My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

Shefwedfan

KCross wrote: »

Too late, I have it done! It only took a minute.



The yellow is the charge station
Green is your fence
Red are the 2 guide wires
And obviously blue is the perimeter.

I'm back again:P so I bought tractor lawnmower last year because of the overgrown trees around the lawn.

Plan was to wait a year or 2 and then cut back trees. That kind of went out window and we chopped them all down. Result was lawn was a mess. The tractor lawnmower I bought has not even had the chance to do a full cut.

Lawn has just been fully reseeded and is just starting to grow. I might have a buyer for lawnmower so I am wondering should I sell and buy Robomow.

I havent really kept a massive eye on them. What would best option be? looking at circa 1500 sq mt. All the trees you can see in pic above is now gone. Free space :P

Will automower work well with new reseeded lawn? Is husquevna still best brand? I think they had the dual guide wire?

mayoman1973

Thanks to folks for their opinions and stuff on the forum here.  "Rocket" ( Huskie 430x ) as the kids have called him is on his second week around the garden, chasing dogs, cats and kids and also doing one nice job with the lawn.  Already starting to notice improvement in the look of the grass as there are no broken ends on the grass that give it a withered look thanks to Rockets extra sharp blades.  At the start you could tell there was a lot of long stems that need cutting as old lawnmower was missing them as you could hear Rocket nipping them off.  Now there is far less noise as he has gotten on top of any excess growth and just does his thing 5 hrs a day.  Any one still thinking of getting one should defo weigh up the improved lawn quality they will have that you could never get with a regular mower unless you cut it every single day. Folks ( me included when first looked into this )  think that the only benefit of an auto mower is that it saves you a few hrs work each week but this is only one of many benefits it offers.  If you can handle the cost which is not a whole lot more than for a decent ride on mower then try these for advantages.
1.  Low running costs compared to petrol mower ( Got 2 extra sets of blades with new mower )  £10 in electricty will prob drive this thing for the year.
2.  Gets into nooks and crannies that regular mower struggles with.
3.  Can cut in wet weater if need be. Regular mower could leave you needing to cut in rain if you have already gone past your regular cutting schedule.
4.  No grass clippings being dragged into house like you have with  a regular mower even if you collect the clippings. Leaving the almost invisible clippings behind also helps fertilize your lawn.
5.  No tracks or scalping of ground.
6.  Extremely quiet.
7.  Storage .... I can put this baby up on a shelf come Nov/Dec time.  Try putting your Ride On mower up on the middle shelf of your garage.  Also , the space in garage that was going to have a ride on parked during cutting season now has kids leccy car that had to stay outside as no space.
8.  lol, When is the last time your got a new gadget and your mates spent an entire evening drooling over it with "I have to get one of these bad boys" looks.

onefinemorning

So first full weekend of full garden cutting now with the new HUSQVARNA AUTOMOWER 450X - still trying to sort out tree roots and areas where it can get into difficulty with topsoil. But it coped great with a dark swampy area that has been driving us nuts for years and had to be whipper snipped in wellies a few times a year. Huskie seems to be making short work of it no problem.

Also I am pleasantly surprised how long I am getting on one full charge - approx 330 minutes although the manual says 260 minutes. Maybe I lucked out and got a slightly bigger battery with the 2017 model.

rubberducky1888

Just got a Husqvarna 450x, I'm trying to set it up but it's looking for a pin code straight away. The usuals ( 0000 1234 1111) aren't working. Anybody buy one of these lately that could steer me straight?

KCross

rubberducky1888 wrote: »

Just got a Husqvarna 450x, I'm trying to set it up but it's looking for a pin code straight away. The usuals ( 0000 1234 1111) aren't working. Anybody buy one of these lately that could steer me straight?

Look at the issues section of my post #36 in this thread...
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=91372720&postcount=36

You will have to get the code from the dealer.

bennyineire

Hey peps,
So I got the Husq 450X about 3 months ago for a .9 acre site and I'm very pleased with it so far.

A problem I have had since then is I tried to install a radio fence for my dog last month but the collar is beeping like mad, obviously the automower is interfering with it.

It was a cheap radio fence that I bought and I can't change any frequencies on it.

Has anybody else had this issue, can any recommend a good quality radio fence that will work with the automower

whippet

just came across this thread again and thought i'd give a little update .. my Automower 430 has been on the go now for two months and I genuinely couldn't be happier with it.

the grass is looking green and healthy; from what it was before and I am still only getting used to the fact that I am not weather watching trying to find two windows a week to cut the grass.

the only problem I have is with one of the dogs .. he has a habit of digging holes in the garden and while not as bad as he used to be he managed to dig up part of the guide wire and the mower actually snipped the wire. I didn't know what the problem was for a while as the mower just ran out of battery in the middle of the garden. I put it back to charge and watched it when it would be running down. It did a couple of laps of the front garden following the boundary line and that is when I realised that the guide must be cut. Took a while to find it but easy enough to fix.

So far i see it as money well spent.

searay

bennyineire wrote: »

Hey peps,
So I got the Husq 450X about 3 months ago for a .9 acre site and I'm very pleased with it so far.

A problem I have had since then is I tried to install a radio fence for my dog last month but the collar is beeping like mad, obviously the automower is interfering with it.

It was a cheap radio fence that I bought and I can't change any frequencies on it.

Has anybody else had this issue, can any recommend a good quality radio fence that will work with the automower

Am contemplating buying an Automower and this was a concern I have. The house is well secure for the dog at the sides and rear but we have a petsafe system cutting off a rectangular area at the front of the house. The mower will need to cross the petsafe wires to cut this grass. Can it do so? Is there anyway to change the frequency the automower works on to ensure the dog doesnt have an issue with the guide wires and the petsafe collar?

KCross

searay wrote: »

Am contemplating buying an Automower and this was a concern I have. The house is well secure for the dog at the sides and rear but we have a petsafe system cutting off a rectangular area at the front of the house. The mower will need to cross the petsafe wires to cut this grass. Can it do so? Is there anyway to change the frequency the automower works on to ensure the dog doesnt have an issue with the guide wires and the petsafe collar?

There aren't any settings in the menu, that I'm aware of, to change the frequency of the mower wires.

Maybe your pet safe system can change its frequency?

eyeball kid

For the people with the Husqvarna's I read you need to change the blades possibly every couple of months and the battery maybe every 2 years.
What is the cost of replacement blades and batteries?

I have roughly 2000m2 lawn that takes 2.5 hours every week with a push mower. Thinking that one of these might do.

bennyineire

eyeball kid wrote: »

For the people with the Husqvarna's I read you need to change the blades possibly every couple of months and the battery maybe every 2 years.
What is the cost of replacement blades and batteries?

I have roughly 2000m2 lawn that takes 2.5 hours every week with a push mower. Thinking that one of these might do.

Blades are around 20 for set of 9 (mower needs 3 at a time)
I believe the battery is around €160

KCross

eyeball kid wrote: »

For the people with the Husqvarna's I read you need to change the blades possibly every couple of months and the battery maybe every 2 years.
What is the cost of replacement blades and batteries?

I have roughly 2000m2 lawn that takes 2.5 hours every week with a push mower. Thinking that one of these might do.

I've mine for 3yrs and the battery is the same as the day I bought it. I've spoken to owners that have it for 5+yrs without a battery change.

eyeball kid

eyeball kid wrote: »

For the people with the Husqvarna's I read you need to change the blades possibly every couple of months and the battery maybe every 2 years.
What is the cost of replacement blades and batteries?

I have roughly 2000m2 lawn that takes 2.5 hours every week with a push mower. Thinking that one of these might do.

A push mower will never live up to the automower but if you don't have the 2.5 - 3 grand buy a honda hrx. I got one for €1100 and went around a 2700 sq m lawn in 1 hr 10 mins. I cut it every 9 - 10 days. Leaves a lovely finish mulching. Fastest self drive machine I've ever used. 6.5hp engine.

eyeball kid

bennyineire wrote: »

Blades are around 20 for set of 9 (mower needs 3 at a time)
I believe the battery is around €160

KCross wrote: »

I've mine for 3yrs and the battery is the same as the day I bought it. I've spoken to owners that have it for 5+yrs without a battery change.

Deleted User wrote: »

A push mower will never live up to the automower but if you don't have the 2.5 - 3 grand buy a honda hrx. I got one for €1100 and went around a 2700 sq m lawn in 1 hr 10 mins. I cut it every 9 - 10 days. Leaves a lovely finish mulching. Fastest self drive machine I've ever used. 6.5hp engine.

Thanks for the response. I'm sticking with my current one for this year, I'm just looking into next year at the moment and looking at all options. Thanks again.

kav2011

Im interested to know how long people have these running for during the week? Im looking at the automower 420 or robomow 615 for a 1400 square meter lawn. The husqvarna website says the 420 would need to be running 16 hours daily! Seems too much. How frequent do people send them out in practice?

whippet

kav2011 wrote: »

Im interested to know how long people have these running for during the week? Im looking at the automower 420 or robomow 615 for a 1400 square meter lawn. The husqvarna website says the 420 would need to be running 16 hours daily! Seems too much. How frequent do people send them out in practice?

my 420 is running about 14 hours a day in a 1600sqm garden.

at this stage I don't even notice it .. just off doing its own thing. Its not a case of sending it out .. I only ever look at it once a week to give it a quick clean and check the blades

kav2011

thanks whippet
have you ever tried a less frequent cut cycle?
for me the longer its on the lawn is a downside. i dont want it on the lawn when kids are on it. the manual on the robomow seems to suggest 'frequent cycle' which means its out twice a week. That is similar to what prospect (who started this thread) was using, he used his two hours a day three times a week to cover 1000m2.
so my question is, is there something with the robomow that means it covers more ground quicker and gives you more free lawn time than the automower? or is husqvarna just recommending a more frequent cycle to keep the grass shorter.

whippet

kav2011 wrote: »

thanks whippet
have you ever tried a less frequent cut cycle?
for me the longer its on the lawn is a downside. i dont want it on the lawn when kids are on it. the manual on the robomow seems to suggest 'frequent cycle' which means its out twice a week. That is similar to what prospect (who started this thread) was using, he used his two hours a day three times a week to cover 1000m2.
so my question is, is there something with the robomow that means it covers more ground quicker and gives you more free lawn time than the automower? or is husqvarna just recommending a more frequent cycle to keep the grass shorter.

I wouldn't know a whole pile about the robomow .. but with the automower the idea is to cut constantly to maintain the level as oppose to letting it grow and then cutting it. The blades are tiny, like three razor blades on a spinning wheel .. so I'd imagine that cutting anything more than the very tips wouldn't be suitable.

I have two young kids and two dogs playing on the lawn all day everyday and after the first weekend they take no notice of the automower and it poses no danger to any of them as it stops instantly when lifted. It is quite funny watching it bump in to the older dog who refused to move out of the way.

You can just tell it to park if you are doing something in the garden like having a party, paddling pool, bouncy castle, football match.

But i've been advised to have it out every day during the summer to keep the grass level down. I have it now set at 4cm cutting height and in just over two months the transformation in my lawn has been spectacular.

the day I had it installed my lawn was patch, yellow and actually quite rough looking, now it is a soft carpet, green and i'm staring to feel pride in it !! there are parts of the front lawn which are still somewhat patchy and yellow; but this was the worst part of the garden with thatch and moss and will probably take a little while longer to look like the rest with some more feed and seeding

KCross

kav2011 wrote: »

Im interested to know how long people have these running for during the week? Im looking at the automower 420 or robomow 615 for a 1400 square meter lawn. The husqvarna website says the 420 would need to be running 16 hours daily! Seems too much. How frequent do people send them out in practice?

I have the 330X/430X on a 2900m2 lawn and it's out 9hrs/day 5 days a week. I could reduce that a bit and it would still be ok.

kav2011

whippet wrote: »

I wouldn't know a whole pile about the robomow .. but with the automower the idea is to cut constantly to maintain the level as oppose to letting it grow and then cutting it. The blades are tiny, like three razor blades on a spinning wheel .. so I'd imagine that cutting anything more than the very tips wouldn't be suitable.

I have two young kids and two dogs playing on the lawn all day everyday and after the first weekend they take no notice of the automower and it poses no danger to any of them as it stops instantly when lifted. It is quite funny watching it bump in to the older dog who refused to move out of the way.

You can just tell it to park if you are doing something in the garden like having a party, paddling pool, bouncy castle, football match.

But i've been advised to have it out every day during the summer to keep the grass level down. I have it now set at 4cm cutting height and in just over two months the transformation in my lawn has been spectacular.

the day I had it installed my lawn was patch, yellow and actually quite rough looking, now it is a soft carpet, green and i'm staring to feel pride in it !! there are parts of the front lawn which are still somewhat patchy and yellow; but this was the worst part of the garden with thatch and moss and will probably take a little while longer to look like the rest with some more feed and seeding

thanks whippet, thats made me less worried about the cutting time

Zzippy

kav2011 wrote: »

thanks whippet
have you ever tried a less frequent cut cycle?
for me the longer its on the lawn is a downside. i dont want it on the lawn when kids are on it. the manual on the robomow seems to suggest 'frequent cycle' which means its out twice a week. That is similar to what prospect (who started this thread) was using, he used his two hours a day three times a week to cover 1000m2.
so my question is, is there something with the robomow that means it covers more ground quicker and gives you more free lawn time than the automower? or is husqvarna just recommending a more frequent cycle to keep the grass shorter.

You could set it to cut overnight and park during the day if you want to have the lawn free during the day. I have the 430X and have it on 10 hours a day 5 days a week, its recommended to give the lawn a rest a few days a month . Our lawn is perfectly cut on that schedule.

kav2011

prospect wrote: »

Hi all,

Great to see more first hand reports of ownership coming in.

My latest update is that there is more of the same. There has been one or two occasions this summer where the mower hasn't completed it cycle, in one case in one area there was some subsidence and the 'back' wheel dropped causing the 'front' wheel to lift and that cuts the mower off for safety reasons. In another instance the kids plugged it out for some reason and it never ran. Other than instances like that it has been trucking along nicely.

Some points:
- I have moved its docking location so it is further camouflaged by shrubs, this provides added security and also some weather protection.

- At the end of this season I'll reverse the blades for next year.

- In a garden our size and design, grass strip along the roadside, some paths through a woodland area, any potential purchasers would have to consider a small push mower as well.


Overall I am very happy so far with the investment.

Hi Prospect. There hasn't been an update from you in a while. I'm wondering how is your robomow doing? much the same? As you started this thread in 2014, i'd be interested to know has it been reliable ever since? I am leaning towards rs615, be great to know if they are reliable enough to get 4 or 5 seasons out of without breakdown or major issue.

kav2011

kav2011 wrote: »

Hi Prospect. There hasn't been an update from you in a while. I'm wondering how is your robomow doing? much the same? As you started this thread in 2014, i'd be interested to know has it been reliable ever since? I am leaning towards rs615, be great to know if they are reliable enough to get 4 or 5 seasons out of without breakdown or major issue.

Anyone else have experience of these for 4/5 years +?

wexfordman2

Hi,

I have two lawns, one large, in small, both at with end if the house. I could manouver alath between the lawns by routing a guide wire or path around the back of the house easiy enough, but the distance is about 60metres and I is over hard compacted stone/blinding.

Anyone j I if this would be an issue and what manufacturer would handle it best ?

KCross

@wexfordman2, I think auto spell messed up your post. Could you correct it and we might understand it !

Water John

He has 2 lawns, 60 metres apart, which is covered with hardcore. He, like me, wants to arrange to cut both lawns, probably having one charge station.

Can he command RM to cut one lawn for 2 days and the small lawn the 3rd day?
Can the RM travel over the hardcore?

The RM I have always had my eye on is the Honda Miimo. I think the lawns are largely set up for it now. When in funds.

wexfordman2

Water John wrote: »

He has 2 lawns, 60 metres apart, which is covered with hardcore. He, like me, wants to arrange to cut both lawns, probably having one charge station.

Can he command RM to cut one lawn for 2 days and the small lawn the 3rd day?
Can the RM travel over the hardcore?

The RM I have always had my eye on is the Honda Miimo. I think the lawns are largely set up for it now. When in funds.

Sorry for the typos, yep, two gardens separated by hardcore with a route between them of about 80m.

Lawn size, the main lawn is just under 700sqm and the small one approx 200 sq metres.

Based on experience (I've read through the entire thread, but hope some specific points might jump out to existing owners with respct to my scenario), what do you think is the most sutable mower, and is a guide between the two gardens workable at that distance and over the surface ?

Water John

Wexford, My understanding of the Miimo was that one could divide up the areas and send it to diff areas diff days. Might be the same for other RMs. Await responses.

mayoman1973

4 weeks in and Freddie has developed a limp   Woke up this morn and had a No Drive error on my phone. Freddie was sitting in the middle of the lawn.  Pressed start and he headed for the boundary in a semi circular movement.  Looked like no drive going to left wheel.  Took him back to station,  fully charged and he starts mowing again.  Then 30 min later I look out and see him doing constant semi circular movements in the same corner like he was looking for something.  Dragged him out to middle of lawn,  past the guide wire and he proceeds to drive in straight line for same corner again, across the guide wire and over to the corner. So its not as if he was trying to find his way home. Saw a lady on youtube had similar problem but didnt see if she got a solution .  Hope its just a software prob as £2700 is a lotto dough for a turkey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS1YxdpOh9o

whippet

Is the guide wire cut by any chance ? If their isn't s live guide wire it will try and follow the boundary until the battery dies