My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

septicsac

carq wrote: »

Anywhere to get some grass seed at the moment?
Certain patches on my lawn are very mussy and bare - robot is accelerating the problem there.

Would it be pointless putting seed down (Even if there is no frost) at this time of year?

Very little growth to try get the seed to strike, not ideal, but you could give it a try. Any the agri supplies should have some.

Thud

septicsac wrote: »

Very little growth to try get the seed to strike, not ideal, but you could give it a try. Any the agri supplies should have some.

I made a mini green house for a patch last year by turning a shoe storage box upside down, will stop robo mowing that area and birds eating seed.
Might have been a bit earlier in year but worked.

Depends on size of the patch but think this is the one:

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/samla-box-with-lid-transparent-s69871388/

carq

Thud wrote: »

I made a mini green house for a patch last year by turning a shoe storage box upside down, will stop robo mowing that area and birds eating seed.
Might have been a bit earlier in year but worked.

Depends on size of the patch but think this is the one:

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/samla-box-with-lid-transparent-s69871388/

good idea - thanks

legend99

carq wrote: »

Anywhere to get some grass seed at the moment?
Certain patches on my lawn are very mussy and bare - robot is accelerating the problem there.

Would it be pointless putting seed down (Even if there is no frost) at this time of year?

Seeddirect dot ie will sell and deliver. However, they sell mostly big bags so it might be too much for your needs.

I put out more seed about 10 days ago. I have covered the area in clear polythene but nothing happening as of yet so not sure if it was a waste of time and money! The biggest issue, from people here who are way more knowledgeable than myself, is heavy rain (Noah sailed past me here in my locality on Wednesday last) as it washes the seed away.

Hence trying to cover it in the knowledge that the ground underneath is wet enough to not dry out - and the hope is that it raises the temperature enough for germination. I should know for sure in another week or so I'd say as I seeded with fescue which, even in great warm, moist conditions, takes a few days longer to germinate I think.

NurseBridie

Thud wrote: »

I made a mini green house for a patch last year by turning a shoe storage box upside down, will stop robo mowing that area and birds eating seed.
Might have been a bit earlier in year but worked.

Depends on size of the patch but think this is the one:

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/samla-box-with-lid-transparent-s69871388/

Brilliant but did the mower not push it out of the way?

staples7

Before and after pictures of her yearly clean 👌

Josieg

staples7 wrote: »

Before and after pictures of her yearly clean 👌

Nice job! How do you get it so clean? The dirty is so caked into mine it never looks clean!

Thud

NurseBridie wrote: »

Brilliant but did the mower not push it out of the way?

no,, doubt it would have but I had a half brick on top to stop it blowing away

ArrBee

AstraMonti wrote: »

It depends where you order it from. Mine arrived at the same box yes and I had ordered it from myrobotcenter.

I also got new shoes to Robbie

Where did you get the shoes?
They're not from worx, right?

I'm interested only for potential aeration of the lawn.

listermint

Noticed the mower (McCulloch Rob1000) had not been out of base station for a few days, so went to start it up manually. No Loop Signal detected.

Assumed manual break somewhere as had 1 or 2 in the past. Did a Tone Test on the line all good. Checked the LED on the base station, flash blue when disconnected , Green when connected. Still no joy, reset the power to the unit, and the mower, no joy - No Loop signal.

Opened up the base station. noticed what appeared to be quite a small miniscule dried slug on the board looked possibly burnt up. The boards are varnished in these so should get no moisture but i suppose if something ate through the varnish it can short. one of the transmitters if not 'the transmitter' is blown possibly ground or live cant tell.

New board needed, but il try source the part itself and replace on the old board for a backup.

Attached image of the burnt out item top screen you can see discoloured, same front and rear and it starts at the center pin leg.

AstraMonti

ArrBee wrote: »

Where did you get the shoes?
They're not from worx, right?

I'm interested only for potential aeration of the lawn.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Robot-Lawnmower-wheel-spike-Worx-Gardena-Robomow-Husquarna-Yardforce-Flymo/264444403750

No they are not from worx. They are great if you have big slopes, or areas of your grass are more wet and the robot keeps slipping. I don't think they help much with aeration as they are not deep enough.

goldsalmon33

staples7 wrote: »

Before and after pictures of her yearly clean ��

Thats's a Gardena right? How's it going for you? Bought mine this year for €800 in the local co-op and I'm still waiting to find out why it was so cheap? Has worked fine all summer. Maybe an end of model or something?

listermint

listermint wrote: »

Noticed the mower (McCulloch Rob1000) had not been out of base station for a few days, so went to start it up manually. No Loop Signal detected.

Assumed manual break somewhere as had 1 or 2 in the past. Did a Tone Test on the line all good. Checked the LED on the base station, flash blue when disconnected , Green when connected. Still no joy, reset the power to the unit, and the mower, no joy - No Loop signal.

Opened up the base station. noticed what appeared to be quite a small miniscule dried slug on the board looked possibly burnt up. The boards are varnished in these so should get no moisture but i suppose if something ate through the varnish it can short. one of the transmitters if not 'the transmitter' is blown possibly ground or live cant tell.

New board needed, but il try source the part itself and replace on the old board for a backup.

Attached image of the burnt out item top screen you can see discoloured, same front and rear and it starts at the center pin leg.

The offending Transmitter causing the issues.

have a close to replacement on way, see if this solves it.

cyborg

listermint wrote: »

The offending Transmitter causing the issues.

have a close to replacement on way, see if this solves it.

I had the exact same issue also caused by a slug and replaced that same transistor with a FQT5P10TF P-Mosfet but it didn't fix the board!

But good luck, let us know how you get on!

listermint

cyborg wrote: »

I had the exact same issue also caused by a slug and replaced that same transistor with a FQT5P10TF P-Mosfet but it didn't fix the board!

But good luck, let us know how you get on!

Nice one. Ya not hopeful but better off trying I suppose. The slugs must decay or eat the varnish wonder what solution is maybe lay the unit on pebbles stones they don't really like them

I also read it as FOT no wonder I had difficulty finding one.

sligopaul

Anyone have their mower still out working

Shaunoc

Couple of hours every now and again. Some sections of lawn though are out of bounds as wet as a fish

Dr4gul4

sligopaul wrote: »

Anyone have their mower still out working

He's still out running about ..

dashoonage

I took mine in 3 weeks ago, had to do a cut the weekend with the ride on. Tempted to put the robot back out and leave the little ****er out.

listermint

dashoonage wrote: »

I took mine in 3 weeks ago, had to do a cut the weekend with the ride on. Tempted to put the robot back out and leave the little ****er out.

Haven't taken mine in in 4 years. Only a slug took it down . Not the weather.

searay

Dr4gul4 wrote: »

He's still out running about ..

Same, I've reduced the hours but there is still growth and it's as well keep it down.

dashoonage

listermint wrote: »

Haven't taken mine in in 4 years. Only a slug took it down . Not the weather.

eye, i dont think mine will be getting time off next year :P

Citizenpain

Mines out too . Plenty growth still

Bedouin79

listermint wrote: »

Haven't taken mine in in 4 years. Only a slug took it down . Not the weather.

Curious your make and model, I feel I’ve been way to cautious bringing mine in especially as the weeds haven’t had an off day yet grass growth has slowed though.

After 5/6 months wait I finally got the mccullagh 1000 at a decent price .
625e delivered to Addresspal

Slightly concerned about it being refused by addrespal because of the battery but time will tell.
Its to be delivered tomorrow.

listermint

BrownFinger wrote: »

After 5/6 months wait I finally got the mccullagh 1000 at a decent price .
625e delivered to Addresspal

Slightly concerned about it being refused by addrespal because of the battery but time will tell.
Its to be delivered tomorrow.

Nice one, thats what i paid for mine on amazon deals some years back. Absolutely great little machine, Only thing that caused issues for me was a slug randomly eating a PCB board. Plan is to put stone down around the charging station (pebbles and maybe slug repellant.

But otherwise stellar machine.

listermint

listermint wrote: »

Nice one, thats what i paid for mine on amazon deals some years back. Absolutely great little machine, Only thing that caused issues for me was a slug randomly eating a PCB board. Plan is to put stone down around the charging station (pebbles and maybe slug repellant.

But otherwise stellar machine.

Do you leave it out over the winter months?
Its due today and I know I'll be mad to get it set up!

ArrBee

BrownFinger wrote: »

Do you leave it out over the winter months?
Its due today and I know I'll be mad to get it set up!

I had mine delivered a month back and what I did was remove the blades and loosely put the wire down (without pegs) so I could have a play with it and understand how its navigation worked.

I then put it away in the shed and will install it properly next year.
Over the winter I intend building a little roof for the base and I will then leave it out the whole time after that.

That's the plan anyway, and I dont really know what I'm doing

I think I'll do the same ArrBee!
Have it in the back of the car now !

Duke of Url

My Gardena did its last cut of the Year last week.

Cleaned and put up in the Attic in a suitcase until spring.