Export thread

Today I scored 6 , yes 6 Lawn Boys ! One of them I think is a real Diamond. I tried finding info online, but no luck. I can't even find a picture of this model. I was told that is was a Prototype that they gave to larger dealerships. Not sure how true that is. The model # is 8500A & serial number is 4950. 36 volt cordless mower . Any info on this would be great.

Hi again! :smile:

I'm going to move this thread over to our Lawn Boy section to see if we can get you some info.

Hello,

Wow, I've been a LawnBoy fanatic for 25 years and never seen an electric LawnBoy like yours. I think I once saw an electric model that used a corded 110v motor. It will be interesting to see what responses you get to your thread. You may want to contact LawnBoy directly to get more info on this unique model. It may be worth a lot of money to a L.B. collector.

Jeff

What is in the battery "power pack"? Is it a series of 12 volt batteries like three motorcycle flooded lead acid batteries or something else.
Have you tried to charge it yet? Run it? Cut some grass??

How about some more pictures...

If they are flooded lead acid batteries. You will want to ensure that they have distilled water just above the lead plates but not much more. Charge them, and after they have been charged and the liquid expands, then they get topped up with distilled water to the full mark.

If lead acids batteries, they are probably long gone by now. I read they used 6) 6 volt MC batteries. I think I would try to fit 3) 12 volt Odyssey dry cell batteries and get the appropriate charger. With Odyssey power characteristics the cordless lawnboy just might have been a hit!

Here, I found a few pages from the service manual.

View attachment lball58 cordless.pdf

Looks like this says three 12 volt batteries in series. Maybe the Odyssey PC680's then:
Pulse (5-second) Hot Cranking Amps (PHCA) 520
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) 170
20Hr Nominal Capacity (Ah) 16
Reserve Capacity Minutes 24
Dimensions L x W x H (in) 7.15 x 3.00 x 6.65
Metric Dimensions L x W x H (mm) 181.5 x 76.3 x 167.8
Weight (lbs) 15.4
Weight (kg) 7

You may find them quite expensive, but there is no better and they will outlive 3-5 lead acids with over 400 discharge cycles to as low as 20%

I hate batteries. I probably own/maintain over 28 FLA batteries installed in rolling/floating/flying stock. The thing with any lead acid battery is keeping them charged, but not overcharging them. Maintain the water level, and you have to run them down occasionally and then charge them back up.
Many of my vehicles batteries have been replaced with Odyssey. I am a believer, more so than Optima which is similar technology.
I just wish Enersys/Odyssey would make a 6 volt golf cart battery!

I will take a few more pictures later today. It takes 3- 12 volt motorcycle batteries. (12N9-4B)
I installed batteries and it came to life. It cuts well and it is very quiet. The only issue is the three position switch ( off,on and start ) works great at turning it on , not so good turning it off. I cleaned the switch with electrical cleaner and re-lubricated it. It's working better. I did figure out its a 1974 model and were made for 3 years . The one I have is the first year. Second year (1975) model 5801 was all green and the third year model 5802 (1976) the deck was green, batt. Box and motor cover was white. I also have the original charger that came with the mower and its in working order.

That is a great score. Really cool.

I think if you are still having trouble getting the solenoid to drop out (shut off) I think I might disconnect a lead from the motor and just exercise the solenoid several times.
Or try to tap it when it wont shut off. I'd imagine that it probably hasn't been cycled that much (if at all) in the last few years and it may just be hanging up or even a little light surface oxidation on the solenoid contacts.

That is the first time I saw a 6 post solenoid like that used in that configuration. And getting one in 36 volts may be more rare than hen's teeth. But what do I know.

Overall it looks like it has been well stored in a great environment, so you really had the proverbial "Barn Find". Too bad it wasn't a 1954 Merc 300 SL gull wing or the lost Tucker but a great find just the same...

Congrats and thanks for sharing it with us!

I posted a short video of the mower running on you tube.

https://youtu.be/Truz9yGC7Q0

I found a little info.



The first pic is a production Lawnboy 36v cordless
The second pic is a Brooks Stevens prototype.
Third pic is where I found the pic of the prototype, and some other telling info.
Lee

Unclelee , would my mower be a production mower or is it a prototype like I was originally told from the guy I got it from. By the way I haven't told you guys what I paid..............the owner was asking $25.00! I gave him $40.00.

You may want to store it without the batteries in it, to prevent any battery acid from damaging the deck or electric motor.

Jeff

That is a fantastic collector's piece.

Cordless electric could be the future of mowers since both electric motor and battery tech have improved so much in the last few decades. This mower is way ahead of its time but it's safe to say that today's batteries (Li-Ion) and engines (think Tesla) offer much more performance at a given weight.

BTW, you're really lucky that it takes generic motorcycle batteries. I think many, if not most, new cordless electric mowers have proprietary batteries (so, if you're lucky, replacements will just be expensive [only one source], not unavailable ).

I like the look of the mower -- very much like the two-cycle LBs of the mid-1970s.

Thanks for posting the photos.

cutinhigh said:

I posted a short video of the mower running on you tube.

https://youtu.be/Truz9yGC7Q0

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that.

It seems loud -- or is it just me? Is there a gear box? I'm trying to figure out where all that noise is coming from. :confused2:

And what does the "start" position on the key switch do? I'd think on/off would be all that's needed.

Two-Stroke said:

Thanks for posting that. It seems loud -- or is it just me? Is there a gear box? I'm trying to figure out where all that noise is coming from. :confused2: And what does the "start" position on the key switch do? I'd think on/off would be all that's needed.

Click to expand...

I think it's very quite. It sounds like a large fan. Most of the noise is wind noise from the blade. There is no gear box , the blade is direct drive off of the electric motor. The operation of the mower page will explain the key better then me.

I haven't found any info on your model....but I wouldn't think a prototype would come with an owner's manual.
I would also think a prototype would have a very low serial number....you may also find parts that appear hand fabricated on a prototype machine.
Whether yours is a prototype or not, I couldn't tell by the info so far.
But I can say this....you don't see many of them so I would say it is surely a rare machine and a great buy at $40.
Lee

unclelee said:

I haven't found any info on your model....but I wouldn't think a prototype would come with an owner's manual. I would also think a prototype would have a very low serial number....you may also find parts that appear hand fabricated on a prototype machine. Whether yours is a prototype or not, I couldn't tell by the info so far. But I can say this....you don't see many of them so I would say it is surely a rare machine and a great buy at $40. Lee

Click to expand...

Lee , thanks for your input. I knew the moment I googled the model # and nothing came up it was special. In the future when someone googles it, my mower will come up. Pretty Cool !
I purchased my first Lawn Boy on 5-27-16 . (Model L21ZPN) I love to tinker with engine's . I now have 14 mowers and one excellent condition model1820 lawn boy snow blower from the original owner. My intent was to buy low, fix them up and sell for a quick buck. And if along the way I find a few special ones to keep , 2 or 3. Well my problem is I'm finding to many special ones. I don't have the room and my wife is going to kill me. LOL.

(Special to me, 8222 Automower, 8223 Automower , 6276 commercial , 6253 Commercial , 1820 snow blower, 1013 lawn boy Edger and now 5800 cordless )

Just looking at your special to you list...8222, 8223....nice
I have an original, unrestored 8221 that is kinda special to me.
Here is a video of it.... maybe you'll like.
Lee
https://youtu.be/i79I_xYLvh4

unclelee said:

Just looking at your special to you list...8222, 8223....nice I have an original, unrestored 8221 that is kinda special to me. Here is a video of it.... maybe you'll like. Lee https://youtu.be/i79I_xYLvh4

Click to expand...

Very nice, my 8222 is very close to that condition, the 8223 was seized when I got it . I completely disassembled it this past weekend. Piston took all the damage , cylinder lining is in great shape . When I'm finished with it I will post a few pics.

I just found a little info from an old mechanics illustrated magazine. http://www.myelec-traks.com/mi4-74.pdf

Interesting PDF, it would seem to suggest that your machine would have been produced for a limited test market, if I understood it right.
Also interesting was the Articat with the Wankel rotory engine.
Lee

Well I just had a very interesting phone conversation with Lawn Boy / Toro. They have no record of my mowers model number or Serial number in there production line up. (Mod.# 5800A & Ser. # 4950) There production model number for the 36 volt cordless mower is 5801 & 5802 ( made from 1974 to 1976) my serial number starts with a 4 . They tell me thats a 1973 model serial number but the mower wasn't produce for market till 1974. It this point I truly believe I have one of the test marketing mowers. Lawn boy sent this mower to larger dealerships to see how the public would react to a cordless electric mower as state in the article I found. I'm going to send a few pictures to Lawn Boy and see if the will respond in an email what they told me over the phone.

cutinhigh said:

I posted a short video of the mower running on you tube.

https://youtu.be/Truz9yGC7Q0

Click to expand...

That is pretty cool. It is kinda loud for an egg beater. It actually sounds about the same as my VitaMix industrial blender.

I did notice something though... you should probably be on a lawn forum instead of a lawnboy forum.
It looks like your lawn could use a watering:laughing:
The machine is greener than the grass!

Just funning with ya.

Looks cool. Did you see where in your manual it says something about disconnecting the battery pack while it is running, that you won't have the dynamic brake system.
That is why it is not just a simple contactor on-off switch.

fabricgator said:

That is pretty cool. It is kinda loud for an egg beater. It actually sounds about the same as my VitaMix industrial blender. I did notice something though... you should probably be on a lawn forum instead of a lawnboy forum. It looks like your lawn could use a watering:laughing: The machine is greener than the grass! Just funning with ya. Looks cool. Did you see where in your manual it says something about disconnecting the battery pack while it is running, that you won't have the dynamic brake system. That is why it is not just a simple contactor on-off switch.

Click to expand...

I was waiting for someone to bust on me about the lawn. It's been so dry here . Plus my daughter and here girl friends had a camp out weekend and killed my grass with the tent.
I did see that about the switch. I think the mower is cool do to its age and I'm thinking it's one of the marketing test mowers. But there's no better sound then the sound of an combustion engine. The only reason I purchased it is do to its oddity and the great price. I'm not going to keep long , I will use the money to buy an Iron horse or 2 .

I received my first response from Lawn Boy today. They are requesting pictures and any numbers I could give them from the mower. I have my fingers crossed that they will get back to me with good news.