O/T Electric Lawnmowers

gbradley · Mar 10, 2009

After 8 years my trusty Craftsman has finally bitten the dust.
So I am in the market for a new lawnmower.
I am considering purchasing a corded Electric.
The lawn in back is only about 30' x 60', and the front is less than half that size.
Anybody have experience with Electric Mowers?

I know this is not PLC related, but I trust the opinions expressed here.
Thanks
George

Shadrach · Mar 10, 2009

I would run over the cord.
Without a doubt.

Mickey · Mar 10, 2009

Why not stay with the trusted Craftsman . I had a sears gas mower that lasted for 22 years. The motor was still going strong ( no smoke) but the wheels finally fell off because they finally rusted out.

tdanza · Mar 10, 2009

I just got a push mower.

It's really not bad at all, you don't have to deal with maintenance, gas, cord, etc. Just spray some oil on it once every few years.

Do it!

fredbear · Mar 10, 2009

I got a push "reel" mower too. It's excellent. Gardena brand. Easy to throw areound and does a top notch job.

gbradley · Mar 10, 2009

Mickey said:
Why not stay with the trusted Craftsman

Well it is smoking a little bit. I would rather put the money that I would have to spend to repair all of the things that are wrong into a new unit.
I was still using the mower until the other day when the pull starter mechanism broke. It's a plastic housing with springy clips that flew all over the place when I took it off.

I may end up buying another Briggs & Stratton powered mower, after all this thing was ridden hard and put away wet as they say.
I think that the electric mower may be a little bit better environmentally speaking.

Mickey · Mar 10, 2009

Sorry, what I meant was to buy another "Trusted Craftsman". I did.

leitmotif · Mar 10, 2009

gbradley said:
After 8 years my trusty Craftsman has finally bitten the dust.
So I am in the market for a new lawnmower.
I am considering purchasing a corded Electric.
The lawn in back is only about 30' x 60', and the front is less than half that size.
Anybody have experience with Electric Mowers?

I know this is not PLC related, but I trust the opinions expressed here. Thanks George

George
Had one - underpowered but it was an "orange box special" back in 73. Would do again with beefier motor.

What design is your present unit reel or rotary?

What would it take do you think to convert present unit to electric using 1.5 to 2 HP electric? I am a tinker artist so I would do the conversion.

Cord is a pain admittedly.

I think much of it depends on how often you mow. If weekly it would do fine - monthly better be careful you may burn the motor if you stall it or continually try making it cut hay.

Better for environment OH YES but I will not get into that it is your conscious and value set and of course your bucks.

Dan Bentler

Steve Bailey · Mar 10, 2009

I think that the electric mower may be a little bit better environmentally speaking

The human-powered push mower is even more environmentally friendly. In addition, the operation is a mild cardio workout. Assuming a one foot wide mower, you're looking at less than a half mile walk. The resistance offered by the mower makes it the equivalent of a moderate grade. The longer you wait between mowings, the steeper the grade.

Steve Etter · Mar 10, 2009

I had one for a while - wouldn't want another - too easy to run over the cord. Did that twice.

Sure, it's no big deal to repair the cord, but your dead in your tracks till you do.

I'm a wee bit anal about my cords, so unwinding and rewinding was enough of a pain, I quickly learned to dislike that, too.

My gas mower starts on the first pull, never kicks out in the middle of a run (provided, of course, I am not too lazy to fill it before beginning), and stores away immediately.

Electric

Gas

My $0.02

Steve

gbradley · Mar 10, 2009

Steve Bailey said:
The human-powered push mower

That's just crazy talk. ;-)

I did that back in the 60's.
Sorry, but I'm not going back there.
I remember as a kid forgetting to mow for a week.
Push, pull back, push, pull back ad infinitum.

leitmotif · Mar 10, 2009

gbradley said:
That's just crazy talk. ;-)

I did that back in the 60's.
Sorry, but I'm not going back there.
I remember as a kid forgetting to mow for a week.
Push, pull back, push, pull back ad infinitum.

Said with a chuckle
Yeah but a hand push reel would give you incentive to mow weekly. Did that in 60's also so I had the tall grass incentie plus my MOM to mow weekly.

Dan Bentler

mvandyke · Mar 10, 2009

I've had my electric mower for 1 1/2 years; never ran over the cord.
It can be a pain to throw the cord back and forth while mowing; but you get the hang of it quickly. I like not having to keep a gas can anymore.

ndzied1 · Mar 10, 2009

I have had a Honda Electric (cord) mower for 10 years, before that my brother had it for around 5 years and before that my aunt had it for who knows how long. I can't kill the thing!

The only thing I've done is sharpened the blade and replaced the bag.

I have my cord routine down to a science now but it did take some getting used to... and I'm not that anal about the cord winding. Knock on wood I've never cut the cord running over it; I do keep the cut height at the max height so that helps.

Before that I was a religious push mower but once kids came around and I couldn't be sure to get it every week in the summer, and my brother was giving the electric away for free I switched.

Funny, I just realized I have never paid for a lawn mower as the push mower was left by the people we bought the house from and my brother gave me the electric. Maybe if the electric dies I buy a sheep

.

Mickey · Mar 10, 2009

ndzied1 said:
Funny, I just realized I have never paid for a lawn mower as the push mower was left by the people we bought the house from

Good move on their part. If I had a push mower I would leave it behind also.

O/T Electric Lawnmowers

gbradley

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Shadrach

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Mickey

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tdanza

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fredbear

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gbradley

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Mickey

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leitmotif

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Steve Bailey

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Steve Etter

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gbradley

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leitmotif

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ndzied1

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Mickey

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