EGO Mixing Batteries

[FarmerCharlie]

I have an EGO Z6 42" ztr with 4 10 AH batteries. I had thought about adding two more 10 AH batteries, but I noticed that EGO now has a 12 AH battery. Two questions: First, will the 12 AH battery fit and work in the 42" mower? Second, are the mower and charger electronics smart enough to balance two different size batteries when mowing and charging? If so, then the 12 AH batteries would give me a little more cutting time.

 

[MowerMike]

Yes, they should fit just fine. They will equalize to the same voltage as the other batteries and provide about 20% more current than the 10 Ah batteries. So, all batteries will discharge at the same rate, and become discharged at the same time.

 

[bertsmobile1]

The 12 Ah battery is a 10 Ah battery with thicker paste or one extra set of plates stuffed into each cell

 

[FarmerCharlie]

Yes, they should fit just fine. They will equalize to the same voltage as the other batteries and provide about 20% more current than the 10 Ah batteries. So, all batteries will discharge at the same rate, and become discharged at the same time.

I just noticed your reply when I logged in today. Thanks. That confirms what I had assumed, but didn't know for sure. I just ordered two 12 AH batteries.
Just for fun, today I stuck a smaller partially discharged battery from my EGO trimmer into one of the two slots and noticed that the charger seemed to know that it should charge only the smaller battery. I did have to unplug the charger and let it start again before it recognized the partially discharged battery.

 

[sgkent]

can't answer but EV car packs need special chargers to balance the battery cell packs for them to work properly. I have a friend who just spent about $4000 for the equipment for his shop so he can continue servicing Volvo EV's. I doubt if lawn mowers are as sophisticated but that may be more an oversight than design - meaning that the mower market doesn't care if you get max battery life each charge, and longevity from the batteries.

 

[GrumpyCat]

can't answer but EV car packs need special chargers to balance the battery cell packs for them to work properly. I have a friend who just spent about $4000 for the equipment for his shop so he can continue servicing Volvo EV's. I doubt if lawn mowers are as sophisticated but that may be more an oversight than design - meaning that the mower market doesn't care if you get max battery life each charge, and longevity from the batteries.

Sorry to wake an old thread but go watch videos of disassembly of EGo batteries. There is a lot of electronics in there doing something. I would not doubt EGo balances cells with in-package electronics not needing the complex external Volvo EV balancer. Same for Tesla, there is a lot of electronics in each battery module which comprises the battery assembly. Is well known that Tesla balances their cells in-vehicle.

So I'm saying I think EGo batteries may be more foolproof self-maintaining than Volvo EVs.