My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

KCross

nailer8 wrote: »

John Deere Tango E5

I have decided 100% I’m going to a robotic lawnmower. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Tango.

Everyone seems to be buying Husqvarna and Robomow but I have a relationship with the local John Deere dealer and I would like to give him the business unless there is some reason the Tango won’t do the job.

Are there any of them out there?

Can’t remember now but the last time I looked the Tango was spec’d for small enough areas and I think it has no guide wires. I’ll take another look.

What’s your layout?
What size lawn in m2?
Is it all one big area or will you need a guide wire or two to get from one lawn to another.

Bottom line, you need to be sure the one you pick can do the job. They are not all the same.

KCross

Yea, Tango E5 Series II will cover 2200m2 but has no guide wires.

Unless it’s all one big open lawn the Tango might not suit.

wexfordman2

deadl0ck wrote: »

Anybody here have Smartmow turned on on their Robomow? Mine is not working. It used to but doesn't any more...

Put my rs615 put last week after being in the shed over winter. No probs at all worked straight away even though lawn was quite overgrown. Let it do the first cuts and then replaced the blades.

What's happening with yours ?


Edit:- sorry, smartmow just saw that now. I have that function but not sure what it is, what do you use it for ?

Water John

Wexford, have you the wires over or underground on your Robomow?

wexfordman2

Water John wrote: »

Wexford, have you the wires over or underground on your Robomow?

Underground for most of it, a few places it is pegged. Had a number of wire cuts last year after the installer left had to get him back

WhichWay

Thank you for all your posts. It is an excellent thread.
I got a husqvarna automower 430x instated a month ago. I'm very happy so far. Observations:
- my lawn is in 3 sections. Only one guide wire was required. On set up you can calibrate a distance to identify different sections. I didn't need the second guide wire.
- I poured a concrete speed ramp across my driveway 2foot wide. The installers cut three lines across it for the 3 wires. It has worked well. I could have knocked out a few kerb and sloped the lawn.
- the charger plug prefers to be indoors. I just ran light wire ( low voltage) out to the charge station. A neat consaw cut along an existing concrete joint brought it out.
- the lights are cool but I have them off all the time as they draw attention to the unit.
- I was advised to get a bigger model than needed. I'm sized for a 315x but got the 430x. I'm hoping it will pay off in the long run.
- the installer guy much preferred the "x" models with the GPS. He said they were smarter. It has recently started to cut local sections, I think based on its own time counter and GPS history.
- I've 1.5 foot long channel connecting two lawn. It is managing it well. It got a bit muddy in the bad weather, following the same line all the time.
- I bought a strimmer to do edges at the same time. A real cheep push mower with a bag might be better if you are a tidy freek. Even if not I'd still say the small second hand mower is worth considering.

As I said I'm happy so far.

deadl0ck

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Put my rs615 put last week after being in the shed over winter. No probs at all worked straight away even though lawn was quite overgrown. Let it do the first cuts and then replaced the blades.

What's happening with yours ?


Edit:- sorry, smartmow just saw that now. I have that function but not sure what it is, what do you use it for ?

It's supposed to stop it going up to the edge and reversing - it turns before the edge.

Mine was having problems with my grass - I had cut it back with a ride on first but I still kept getting "Drive Overheat Cooling". I have very thick grass on my lawn (stupidly planted regular meadow grass on it years ago) and it can be very heavy and rich

Water John

Meadow grass tillers whilst lawn grass doesn't.
See that on the online purchase site. Always sizing the machine above.
They show the max and then also mention a preferred size, which is often, nearly half.

FirstinLastout

beanian wrote: »

Purchased a Mccullough R600 from myRobotCentre. Got a great price €629 delivered.
It is essentially a rebadged husqvarna 105 and they aren't even shy about hiding it.....

Hi Beanian,

How's the mower going for you so far, have you had a chance to evaluate it yet??

pryantcc

Hi folks,
Has anyone come across a low profile auto-mower? Things would be greatly simplified for me if I could find one that was less than 20cm tall. They all seem to have large wheels which makes rough terrain easier to cope with but results in the units being quite high.
Thanks,
Paul.

chainsawpaddy

Hi all.

Quick question. Since these mowers operate along an guide wire that sends out a electric signal, would it conflict with a dog permitter fence? I.e. the collar on the dog that shocks them for going past the permitter of the house. I have this installed to keep the dog from getting onto the road, but if I lay this wire along the lawn perimeter and it sends out the same signal, might it shock the dog for going onto the lawn?

KCross

Apparently they don’t interfere with each other as they work on different frequencies but I haven’t got a dog wire so just going on what I read.

padraig.od

Has anyone found a cheaper alternative to the husqvarna wire? I need another 250m and won't prefer not to spend up to 200 quid on it.

bennyineire

KCross wrote: »

Apparently they don’t interfere with each other as they work on different frequencies but I haven’t got a dog wire so just going on what I read.

I tried installing a dog fence after I got the mower last year, the collar was going crazy no matter where I went. For me the it most defiantly did interfere.
It was this model of radio fence that did not work and I was not able to change the frequencies https://www.westernpetproducts.ie/product/radio-dog-fence-for-one-small-dog-

Maybe other products work, I did email the supplier and they said they would check it out but I never heard back. I would be interested to know what products would work along side the automower

KCross

bennyineire wrote: »

I tried installing a dog fence after I got the mower last year, the collar was going crazy no matter where I went. For me the it most defiantly did interfere.
It was this model of radio fence that did not work and I was not able to change the frequencies https://www.westernpetproducts.ie/product/radio-dog-fence-for-one-small-dog-

Maybe other products work, I did email the supplier and they said they would check it out but I never heard back. I would be interested to know what products would work along side the automower

http://husqvarna.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/955/~/product-support---will-the-automower-interfere-with-an-electronic-pet

The above is what I read. Its from 2015 and they said "no known issues" so clearly there are some systems that dont work since then.

There is no way, that I know of, to change the frequency of the automower wire so, based on your experience, that means you'd need to get a dog perimeter that did allow you to change its frequency.


What did you do after? Have you the dog wire down but unable to use it?

bennyineire

KCross wrote: »

http://husqvarna.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/955/~/product-support---will-the-automower-interfere-with-an-electronic-pet

The above is what I read. Its from 2015 and they said "no known issues" so clearly there are some systems that dont work since then.

There is no way, that I know of, to change the frequency of the automower wire so, based on your experience, that means you'd need to get a dog perimeter that did allow you to change its frequency.


What did you do after? Have you the dog wire down but unable to use it?

Yeah basically I don't have a functioning radio fence, the product was relatively cheap so the cost factor didn't bother me to much but I don't want to buy another product unless I know for sure it will work.

Peppa Cig

How well does a Huaqvana 430/450x travel across say chipping in a flower bed.

Would need to run a guide wire through some chippings to get to remote second lawn. I know it won’t go over any step.


Also I wondered if it can be configured not to be cutting whilst following guide wire

Thanks

Water John

Don't know but you could add these lads for extra grip
https://www.myrobotcenter.eu/en/robomow-robogrips-rc-mc

Also poster was looking for guide wire for a Husky. Here is 250m for €79
https://www.myrobotcenter.eu/en/husqvarna-perimeter-wire-250-m

KCross

Peppa Cig wrote: »

How well does a Huaqvana 430/450x travel across say chipping in a flower bed.

It would need to be reasonably solid. There isnt alot of clearance on the wheels and if the wheels spin at all in the chippings it will get stuck.

I havent specifically tried chippings myself so I cant be more specific. It would really be a try it and see thing and if it does get stuck you'd just have to firm it up a bit until it works.

Peppa Cig wrote: »

Would need to run a guide wire through some chippings to get to remote second lawn. I know it won’t go over any step.


Also I wondered if it can be configured not to be cutting whilst following guide wire

When following a guide wire out from the docking station it wont be cutting until it reaches the point where you program it to start (X metres along the guide wire).

However, during normal cutting it could venture back over the guide wire area and it will continue cutting in that case, so you cant fully inhibit it from cutting over a guide wire.

Peppa Cig

KCross wrote: »

Peppa Cig wrote: »

How well does a Huaqvana 430/450x travel across say chipping in a flower bed.

It would need to be reasonably solid. There isnt alot of clearance on the wheels and if the wheels spin at all in the chippings it will get stuck.

I havent specifically tried chippings myself so I cant be more specific. It would really be a try it and see thing and if it does get stuck you'd just have to firm it up a bit until it works.

Peppa Cig wrote: »

Would need to run a guide wire through some chippings to get to remote second lawn. I know it won’t go over any step.


Also I wondered if it can be configured not to be cutting whilst following guide wire

When following a guide wire out from the docking station it wont be cutting until it reaches the point where you program it to start (X metres along the guide wire).

However, during normal cutting it could venture back over the guide wire area and it will continue cutting in that case, so you cant fully inhibit it from cutting over a guide wire.

Perfect thanks

Peppa Cig

This link may be of interest. Compares main brands but note it was produced for Husqvarna from what I can see. Interesting all the same.

https://youtu.be/_f-4J98EWrI

islander222

I'm about to take the plunge and get the husqvarna 310. I'm confident i will be very happy with it but my biggest worry is the security factor. I'm going to get the auto connect add on, but From a theft/security perspective I understand that taking the mower with out the base station is useless but the base station isn't very secure itself - am I missing something with that?

Peppa Cig

Perimeter/boundary wire length limit with Husqvarna 450x is 800m

Does anyone know if this includes guidewire lengths? Or is it 800m plus upto x meter guide wire?

I have a couple of long guide wire runs to secondary mow areas.

KCross

islander222 wrote: »

... but From a theft/security perspective I understand that taking the mower with out the base station is useless but the base station isn't very secure itself - am I missing something with that?

Another base station can be bought so that wont stop theft.

However, the mower is useless without the PIN.

KCross

Peppa Cig wrote: »

Perimeter/boundary wire length limit with Husqvarna 450x is 800m

Does anyone know if this includes guidewire lengths? Or is it 800m plus upto x meter guide wire?

I have a couple of long guide wire runs to secondary mow areas.

The manual says:

The maximum permitted length for the boundary loop is 800 m.

I read that to mean the boundary alone. Whether you use guide wires or not is optional and doesnt take from the 800m. Maybe ask the dealer to be 100% sure.


You do have to pay attention to the guide wire section of the manual where it says that the guide loop should be less than 400m

The guide loop is defined as:

The guide wire together with the section of the
boundary loop that makes up the return wire
to the charging station is called the guide loop.

So, the total distance from the docking station, out the guide wire to the boundary and follow the boundary back to the docking station.... that has to be less than 400m.

IrishHomer

I have been mulching 2\3 acre past decade with a standard Husqvarna.

It’s good exercise takes me about 3.5 hrs weekly.

When ever I go away grass lawn quickly goes out of control and I’ve nobody energetic enough to do it for me.

Should I buy a ride on for about 2k or is a high quality push mulching mower an option? Any thoughts?

I don’t like wasting money on a ride on if it’s not essential.

KCross

IrishHomer wrote: »

I have been mulching 2\3 acre past decade with a standard Husqvarna.

It’s good exercise takes me about 3.5 hrs weekly.

When ever I go away grass lawn quickly goes out of control and I’ve nobody energetic enough to do it for me.

Should I buy a ride on for about 2k or is a high quality push mulching mower an option? Any thoughts?

I don’t like wasting money on a ride on if it’s not essential.

You're in the wrong thread for that advice!
This is the lazy robot thread!

Peppa Cig

Sorry for all the questions. Some great advice on here.

So if I’m crossing a driveway to reach a second lawn I guess I need to lay guide wire AND boundary wire?

How does the mower know not to mow the driveway area or to know to switch off blades. I guess it just has to mow the imaginary lawn on the driveway and keeping the boundary area as small as possible across the driveway minimizes this annoyance?

Ideally I’d like to guide the 450X mower across driveway and have it start cutting only when it reaches the other side of driveway whilst still maintaining GPS. Not sure if possible.

KCross

Peppa Cig wrote: »

Sorry for all the questions. Some great advice on here.

So if I’m crossing a driveway to reach a second lawn I guess I need to lay guide wire AND boundary wire?

Yes

Peppa Cig wrote: »

How does the mower know not to mow the driveway area or to know to switch off blades. I guess it just has to mow the imaginary lawn on the driveway and keeping the boundary area as small as possible across the driveway minimizes this annoyance?

Yes
When it follows the guide wire it wont have the blades spinning.
Once it starts mowing it will keep the blades spinning even if it finds itself near a guide wire. So, it could, in theory find its way back onto your driveway and think its part of the lawn and, as you say, cut the imaginery lawn. If its narrow it should be very rare for that to happen and if it did get into that narrow passage it would hit the boundary pretty quick and turn and go back out.

Thats for the Husqvarna. Others might be different.

Peppa Cig wrote: »

Ideally I’d like to guide the 450X mower across driveway and have it start cutting only when it reaches the other side of driveway whilst still maintaining GPS. Not sure if possible.

Yes, thats what it will do. You will tell it to follow the guide wire and start cutting once it travels, say, 75m along the guide wire.

Peppa Cig

@KCross thanks.

I see you can tell the husqvarna to follow guide wire and start cutting after xx meters which is ideal. Because I need it to travel 70m across a non lawn “field” before cutting the secondary lawn.

But I think by activating this manual setting you need to turn off the GPS feature which seems to be a valuable feature also?

Also when laying the guidewire across the 70m non lawn field , does the guide wire need to be installed with boundary wire?

Cheers