Husqvarna 265ACX (or 260ACX) Automower.

[exotion]

Unfortunately, it gets worse. Maybe not a five o'clocker - just a damned lemon?!

After calling in to the dealer's, earlier in the day, on an unrelated matter,
I returned home on Tuesday 7 January to this:

The countersunk cap screw had fallen out of the retaining hubcap. The capscrew was
nearby, so I successfully re-attached the wheel assembly, but I am starting to wonder
just what the hell will be next!

How many hours a day is this thing running ?

 

[Perry]

When It's Running (not around in circles)

How many hours a day is this thing running ?

According to the manual, it's supposed to be 17 hours-a-day in the grass-growing
season, given the size of my lawn area. However, it's doing around 15 hours-a-day,
starting at 0830 and finishing for the day @ 2325. (11.25pm) Seven days-a-week.
That seems to be adequate.

 

[exotion]

According to the manual, it's supposed to be 17 hours-a-day in the grass-growing
season, given the size of my lawn area. However, it's doing around 15 hours-a-day,
starting at 0830 and finishing for the day @ 2325. (11.25pm) Seven days-a-week.
That seems to be adequate.

That seems like a lot of abuse for any machine ... Let alone a little robot

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

That seems like a lot of abuse for any machine ... Let alone a little robot

I don't know much about these mowers, but you kind of need to have it run all the time because if you let it run like every 5 days, your yard would look like a maze because there is no pattern to the way the mower goes, so there would be paths all over. But I agree that is a lot of use.

 

[exotion]

I don't know much about these mowers, but you kind of need to have it run all the time because if you let it run like every 5 days, your yard would look like a maze because there is no pattern to the way the mower goes, so there would be paths all over. But I agree that is a lot of use.

I know I am just thinking that's a lot of abuse for any machine big expensive commercial grade z turns wouldn't even stand up to constant running like that

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

I know I am just thinking that's a lot of abuse for any machine big expensive commercial grade z turns wouldn't even stand up to constant running like that

Yeah that's true. But these mowers have less parts, and are supposed to be used that often.

 

[Perry]

Not sure why the word abuse is being used, rather than use. The mowers are indeed
designed to run semi-continuously with frequency and number of hours dropping off
when the no-grass-growth, colder season is upon us. By colder, I mean frost in the
mornings, not grass-under-snow.

From the manual comes these typical set-up examples:

7. GARDEN EXAMPLE
Proposals for installation and settings
--------------------------------------------------
Area: 3500 m 2.
Timer: Operating time of 17 hours per day.
Exit angles: 90 - 270 degreesｰ.
Follow loop out: Direction Guide 1, Distance
25 metres and Proportion 30%.
Search method: Irregular and Follow guide
wire in.
Delay: Guide 1 2 minutes, Guide 2 2 minutes
and boundary wire 99 minutes. Automower
is never permitted to follow the boundary wire.
Corridor width: Guide 1 6

The area given in that example is close to mine.

Here's another example from the manual:

Proposals for installation and settings
-----------------------------------------------------
Area: 4500 m 2.
Timer: Operating time of 24 hours per day.
Exit angles: 90 - 270 degrees.
Search method: Irregular and Follow guide
wire in.
Delay: Guide 1 2 minutes, Guide 2 2 minutes
and boundary wire 99 minutes. Automower
is never permitted to follow the boundary wire.
Corridor width: 19.

There you have a 24/7 running regime recommended by the maker.

I can't imagine the dealer being thrilled about all these problems.
Especially as he'd mentioned that he'd installed a smaller model
for his dad, a few weeks back. :confused2:

 

[exotion]

Even if it is intended for constant use its a machine none the less with moving parts most moving parts see normal wear take semi trucks... They are intended for near constant use but look what they get serviced regularly bearings repacked tires changed chassis lubed engine serviced with oil belts and other fluids air filter and so much more done to those things.

You have a small machine which concept is amazing I just don't I would be surprised when all the constantly moving parts get worn down regularly such as wheels, blade spindle or bearing, motor bushings and brushes not sure what else sees constant movement but like I said movement causes wear and even the best machines are not really meant for continuous use... With out service and replacement parts

 

[Perry]

The weights involved are hugely different, of course.

Life-time lubed bearings have been commonplace
for many years. The blades on the robot mower are
replaced regularly and the batteries need replacing
every 4-5 years.

 

[Perry]

The dealer turned up on Friday and took Coxy away for a fix.
Coxy was returned @ 0800 on Saturday morning. The front
wheel was replaced, along with a new starlock washer. The
dealer had planned to put 2 x starlock washers on, but his
delivery man said there was insufficient room under the cap.
I was given a snaplok bag with some spares in it. Both back
wheel retaining capscrews were removed and replaced with
Loctite on the threads.

From what I could tell, when I did my temporary wheel fix
job, the capscrew had pre-assembly dri-loc (or whatever it's
called) on it, but obviously not enough to properly lock the
capscrew in place.

Now we wait . . .