EcoRider - riding lawn mower electric conversion - Page 30

Daox · 12-10-12, 02:16 PM

Yeah, its pretty boring really as far as updates go. There really isn't anything to report. I go mow the grass much more quietly than the average person, ride back to the garage, plug in and rinse and repeat next week or so. Its just so easy, no maintenance except checking battery water levels once a year. I sure love it!

Daox · 12-30-12, 02:47 PM

I used the blower for the first time this year last week. It was super heavy slush/snow which was killing my back to do anything with. Sadly, even with the chains the mower wouldn't go through it. It just sunk in and spun the tires. Maybe weights on the rear tires would have helped, but I kind of doubt it. The ground wasn't even frozen yet which was a big problem. After talking with all the neighbors and relatives, it sounds like it wouldn't have done much good as their snow blowers were just clogging left and right. My wife does professional snow removal and said the guys broke tons of equipment that night.

So, I did the lazy thing, I shoveled what I needed to and then left the rest of it. I then went away for Christmas and came back to it being a hard frozen snow with some ice chunks in it. This made it a breeze to go through with the blower. It cleaned up in no time without any hassle.

greif · 12-30-12, 09:52 PM

I converted my jd gator 4 x 2 to electric and have a 5 ft plow on it. It pushed through that wet heavy stuff like it was not even there. The old 10 HP gas would have struggled.... so much torque I have to change from a coged belt drive to chain drive since the belt would jump the clogged pulleys even with the belt over tightened.

Daox · 12-31-12, 10:43 AM

If you had some time, I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one interested in hearing about that EV conversion.

vwhead77 · 01-08-13, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daox

I'm going to start with humble targets. I'd like to be able to mow half of my yard on one charge. Below is a pic of the two 'halfs'. I actually think, depending on the quality of the batteries, that I should be able to do the entire yard. However, I'll be fine if I can't do the entire thing all at once.

Just brought back great memories of the ElecTrak we owned in the 70s when I was a kid. That mowed our whole yard (probably 1/2 acre) with plenty of juice left. We also had a snowblower attachment for it that used to make me a bunch of $$$ around the neighborhood. Have you ever heard of these ... and wher the heck did they go - they were WAY ahead of their time

Can't wait to see your end product

Daox · 01-08-13, 02:42 PM

Yep, I've heard of them. A couple guys here own them.

Daox · 05-31-13, 02:20 PM

First real update in quite a while! One of my Soneil chargers died on me. I'm currently just charging that one battery with a different charger, no big deal. I noticed last time I went to mow that it just wasn't running like it should be. Thankfully I don't think I toasted the battery. Anyway, I got the new charger on order, its just going to take a while to get here as its backordered.

MetroMPG · 06-03-13, 09:17 PM

Bummer about the charger. Have you been able to tell if the battery is OK?

My free 12v push mower is being a bit cranky too.

Daox · 06-04-13, 08:38 AM

I've used it a few times since my post here. The battery seems to be fine. It holds a higher voltage than my two older batteries. Its roughly 1-2 years newer.

Daox · 10-10-13, 09:06 AM

Well, I have some bad news. I must have abused my batteries a bit worse than I thought. I took it for a quick mow tonight and when I brought it back to the garage I noticed one battery was warm. I busted out the voltmeter and that battery was sitting at 8.8V. I'm guessing I reversed a cell or two on it as the other batteries are fine.

Does anyone know if re-reversing a cell is possible?

12-10-12, 02:16 PM	#291
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Yeah, its pretty boring really as far as updates go. There really isn't anything to report. I go mow the grass much more quietly than the average person, ride back to the garage, plug in and rinse and repeat next week or so. Its just so easy, no maintenance except checking battery water levels once a year. I sure love it! __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-30-12, 02:47 PM	#292
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I used the blower for the first time this year last week. It was super heavy slush/snow which was killing my back to do anything with. Sadly, even with the chains the mower wouldn't go through it. It just sunk in and spun the tires. Maybe weights on the rear tires would have helped, but I kind of doubt it. The ground wasn't even frozen yet which was a big problem. After talking with all the neighbors and relatives, it sounds like it wouldn't have done much good as their snow blowers were just clogging left and right. My wife does professional snow removal and said the guys broke tons of equipment that night. So, I did the lazy thing, I shoveled what I needed to and then left the rest of it. I then went away for Christmas and came back to it being a hard frozen snow with some ice chunks in it. This made it a breeze to go through with the blower. It cleaned up in no time without any hassle. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-30-12, 09:52 PM	#293
greif a van down by the river Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Kaukauna,WI Posts: 108 Thanks: 6 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	I converted my jd gator 4 x 2 to electric and have a 5 ft plow on it. It pushed through that wet heavy stuff like it was not even there. The old 10 HP gas would have struggled.... so much torque I have to change from a coged belt drive to chain drive since the belt would jump the clogged pulleys even with the belt over tightened. __________________ Gary R “If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom. ” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower

12-31-12, 10:43 AM	#294
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	If you had some time, I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one interested in hearing about that EV conversion. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

01-08-13, 02:42 PM	#296
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Yep, I've heard of them. A couple guys here own them. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-31-13, 02:20 PM	#297
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	First real update in quite a while! One of my Soneil chargers died on me. I'm currently just charging that one battery with a different charger, no big deal. I noticed last time I went to mow that it just wasn't running like it should be. Thankfully I don't think I toasted the battery. Anyway, I got the new charger on order, its just going to take a while to get here as its backordered. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-03-13, 09:17 PM	#298
MetroMPG Infrequent noob Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 402 Thanks: 37 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Bummer about the charger. Have you been able to tell if the battery is OK? My free 12v push mower is being a bit cranky too. __________________ . To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-04-13, 08:38 AM	#299
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I've used it a few times since my post here. The battery seems to be fine. It holds a higher voltage than my two older batteries. Its roughly 1-2 years newer. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-10-13, 09:06 AM	#300
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Well, I have some bad news. I must have abused my batteries a bit worse than I thought. I took it for a quick mow tonight and when I brought it back to the garage I noticed one battery was warm. I busted out the voltmeter and that battery was sitting at 8.8V. I'm guessing I reversed a cell or two on it as the other batteries are fine. Does anyone know if re-reversing a cell is possible? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.