1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Battery Power for Lawn equipment -- is it time?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Stevewoods, Jan 24, 2018.

  1. John321

    John321 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2018
    1,103
    1,144
    0
    Location:
    Kentucky
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I also have the Kobalt 80v self propelled lawn mower and string trimmer.

    That battery you got for $25 is one great deal. I believe I paid close to $160 for 2 new ones or about $80 a piece.

    Our neighbor bought a new Kobalt self propelled 80 volt mower after I let him use ours. His came with a single 7.5 amp hour
    battery and he can cut his whole yard twice with one battery. I have the 2.5 amp hour battery (4 of them) and I will change batteries 3 times for our yard.
     
    fotomoto likes this.
  2. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2009
    2,945
    2,735
    0
    Location:
    OK
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    You're in the USA, just use that old standby excuse and blame it on the metric system. ;) I ran out of gas. Dang Metric system. :D
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,064
    14,969
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I am sure it is using less power; as I get at least half an hour of run out of my 280 Whr battery, it must not be working much harder than 560 W most of the time, about 3/4 HP.

    The similarly-sized gas mower I was previously borrowing from a friend had a 4 HP engine to do the same job.

    I think part of the difference must be, as Leadfoot pointed out, it's brand new and the blade is very sharp. My friend got the gas mower at a yard sale and I'm sure has never sharpened it, and with 4 HP it can still kind of bludgeon the grass into submission.

    Probably the Ego is going to struggle if the blade ever gets that dull. But it's easy to sharpen. I've already done that once after my second mow (which included an unplanned encounter with the corner of a sidewalk step).

    The other difference I think is that the blade has less of an upturn on the trailing edge, so it make less of an updraft. It doesn't lift up and cut long, laying-down grass as well as the gas one did.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  4. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Thanks for the updates/additions from all of you. I poked around and found a Popular Mechanics review of the "new crop" of battery mowers.

    Not sure how reliable PM is anymore, but have had some good information poking through it. I am leaning away from Snapper/Greenworks -- which is reviewed in the PM article. Not because I think it is a bad mower. It seems like a beast, but the weight, while not a problem for me....might pose a problem for wifey (80+ pounds).
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,686
    6,375
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Yep, that 82v one is significantly heavier than my 40v unit. I know they also make a 16" unit that comes in under 40lbs but I have not seen it or used it.

    Keep in mind the weight is all-up with catchbag, if you're in mulch or dump mode it'll be lighter anyway.
     
  6. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    #306 Stevewoods, May 9, 2020
    Last edited: May 9, 2020
    jerrymildred likes this.
  7. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    For a battery mower....Any advantage to a steel deck vs. plastic.

    Being a non-engineer, I am thinking plastic takes the advantage as it is lighter and I don't see any real advantage to steel, unless you mow over rattlesnakes and rocks...:whistle:
     
  8. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    6,686
    6,375
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I've never had a plastic deck mower, but I'd think that "the problem" would be the deck cracking due to a picked up rock or branch, or similarly cracking where the wheels attach if you have really dry washboardy ground there.

    Given your priority on low weight for ease of handling I think you should seriously look at those plastic jobs.

    Sure if something goes wrong with a steel deck you can just weld.... yeah nobody actually does that anymore. Advantage neither.

    I will mention that I only picked mine because it was very inexpensive; it came to me secondhand. If I'd been buying my heart's desire I likely would have gone for a wider machine to reduce time doing laps. Or maybe even that amazing Ryobi electric ride-on rig that Georgina has.
     
  9. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Yeah, a wider machine is for sure an BIG advantage, which is why I mow the lawn at our "real house" with a Stihl brushcutter.....swinging that thing from side-to-side, I get a WIDE swath. And, as our "lawn" is a hillside with a slope, it looks fine. I tried to do it with a 20" mower when we first moved here decades ago, but it took FOREVER. With the heavy-duty weedwacker it takes about 80 minutes. And, beats paying for a gym membership.

    upload_2020-5-9_12-31-51.jpeg
     
  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    If it's well engineered plastic, it's much better than steel, imho. First of all, I've never seen plastic rust, but I've either trashed or welded patches onto lots of steel decks. Also, the plastic is easier to clean. The plastic deck on my EGO only has grass stick to it if it's wet. And then I just wipe the grass off with a wooden paint stirrer. It's still very glossy after about 3/4 of a mowing season. Not sure how long it'll stay shiny or if lack of shine will even matter. My previous mowers with steel required lots of hacking with a narrow putty knife.
     
  11. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    O.K.

    Making a spread sheet is beyond me -- not even sure what they are. LOL.

    But, I have collected online reviews from Popular Mechanics and Consumer Reports, as well as the reports here on PriusChat and am putting them on a piece of scrap paper and comparing all the wherefores, do nots and whatever else seems important.

    Hopefully, I will have a decision in a day or so. One of my big things now is weight. I think I can't exceed 60 pounds, otherwise I would go for the Snapper.

    I will keep y'all posted.
     
  12. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Darn.

    This is worse than doing my taxes!

    Every machine I like is above 60 pounds!

    I'd like to be in the 30-40 pound class.
     
  13. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,590
    11,212
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    If you want light weight, I think you are stuck with corded.

    I think there are self propelled battery ones.
     
  14. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    647
    983
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Yard is too "fussy" for self-propelled. It would be a constant fight. Again, for me, not too big a deal, but wifey??? I need to winnow it down some more, but I think there are one or two that might work.

    To be quite honest, and cheap, I keep looking for the Memorial Day sale ads, but I guess those are a thing of the past with the pandemic.
     
  15. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,481
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Wait for one of the eco-yups in your neighborhood to throw out a corded unit. :D
    Or?
    In somebody else's neighborhood if you're embarrassed to drag one home.

    I came into possession of a nearly new-condition corded push mower that way.
    My Spidey senses tell me that somebody bought it, ran over the cord and then threw it away in disgust.
    I use it regularly and it cuts grass phenomenally well compared to the older gas mowers because it seems to use a much sharper blade spinning at a faster rate.

    A certain close family member that may or may not be my CFO "might" have similarly come into possession of an even newer corded line trimmer, although she didn't have to drag it home......it was a giveaway. ;)
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  16. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2015
    1,945
    1,785
    0
    Location:
    Southern MN
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    II
    I have an Echo 58V battery powered push mower. I got it at the "direct tools outlet" site last fall for an awesome deal.

    I LOVE it. It is not self propelled. However, you don't need it. The thing weighs very little and requires very little effort to push around. I am really impressed by it. A battery lasts over 1/2 an hour. The mower can have two batteries loaded at the same time.
     
  17. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    3,626
    1,623
    0
    Location:
    Sanford, NC
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    Son has an Ego mower from 3-4 years ago, next door neighbor has one too. There are two battery sizes.

    I have a blower and a shrub trimmer. Three batteries.

    All of us pleased.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  18. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That sharper blade may be connected to its nearly-new condition.

    I've been using corded mowers for three decades. They don't stay sharp.

    ------------------

    FWIW, I'm not impressed with the "lifetime deck warranty" of a certain plastic deck corded mower. What good is a lifetime deck mated to a 4 year motor? After two of them failed, one from a failed thrust bearing, the other mangled its brush and commutator, I switch to a different line with a corrosion-susceptible metal deck. While corroding some, it is far from perforation, and the whole unit has lasted much longer.

    I should have saved one of those lifetime plastic decks to see if it might possiblly be kludged to mate with a neighbor's gasoline mower, whose engine still worked fine after the deck eventually failed from corrosion. But he got several decades out of it.
     
  19. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2009
    2,933
    2,286
    0
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I've had a corded Black & Decker for over 25 years.
    No blade stays sharp -- you have to sharpen them!
    The motor and plastic will probably last another 25 years, IMO.


    Mike
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  20. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Both of my motor failures at 4 years were on corded Black & Deckers.