Solar Powered Mowers?

[Greenblades]

I'm not sure if this should go into the What Type of Mower should I buy forum or here, but since I suspect you can't get these on the market (from the briefest of google searches....they may exist), I'm thinking the discussion might trend towards feasibility.

Again, this goes with my obsession with green mowing (pun intended :wink. I still fully plan to build a bike mower though it may take me a year or two to design, collect materials, and actually build a decent working protoype. Alas, I have come to the conclusion I will also have to have a real mower. I'm torn between the guilty pleasure convenience of a ride on mower and being environmentally sound.

I read through the Electric Zero Turn post, and that was kind of what I was finding. Most of the "solar powered mowers" are actually electric mowers that you plug into the wall, but people have either solar panels for the wall outlet in sheds, or order solar power from their electric suppliers.

Are there any solar mowers that have actual panels on them to recharge as they go along (I don't think so) and if not, do you think a mower could take a solar panel modification to make it go vroom?

I don't know if anyone has experience with power output versus size of the panel, and power requirements of the mower. I'm not as physics oriented as I would like to be but I guess I will learn. Maybe...if it doesn't seem like a lost cause.

 

[KennyV]

The size of the panel grid needed to run a mower directly from solar cells would be approximately the size of an average yard:wink:... so just letting it rest in the center of the yard would take care of the mowing as no grass could grow under it ... but movement would be difficult anyway because of the size and weight of the supporting structure:tongue:.
The peddle power mower will work if you get it geared down, have wide tires AND Clark Kent to power it :smile:...
I think to get the best energy efficient mower you will find all you need is a time machine :thumbsup:... go back to the 1950's ... a 16" or 18" reel mower didn't use much fuel, they were reasonable to operate and purchase and the design had been tweaked to the maximum. I have not seen any of the modern day reels designed nearly as well as the worst designed from years ago... KennyV

 

[BKBrown]

Get a couple goats - of course, you'll have trouble adjusting height of cut and will have other land mines to dispose of ! :laughing: :biggrin:

 

[Greenblades]

Ha! I'm actually constantly saying we are going to get goats! My neighbor has alpacas. Who has alpacas in this climate?? But they also have the prettiest mower that makes their lawn all criss-crossy. I don't think they would be too keen on goat shorn lawn...though could goat manure be safely used as a fertilizer? I'm afraid we'd go on vacation and I'd forget to feed the goats.

As for the topic...what about an electric ride on mower with a big panel hung and wired from the back of the seat? One half of a house panel would be enough to power a ride on mower as you're going along, wouldn't it?

 

[Hand2ThePlow]

One half of a house panel would be enough to power a ride on mower as you're going along, wouldn't it?

No, it doesn't work that way. Consumer grade solar power is a pipe dream for most applications. The rate of discharge for even small applications far outstrips the rate of charge. As an example, look at the small solar landscape lights they sell at home improvement stores. It takes an entire day to charge them but they discharge in just a few hours and the light they produce is more decorative than practical.

If you're serious about electric mowers the most feasible setup would be an electric push mower recharged by solar panels. Financially, you'd never recover the cost.

 

[Greenblades]

Oh. Bummer. :frown: I guess that's why I saw pictures with the electric mowers plugged into a home wiring on a shed with a panel on the outside...

Oh well, one pipe dream down the goferhole. I guess I could go that way...I'm not particularly fond of the idea of wiring a shed...I'd rather work on my push bike.