My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

Mad money alright but go to a pet shop and check out the prices for basic cheapo plastic pet shelters. The wooden ones aren't far off what was posted above tbh and the quality could be way worse.

Just saying

Well, thought I might put a few notes on my expereince with my robot lawnmower over the last 3-4 years, while its specific to a robomow product, you might find it usefull to know, and also maybe someone might be able to advise on my latest problem.

Overall, I got my robomow back in 2017, so i've had 5 cutting seasons so far, going in to my sixth. After some initial issues with the install (ws professionaly installed), the robow mow (rs615pro) worked like a dream for prob 2-3 seasons. It then started to have a few issues, and I will list them out.

1) Wheel motor spindle broke, eventuially needed a new wheel motor

2) Mow motor died, needed a new mow motor.

3) LCD screen buttons stopped working (manged to keep it going by just using the app on the phone), but finally had to buy a new lcd panel.

4) Charging head failed (rush and corrosion on the PCB), had to purchase a new charging head.

Each of the above items costs about 150-200 euro, so not cheap, in addition to having to replace the lawnmower blades every year at a cost of 100 euro.

Now, to be fair, the machine is very repair friendly, most of the replacement parts are very easy to replace, following youtube videos etc.

I suppose, looking at the above, in parts and maintenance its cost be the best part of 800 euro so far, so the argument of it being a low maintenance solution compared to a ride on, didnt really stack up for me.

Clincher now, is, having replaced the charging head, it now appears that the lawnmower has to be "re-paired" to the head, as it is not detecting wire signal. Guess what.... I have to send both the charging head and the lawnmower itself back to dealer to get this done....150 euro more. Thats about 600 euro so far this year (ldc panel, cahrging head, set of blades and now the servicing charge from the dealer).

These things are not cheap. Work great though, but not cheap.

I had a small section of lawn also that last year I went and bought a cheap macallister B&Q robot mower for at a cost of just over 300euro, and despite its bare bones functionality, I cant fault it. Would nearly have considered a brand new mower instaed of all these repair parts for my robomow.

Anyway, if anyone knows how to pair a robomow with a new charging head or had this problem, would love to know if I can save the serving cost.

Thanks,

Neighbor had his out cutting the last week and yesterday morning it was gone. I wonder did it climb the fence and go for a walk itself :)

It wasn't by any chance a company with the initials DC ?

I am on my second flymo and couldn’t get neither of them working. Don’t seem to be charging. Dies the minute it loses connection with the dock. No idea what to do with it at this point. Want out. Have the boundary installl done so happy to just buy a husk at this point.

Oh, I think we may have had a similar experience with that installer.

Hi folks,

Wanted to ask about my boundary wire layout. I've laid it like in the attached picture but I'm not sure the mower will go to the Grass area A marked in the picture. I haven't been able to keep an eye on it but when it starts it goes around the boundary wire across the path to the second lawn and works away there fine. Haven't seen it back on the first patch yet. Would I be better off just laying the wire around the boundary and let the lower think the path is grass? It will try to mow it but I guess do no harm.

What price did you find? I am looking at 430x or 520.

Yeah I relaid it this afternoon just to have one area. Have the mower off now for few days

For info, I don't think they use GPS. It looks like you set up a number of transmitters in your garden and it uses these for location rather than satellites.

It sounds like a good idea, but I wonder how they are with the actual mowing technology.

That looks quite good and may suit my needs. I've been considering one for a long time but the awkwardness of my site and laying wires I've put it off. Thinking of doing an extension and landscaping in next year or two as well so was putting it of till that was finished. Not needing wires certainly makes the Segway tempting to get now. My lawnmower deck is on it's last legs so I need to make a decision, I'm not going to get a full season out of it. Annoyingly the Briggs and Straton engine is bullet proof it's over 10 years old now and has never failed to start first time and it hasn't had that much TLC!

Have about 600m2 of grass divided into 350 at the back and 150 and 100 either side of the driveway. The 150m2 section will be easy join now with out needing a guide wire as it can just follow the path. The 100m2 is probably too inaccessible would have to lower curbs or build a ramp and it's probably to risky crossing the driveway. The front lawns are much slower growing than the back as there's a lot of shade from the trees and hedges, the 100m2 one especially so it won't be to much of a chore to cut it by hand.

Was planning on getting a Makita LXT mower to tide me over and which size of one to get as I needed one that can mulch but there smallest one would do if I just need to cut the smaller lawn and the few spots the robomower can't access.

Smallest Wifi one is just about big enough. Would be good not to have the subscription of the bigger 4G models can't see anywhere how much that will cost.

Looks like you can add the ultrasonic sensor too that's on the dearest model.

Maybe its not charging? Bad contact?

Does it show you how charged the battery is?

Wait is that little house 250 euro.... ? Per the ad btw.

Plus 70 delivery..