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Related: Culture Forums, Support Forums***UPDATE*** the 60V battery is BLINKING GREEN instead of RED over-heated! Thanks, jmowreader!
Last edited Fri Sep 24, 2021, 12:42 AM - Edit history (2)
(Original title of thread: Update - big disappointment with the self-propelled 60V battery mower)
Today was about the 4th time I used it. The no-cord was wonderful. The charging was not a problem, 2-3 hours.
It was a big adjustment to get used to the moderate hum instead of the gas roar. And it felt like it wasn't a real thing.
Big downsides: The battery is *heavy* and seems to add a LOT of weight to the machine. Plus in backing up, the propelled feature is off and the machine is HEAVY, like dragging dead weight. Same with making turns. The pushing and pulling was no different from the old non-propelled thing. Was just getting used to how to do the propelled part without totally jerking into a spralling leap.
So today (the battery?) crapped out. I don't know whether it was a patch of extra dense weed where it stalled and revved up too much. Then it beeped. The manual said that the beeping means the battery is out of charge. This was one half-hour of use from the fully charged state.
Plugged in the charger and instead of blinking-green light for Charging, there was a red light. The manual said it means the atmosphere temperature (of the battery?) was either too cold or too hot. This is not possible where I'm at.
Did I burn out the battery? Will a replacement battery work or is it something else?
Whatever. I'm done with it. I threw away the box and packings after the first couple or three uses because I didn't expect to return it. If they won't take it back, I'll just put it in the alley for the junk gatherers to take it.
The pushing and pulling is at a near intolerable level. Will have to spring for the lowest priced riding mower.
regnaD kciN
(26,035 posts)UTUSN
(70,494 posts)If you still think it's necessary to know the brand, I'll DM it to you. I'm just talking generally about my problem.
multigraincracker
(32,525 posts)Butterfly Habitat. Have signs up that day No mowing Butterfly Habitat. Cost me about $35 to have a local sign maker do them for me. I had folks stop and ask where they could them.
Think I would ask at the store you bought it at.
Freddie
(9,231 posts)Had a corded one years ago when we had a townhouse with a postage stamp lawn. Loved it. House #2 had a huge yard which was a real PITA and one of the reasons we moved years later to House #3, which has 1/6 of an acre. Great well get another electric mower! Except our 1/6 acre is not level and pushing the mower uphill got old real fast. Sold it at a yard sale.
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)Will see what the Support has to say tomorrow, whether there's some remedy, otherwise will follow your suit.
jmowreader
(50,447 posts)It sounds like you overheated the battery. Lithium ion battery chargers measure battery temp before charging, so just leave it in the charger for a while to cool off.
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)UTUSN
(70,494 posts)jmowreader
(50,447 posts)Mister Ed
(5,895 posts)My own electric mower is not self-propelled, and is lighter in weight than yours. Still, I frequently encounter the situation you describe, and consider it normal: when I attempt to immediately recharge a battery that has run down, the charger flashes a red light to indicate that the battery is too warm to safely recharge at this time.
I think the warmth is the result of normal battery operation. I always find that the battery is cool enough to resume charging within twenty minutes - probably less.
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)I'll be more careful about taking it easier. So will it burn out eventually and replacement work?
sprinkleeninow
(20,133 posts)Mister Ed
(5,895 posts)It doesn't mean you've over-worked the battery or harmed it in any way. It just needs to rest up and cool down a bit before it's ready to be charged again.
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)by jmowreader ("temperature" is *battery* temperature) and by you (battery needs to cool down before recharging). I was ready to chuck it all, was already picking out a riding mower on the internet.
*THANKS* again, MUCH! This morning I finished the yard from yesterday, the first time since last year that it was possible to mow in the cool daytime instead of doing it at 7 AM or 7 PM to escape the blazing heat (somewhat). And there was no dew (humidity) so the cutting was fine.
One caveat: Where jmowreader sent wishes to "enjoy" the machine - uh, we apparently have very different ideas about "enjoying" - and mine don't apply to landscaping.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)now my now ex-wifes Aunts lawn when we visited her. I was pretty impressed with it. Though i imagine that not letting it get to "heavy" between mows would be wise.
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)sprinkleeninow
(20,133 posts)UTUSN
(70,494 posts)sprinkleeninow
(20,133 posts)Payer quelqu'un pour tondre votre pelouse. 💰 🚜
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)sprinkleeninow
(20,133 posts)csziggy
(34,119 posts)When I was responsible for mowing our pastures, I'd encounter really dense areas of grass. If I tried to mow with the entire width of the Bush Hog mower, the tractor would stall our. But if I overlapped so that only part of the cutting turn of the mower covered the dense grass and weeds, it could handle it.
That might help with your mower - less stress on it though it would mean more passes with the mower to complete the job.
UTUSN
(70,494 posts)stressed it out. Today I was doing what you said plus walking slower and toning down the power squeeze. Plus the manual says to do a higher cut then go back and do a shorter cut, but double cutting doesn't appeal.
Will say again, seems like the manual should include critical bits of information they left out!