Anyone have any experience with battery powered push mowers?

Turbocharged400sbc

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i just want to put a motor on the wheel trans and steering servo on my deere js20 pushmower and mow the yard from inside my house.

scare/creep people by pacing them with a running push mower pushed by a ghost :D

hybrid mower? since there's a charging mag in the flywheel and i can add the generating coil....probably the closest ill ever get to owning a hybrid
 

Dan00Hawk

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i just want to put a motor on the wheel trans and steering servo on my deere js20 pushmower and mow the yard from inside my house.

scare/creep people by pacing them with a running push mower pushed by a ghost :D

hybrid mower? since there's a charging mag in the flywheel and i can add the generating coil....probably the closest ill ever get to owning a hybrid
Old video, but has been done... And still funny. :p

 

Yaj Yak

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Those husky robot mowers are like 4k lol. Cool but not that cool
giphy.gif
 
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Lead Pipe

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The only thing I can add is that I just picked up a Ryobi 40v trimmer and blower. I cut my gf's yard in Des Plaines, which is pretty small. After trimming and blowing the battery is damn near dead which is a bit surprising. I have a 2 year old Honda mower that runs like shit, which is super annoying. The thought of buying a mower brand new and after basically 1 full season of mowing I need to pull the carb and clean it sucks. I looked at a Ryobi mower but I feel like I'll need 2 batteries to finish a tiny yard.
 

DanJ

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The only thing I can add is that I just picked up a Ryobi 40v trimmer and blower. I cut my gf's yard in Des Plaines, which is pretty small. After trimming and blowing the battery is damn near dead which is a bit surprising. I have a 2 year old Honda mower that runs like shit, which is super annoying. The thought of buying a mower brand new and after basically 1 full season of mowing I need to pull the carb and clean it sucks. I looked at a Ryobi mower but I feel like I'll need 2 batteries to finish a tiny yard.

What were you using for fuel? I ran 93 with ethanol shield fuel additive in a Honda GCV 160 motor all last year. I didn’t do any winterization besides shutting off the fuel to the carb and letting it run dry then topping off the tank. Started right up and ran great this year. I think towards the end of the season this year I’ll use that E0 tru fuel in a can so no ethanol sits in it over the winter.
 

Lead Pipe

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What were you using for fuel? I ran 93 with ethanol shield fuel additive in a Honda GCV 160 motor all last year. I didn’t do any winterization besides shutting off the fuel to the carb and letting it run dry then topping off the tank. Started right up and ran great this year. I think towards the end of the season this year I’ll use that E0 tru fuel in a can so no ethanol sits in it over the winter.
I run straight shell 93. I bought the mower from Home Depot in maybe June/July of 19. Cut my grass for the rest of the year. Turned the fuel off and stored it. I might have added some stabil. Summer of 20 it started up and ran fine. Moved out of my house in July 20 and put the mower in my storage unit. I did the same thing, shut the gas and let it run out. This time I know I didn't add stabil. In January I moved the mower from my storage unit to my gf's. A couple weeks ago I turned the gas on and it has been surging. It has an auto choke and it constantly chokes on and off. I propped up one side of the mower, pulled the air filter and sprayed carb cleaner in the carb. When I started it back up it ran great for about a minute then went back to surging. I'm going to try running some mechanic in a bottle through it before I take the carb apart. On top of that the blade bearing has been chirping since I bought it. I have been pretty disappointed with the newer Honda.
 
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CMNTMXR57

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It IS that auto choke if it is a Briggs (I know you mention it's a Honda, but many of these mower brands will use several motor lines on one platform, not sure if Honda does). I had that problem on my newer Snapper and the autochoke was replaced under warranty. But even the replacement doesn't work right. So when I first start it, it runs, then instantly starts sputtering. So now I have the air cleaner off and as I start it, once it starts, I open the choke plate until the engine warms enough to hold it open on it's own.

The mechanism uses a similar theory mechanism that old carb engines with chokes used. It has that bi-metal coil that reacts to heat and as it warms it stretches, actuating the linkage to the choke plate, opening it.

How it works on the Briggs, is that coil is mounted behind the muffler, then has a linkage that routes over the top of the motor, to the choke plate. And once it starts and warms, it should automatically do it's thing. So to test it out, take the air filter housing off, start it, and then use a screwdriver to hold the choke plate open. If once it warms and you remove the screwdriver, like mine, it'll run fine. If not, you know this is the issue.
 

Lead Pipe

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It IS that auto choke if it is a Briggs (I know you mention it's a Honda, but many of these mower brands will use several motor lines on one platform, not sure if Honda does). I had that problem on my newer Snapper and the autochoke was replaced under warranty. But even the replacement doesn't work right. So when I first start it, it runs, then instantly starts sputtering. So now I have the air cleaner off and as I start it, once it starts, I open the choke plate until the engine warms enough to hold it open on it's own.

The mechanism uses a similar theory mechanism that old carb engines with chokes used. It has that bi-metal coil that reacts to heat and as it warms it stretches, actuating the linkage to the choke plate, opening it.

How it works on the Briggs, is that coil is mounted behind the muffler, then has a linkage that routes over the top of the motor, to the choke plate. And once it starts and warms, it should automatically do it's thing. So to test it out, take the air filter housing off, start it, and then use a screwdriver to hold the choke plate open. If once it warms and you remove the screwdriver, like mine, it'll run fine. If not, you know this is the issue.
I will give this a shot. I know it's not a briggs engine. Honda only runs their own engines.
 

IceCreamAssassin

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I mean kind of... I was all “I’m gonna get an electric blower because I get Husqvarna shit at cost” then start looking them up. For a comparable wind speed vs wind speed and battery didn’t take 4 hours to charge I would have paid $300 more than I paid for my gas powered braaaap blower.
 

DanJ

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I run straight shell 93. I bought the mower from Home Depot in maybe June/July of 19. Cut my grass for the rest of the year. Turned the fuel off and stored it. I might have added some stabil. Summer of 20 it started up and ran fine. Moved out of my house in July 20 and put the mower in my storage unit. I did the same thing, shut the gas and let it run out. This time I know I didn't add stabil. In January I moved the mower from my storage unit to my gf's. A couple weeks ago I turned the gas on and it has been surging. It has an auto choke and it constantly chokes on and off. I propped up one side of the mower, pulled the air filter and sprayed carb cleaner in the carb. When I started it back up it ran great for about a minute then went back to surging. I'm going to try running some mechanic in a bottle through it before I take the carb apart. On top of that the blade bearing has been chirping since I bought it. I have been pretty disappointed with the newer Honda.

This may be relevant to your interests.
 
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DanJ

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Gas powered yard equipment is a waste of time for the most part. If you have a viable option to go battery powered do yourself a favor and pull the trigger. It will save you a bunch of headaches in terms of maintenance and use.

I can see the argument for most yard tools with the possible exception of lawn mowers, and absolutely for snow blowers. Couple of my neighbors have electric snowblowers and they were all aboard the struggle bus all winter. For something like a string trimmer or blower I’m all for electric as that’s one less small engine to have to fiddle fuck with each season.
 

greasy

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I can see the argument for most yard tools with the possible exception of lawn mowers, and absolutely for snow blowers. Couple of my neighbors have electric snowblowers and they were all aboard the struggle bus all winter. For something like a string trimmer or blower I’m all for electric as that’s one less small engine to have to fiddle fuck with each season.

If the yard is big enough to justify a large deck then I can see running gas. If all you need is a ~21" deck then battery powered all of the way. I literally slide batteries in and go, practically zero maintenance with the exception of sharpening the blade and cleaning the underside of the deck which you have to do on a gas mower anyway.
 
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CMNTMXR57

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The additional maintenance is changing the oil, plug(s) and air filter once a season. As like you said, everything else is the same as a gas powered one.

There are pros and cons to each and no right or wrong answer and in then end the costs to run each will even out.

I regularly run any of my 21" gas self-propelled mowers through my yard(s) (large and small) and would prefer them over an electric one at this point. FWIW, two of mine are much older. My Arien's is around 18 years old and my older Snapper is 26 this year. Both run great and cut through heavy shit weekend after weekend as long as you keep gas in them. That old Snapper started second pull this season after sitting since last fall when I used it to pulverize leaves. IT's not like your having to crank over an old car with a hand crank or something.
 

greasy

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The additional maintenance is changing the oil, plug(s) and air filter once a season. As like you said, everything else is the same as a gas powered one.

There are pros and cons to each and no right or wrong answer and in then end the costs to run each will even out.

I regularly run any of my 21" gas self-propelled mowers through my yard(s) (large and small) and would prefer them over an electric one at this point. FWIW, two of mine are much older. My Arien's is around 18 years old and my older Snapper is 26 this year. Both run great and cut through heavy shit weekend after weekend as long as you keep gas in them. That old Snapper started second pull this season after sitting since last fall when I used it to pulverize leaves. IT's not like your having to crank over an old car with a hand crank or something.

Or dealing with issue with it not wanting to start and then having to trouble shoot what the hell is going on.

How many times have you walked into the garage over the years to cut the grass only to realize you don't have enough gas to cut the lawn? Now you have to run out to the gas station to fill up the tank. It is a pain in the ass.
 
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greasy

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I can get to the gas station faster than I can fully charge two batteries I forgot to charge :s00ls:

I’ve never not had charged batteries. When I do have to charge I walk into my garage I’m not running to the gas station!

Let’s not forget about winterizing your mower......I guess if I had FOMO I could just dump Stabil all over the cutting deck.
 
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CMNTMXR57

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Or dealing with issue with it not wanting to start and then having to trouble shoot what the hell is going on.

How many times have you walked into the garage over the years to cut the grass only to realize you don't have enough gas to cut the lawn? Now you have to run out to the gas station to fill up the tank. It is a pain in the ass.

I guess I've never had this issue because I use gas powered outdoor equipment year round so my 5 gallon cans are always full.
 
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