Robot mowers

[7795]

Silly question alert, but do these mowers cut randomly or do they work out where they are in relation to the docking station, guidewires and always make sure there is an even cut over the whole surface area?

[mikeiow]

7795 said:

Silly question alert, but do these mowers cut randomly or do they work out where they are in relation to the docking station, guidewires and always make sure there is an even cut over the whole surface area?

I only know the Landroid Worx we have - random is the answer!
You lay a guide wire out, so perhaps some of the smarter more expensive ones may have processing to "map it out", but ours just unparks itself, picks a random angle, and trundles off. When it hits the wire, it trundles in another random direction. When it needs a charge (or a tea break!), it hits the wire, then turns left, & keeps going until it is parked, into the charging prongs. Rinse, repeat.
I imagine by the laws of randomness, we will one day find a 2' triangular sprout of grass it randomly missed for several weeks....but thus far, it does a great job!
Bit noisy though: https://flic.kr/p/259GnYj

You can see it here at work: https://flic.kr/p/2adHqvP

[mrklaw]

Worx WR110MI WiFi for £538 or flymo 1200r for £510 on amazon?

WiFi seems an obvious benefit to be able to set schedules etc, but people seem very happy with the simpler set and forget types like the flymo.

The edge cutting appeals as I have fence on three sides although the posts might get in the d strimming is simple enough. The ‘drive through’ dock seems like it might be annoying when thinking about positioning.

Lastly the rain sensor sounds good.

Seems a slam dunk for the Worx but i’m not seeing that in this thread - maybe the simpler and more straightforward flymo is the better option?

[snake_oil]

When your mower is essentially using razor blades only taking off a few mm of grass, does a rain sensor even matter? My empirical evidence says no...

[mrklaw]

So flymo then. If we aren’t using it until spring, we’re probably safe holding off for another sale around Jan/feb? Prices seem to go up and down a lot looking at camel camel camel at least

[Chris Type R]

Flymo 1200R on offer today for 470 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C70LUQ4?tag=22

Not the lowest price it's been in the past, on sale.

[Podie]

Had the Flymo for a few years (paid £349!) and it's been great.

The lack of rain sensor just means that the wheels can get a bit muddy if you're not careful.

That said, I periodically give it a good clean and change the blades anyway.

[Church of Noise]

how often do you generally change the blades? First set seemed to have lasted an entire summer...

[Podie]

Church of Noise said:

how often do you generally change the blades? First set seemed to have lasted an entire summer...

About half way through the summer - unless the trees have dropped a load of twigs and he's been checwing them up

[Amateurish]

Sabotage! An animal has dug up and chewed through my perimeter wire at several points. Anyone else experienced this?

[Zoon]

Amateurish said:

Sabotage! An animal has dug up and chewed through my perimeter wire at several points. Anyone else experienced this?

Hedgehogs

[lancs16]

About to complete on a purchase of a property with approx 250ft lawn - seller have a 2yr Mountfield ride on which they are willing to sell to us for £600, just wondering whether I should consider a robot mower rather than the ride on. The plot is flat with the odd tree in the way so on the face of it looks suited. The lawn will probably have goal posts to contend with amongst other things (including the dog and his deposits!).

In some ways after laying the guide wire I like the idea of setting it and forgetting it compared to the ride on- any thoughts?

[mikeiow]

Zoon said:

Amateurish said:

Sabotage! An animal has dug up and chewed through my perimeter wire at several points. Anyone else experienced this?

Hedgehogs

Our garden generally suffers from moles....but since Rob O’Mow set to work last summer, they seem to have moved out

I’m considering extending his remit to include the “generally rougher” end area (which also has fruit trees) - I feel confident he would be fine down there, the area would remain well within his capabilities.
Means extending the cable: any recommendations on wire to use and which connectors to use to make solid join? Our cables are buried a little too, so another day of work to fit that in.

[moles]

I used the connectors that came with Robomow to join the wires. They always worked for about a year then first time out every spring I’d get the broken wire symbol of doom and have to rip the lot up to find the connector!. I have since soldered the wires together and then put the join inside the connectors and it’s been fine. So use solder to connect the joins rather than just twist them together.


https://www.vesternet.com/robomow-perimeter-wire-r...

[moles]

Or better would be solder them together and heatshrink rubber over the join

[Flibble]

Or self amalgamating tape.

[mikeiow]

moles said:

I used the connectors that came with Robomow to join the wires. They always worked for about a year then first time out every spring I’d get the broken wire symbol of doom and have to rip the lot up to find the connector!. I have since soldered the wires together and then put the join inside the connectors and it’s been fine. So use solder to connect the joins rather than just twist them together.

https://www.vesternet.com/robomow-perimeter-wire-r...

&

moles said:

Or better would be solder them together and heatshrink rubber over the join

Might, if I was an experienced solder expert...

Hmmm....I read somewhere that this kind of silicon connector is good

Flibble said:

Or self amalgamating tape.

That sounds a perfect way to fail within weeks in the ground!

[Flibble]

mikeiow said:

That sounds a perfect way to fail within weeks in the ground!

It's silicone tape, no more likely to fail than your silicone connectors. And I meant use it for convering a solder joint rather than heatshrink.

[mikeiow]

Flibble said:

It's silicone tape, no more likely to fail than your silicone connectors. And I meant use it for convering a solder joint rather than heatshrink.

Ahaaaa! That makes sense!
But my solder skills are sadly non-existent....maybe I’m better with connectors!

[Flibble]

Pretty easy to learn for stuff like this. Twist the wires together, apply soldering iron for a couple of seconds, apply solder. Should flow over the wires. Remove solder and iron, leave to cool for a few seconds. Job done.