My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

ongarite · 10-05-2026 05:06PM

The Lidl mower garage fits the Yuka Mini base & mower perfectly. And a lot cheaper too.

KCross · 10-05-2026 11:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124458074#Comment_124458074

Make sure get the garage over it when you get it back. It will lengthen the life of it.

Its a robot mower, its designed to be outdoors roaming the lawn for hours and hours on end, with the sun and rain beating down on it as its working.

A house covering it at night and when charging, will have little discernible effect on its longevity. If rain and UV kill it, then its just cheap crap that will break anyway.

If it comes with a house put it up, but its an optional purchase for the husqies and I wouldnt bother. The house doesnt even fully cover it. Seems mainly aestethic to me and a way of getting more money off you!

Things like bearings and batteries and moving parts will die naturally long before any rain or UV will affect the longevity of it.

FYI: Mines out in the open for nearly 13 years…. the outer plastic is perfectly fine.

worded · 11-05-2026 12:01AM

It could turn into an evil robot

https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/hacker-robot-lawnmower-runs-over-man

KCross · 11-05-2026 12:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459344#Comment_124459344

Something almost identical was also exposed on the first gen Nissan Leaf electric cars.

It had a SIM built in which allowed you to communicate with it via the app but it was completely insecure and anyone could send it an SMS (once you read the VIN off the window!) to get it to do some things like turn on a/c and start/stop charging etc.

IT security is becoming more critical every day.

listermint · 11-05-2026 08:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459340#Comment_124459340

There is zero discernable negative of putting it in a house.

It may have stopped water ingress in his model.

Yours is the old school one like mine without bells and whistles they have a simple housing and button system new ones have external based sensors all over them.

I don't know why this would be seen as a remote negative whatsoever. It's an odd thing to get so animated about.

Mines in a timber house I built with a little corrugated off cut from a shed. It's very smart tbh and looks better than leaving an exposed plastic robot mower at the side of the garden.

Also these units sit in the glaring sun during the summer charging, removing the sun during Charging isn't a negative to battery condition on any type of hardware.

paulbok · 11-05-2026 09:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459547#Comment_124459547

Same, I built a wooden 'garage' with a openable roof to protect it from the weather, at a minimum, UV will fade the look of the plastic and more importantly it's away from the kids when charging. Also a bit more secure, out of sight, out of mind etc.

I added some additional outdoor sockets inside and outside the garage to run fence lighting off and any other needs I have in that section of the garden.

listermint · 11-05-2026 09:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459589#Comment_124459589

My new Luba just landed this morning from the post. Charging it up there now until I can rejig the new base station in position and charging cable. Mine is piped under a path so have to pull it through.

I like a neat job.

KCross · 11-05-2026 10:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459547#Comment_124459547

There is zero discernable negative of putting it in a house.

Cost mainly.

Im countering the idea that you put forward that it will extend its longevity.

Like I said if it makes you feel better or looks better in the house then go for it. No issues with that, but people shouldnt feel they now need to go out and buy a house for their robots.

It may have stopped water ingress in his model.

Very unlikely. In this case it was less than a year old, its clearly a design fault that hopefully has a updated replacement part that is properly protected.

If water is going to get in, it will get in regardless of a house over it. Again, its roaming the lawn in the rain for hours on end where the house cant protect it from UV or rain.

listermint · 11-05-2026 10:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459727#Comment_124459727

They're giving them free with the Luba though. You just claim yours back from them and they send it out. No cost.

As I said yours is old school like my original one. The new ones have rain sensors and high tail it back to do two things. 1 not be cutting wet grass and 2 get out of direct rain. Of course they're rated for it but also simple means to get them shelter which helps.

KCross · 11-05-2026 10:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459743#Comment_124459743

They're giving them free with the Luba though.

As I said, if it comes with it, put it up. No reason not to.

If it doesnt come with one, then carry on without it.

listermint · 11-05-2026 10:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459760#Comment_124459760

Handy Saturday project from materials lying around. Get creative 😉

IMG-20260511-WA0004.jpg

pete6296 · 11-05-2026 12:01PM

I have a luba 2 3000x for the last year. I picked up a garage in lidl for less than 40 euro. I would highly recommend it to protect charging points between robot and charger in bad weather

KCross · 11-05-2026 02:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124459768#Comment_124459768

Nah! I can think of lots of other things I'd rather be doing! 😉

listermint · 11-05-2026 07:26PM

So received my Luba Mini Lidar AWD 1500 today. Delivery time was alot to be desired at 24 days. They did indicate at the start there was some delays with shipping. But tbh with bank holidays etc it should have really landed last week. So between 3 and 4 weeks is probably an expectation if you're getting one.

I'm coming from a wired mower which is about 8 years I think old. Husqvarna parts throughout but it's a McCulloch which husqvarna acquired and then phased out. So I've experience with robot mowers.

Made the base station location and power easy just plug and play.

So far, impressed by the ease of setup only slight delay was upgrading firmware and not great WiFi coverage out garden so had to pick up and move to the door to speed that up. It doesn't seem to upgrade firmware over SIM at least wouldn't for me.

Then back to mapping out the garden perimeter and no go zones. Was handy as you like with the app . Like playing a driving game on a PlayStation. Had the areas mapped and saved easily. And now she's off to mow.

Impression so far. Quality built. Well thought out unit and app design . Well designed user workflow . No negatives.

Will come back after a few mow cycles.

oleras · 11-05-2026 08:04PM

^^^^ You didnt try the wheelbarrow trick with the initial mapping ?

listermint · 11-05-2026 08:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124461285#Comment_124461285

Hadnt heard of that one, but without looking it up I think driving to around was more fun tbh 😀

dermotp · 12-05-2026 07:39PM

Hi everyone as usual this is a great source of information, I have a husqvarna 105 wired at present and wondering if I purchase a non wired robot do you have to remove the wire you have landed or can you just leave it be and the new non wired robot will work and ignore it,

listermint · 12-05-2026 08:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124463530#Comment_124463530

That wire will bury itself . Not worth bothering removing . I've left mine. Most of it 2 inches under surface at this point it's what happens overtime.

dermotp · 13-05-2026 02:11PM

lister into,thanks for the info.

listermint · 14-05-2026 07:57PM

Follow up on the Luba Mini Lidar AWD 1500.

It's completed the entire garden, I think it took approx 2 days or less to get the entire area covered. Looks great , very clean lines.

Not one fault over the cut.

I do think the unit can benefit from having entire garden WiFi coverage. It does have 4G SIM but when it switches over it seems to limit some of the data coming from the unit. Whilst on Bluetooth next to the unit or strong WiFi it shows more detailed map plans including routes and line directions. 4G loses that detail.

That being a limitation for me I took an old micro router from an old LTE isp provider hacked it and set it up as an access point pointing directly out to the garden area just beside a window. 2.4ghz it covers the entire 1000 SQM plus so the mower now has excellent signal for that. Id say that worth doing . I did it on the free as I had the router in a box of wires.

Its early I'm a few days in but I feel this unit is superb value for money it's super easy to setup and the FPV view via the camera is a nice addition to have remote viewing of what's going on. It's a shame though the seem to have removed entirely remote control function over internet. Supposedly for safety. You can only do the remote manual mow with Bluetooth meaning you have to be in BT range.

My only gripe I can see but it's minor. Just thought it would be handy to drive it around the place if need a security check whilst away. We have ring camera but they don't cover everything the mower could assist in an extent emergency check. Alas !..

murfler · 16-05-2026 03:15PM

It took 2 days to cut your entire lawn? What area is your lawn?

listermint · 16-05-2026 03:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124473317#Comment_124473317

1000 sq m, but I wasn't running it all day each day. Playing around with settings and schedules.

murfler · 16-05-2026 11:04PM

Ok, how long does it take to complete task?

listermint · 17-05-2026 06:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124474823#Comment_124474823

12.3 hours total.

Foggy Jew · 18-05-2026 10:16AM

Anybody else got a Stiga 750? Can you talk me through finding the Map History on the StigaGo app, please? I have hedging around the perimeter of my garden, which has grown down as well as up and out. The robot keeps getting stuck under it, runs out of juice, & I have to spend ages on my hands & knees looking for it. Thanks in advance.

listermint · 18-05-2026 11:03AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124478483#Comment_124478483

Trim it back to be honest. If you keep letting it encroach it'll get out of hand at pace.

GarlicBed · 20-05-2026 08:57PM

I was on a job last week and the customer had a new luba. 2/3 weeks old.

I noticed green corrosion on the charger contacts.

I had (have) got the same problem with my McCullough r1000 .I've had to replace the contact in base as it was rotted away.

Is this common with the luba ?

I've been considering it for when my rob1000 kicks the bucket (still going strong in its 5th year).

listermint · 21-05-2026 09:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124486119#Comment_124486119

My McCulloch (husqvarna) charger had the same. Replaced a set already.

My luba is only in two weeks if even. Hadn't noticed it on it though. Il check

afatbollix · 21-05-2026 11:17AM

Thinking about getting one next week.

Looking at either Segway Navimow i208 or the MAMMOTION YUKA mini 2

I only have a 200sqm garden, so they should have the distance.

But which one would be good at strips? Most of the videos on youtube, Are normally a first day use (With a nice cut lawn before its even used I might add!)

Thats what having a nice lawn is all about. Or any suggestion?

witnessmenow · 21-05-2026 02:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124487064#Comment_124487064

I have a Yuka mini for about 12 months and generally am happy with it with a caveat.

The positives:

Does a good job on the lawn
It was a about the cheapest GPS based navigation mower available at the time.
App seems pretty decent and has seen improvements since I got it

Negatives:

It is currently on it's way back to mammotion to get fixed. It has developed a fault with the cameras, there is water/moisture in them. It is causing the obstacle avoidance part to not work. Not much issue organising a return.
It wasn't making it back to the charger regularly enough, I think it might have been related to the obstacle avoidance though (it was seeing obstacles that weren't there)

My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

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