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Best battery operated mower for thicker lawn
#1
M
mickman
M
mickman
I recently purchased an EGO 21 self propelled battery operated mower. I really like the battery operated equipment. For the most part, I really like this mower. Two problems with this mower that I can't / do not want to deal with are that it does not cut evenly and does not have the suction power to pick up debris like my 20 year old gas powered Toro did for years.
Question; Does anyone have a recommendation for a better battery operated mower that the EGO that cuts more evenly and better. I do need self propelled because my St Augustine is thick, and would like to keep it that way.
Thanks
Question; Does anyone have a recommendation for a better battery operated mower that the EGO that cuts more evenly and better. I do need self propelled because my St Augustine is thick, and would like to keep it that way.
Thanks
#2
1
1 Lucky Texan
1
1 Lucky Texan
I think most of the cordless electrics will cut the top 1/3 leaf-blade off of any lawn fairly well. But an overgrown lawn can 'stall' an electric just like a gasser can be stalled.
With my GW TwinForce, there have been times I've needed to lift the front to 'skim' some overgrown patch before making a normal run forwards over it. But, other than an issue with stragglers at higher cut settings, it maintained my St. A lawn as well as my old MTD gasser with a lot less noise/hassle/smell etc.
Gassers probably still have a coupla advantages when it comes to an overgrown patch of grass - probably more inertia in the spinning parts, and maybe more reserve power to get through it.
Your old Toro may have been running at higher tip speed than the Feds now allow.
With my GW TwinForce, there have been times I've needed to lift the front to 'skim' some overgrown patch before making a normal run forwards over it. But, other than an issue with stragglers at higher cut settings, it maintained my St. A lawn as well as my old MTD gasser with a lot less noise/hassle/smell etc.
Gassers probably still have a coupla advantages when it comes to an overgrown patch of grass - probably more inertia in the spinning parts, and maybe more reserve power to get through it.
Your old Toro may have been running at higher tip speed than the Feds now allow.
#3
N
nbpt100
What are you referring to here. Can you explain to those of us who are in the dark?
N
nbpt100
Your old Toro may have been running at higher tip speed than the Feds now allow.
What are you referring to here. Can you explain to those of us who are in the dark?
#4
MowerMike
I think he was refering to a higher blade tip speed than is now permitted by law. The blade tip speed is proportional to the product of blade RPM and blade length, and the faster the blade speed the better it cuts. The FEDs are concerned with safety and not performance, and have limited the blade tip speed for that reason.
MowerMike
What are you referring to here. Can you explain to those of us who are in the dark?
I think he was refering to a higher blade tip speed than is now permitted by law. The blade tip speed is proportional to the product of blade RPM and blade length, and the faster the blade speed the better it cuts. The FEDs are concerned with safety and not performance, and have limited the blade tip speed for that reason.
#5
N
nbpt100
N
nbpt100
MowerMike, thanks. I did not know there was a federal regulation on the Surface speed of a blade. I am familiar with the math to calculate it.
ON a 22" blade what is the max RPM or the max Surface Feet per minute on any blade as stated in this regulation?
How would anyone know about this stuff?
ON a 22" blade what is the max RPM or the max Surface Feet per minute on any blade as stated in this regulation?
How would anyone know about this stuff?
#6
MowerMike
I don’t personally know this, I was just stating what @1LuckyTexan meant in his post. There are CPSC, CFR and ANSI regulations and standards for just about every consumer product that is capable of causing serious injury or death if it fails or malfunctions, and the FEDs tend to err very much on the conservative side. Also, with more and more unsafe junk being imported from China, it has been necessary to apply higher safety factors to these products. The specific concern with blade tip speed is metal fatigue of the blade, causing it to become shrapnel.
MowerMike
MowerMike, thanks. I did not know there was a federal regulation on the Surface speed of a blade. I am familiar with the math to calculate it.
ON a 22" blade what is the max RPM or the max Surface Feet per minute on any blade as stated in this regulation?
How would anyone know about this stuff?
I don’t personally know this, I was just stating what @1LuckyTexan meant in his post. There are CPSC, CFR and ANSI regulations and standards for just about every consumer product that is capable of causing serious injury or death if it fails or malfunctions, and the FEDs tend to err very much on the conservative side. Also, with more and more unsafe junk being imported from China, it has been necessary to apply higher safety factors to these products. The specific concern with blade tip speed is metal fatigue of the blade, causing it to become shrapnel.
#7
1
1 Lucky Texan
1
1 Lucky Texan
Near as I can figure, most organizations like OSHA refer back to ANSI B71.1-1990 which seems tricky to actually read as it's behind paywalls.
The idea is to limit tip speed to about 215mph - supposedly to slow-down thrown debris? as to whether there is an actual Law, I'm not certain, it's a 'safety specification'. I think it's in the same document that makes it a 'requirement' for the blade to stop within 3-5 seconds.
Probably unlikely a company's Legal Team is gonna be happy about offering a product that violates a g'mint spec but ????
edit, it's been discussed here before; http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/2248-what-blade-tip-speed
The idea is to limit tip speed to about 215mph - supposedly to slow-down thrown debris? as to whether there is an actual Law, I'm not certain, it's a 'safety specification'. I think it's in the same document that makes it a 'requirement' for the blade to stop within 3-5 seconds.
Probably unlikely a company's Legal Team is gonna be happy about offering a product that violates a g'mint spec but ????
edit, it's been discussed here before; http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/2248-what-blade-tip-speed
#8
MowerMike
MowerMike
By my calculation, that works out to about 3600 RPM for a 20” blade. This seems about right, as the maximum speed for my 60 volt Greenworks with a 20” blade is 3200 RPM.
#10
L
Lithium Man
Try the 80v Kobalt self propelled mower. It works really good!
L
Lithium Man
I recently purchased an EGO 21 self propelled battery operated mower. I really like the battery operated equipment. For the most part, I really like this mower. Two problems with this mower that I can't / do not want to deal with are that it does not cut evenly and does not have the suction power to pick up debris like my 20 year old gas powered Toro did for years.
Question; Does anyone have a recommendation for a better battery operated mower that the EGO that cuts more evenly and better. I do need self propelled because my St Augustine is thick, and would like to keep it that way.
Thanks
Try the 80v Kobalt self propelled mower. It works really good!
#11
Mark Widmer
Mark Widmer
I found the actual spec at the OSHA website. It's near the bottom of the page here, entry 1910.243(e)(2)(ix):
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9850
So the spec is 19,000 feet per minute, which works out to 216 mph according to google. (As Lucky Texan said earlier)
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9850
So the spec is 19,000 feet per minute, which works out to 216 mph according to google. (As Lucky Texan said earlier)
#12
1
1 Lucky Texan
1
1 Lucky Texan
here's the Ansi spec (about halfway down is the 19000fpm tip speed spec);
e) Power lawnmowers--(1) General requirements. (i) Power lawnmowers
of the walk-behind, riding-rotary, and reel power lawnmowers designed
for sale to the general public shall meet the design specifications in
``American National Standard Safety Specifications for Power
Lawnmowers'' ANSI B71.1-X1968, which is incorporated by reference as
specified in Sec. 1910.6. These specifications do not apply to a walk-
behind mower which has been converted to a riding mower by the addition
of a sulky. Also, these specifications do not apply to flail mowers,
sicklebar mowers, or mowers designed for commercial use.
(ii) All power-driven chains, belts, and gears shall be so
positioned or otherwise guarded to prevent the operator's accidental
contact therewith, during normal starting, mounting, and operation of
the machine.
(iii) A shutoff device shall be provided to stop operation of the
motor or engine. This device shall require manual and intentional
reactivation to restart the motor or engine.
(iv) All positions of the operating controls shall be clearly
identified.
(v) The words, ``Caution. Be sure the operating control(s) is in
neutral before starting the engine,'' or similar wording shall be
clearly visible at an engine starting control point on self-propelled
mowers.
(2) Walk-behind and riding rotary mowers. (i) The mower blade shall
be enclosed except on the bottom and the enclosure shall extend to or
below the lowest cutting point of the blade in the lowest blade
position.
(ii) Guards which must be removed to install a catcher assembly
shall comply with the following:
(a) Warning instructions shall be affixed to the mower near the
opening stating that the mower shall not be used without either the
catcher assembly or the guard in place.
[[Page 668]]
(b) The catcher assembly or the guard shall be shipped and sold as
part of the mower.
(c) The instruction manual shall state that the mower shall not be
used without either the catcher assembly or the guard in place.
(d) The catcher assembly, when properly and completely installed,
shall not create a condition which violates the limits given for the
guarded opening.
(iii) Openings in the blade enclosure, intended for the discharge of
grass, shall be limited to a maximum vertical angle of the opening of
30[deg]. Measurements shall be taken from the lowest blade position.
(iv) The total effective opening area of the grass discharge
opening(s) shall not exceed 1,000 square degrees on units having a width
of cut less than 27\1/2\ inches, or 2,000 square degrees on units having
a width of cut 27\1/2\ inches or over.
(v) The word ``Caution.'' or stronger wording, shall be placed on
the mower at or near each discharge opening.
(vi) [Reserved]
(vii) Blade(s) shall stop rotating from the manufacturer's specified
maximum speed within 15 seconds after declutching, or shutting off
power.
(viii) In a multipiece blade, the means of fastening the cutting
members to the body of the blade or disc shall be so designed that they
will not become worn to a hazardous condition before the cutting members
themselves are worn beyond use.
(ix) The maximum tip speed of any blade shall be 19,000 feet per
minute.
(3) Walk-behind rotary mowers. (i) The horizontal angle of the
opening(s) in the blade enclosure, intended for the discharge of grass,
shall not contact the operator area.
(ii) There shall be one of the following at all openings in the
blade enclosure intended for the discharge of grass:
(a) A minimum unobstructed horizontal distance of 3 inches from the
end of the discharge chute to the blade tip circle.
(b) A rigid bar fastened across the discharge opening, secured to
prevent removal without the use of tools. The bottom of the bar shall be
no higher than the bottom edge of the blade enclosure.
(iii) The highest point(s) of the front of the blade enclosure,
except discharge openings, shall be such that any line extending a
maximum of 15[deg] downward from the horizontal toward the blade shaft
axis (axes) shall not intersect the horizontal plane within the blade
tip circle. The highest point(s) on the blade enclosure front, except
discharge-openings, shall not exceed 1\1/4\ inches above the lowest
cutting point of the blade in the lowest blade position. Mowers with a
swingover handle are to be considered as having no front in the blade
enclosure and therefore shall comply with paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this
section.
(iv) The mower handle shall be fastened to the mower so as to
prevent loss of control by unintentional uncoupling while in operation.
(v) A positive upstop or latch shall be provided for the mower
handle in the normal operating position(s). The upstop shall not be
subject to unintentional disengagement during normal operation of the
mower. The upstop or latch shall not allow the center or the handle
grips to come closer than 17 inches horizontally behind the closest path
of the mower blade(s) unless manually disengaged.
(vi) A swing-over handle, which complies with the above
requirements, will be permitted.
(vii) Wheel drive disengaging controls, except deadman controls,
shall move opposite to the direction of the vehicle motion in order to
disengage the drive. Deadman controls shall automatically interrupt
power to a drive when the operator's actuating force is removed, and may
operate in any direction to disengage the drive.
(4) Riding rotary mowers. (i) The highest point(s) of all openings
in the blade enclosure, front shall be limited by a vertical angle of
opening of 15[deg] and a maximum distance of 1\1/4\ inches above the
lowest cutting point of the blade in the lowest blade position.
(ii) Opening(s) shall be placed so that grass or debris will not
discharge directly toward any part of an operator seated in a normal
operator position.
[[Page 669]]
(iii) There shall be one of the following at all openings in the
blade enclosure intended for the discharge of grass:
(a) A minimum unobstructed horizontal distance of 6 inches from the
end of the discharge chute to the blade tip circle.
(b) A rigid bar fastened across the discharge opening, secured to
prevent removal without the use of tools. The bottom of the bar shall be
no higher than the bottom edge of the blade enclosure.
(iv) Mowers shall be provided with stops to prevent jackknifing or
locking of the steering mechanism.
(v) Vehicle stopping means shall be provided.
(vi) Hand-operated wheel drive disengaging controls shall move
opposite to the direction of vehicle motion in order to disengage the
drive. Foot-operated wheel drive disengaging controls shall be depressed
to disengage the drive. Deadman controls, both hand and foot operated,
shall automatically interrupt power to a drive when the operator's
actuating force is removed, and may operate in any direction to
disengage the drive.
[39 FR 23502, June 27, 1974, as amended at 43 FR 49750, Oct. 24, 1978;
49 FR 5323, Feb. 10, 1984; 50 FR 4649, Feb. 1, 1985; 61 FR 9240, Mar. 7,
1996]
#13
B
Bizno
B
Bizno
Depending on your process range
120v Redback mower single 3ah battery(same price as 80v kolbalt)
Or
120v yardforce..I personally have this ..self propel dual 2.5 ah batteries..cuts both front and back overgrown yard.
Will cut both in 1hr 15 mins and still have one untouched battery.
120v Redback mower single 3ah battery(same price as 80v kolbalt)
Or
120v yardforce..I personally have this ..self propel dual 2.5 ah batteries..cuts both front and back overgrown yard.
Will cut both in 1hr 15 mins and still have one untouched battery.