Discussion
TimJMS said:
You've assumed right. I've never brought a lithium ion Robomow indoors for the winter. The old lead acid batteries would be ruined after the first decent frost though. They just sit out there standing by until we get a day when the temperature goes over 7 degrees. If we get a wet period I pause them on the power box.
Mine have been cutting occasionally this week. Why not when grass is still growing?
That sounds like you have more than one????Mine have been cutting occasionally this week. Why not when grass is still growing?
davek_964 said:
The German sites definitely said it was soldered - good news if it's not.
How do you get to it? If it's simple I'll give it a try but I'm a bit reluctant to risk voiding the warranty by taking it apart.
Did you get anywhere with this? If that picture was anything to go by then the battery is a soldered in one with tags (ML2020) plus maybe a bit of RTV to help hold it in place; not the hardest thing to remove and replace but not a straight DIY thing for a lot of people. Especially as lithium batteries like that can react badly to cack-handed soldering attempts.How do you get to it? If it's simple I'll give it a try but I'm a bit reluctant to risk voiding the warranty by taking it apart.
Being a lithium cell it may have discharged beyond the point where the charge controller wants to recharge it but it might be salvageable. Can't remember the exact techniques but there are ways to encourage the things back to a working state though sometimes they really kill the cell (heat/fizzing/flame etc.).
The battery itself is only a £2 part so if it's not a warranty job it'd be worth getting it replaced rather than a new PCB.
Jonesy23 said:
davek_964 said:
The German sites definitely said it was soldered - good news if it's not.
How do you get to it? If it's simple I'll give it a try but I'm a bit reluctant to risk voiding the warranty by taking it apart.
Did you get anywhere with this? If that picture was anything to go by then the battery is a soldered in one with tags (ML2020) plus maybe a bit of RTV to help hold it in place; not the hardest thing to remove and replace but not a straight DIY thing for a lot of people. Especially as lithium batteries like that can react badly to cack-handed soldering attempts.How do you get to it? If it's simple I'll give it a try but I'm a bit reluctant to risk voiding the warranty by taking it apart.
Being a lithium cell it may have discharged beyond the point where the charge controller wants to recharge it but it might be salvageable. Can't remember the exact techniques but there are ways to encourage the things back to a working state though sometimes they really kill the cell (heat/fizzing/flame etc.).
The battery itself is only a £2 part so if it's not a warranty job it'd be worth getting it replaced rather than a new PCB.
Bosch customer care called me between Christmas and New Year - as a courtesy call, saying there was "some delay" in fixing the Indego's. I told him not to worry - I didn't expect it to progress over Christmas anyway. He then said :
"We hope to get it back to you before the start of the season".
Start of the season? You mean March / April? I advised him that it had to be back far sooner than that, or I would consider that I had purchased an item that was not fit for purpose.
He called me again just now, and it's got even better.
Bosch have "stopped selling the Indego in the UK" (not sure if he said Europe too) - and the current estimate is that I will not get my mower back until June. They will provide me with a battery powered manual lawn mower in the meantime. I declined.
He could not tell me why it will take so long to repair - but kept going back to the "top level sales and marketing decision" to stop selling the Indego. It sounds to me as if they have realised they have a serious design problem.
I am now in an awkward situation - I bought it via Amazon, but returned it to Bosch - however, I think that legally my argument should be with the retailer. To make matters worse, I bought it from Amazon Germany - so I suspect I need to contact them and see if they can do anything if I get it shipped back from Bosch.
Time to send some emails....
davek_964 said:
He could not tell me why it will take so long to repair - but kept going back to the "top level sales and marketing decision" to stop selling the Indego. It sounds to me as if they have realised they have a serious design problem.
As I probably mentioned earlier in the thread my Indego stopped working after about a year, now the PSU is totally dead, not the one on the mower but the main supply.
hidetheelephants said:
C'est combien?
I'll sell 2 at £625 each plus £10 delivery as a PH special.They'll be on Ebay in March for well over £700.
Happy to do a try before you buy run out in my garden (weather dependent), if you want to collect from Leeds.
In my experience with robot mowers, Worx are solid built reliable machines backed up by an excellent support network.
Nice feature with these is the AI software which enables narrow passage navigation. This lets you set up several linked mowing areas easily.
Also remarkably quiet due to brushless drive and blade motors.
The issue with my Bosch Indego seems to have been resolved in a slightly unexpected way.
I called Bosch on Monday and said that I wanted the mower returned so that I could send it back to Amazon for a refund - to which I was told : we are going to refund you.
I pointed out that I hadn't actually purchased it from them, but they said that didn't matter.
This morning, I received email confirmation that they are sending me a cheque.
All credit to Bosch, since they really had no reason to refund me at all, particularly since the retailer had already agreed to. It does make me think they know they have some issue with these mowers though, because they do seem to be going above and beyond what they need to!
I called Bosch on Monday and said that I wanted the mower returned so that I could send it back to Amazon for a refund - to which I was told : we are going to refund you.
I pointed out that I hadn't actually purchased it from them, but they said that didn't matter.
This morning, I received email confirmation that they are sending me a cheque.
All credit to Bosch, since they really had no reason to refund me at all, particularly since the retailer had already agreed to. It does make me think they know they have some issue with these mowers though, because they do seem to be going above and beyond what they need to!
So, I've now received my refund and need to decide whether to buy an alternative. Problem is, at the moment it looks like the Bosch was the only one that ticked all the boxes. Looking back in the thread, I can see some people had other makes (Robomow and Worx). So, my questions :
1) Are they dumb - I.e the cut pattern is completely random and hence they have to be out cutting for more time, or are they like the Bosch where it maps the garden and is finished in 30 minutes?
2) Can they be controlled with an app?
3) Is the battery lithium? Some (Robomow?) seem to be lead acid.
I really don't want to go back to manual grass cutting but at the moment I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement.
1) Are they dumb - I.e the cut pattern is completely random and hence they have to be out cutting for more time, or are they like the Bosch where it maps the garden and is finished in 30 minutes?
2) Can they be controlled with an app?
3) Is the battery lithium? Some (Robomow?) seem to be lead acid.
I really don't want to go back to manual grass cutting but at the moment I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement.
davek_964 said:
So, I've now received my refund and need to decide whether to buy an alternative. Problem is, at the moment it looks like the Bosch was the only one that ticked all the boxes. Looking back in the thread, I can see some people had other makes (Robomow and Worx). So, my questions :
1) Are they dumb - I.e the cut pattern is completely random and hence they have to be out cutting for more time, or are they like the Bosch where it maps the garden and is finished in 30 minutes?
2) Can they be controlled with an app?
3) Is the battery lithium? Some (Robomow?) seem to be lead acid.
I really don't want to go back to manual grass cutting but at the moment I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement.
Robomow rc304 here yes it's dumb but does 100m2 in about 75mins all over, yes is controlled by an app and can be done like a RC car yes to lithium1) Are they dumb - I.e the cut pattern is completely random and hence they have to be out cutting for more time, or are they like the Bosch where it maps the garden and is finished in 30 minutes?
2) Can they be controlled with an app?
3) Is the battery lithium? Some (Robomow?) seem to be lead acid.
I really don't want to go back to manual grass cutting but at the moment I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement.
moles said:
Robomow rc304 here yes it's dumb but does 100m2 in about 75mins all over, yes is controlled by an app and can be done like a RC car yes to lithium
Thanks. My garden isn't particularly big so maybe I'm over thinking the 'dumb' thing - especially since I still have to get the mower out every few weeks for the edges.The Worx robot cuts the edges so you won't need to do that if you buy one.
App control is a gimmick as all modern robot mowers have calendar time and date automation for scheduling mow time (which can be at 3am with the Worx if you want as it's the quietest mower out there - brushless motors all round).
No lead acid mowers produced these days.
Shame you are darnsouf or you could try one of mine.
App control is a gimmick as all modern robot mowers have calendar time and date automation for scheduling mow time (which can be at 3am with the Worx if you want as it's the quietest mower out there - brushless motors all round).
No lead acid mowers produced these days.
Shame you are darnsouf or you could try one of mine.
rfisher said:
The Worx robot cuts the edges so you won't need to do that if you buy one.
App control is a gimmick as all modern robot mowers have calendar time and date automation for scheduling mow time (which can be at 3am with the Worx if you want as it's the quietest mower out there - brushless motors all round).
No lead acid mowers produced these days.
Shame you are darnsouf or you could try one of mine.
Thanks - so the blade on the Worx ones goes right to the edge? That does make them quite tempting!App control is a gimmick as all modern robot mowers have calendar time and date automation for scheduling mow time (which can be at 3am with the Worx if you want as it's the quietest mower out there - brushless motors all round).
No lead acid mowers produced these days.
Shame you are darnsouf or you could try one of mine.
oyster said:
So having read through this entire thread the conclusion seems to be that robot mowers, for now at least, are just technology for the sake of technology.
Having had one, I wouldn't say that. I think it did an excellent job - and I really liked the fact that I didn't feel forced to cut the grass just because it was getting a bit long, and it might rain tomorrow etc.Whether it's reliable technology is a different matter. I almost certainly will buy a replacement when we're close to spring and since I still have a boundary wire laid out should be a simple installation. I would prefer that Amazon had a greater selection though because I would like their customer service if it goes wrong.
oyster said:
So having read through this entire thread the conclusion seems to be that robot mowers, for now at least, are just technology for the sake of technology.
Not as far as I'm concerned. I can't speak for makes other than Robomow. Size the machine to the area. Oversize it if you are anal about fertiliser and weed control regimes. Set the perimeter up correctly and away you go.I just check the blades every few weeks for sharpness, and maybe clear out the under deck area. After a few years you may be changing blade or wheel drive motors but these days this is a doddle and involves no tools. I've found the battery packs typically do 6 years. They don't die at this point, workrate declines.
oyster said:
So having read through this entire thread the conclusion seems to be that robot mowers, for now at least, are just technology for the sake of technology.
I don't think they will really take off until they do away with the guide wires. I really can't be bothered with wiring up 3 separate areas of garden.
When they are more intelligent and flexible I hope to jump in.
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