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CC30E electric Cub Cadet
#1
T
timbmayb
T
timbmayb
I couldn't find anyone else on this forum mentioning a Cub Cadet CC30E recharcheable electric mower. One user was asking advice about a CC30H, the gas powered version, but that was all. Anyway, I recently bought a CC30E and the yard hauler which hitches to the back and if anyone is curious about it I'm willing to share my experience.
#2
hhannabass
hhannabass
Thanks for offering to share your impression of the CC30E. I am curious to learn what you think of the mower.
#3
T
timbmayb
T
timbmayb
Overall, I like it. As with any product there are good and bad things about it, but for me the good outweigh the bad. I won't go on about electric vs gas, I think everyone is well versed in that already, but as a yard machine it works well for me so far.
We have a .7 acre suburban lot which is mostly flat and level. One border of the property is fenced and there are a dozen or so trees and other obstacles. This machine has a 30" cut, a pretty small wheelbase for a rider and a tight turning radius, so it is easier to to get closer to and around objects when mowing than it was with my previous John Deer (which had a larger cutting width). The cut is smooth and level so far and it cuts flat on turns, which the JD did not. It has plenty of power for my lawn and didn't suffer from any noticeable slowing when going up my few hills. It took an hour to mow my lawn and the fully charged battery dropped to 43% in that time. One problem I had with the JD was the front wheels cutting into and sliding on the grass sometimes on tight turns, leaving divots. This machine did not do that, probably because it is so much lighter than the JD so it changes direction much easier.
This machine is very quiet for a mower. The drive for the wheels is virtually silent, and when the mower blade is engaged it sounds like a big fan. I didn't feel the need to wear ear protection when using it.
There are a few places with a berm to mow and a few places where there are 'potholes' where old stumps have rotted away. These places are more problematic for this mower. A short wheelbase along with no suspension makes it easy to be on three wheels on uneven terrain or odd slopes, and sometimes when that happens a rear wheel loses traction and the mower stops moving. But the machine is so light that rocking my body back and forth usually gave me enough traction to recover. And if that doesn't work, just step off it and push it. It's that light. And speaking of light, I'm able to pick it up by the front bumper to get to the blade for removal and cleaning.
Also, I'm 6' tall and put the seat bottom position all of the way back to fit into it. My wife is 5' tall and with the seat positioned all of the way forward it is still a stretch for her to reach the stop and go pedals.
When I bought this machine I also bought the CC yard hauler. I used it to drive around the property and collect rocks for building a small garden wall. I estimate that I had about 200 lbs of rocks in the hauler and it had no trouble pulling them.
So, assets are tight turning radius, quiet operation, light weight, plenty of power, small in size (stores easily in the shed) and really easy to start up and use.
Detriments are rigid suspension, lack of traction control, not good for short people.
One comment about electric vs gas: The mower comes with a charger and good charging instructions, but the instructions for winter storage are not as detailed as I would like them to be. It seems to say that you should not let the battery go dead and should not let the battery freeze, but it doesn't come right out and say that you should leave the charger on the battery all winter. I don't have a garage to store it in, just a backyard shed with no electric outlet, and the battery does not look to be removable. So I think I am going to have to leave a heavy extension cord stretched across the yard to the shed all winter and leave it on charge between seasons. I will try to clear this up with CC before winter.
Attached picture is of the new machine with hauler attached, my wife decided to take a few stuffed animals for a ride.
We have a .7 acre suburban lot which is mostly flat and level. One border of the property is fenced and there are a dozen or so trees and other obstacles. This machine has a 30" cut, a pretty small wheelbase for a rider and a tight turning radius, so it is easier to to get closer to and around objects when mowing than it was with my previous John Deer (which had a larger cutting width). The cut is smooth and level so far and it cuts flat on turns, which the JD did not. It has plenty of power for my lawn and didn't suffer from any noticeable slowing when going up my few hills. It took an hour to mow my lawn and the fully charged battery dropped to 43% in that time. One problem I had with the JD was the front wheels cutting into and sliding on the grass sometimes on tight turns, leaving divots. This machine did not do that, probably because it is so much lighter than the JD so it changes direction much easier.
This machine is very quiet for a mower. The drive for the wheels is virtually silent, and when the mower blade is engaged it sounds like a big fan. I didn't feel the need to wear ear protection when using it.
There are a few places with a berm to mow and a few places where there are 'potholes' where old stumps have rotted away. These places are more problematic for this mower. A short wheelbase along with no suspension makes it easy to be on three wheels on uneven terrain or odd slopes, and sometimes when that happens a rear wheel loses traction and the mower stops moving. But the machine is so light that rocking my body back and forth usually gave me enough traction to recover. And if that doesn't work, just step off it and push it. It's that light. And speaking of light, I'm able to pick it up by the front bumper to get to the blade for removal and cleaning.
Also, I'm 6' tall and put the seat bottom position all of the way back to fit into it. My wife is 5' tall and with the seat positioned all of the way forward it is still a stretch for her to reach the stop and go pedals.
When I bought this machine I also bought the CC yard hauler. I used it to drive around the property and collect rocks for building a small garden wall. I estimate that I had about 200 lbs of rocks in the hauler and it had no trouble pulling them.
So, assets are tight turning radius, quiet operation, light weight, plenty of power, small in size (stores easily in the shed) and really easy to start up and use.
Detriments are rigid suspension, lack of traction control, not good for short people.
One comment about electric vs gas: The mower comes with a charger and good charging instructions, but the instructions for winter storage are not as detailed as I would like them to be. It seems to say that you should not let the battery go dead and should not let the battery freeze, but it doesn't come right out and say that you should leave the charger on the battery all winter. I don't have a garage to store it in, just a backyard shed with no electric outlet, and the battery does not look to be removable. So I think I am going to have to leave a heavy extension cord stretched across the yard to the shed all winter and leave it on charge between seasons. I will try to clear this up with CC before winter.
Attached picture is of the new machine with hauler attached, my wife decided to take a few stuffed animals for a ride.
Attachments
#4
J
Jerald's.cub
J
Jerald's.cub
I've had mine for two seasons, bought in August 2019. worked great the cut/finish is also great. Low noise and best of all NO GAS in my shed. That being said at the end of July the drive was not engaging after turning it off & on several times I was able to get it to go. I dropped it off at the local Cub Cadet Authorized Service Center and it has been there for two weeks without even being looked at. CAUTION.
Jay from TX
Jay from TX
#5
ILENGINE
ILENGINE
Jerald, most lawn mower repair shops are 2-8 weeks behind and no sign of slowing down.
#6
J
Jerald's.cub
J
Jerald's.cub
Thanks. The Cub service center told me they would check it out the following Monday, That's all I was saying. The next closest S.C. is 50 mi. away, so I'll just have to wait. Thanks again for your input.
#7
M
ModernMode
M
ModernMode
My wife and I just bought the 2021 version at Home Depot. Not every Home Depot sells it. Supposed to be delivered Tuesday. The armrests are discontinued for 2021 but the seat still has the mounting holes. Also the owners manual says not to get the mower wet. The electronics are easily damaged by water. Also storing in very cold conditions can damage the battery. We'll be storing it in the basement so no problem. Battery must be taken to a dealer if it has to be replaced. After I start using it I'll come back and review. It's replacing a 20 year old Honda 1011 which was one hell of a good mower.
#8
M
ModernMode
M
ModernMode
My wife hates this mower. We both mow the lawn. The seat adjuster is not intended to be used on a regular basis. So we leave it a little too far away for her and a little too close for me. The steering is very tight which makes it harder to use if you have a lot turns. The blade only has one speed, very fast. If you have taller clumps of grass it tends to blow them over before reaching the blade so they don't get cut. It's loud enough that I still feel the need for hearing protection. It's a shame that Honda no longer makes rear-engine riding mowers.
#9
O
OzarksKid
O
OzarksKid
I just bought a cc30e (in August) because my 15 yr old MTD 38" decided to throw tantrums involving the rear drive belt. Fought it for a season (2017), then just parked it and paid to have mowing done. This year I decided I wasn't going to find a mowing person to suit me and ended up getting a mower with no belt problems possible. Figured I could deal with anything else. Bought it thru Home Depot, freight line delivered it in 7 days. Fully assembled. Ready to get charged and used (once I got it out of the box and off the pallet).
Been using it about a month now. Still getting used to the differences, but it seems to do what it's supposed to do. Although Timbmayb says it's lightweight, the manual says it weighs 360 lbs and with my 165 lbs I now have over 500 lbs pressing those little wheels down into the grass. Might just be me but it seems like the wheelbase is shorter and narrower than the MTD. In any case, it rides HARD and feels like it could tip over while mowing lengthwise down the ditchs along the road.
If the yard is smooth, it rides okay. But watch out for mole hills and tunnels! I've been bucked off more horses when I was younger than I care to admit to and even a brahma or two, but while doing my first mowing of the back yard I dang near got bucked off a riding mower! I bounced so high the seat safety switch kicked in and killed the motor. I let the excess air pressure out of the tires (down to 9 lbs front and 10 lbs rear) called for in the manual, but it didn't seem to help much, if any. Just have to slow down on the rough places and also get out the mole traps. It sure needs some kind of a suspension system. As it is and as hard as the ground is right now, if one wheel goes into a hole (stump settling or other) the wheel on the opposite corner can come off the ground.
I have a medium size yard (85' x 217') with a small house and garage, so it doesn't take long to mow. When done I still have about 25% battery showing on the meter.
Overall it's okay, but as a fail-safe, I've sent my old MTD to the repair shop with instuctions to fix it, no matter what the problem is. I sure don't want to go back to paying someone again to do a half*** job of mowing and as noted by others, the good repair shops are booked solid.
Been using it about a month now. Still getting used to the differences, but it seems to do what it's supposed to do. Although Timbmayb says it's lightweight, the manual says it weighs 360 lbs and with my 165 lbs I now have over 500 lbs pressing those little wheels down into the grass. Might just be me but it seems like the wheelbase is shorter and narrower than the MTD. In any case, it rides HARD and feels like it could tip over while mowing lengthwise down the ditchs along the road.
If the yard is smooth, it rides okay. But watch out for mole hills and tunnels! I've been bucked off more horses when I was younger than I care to admit to and even a brahma or two, but while doing my first mowing of the back yard I dang near got bucked off a riding mower! I bounced so high the seat safety switch kicked in and killed the motor. I let the excess air pressure out of the tires (down to 9 lbs front and 10 lbs rear) called for in the manual, but it didn't seem to help much, if any. Just have to slow down on the rough places and also get out the mole traps. It sure needs some kind of a suspension system. As it is and as hard as the ground is right now, if one wheel goes into a hole (stump settling or other) the wheel on the opposite corner can come off the ground.
I have a medium size yard (85' x 217') with a small house and garage, so it doesn't take long to mow. When done I still have about 25% battery showing on the meter.
Overall it's okay, but as a fail-safe, I've sent my old MTD to the repair shop with instuctions to fix it, no matter what the problem is. I sure don't want to go back to paying someone again to do a half*** job of mowing and as noted by others, the good repair shops are booked solid.
#10
F
FARMABIT
F
FARMABIT
Is there a free wheel setting on the CC30E? How do you push around?Overall, I like it. As with any product there are good and bad things about it, but for me the good outweigh the bad. I won't go on about electric vs gas, I think everyone is well versed in that already, but as a yard machine it works well for me so far.
We have a .7 acre suburban lot which is mostly flat and level. One border of the property is fenced and there are a dozen or so trees and other obstacles. This machine has a 30" cut, a pretty small wheelbase for a rider and a tight turning radius, so it is easier to to get closer to and around objects when mowing than it was with my previous John Deer (which had a larger cutting width). The cut is smooth and level so far and it cuts flat on turns, which the JD did not. It has plenty of power for my lawn and didn't suffer from any noticeable slowing when going up my few hills. It took an hour to mow my lawn and the fully charged battery dropped to 43% in that time. One problem I had with the JD was the front wheels cutting into and sliding on the grass sometimes on tight turns, leaving divots. This machine did not do that, probably because it is so much lighter than the JD so it changes direction much easier.
This machine is very quiet for a mower. The drive for the wheels is virtually silent, and when the mower blade is engaged it sounds like a big fan. I didn't feel the need to wear ear protection when using it.
There are a few places with a berm to mow and a few places where there are 'potholes' where old stumps have rotted away. These places are more problematic for this mower. A short wheelbase along with no suspension makes it easy to be on three wheels on uneven terrain or odd slopes, and sometimes when that happens a rear wheel loses traction and the mower stops moving. But the machine is so light that rocking my body back and forth usually gave me enough traction to recover. And if that doesn't work, just step off it and push it. It's that light. And speaking of light, I'm able to pick it up by the front bumper to get to the blade for removal and cleaning.
Also, I'm 6' tall and put the seat bottom position all of the way back to fit into it. My wife is 5' tall and with the seat positioned all of the way forward it is still a stretch for her to reach the stop and go pedals.
When I bought this machine I also bought the CC yard hauler. I used it to drive around the property and collect rocks for building a small garden wall. I estimate that I had about 200 lbs of rocks in the hauler and it had no trouble pulling them.
So, assets are tight turning radius, quiet operation, light weight, plenty of power, small in size (stores easily in the shed) and really easy to start up and use.
Detriments are rigid suspension, lack of traction control, not good for short people.
One comment about electric vs gas: The mower comes with a charger and good charging instructions, but the instructions for winter storage are not as detailed as I would like them to be. It seems to say that you should not let the battery go dead and should not let the battery freeze, but it doesn't come right out and say that you should leave the charger on the battery all winter. I don't have a garage to store it in, just a backyard shed with no electric outlet, and the battery does not look to be removable. So I think I am going to have to leave a heavy extension cord stretched across the yard to the shed all winter and leave it on charge between seasons. I will try to clear this up with CC before winter.
Attached picture is of the new machine with hauler attached, my wife decided to take a few stuffed animals for a ride.
#11
sgkent
sgkent
I am waiting for when the fee to dispose of a used battery is more than the cost of a new gas mower. I worked for the state agency here that is pushing all electric and even as of this date they still have no plans how to deal with all the batteries that will be coming. In fact all the people there I have spoken with do the same thing, they throw up their hands and say "what are they going to do with the used batteries?" This is one of the messes of e-waste the state had to deal with from its 'well thought out e-waste program." So keep us posted how long that battery lasts and what the dealer does to recycle it.
#12
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
There is only one thing we make that is 100% recycleable in a profitable mannar and that is the lead acid battery
And the actual rate of recycling is over 90%
The only other thing that you can break even on recycling is paper
After that everything that is recycled costs more to recycle than it costs to make it from virgin materials .
I for one believe that there should be a massive resource tax on every thing that is made so people will think a little before they make a purchase.
making things too cheap is how we got into this mess in the first place
Buying more things is not the way out of the maze
However when the "natural disasters" , that we have caused wipes out 75% of the population then perhaps the remainder will do a better job of things than we & our forbearers have done but I seriously doubt it .
And the actual rate of recycling is over 90%
The only other thing that you can break even on recycling is paper
After that everything that is recycled costs more to recycle than it costs to make it from virgin materials .
I for one believe that there should be a massive resource tax on every thing that is made so people will think a little before they make a purchase.
making things too cheap is how we got into this mess in the first place
Buying more things is not the way out of the maze
However when the "natural disasters" , that we have caused wipes out 75% of the population then perhaps the remainder will do a better job of things than we & our forbearers have done but I seriously doubt it .
#13
S
seatophtx
S
seatophtx
My reply is THEY SUCK! I bought one on 05.30.22. It was delivered on or about 06.07.22. I've been able to use it ONCE. It arrived with a bent deck due to the shipping company having put it on a short pallet. Called Home Depot, they said call an authorized dealer. The dealer came and picked it up and had to wait almost a month for a new deck. They installed it, returned it to me on 07.26.22. On the evening of 07.27, I mowed my front and backyard. Went out this past Wednesday evening, 08.03.22, it wouldn't start. It shows an error code of 2.3 which is a deck motor fault. Home Depot and the dealership said another free pickup and delivery is due me, that it's covered under the warranty. Cub Cadet says it allows only ONE free courtesy pickup and delivery. My advice is DO NOT EVER BUY ONE OF THESE MOWERS. Cub Cadet has the WORST customer service I've ever seen in my life. One more tidbit of info: I'm a 75 y/o widow on a fixed income. It's not like this mower cost me only $5.50!!!!I couldn't find anyone else on this forum mentioning a Cub Cadet CC30E recharcheable electric mower. One user was asking advice about a CC30H, the gas powered version, but that was all. Anyway, I recently bought a CC30E and the yard hauler which hitches to the back and if anyone is curious about it I'm willing to share my experience.
#14
K
KevMeist
K
KevMeist
With LI-Ion batteries, it is never a good idea to let them totally discharge. This comes from using this battery type on RC cars and boats. Generally accepted that this battery type should be kept at a storage charge of around 60 to 65%.Is there a free wheel setting on the CC30E? How do you push around?
#15
T
timbmayb
T
timbmayb
There is no freewheel setting but it doesn’t need it. It’s easy enough to push or pull around. Since this machine has a solid chassis with no suspension on any of the wheels it is not hard to get it in a position with one rear wheel off the ground and spinning. This happens when moving slowly over very bumpy ground sometimes, or when mowing from side to side on a slope with bumps or potholes. I’m usually moving fast enough that momentum carries it over the bump/dip but sometimes I’m not. If it gets stuck I just step off and give it a pull/push.Is there a free wheel setting on the CC30E? How do you push around?
#16
O
OzarksKid
I still keep it on it's charger 24/7 and I do check it at bedtime when I've been using it that day, but so far, so good.
I don't use it every time I mow, I still favor my old MTD (turned out it had a broken frame). It mows much faster and rides a lot easier than the CC. But sometimes I have to mow and just don't want to walk all the way out to the mower shed, get the MTD out, check and refill the oil (if necessary), put gas in it, kick the tires and all the other stuff.
Instead I simply open the shed door here on the patio, unplug and hang the charger handle on it's peg, get on the CC and back out. Easy, Peasy!
When I'm finished, it's use the little Briggs blower to blow the cuttings off the deck, drive it in, get off, plug it back in and close the door.
Another thing I have discovered that I like is that replacing the exhaust chute of the mowing deck with the "mulching attachment" (which is just a cover for the exhaust port) makes the Autumn leaf mulching much quicker than with the MTD. One, maybe two passes over a pile and the leaves are fertilizer.
It still rides hard and has to be slowed down if I've let part of the lawn get a little too long. And I'm concerned about what will need to be done if the fancy electronics go bad or the battery does. I guess I should have bought the "Extended Warranty" during the first 30 days because that's the only time it's available. Only time will tell.
Maybe someone else with one of these "new devices" will jump in here and share opinions and info
O
OzarksKid
As a followup on this long narrative, in case anyone is wondering. I offer the following. it's now December 2023. The first winter (2021-22) I called CC service and asked the guy about wintering the battery. He said to "just plug it in and leave it". I questioned him about several things and his response to all was "plug it in and leave it". So I did. It appears that he was right. I always make sure not to run the charge down below 25% and always put the mower in the small extension I built on to my patio shed. I was concerned about the stories we've all seen on TV about the house burning down, so for the first year I went out and felt the battery before going to bed. Also checked it randomly during the day. Never any rise in temp, just barely warm.I just bought a cc30e (in August) because my 15 yr old MTD 38" decided to throw tantrums involving the rear drive belt. Fought it for a season (2017), then just parked it and paid to have mowing done. This year I decided I wasn't going to find a mowing person to suit me and ended up getting a mower with no belt problems possible. Figured I could deal with anything else. Bought it thru Home Depot, freight line delivered it in 7 days. Fully assembled. Ready to get charged and used (once I got it out of the box and off the pallet).
Been using it about a month now. Still getting used to the differences, but it seems to do what it's supposed to do. Although Timbmayb says it's lightweight, the manual says it weighs 360 lbs and with my 165 lbs I now have over 500 lbs pressing those little wheels down into the grass. Might just be me but it seems like the wheelbase is shorter and narrower than the MTD. In any case, it rides HARD and feels like it could tip over while mowing lengthwise down the ditchs along the road.
If the yard is smooth, it rides okay. But watch out for mole hills and tunnels! I've been bucked off more horses when I was younger than I care to admit to and even a brahma or two, but while doing my first mowing of the back yard I dang near got bucked off a riding mower! I bounced so high the seat safety switch kicked in and killed the motor. I let the excess air pressure out of the tires (down to 9 lbs front and 10 lbs rear) called for in the manual, but it didn't seem to help much, if any. Just have to slow down on the rough places and also get out the mole traps. It sure needs some kind of a suspension system. As it is and as hard as the ground is right now, if one wheel goes into a hole (stump settling or other) the wheel on the opposite corner can come off the ground.
I have a medium size yard (85' x 217') with a small house and garage, so it doesn't take long to mow. When done I still have about 25% battery showing on the meter.
Overall it's okay, but as a fail-safe, I've sent my old MTD to the repair shop with instuctions to fix it, no matter what the problem is. I sure don't want to go back to paying someone again to do a half*** job of mowing and as noted by others, the good repair shops are booked solid.
I still keep it on it's charger 24/7 and I do check it at bedtime when I've been using it that day, but so far, so good.
I don't use it every time I mow, I still favor my old MTD (turned out it had a broken frame). It mows much faster and rides a lot easier than the CC. But sometimes I have to mow and just don't want to walk all the way out to the mower shed, get the MTD out, check and refill the oil (if necessary), put gas in it, kick the tires and all the other stuff.
Instead I simply open the shed door here on the patio, unplug and hang the charger handle on it's peg, get on the CC and back out. Easy, Peasy!
When I'm finished, it's use the little Briggs blower to blow the cuttings off the deck, drive it in, get off, plug it back in and close the door.
Another thing I have discovered that I like is that replacing the exhaust chute of the mowing deck with the "mulching attachment" (which is just a cover for the exhaust port) makes the Autumn leaf mulching much quicker than with the MTD. One, maybe two passes over a pile and the leaves are fertilizer.
It still rides hard and has to be slowed down if I've let part of the lawn get a little too long. And I'm concerned about what will need to be done if the fancy electronics go bad or the battery does. I guess I should have bought the "Extended Warranty" during the first 30 days because that's the only time it's available. Only time will tell.
Maybe someone else with one of these "new devices" will jump in here and share opinions and info
#17
7394
7394
DeWalt EV Zero ? Saw a video out on their latest E-zero turn. It caught on fire for the demo....
#18
Tiger Small Engine
If the electric motors, or motherboard goes bad, it will be expensive to repair. Does this particular mower come with lithium ion batteries? Sounds like it does. What was the initial purchase price 3 years ago?
Tiger Small Engine
As a followup on this long narrative, in case anyone is wondering. I offer the following. it's now December 2023. The first winter (2021-22) I called CC service and asked the guy about wintering the battery. He said to "just plug it in and leave it". I questioned him about several things and his response to all was "plug it in and leave it". So I did. It appears that he was right. I always make sure not to run the charge down below 25% and always put the mower in the small extension I built on to my patio shed. I was concerned about the stories we've all seen on TV about the house burning down, so for the first year I went out and felt the battery before going to bed. Also checked it randomly during the day. Never any rise in temp, just barely warm.
I still keep it on it's charger 24/7 and I do check it at bedtime when I've been using it that day, but so far, so good.
I don't use it every time I mow, I still favor my old MTD (turned out it had a broken frame). It mows much faster and rides a lot easier than the CC. But sometimes I have to mow and just don't want to walk all the way out to the mower shed, get the MTD out, check and refill the oil (if necessary), put gas in it, kick the tires and all the other stuff.
Instead I simply open the shed door here on the patio, unplug and hang the charger handle on it's peg, get on the CC and back out. Easy, Peasy!
When I'm finished, it's use the little Briggs blower to blow the cuttings off the deck, drive it in, get off, plug it back in and close the door.
Another thing I have discovered that I like is that replacing the exhaust chute of the mowing deck with the "mulching attachment" (which is just a cover for the exhaust port) makes the Autumn leaf mulching much quicker than with the MTD. One, maybe two passes over a pile and the leaves are fertilizer.
It still rides hard and has to be slowed down if I've let part of the lawn get a little too long. And I'm concerned about what will need to be done if the fancy electronics go bad or the battery does. I guess I should have bought the "Extended Warranty" during the first 30 days because that's the only time it's available. Only time will tell.
Maybe someone else with one of these "new devices" will jump in here and share opinions and info
If the electric motors, or motherboard goes bad, it will be expensive to repair. Does this particular mower come with lithium ion batteries? Sounds like it does. What was the initial purchase price 3 years ago?