Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have an old push type gas mower that is not self propelled and hard for me to push so I bought a Ryobi electric (battery) mower over the weekend that is self propelled. I love it because it's easy to start, lightweight and pretty quiet compared to a gas mower. However the battery only lasts 38 minutes and I only got half the backyard done Tuesday before it had to be recharged for hours. Now my son finished the back yard yesterday and when he was done he still had 3 bars left. (My yard is 80x125', less to mow when you consider the house and driveway).
Granted he is 6'4" to my 5'1" so he walks faster and has a longer stride but it seemed like he was out there about 20 minutes. I don't want to spend another $100-$150 for a second battery & charger when the mower was $400. I also don't want the lawn mowing to become a 3-4 day event because the battery keeps dying.
What has been everyone experiences with these types of mowers? Do you like it? Hate it?
P.S. - Should the battery lose any of its charge overnight? I charged it fully and then unplugged it last night when it was done. Plugged it in this morning to see if it lost any charge and it has lost 1 bar. The battery is a 40 Volt Lithium and has a 5Ah on it. Wondering if I just got a defective battery or is this the norm?
Last edited by chiluvr1228; 10-10-2018 at 05:47 AM..
In my experience it is the norm. My BIL got an electric battery mower and -let- me use it and it died about halfway through the job. Fortunately he bought an additional battery so I was able to finish.
Battery powered mowers are much better than they were, and getting better. When my gas mower eventually dies, I plan to buy an electric mower (with a spare battery).
Lithium batteries do lose charge a little over time. I use them in flashlights daily. However, you don't usually lose much charge in just 1 day. It usually takes days and weeks to see some significant discharge.
But, 1 strong possibility is that the mower MIGHT be slightly discharging the battery as it sits there. Many flashlights and other devices that use rechargable batteries drain the battery all the time - even when off. To stop that, ya gotta remove the battery.
Also, be aware that heat effects battery longevity as well. If the moving mower parts generate heat while running (the electric motor), it can possibly heat up the battery - which can affect the charge.
In addition, be aware that the air temperature can affect this as well. I have Arlo pro cameras around my residence. They are wireless cameras with lithium ion batteries that can be recharged (no wires). Here in Texas, the batteries last 1/2 as long in the summer. Now that we had a couple of cool fronts come thru - my batteries are literally discharging at 1/2 the rate as they did all summer long with the 95-105F degree temps.
Of course - most people need to cut the grass in the summer - not the winter. But, I bet you would get more done from the same battery at 70F than you would at 95F.
Another thing: charging it in stages may not always show you the correct readout (how you plugged it back in the next morning again). You may not really be down 1 bar - but the readout may not be exact. Or, it didn't completely charge up the night before completely. And, over time, the battery will hold the full charge less and less with more usage
If it takes you longer to cut the yard than it does him - with the way you described it - you really only have 2 choices. Put up with the delay to recharge, or buy the 2nd battery.
I don’t have a battery powered mower, but I do have a Greenworks trimmer, chainsaw, and blower. My blower uses a lot of power very quickly if set to full speed, so I’d say if you get 38 minutes out of your mower that’s not too bad.
I keep my batteries inside the house to keep them from getting too hot. From my understanding, it’s best to not store the batteries with a full charge, so I usually let them ‘rest’ at about 1/4 charge. I don’t fully charge mine until a few hours before I’m going to use them, so I can’t say if they lose any charge overnight.
Battery powered mowers are all about the size of the yard. The length and kind of grass can also cut down on the life of the battery. With five acres I am not a big electric mower fan. But for very small yards many will find that these mowers are just what your looking for.
It would bother me if I could not finish my lawn with one battery charging. Batteries do not get better over time. Usually they work best when you first get them and then proceed to go downhill with multiple charges.
My hubby has one. He seems to like it. He has a battery backup. We don't have a very big yard. Most of the time he gets it done in 2-3 hours. His has a speed adjuster, rabbit to turtle. When I cut the grass in the back yard, I keep it closer to the turtle, unless I'm going up a hill. I wish it had better maneurvability when I need to back it up and/or get out of a tight spot.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
