Robot mowers

Author
Discussion

Semmelweiss

1,627 posts

197 months

Friday 21st May 2021
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Durzel said:
I've got the WR142E as well as a few addons. It gets (more) expensive pretty quickly.

I've got the Radio link (SIM card, no need for wifi to communicate with it via the app), GPS and most importantly - the ACS (Anti Collision System). Only the latter is really necessary imo, otherwise it'll just bump into objects constantly and have to reverse. With the ACS it will actually drive around things left in the garden, and anything it can "see".

It is not without its faults. On gardens where you have soil at the edges in places it's not unusual for it to get bogged down and stuck. You have to be pretty careful with laying the perimeter wire as it will drive over it in different ways depending on whether it's trying to cut the border, or just drive home. The one I've got can't do a border lap without getting stuck at the moment.

They are surprisingly effective when dialled in though. You'd never think it would be possible for something to maintain a large garden, mowing only a relatively narrow area (the rotating blades are offset, don't cover the whole unit), but somehow it manages it.
Thanks for that - I logged on to order one this morning and saw that there is an updated model of the M500. I have now ordered the Worx Landroid M500 2.0 (WR165E). It has a floating blade disk, which hopefully will deal with the (small) pine cones and minor undulations....

Fishlegs

2,989 posts

140 months

Friday 21st May 2021
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Semmelweiss said:
I am looking at purchasing either of:

Worx Landroid M WR142E (M700)
Worx Landroid M WR141E (M500)

The only difference besides the £100 price seems to be the battery size 4.0Ah v 2.0Ah

Anyone have either of these (bearing in mind my lawn is approximately 200m)?

Much appreciated if someone has any comments about either, or both.
You are correct, all "M" (for medium) are the same spec of machine. Only the battery size (and possibly boundary wire kit size?) varies. Either battery will be more than enough for a 200m^2 lawn. The 700 would stay out longer before charging and mow once per day, while the 500 might go out a few times a day instead.

Semmelweiss

1,627 posts

197 months

Friday 21st May 2021
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Thanks - job jobbed...

Winster

1 posts

36 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
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Has my Easilife 350 since last July. Love it, or should say loved it. First issue was the Go button stopped working, repaired by local company with a new touch pad. Then last week I started getting a flashing light on the base station going green, red (maybe orange) and off in a ridiculously fast sequence

Back to the repair guys, who replaced the PCB in the charging station under warranty. They said that the mower showed that the fault however was the guide line. I will replace the guide line but the same light is flashing irrespective of whether any of the guide wires are plugged in or not and the mower is not charging or starting up.

Had to mow the lawn the old fashioned way today so getting the right hump with it. Also had to go directly to the local company (who are amazing) because Flymo do not answer calls or emails. If I end up just giving up and replacing it I won't get. Flymo/Husqvarna/Gardenia for sure.

paul.deitch

2,104 posts

258 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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Had one for a few years now. It doesn't have zones... has anyone tried to switch circuits like railway points to achieve this? smile
If so what did you use?
Ok don't you larf boy, I'm from Norfolk! smile

simonrockman

6,855 posts

256 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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oldskoolgent said:
Dave's got a new scheme for this year ...



Is it now good at undercutting Hills?

simonrockman

6,855 posts

256 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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How do robomowers cope with apples? Do they stop, go around, push them out of the way or mulch them?

ThunderSpook

3,614 posts

212 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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simonrockman said:
How do robomowers cope with apples? Do they stop, go around, push them out of the way or mulch them?
It depends on how squishy they are. Sometimes mine hacks them up a bit, sometimes he bounces off them, sometimes he mounts them and carries them round for a bit underneath and sometimes he mounts them and gets stuck.

Grr_Boris

123 posts

37 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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A few questions on robotic mowers, having recently moved house to a property with a much larger garden and already spent far too long mowing the lawn:
1) can the mowers cope with distinct areas of lawn, separated by a path?
2) presumably the install of guide wires etc is fundamental in getting the mower to work successfully - have most people done it themselves or had an expert in to set up the system?
3) any recommendation for someone who would visit our property to review the layout and who could then recommend and install a suitable mower?

Fishlegs

2,989 posts

140 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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Grr_Boris said:
A few questions on robotic mowers, having recently moved house to a property with a much larger garden and already spent far too long mowing the lawn:
1) can the mowers cope with distinct areas of lawn, separated by a path?
2) presumably the install of guide wires etc is fundamental in getting the mower to work successfully - have most people done it themselves or had an expert in to set up the system?
3) any recommendation for someone who would visit our property to review the layout and who could then recommend and install a suitable mower?
1) Some can, some can't.
2) Self-install of the guidewire is dead easy. Anyone could do it. Sorting power might be trickier depending on your layout and electrical skills.
3) Do a sketch with rough measurements, or a few photos, and I'm sure we here can at least advise.

Semmelweiss

1,627 posts

197 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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You can download the Worx Landroid application and then logon in demo mode. It then uses your phone camera and AI to create a map of your garden by walking the perimeter. It'll tell you the square metrage and shape and you can use this to determine which of their mowers is suitable.

Most mowers can do multiple zones.

Grr_Boris

123 posts

37 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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Semmelweiss said:
You can download the Worx Landroid application and then logon in demo mode. It then uses your phone camera and AI to create a map of your garden by walking the perimeter. It'll tell you the square metrage and shape and you can use this to determine which of their mowers is suitable.

Most mowers can do multiple zones.
That’s really helpful, many thanks!

gmaz

4,403 posts

211 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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Grr_Boris said:
A few questions on robotic mowers, having recently moved house to a property with a much larger garden and already spent far too long mowing the lawn:
1) can the mowers cope with distinct areas of lawn, separated by a path?
2) presumably the install of guide wires etc is fundamental in getting the mower to work successfully - have most people done it themselves or had an expert in to set up the system?
3) any recommendation for someone who would visit our property to review the layout and who could then recommend and install a suitable mower?
Based on my Flymo Easilife

1. Yes, but you would need to continue the perimeter from one area to the other, and manually lift the mower to the new area if it could not roll across it.
2. Yes, easy enough with an edging tool to make a shallow slot, and then run the wire in it. I added a few loops so I had spare to adjust the route if there was any problems.
3. Sorry , no, its a DIY job, but make sure you have power near site for the base.

EarlOfHazard

3,603 posts

159 months

Monday 31st May 2021
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jmsgld

1,010 posts

177 months

Wednesday 2nd June 2021
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Has anyone fitted spikes to the wheels of their Rob 1000 / flymo 1200 R / Husq 105?

The tyres are beyond saving and I am disinclined to spend £50 on new wheels when I suspect that it is coming to the end of it's life.

I was thinking of removing the tyres and fixing M4 x 10mm flanged hex screws from the inside with a washer / single nut threadlocked on the outside... any thoughts?

It does get stuck at the bottom of a hill when it's very wet too...


h0b0

7,609 posts

197 months

Friday 4th June 2021
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RIP Geoff


Bear-n

1,615 posts

83 months

Friday 4th June 2021
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h0b0 said:
RIP Geoff

Did Geoff come up against Hypno-Disc?

h0b0

7,609 posts

197 months

Friday 4th June 2021
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Much worse. It was "bulk garbage day" today. You will have to excuse the Americanisms, Its how the locals speak. Unfortunately, the garbage men mistook Geoff for garbage as he happened to be near them when they were passing. So, despite his screams, as they had triggered the theft protection, they threw him in the back of the truck and crushed him. I went to the depot where they drop off and the entire place were searching for him and we found the bits and wires that is left.

My kids are going to be devastated. They treat him like a pet. Geoff was a celebrity in my area because we have no fences or walls all the neighbours and pets played with him. Just this week I was sat watching TV and saw a dog bouncing around Geoff in my backyard. I am genuinely feeling a loss!

Oh, there is the other thing...... he is was a Husqvarna 450X. replacement price = Ouch. Not that it is the real issue but thinking about someone picking up an object of such value and throwing it in the back of a garbage truck to be destroyed just seems so wasteful.

We will replace Geoff, but it will not be Geoff

ThunderSpook

3,614 posts

212 months

Friday 4th June 2021
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Presumably being the States you can sue them, sue their parents, sue the company that made the bin lorry, sue the mower maker for not making it bin lorry proof, and probably sue your neighbours for not stopping them take it?

Bear-n

1,615 posts

83 months

Friday 4th June 2021
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h0b0 said:
Much worse. It was "bulk garbage day" today. You will have to excuse the Americanisms, Its how the locals speak. Unfortunately, the garbage men mistook Geoff for garbage as he happened to be near them when they were passing. So, despite his screams, as they had triggered the theft protection, they threw him in the back of the truck and crushed him. I went to the depot where they drop off and the entire place were searching for him and we found the bits and wires that is left.

My kids are going to be devastated. They treat him like a pet. Geoff was a celebrity in my area because we have no fences or walls all the neighbours and pets played with him. Just this week I was sat watching TV and saw a dog bouncing around Geoff in my backyard. I am genuinely feeling a loss!

Oh, there is the other thing...... he is was a Husqvarna 450X. replacement price = Ouch. Not that it is the real issue but thinking about someone picking up an object of such value and throwing it in the back of a garbage truck to be destroyed just seems so wasteful.

We will replace Geoff, but it will not be Geoff
Bob (a 450x brother) sends his condolences, but I'm assured the spirit of Geoff will live on in Geoff II.

And you can't argue with robot lawnmowers.