Robot mowers

[davek_964]

mikeiow said:

Okay, although I read that with the Flymo you can:

• "choose your cut times and days with the easy to use programmable schedule. The easy to use screen on the robot mower itself allows you to quickly set it up to the schedule so that you can ensure the lawn is cut when you are not using it. The regularity of the cutting is up to you and can be done every day if you require."

The German site looked like you can get updates on yours by t'internet.... The Internet of Things reaches the garden!

First review up at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flymo-Lithium-ion-Robotic... is pretty extensive.....I am tempted !!

True. However, because it uses a random pattern you need to cut for a long time / often to ensure the entire garden is covered.

[CAPP0]

The Flymo is currently showing at £599 on Amazon UK - says it's reduced from £998? Is that (a) true and (b) good?

[moles]

So in my situation when it does a border cut every 4th mow I would be left with a strip of lawn that is not cut as the mower wire will be 35cm in from the edge so the wheels will run along the smartedge but the blades don't extend out as far as the wheels?. I am looking at a Robomow as well because it has an offset blade that extends out past the wheels which means it can run along the edge but still overhang the blade so it should cut all of the lawn. Only downside I can see is it is a dumb mower and follows a random pattern so will be out all day.

davek_964 said:

It follows the wire over the centre of the mower - so you need to leave 35cm between wire and edge of lawn. It follows it when it maps the garden the first time, and when it does a border cut (every 4th mow) but usually it's mowing across the lawn and stops as it crosses the wire.

I chose Bosch because I didn't want a dumb mower that was running randomly for 12 hours a day. I've programmed the Bosch to come out in the evenings and it's done in half an hour.

[davek_964]

I think it's probably true - I first looked a year or so back and all robot mowers seemed to be at least £1k. When I looked again a couple of weeks ago it was the flymo price that tempted me - it seemed to be reaching the kind of price I was willing to pay.

I was lucky that when I looked last week the Bosch was on offer in Germany for not much more than the flymo for one day.

[anonymous-user]

What is stopping someone nicking it while it is cutting the front lawn? Seems very vulnerable to me.

[davek_964]

gottans said:

What is stopping someone nicking it while it is cutting the front lawn? Seems very vulnerable to me.

I don't have a front lawn. But you're right, it would be easy to carry away. It wouldn't be much use though - it's locked with a pin code and as soon as it's taken outside the perimeter wire it won't work.

[mikeiow]

CAPP0 said:

The Flymo is currently showing at £599 on Amazon UK - says it's reduced from £998? Is that (a) true and (b) good?

Argos are at 699 and most other sellers are above that, so it does sound like a very good price....and the reviews all look pretty good!
Regarding it being out all day - I thought I read it would do up to 400m2 inside an hour......not that it really matters, since you can just let it get on with it, maybe even overnight - but yes, the Bosch does look like it would work quicker with slightly less randomness.
We are still kind of fiddling with our garden following extension work last year, so I will likely dither about even longer....

[anonymous-user]

Locked with a pin, reckon 5 mins tops for someone to bypass that. Doubt very much Bosch have put any real security in it that makes it not worth nicking.

Really like the idea but my front lawn is much bigger than the back lawn so theft is a concern.

[sealtt]

Id love one but I'm certain the dog would try and fight it.

Also, has anyone covered what happens when it runs over dog turds??

[davek_964]

For some reason, mine is having a bad day.

I set it off this morning after I'd done some work in the garden - it launched itself at (relatively) turbo speed across the garden, straight into a flower bed and complained it was too far over the perimeter wire. Moved it and it seemed happy.

But on its scheduled cut this evening it reported 'idle on lawn'. It had stopped near the docking station for no real reason I could see.

Tried it a few times since then and it keeps going outside the perimeter - at different locations, and sometimes even when it seems to be following the border. I've deleted and remapped which didn't help.

I've just made sure the connection for the perimeter wire is good and relearned again. If that doesn't fix it I may be calling Bosch soon.

ETA : Same thing again as it was returning to base.
I think I will give it the benefit of the doubt and lay the perimeter wire again without a join (which I have because I moved the base slightly). But probably can't do that for a few days.

Edited by davek_964 on Sunday 15th May 21:22

[Condi]

If you had one which went across the lawn randomly this wouldnt have happened

[davek_964]

Condi said:

If you had one which went across the lawn randomly this wouldnt have happened

I assume they also have some kind of perimeter wire. Otherwise, they'd be even more likely to end up in a flower bed!

[pdavison]

Anyone know if these could cope with a lawn separated by a gravel drive? Could you run the perimeter wire under the drive or would it be damaged by cars going over it?

[moles]

This website is selling the Robomow and others for cheaper than anyone else. Pay with PayPal as well so could be legit???. I'm leaning towards the Robomow as it cuts outside the wheel area due to the shape of it.


http://www.myrobotcenter.co.uk/en_gb/lawn-and-pool...

[skibum]

I was looking at these as the Father in Law has the Robomow and the Brother in law has the Husqvarna.

I'm struggling to tell the difference between the Robomow City Lines (Red MC400 you have linked to) and the standard ones (Green RC304). Anyone have any clue what differentiates the two product lines?

[superlightr]

davek_964 said:

I don't have a front lawn. But you're right, it would be easy to carry away. It wouldn't be much use though - it's locked with a pin code and as soon as it's taken outside the perimeter wire it won't work.

be keen to see a pic of the garden/robomower etc if you can?

[davek_964]

superlightr said:

be keen to see a pic of the garden/robomower etc if you can?

I can take a pic tonight - what did you want to see in it?

I spoke with Bosch earlier, who were really not very helpful. My problems "might be something under the garden" - there is in fact a power cable that runs from the top of the garden to the bottom, but I really don't think that's causing the problem - it's buried deep and the mower is going outside the perimeter at random points. However - I may try switching the power off at the fuse box and seeing if it makes a difference.
If I think it's faulty, they will collect it to check under warranty but didn't really seem to think they'd find much.

I will possibly take the old wire up and lay a new perimeter tonight in case that makes a difference. It's worth a try before having to box it all up again.

[superlightr]

davek_964 said:

I can take a pic tonight - what did you want to see in it?

I spoke with Bosch earlier, who were really not very helpful. My problems "might be something under the garden" - there is in fact a power cable that runs from the top of the garden to the bottom, but I really don't think that's causing the problem - it's buried deep and the mower is going outside the perimeter at random points. However - I may try switching the power off at the fuse box and seeing if it makes a difference.
If I think it's faulty, they will collect it to check under warranty but didn't really seem to think they'd find much.

I will possibly take the old wire up and lay a new perimeter tonight in case that makes a difference. It's worth a try before having to box it all up again.

just curious as to the layout the mower can cope with/slopes/mud etc ie a real garden rather then a demo garden from the manufacture.

[Condi]

pdavison said:

Anyone know if these could cope with a lawn separated by a gravel drive? Could you run the perimeter wire under the drive or would it be damaged by cars going over it?

Can't comment on the bosch mowers but the husquna ones can. You have separate areas, although how well it copes with the gravel will probably depend on the size of the stones.

[BigBen]

superlightr said:

just curious as to the layout the mower can cope with/slopes/mud etc ie a real garden rather then a demo garden from the manufacture.

That is why I have my Bosch mower as my mate who worked at Bosch knew my garden was an odd shape and has some slopes in the lawn, not like off road course type slopes but far from flat. The mower has been fine.