting its
contacts welded together...

--
Cheers
Dave.

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:00 +0000, spamlet wrote:

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without
forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to buy
a 'dead man's switch' for it.

Don't know what happened to the original.

I was expecting these 'see em on everything' switches would be available in
the shops as pattern items, but, after a couple of years keeping an eye out,
I've not seen anyone selling them.

Anyone know if there are pattern replacements or 'universals' anywhere?

Cheers,

S

==================================
Might be something he

http://www.espares.co.uk/

Cic.

--
===================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
===================================

Lawnmower switches?
 

In article et,
"Dave Liquorice" writes:
On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:41:27 +0100, Frank Erskine wrote:

I bet if you have a look at the innards of the existing you should be
able to bodge a standard microswitch or something similar to do the
same job, possibly better than the original.

I was thinking the same but pay close attention to the switch ratings and
the motor power you don't want a "dead mans handle" switch getting its
contacts welded together...

Last couple of mowers I've bought over last ~10 years, the
"dead mans handle" is not simply an on-off switch, but also
caused emergency braking of the blades. I've never looked
to see how that was done, but that function died after
a couple of years on both mowers, and the blades now spin
down slowly as they dissipate their momentum gradually.
Both these are induction motor mowers (but most electric
mowers are universal motor mowers). The brake may have been
something mechanical. On a universal motor, it's much easier;
you just short out the motor to stop it.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Lawnmower switches?
 

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.net...
On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:41:27 +0100, Frank Erskine wrote:

I bet if you have a look at the innards of the existing you should be
able to bodge a standard microswitch or something similar to do the
same job, possibly better than the original.

I was thinking the same but pay close attention to the switch ratings and
the motor power you don't want a "dead mans handle" switch getting its
contacts welded together...

--
Cheers
Dave.

Thanks chaps: but I have no innards to play with on this occasion. The
mower 'handle' is devoid of the entire switch assembly (possibly someone
else must have pinched it for yet another mower!).

Handy tip though.

S

Lawnmower switches?
 

"Cicero" wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:19:00 +0000, spamlet wrote:
==================================
Might be something he

http://www.espares.co.uk/

Cic.



Hi Cicero,
It looks as though the suppliers have increased since last I checked, and
espares now has a range of components, and 'kits' for repairing the
switchbox, but I can't see (though there is a lot to browse through) any
whole switchbox assemblies.

Changing tactic, and just using google to search for 'lawnmower +switch',
gets one into espares 'by the back door as it were', and comes up with a 6A
250V switch, and a lever, which I may be able to create something of, if I
can't lay my hands on a complete item.

Most of the other links end up back at espares; and a little way down the
list comes the very pricey Bartram, who were the only suppliers last time I
looked.

Odd really, as I would have expected to see every garden centre with oodles
of cheap generic replacements, all hanging up and ready to go. I suppose
its because these days, a garden is just another fashion item to spend money
on, and when the slightest thing goes wrong with a piece of kit, its just an
excuse to buy the latest.

Thanks for the tip,

S

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:53:31 GMT, spamlet wrote:

Odd really, as I would have expected to see every garden centre with
oodles of cheap generic replacements, all hanging up and ready to go. I
suppose its because these days, a garden is just another fashion item to
spend money on, and when the slightest thing goes wrong with a piece of
kit, its just an excuse to buy the latest.

"Garden Centres" are fashion based, what you need to find is a Garden
Machinery Centre or an Agricultural Supplier that deals with small garden
stuff as well.

The other factor apart from fashion is that most people wouldn't have a
clue where to start in repairing something unless it can be done with a
nothing more complicated than a roll of sticky tape. Mind you with a bit
of ingenuity I bet you could fashion a dead mans handle switch from
insulation tape and a couple of wires...

--
Cheers
Dave.

Lawnmower switches?
 

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:30:09 UTC, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:53:31 GMT, spamlet wrote:

Odd really, as I would have expected to see every garden centre with
oodles of cheap generic replacements, all hanging up and ready to go. I
suppose its because these days, a garden is just another fashion item to
spend money on, and when the slightest thing goes wrong with a piece of
kit, its just an excuse to buy the latest.

"Garden Centres" are fashion based, what you need to find is a Garden
Machinery Centre or an Agricultural Supplier that deals with small garden
stuff as well.

The other factor apart from fashion is that most people wouldn't have a
clue where to start in repairing something unless it can be done with a
nothing more complicated than a roll of sticky tape. Mind you with a bit
of ingenuity I bet you could fashion a dead mans handle switch from
insulation tape and a couple of wires...

I had a smaller Flymo where the switch had broken. I posted the model
number on here (a while ago, this was) and someone posted me a
replacement off a mower he'd scrapped. It came complete with a piece of
swan-off handle as that was the quickest way for him to remove it!

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
http://www.diybanter.com