My autonomous lawn mower thread/blog

Roen

B-D-P-- wrote: »

Yea, I get that alright, But still a mad price for the kit for what it is.

There has to be massive markup for everything related to automowers and the mowers themselves.
I love them and the time they free up but there's an element of taking the piss in the price structure.

KCross

staples7 wrote: »

I have mine running about 2.5 months since I bought. Changed the blades last week and they were well worn. Makes a huge difference in the cut also. I think every 6-8 weeks would want to be changing them.

Yea, you need to change them a few times in the year, imo. It takes the pressure off the mower and more importantly the grass. Cutting grass with blunt blades looks bad up close and is not good for the grass.

staples7 wrote: »

one of the 3 blades was cracked in half (Thats my second time that a blade cracked)

It has to be hitting something really solid for that to happen. I'm 5yrs in and have never had that happen. One bent blade is all I got in that time.

You need to find where thats happening as it wont be good long term for that to be repatedly happening to the undercarriage... which it will, since its happened twice already in 2 months.

staples7 wrote: »

...from time to time it does slip into garden beds etc.

Why is that? Do you have the boundary wire too close to the beds?

If you have it too close it can cause it to go a little further in than you'd expect when it hits the boundary at an acute angle.

KCross

Roen wrote: »

There has to be massive markup for everything related to automowers and the mowers themselves.
I love them and the time they free up but there's an element of taking the piss in the price structure.

Its kinda like electric cars.... there is little or nothing to service in an automower or an electric car which means the manufacturer and the dealer get less revenue after the sale... hence the higher prices day 1.

In both cases it's worth the premium!

Infernal Racket

I have my husky 450x 3 years now and never had it serviced. It works perfectly. I wouldn't bother with the service unless a specific issue arises

Moreilly

Roen wrote: »

There has to be massive markup for everything related to automowers and the mowers themselves.
I love them and the time they free up but there's an element of taking the piss in the price structure.

Definitely true, I have the 430x running a couple of weeks now and it is doing a great job on the lawn, but the price of the mower/ installation kits are crazy for what you get, there is very little to them, the technology used is years old and quite cheap and the app is lacking in some basic functionality which makes me think husqvarna are just a bit lazy with their software and quite happy to rake in the profits,even simple things like having to bring it to the dealer to upgrade the firmware shows their ripoff mentality, my vacuum cleaner has far more technology, sensors everywhere/ laser mapping/complete app control regularary updates to its firmware and is very intelligent in the way it operates and cost...... €250
I think we just need more players in the market, you don't have to be a traditional lawnmower company like husqvarna to build a kick ass smart automower, it should be easy to build a high quality low cost mower, i reckon the components cost sweet feck all, just need a company like Xiaomi to get the finger out.......

louis346789

I have one on 4000 m2. On full time 24/7
So far so good. Have ordered the 30 cm blade and bigger front wheels as ground is rough and area is above its max size.

listermint

KCross wrote: »

Its kinda like electric cars.... there is little or nothing to service in an automower or an electric car which means the manufacturer and the dealer get less revenue after the sale... hence the higher prices day 1.

In both cases it's worth the premium!

It's not worth the premium. No.


It's just cable. There's no more worth in it than other same gauge same outdoor cable. None

Cyrus

Moreilly wrote: »

Definitely true, I have the 430x running a couple of weeks now and it is doing a great job on the lawn, but the price of the mower/ installation kits are crazy for what you get, there is very little to them, the technology used is years old and quite cheap and the app is lacking in some basic functionality which makes me think husqvarna are just a bit lazy with their software and quite happy to rake in the profits,even simple things like having to bring it to the dealer to upgrade the firmware shows their ripoff mentality, my vacuum cleaner has far more technology, sensors everywhere/ laser mapping/complete app control regularary updates to its firmware and is very intelligent in the way it operates and cost...... €250
I think we just need more players in the market, you don't have to be a traditional lawnmower company like husqvarna to build a kick ass smart automower, it should be easy to build a high quality low cost mower, i reckon the components cost sweet feck all, just need a company like Xiaomi to get the finger out.......

my wife made that point looking at the mower, the neato we have is miles ahead of it in terms of tech, heres hoping they catch up!

KCross

listermint wrote: »

It's not worth the premium. No.


It's just cable. There's no more worth in it than other same gauge same outdoor cable. None

I think you miss my point.
The cable is overpriced, as is the mower itself. I agree with you on that and thats also what Roen was saying.

Its overpriced because the manufacturer and dealer get less money from you after the sale.

The point I made was, its still worth it relative to buying a ride-on. Maybe you think its not worth it and fair enough, we're each entitled to our opinion on that. Im very happy with mine.

k mac

what height have people there mowers going at the minute. Installed my 430X last Saturday week at level 5 going from 9 in the morning until 11 at night for the first few days and then from 10 to 11. Today is the first day I have it stopped from going out completely and might leave it stopped for tomorrow as well as the lawn is looking fairly bare. Could I do with upping the height to maybe 6 or 7?

staples7

k mac wrote: »

what height have people there mowers going at the minute. Installed my 430X last Saturday week at level 5 going from 9 in the morning until 11 at night for the first few days and then from 10 to 11. Today is the first day I have it stopped from going out completely and might leave it stopped for tomorrow as well as the lawn is looking fairly bare. Could I do with upping the height to maybe 6 or 7?

At Level 3 for past month or so, happy enough but the mower could do with more time cutting as I pull it in at night & when wet as it seems to leave along of clumping grass.

Water John

Get one of the Robot War teams to put a design together. Have it able to do back flips and right itself, the whole shebang.

KCross

k mac wrote: »

what height have people there mowers going at the minute. Installed my 430X last Saturday week at level 5 going from 9 in the morning until 11 at night for the first few days and then from 10 to 11. Today is the first day I have it stopped from going out completely and might leave it stopped for tomorrow as well as the lawn is looking fairly bare. Could I do with upping the height to maybe 6 or 7?

Im at 5. Usually at 4.
I think its going to be different for everyone depending on your own soil and quality of grass etc.

They do recommend leaving it off the lawn a few days a week to give it a chance. I usually run it Mon-Fri and leave it in at the weekends when the lawn is used more. But I also bring it in when there is heavyish rain.

Infernal Racket

k mac wrote: »

what height have people there mowers going at the minute. Installed my 430X last Saturday week at level 5 going from 9 in the morning until 11 at night for the first few days and then from 10 to 11. Today is the first day I have it stopped from going out completely and might leave it stopped for tomorrow as well as the lawn is looking fairly bare. Could I do with upping the height to maybe 6 or 7?

I'm down to level 1. Cutting since February

KCross

Gerry G wrote: »

I'm down to level 1. Cutting since February

Wow. That must look like a putting green!

Infernal Racket

KCross wrote: »

Wow. That must look like a putting green!

Yeah but unfortunately it shows up all the humps and bumps on the lawn.

Roen

Level 3. Thought I'd be ok with level 4 but dropped one more. I won't go lower than that though.

Infernal Racket

Roen wrote: »

Level 3. Thought I'd be ok with level 4 but dropped one more. I won't go lower than that though.

Why not?

Live at Three

My system was installed by the suppliers, wire was buried with machine. I will need to move the wire eventually to do a newly seeded patch of lawn. Is it hard to pull out of the ground? Will the wire snap if I just try to pull it up, or should I dig it up?
Thanks

Roen

Gerry G wrote: »

Why not?

It's grand as it is.

staples7

KCross wrote: »

Im at 5. Usually at 4.
I think its going to be different for everyone depending on your own soil and quality of grass etc.

They do recommend leaving it off the lawn a few days a week to give it a chance. I usually run it Mon-Fri and leave it in at the weekends when the lawn is used more. But I also bring it in when there is heavyish rain.

I find if I let it rest for a few days there’s a lot of excess grass for weeks after giving a messy look to the garden? Do people here let it run through the night? If so how do you find the grass clumps from the wheels?

Shaunoc

staples7 wrote: »

I find if I let it rest for a few days there’s a lot of excess grass for weeks after giving a messy look to the garden? Do people here let it run through the night? If so how do you find the grass clumps from the wheels?

if its on the grass as frequent as most people have it and I do also, what grass is there to clump. minuscule in my experience.
i get very little buildup during regular cutting. slightly different if its back out after a week away

around front wheels i do get some grass that i cut away every few weeks

s7ryf3925pivug

Any opinions on Stihl RMI 422?

SchrodingersCat

Live at Three wrote: »

My system was installed by the suppliers, wire was buried with machine. I will need to move the wire eventually to do a newly seeded patch of lawn. Is it hard to pull out of the ground? Will the wire snap if I just try to pull it up, or should I dig it up?
Thanks

Depends on how deep it it, how thick the grass roots are, etc. etc.
Try pulling it, if it is too stuck then dig it out.

Are you sure there is enough length in the previous wire to cover your new area? If not, you will need to get connectors and wire to extend whats there.

SchrodingersCat

listermint wrote: »

It's not worth the premium. No.


It's just cable. There's no more worth in it than other same gauge same outdoor cable. None

I agree, I ended up buying a few rolls of standard 2.5mm 250v indoor electrical cable for a boundary wire. The insulation isnt as highly rated to weather as whats on the official mower cable. However, the insulation is thicker on the 250v cable. It has been in the ground now for over a year and is still working fine. Even if it lasts half the lifespan of the official cable, it still works out cheaper at only 25% of the price.

listermint

KCross wrote: »

I think you miss my point.
The cable is overpriced, as is the mower itself. I agree with you on that and thats also what Roen was saying.

Its overpriced because the manufacturer and dealer get less money from you after the sale.

The point I made was, its still worth it relative to buying a ride-on. Maybe you think its not worth it and fair enough, we're each entitled to our opinion on that. Im very happy with mine.

I'm very happy with mine because it cost a quarter of yours. Here's the problem the tech is as old as the 70s. They are making hay with he pricing until the Chinese come in and wrap it all up. If they lowered their pricing they would sell more

I don't buy the argument about after sales. Many businesses don't rely on after sales as a a strategy. If they lowered the price corner entire market then it lessons the the threat of similar products from Chinese manufacturers. It's perplexing and short sighted.

NurseBridie

How long does the Husgvarna's batteries last before needing replacing. My 105 started work Easter 2016 and I think it looks like it is recharging too often which I think is a sign that the battery is weakening and I should replace.

KCross

listermint wrote: »

I'm very happy with mine because it cost a quarter of yours.

You got a good deal but my lawn is 3 times the size of yours so not an apples to apples comparison as your McCulloch wouldnt manage that size lawn, so not sure what your point is on that.

The point is that the robots are cheaper than decent ride-ons and are cheaper to run also. Its worth it.

Still over-priced for what it costs them to make, but relative to a decent quality ride-on its worth it.

listermint wrote: »

Here's the problem the tech is as old as the 70s. They are making hay with he pricing until the Chinese come in and wrap it all up. If they lowered their pricing they would sell more

True.

listermint wrote: »

I don't buy the argument about after sales. Many businesses don't rely on after sales as a a strategy. If they lowered the price corner entire market then it lessons the the threat of similar products from Chinese manufacturers. It's perplexing and short sighted.

I wont argue with you on that strategy. It might make sense but the car manufacturers are suffering the same dilema. They dont want to cannibalise their traditional petrol/diesel car business by selling electric cars cheaply. Too much capital invested in plants and dealers need to be kept happy.... very same for mower manufacturers/dealers.

If you were an independent Husqvarna dealer and you made, say, €500 on the sale of a petrol ride-on but several hundred a year on servicing after that... would you prefer that or to sell a robot cheaply as a once off €500 and corner the market?.... I know which business plan I'd prefer.

Their hand might be eventually forced if, as you say, cheap chinese mowers come in that do the same thing. But they aint going to change until that happens. The Husqvarna's are in the Irish market 15yrs+ now and still no sign of cheap chinese models, so whats holding them up I wonder?

KCross

NurseBridie wrote: »

How long does the Husgvarna's batteries last before needing replacing. My 105 started work Easter 2016 and I think it looks like it is recharging too often which I think is a sign that the battery is weakening and I should replace.

I dont know about the 105. I have a 330/430 and its 5yrs old and on its original battery and still managing the same cutting time per charge.

I think Husqvarna do give a guidance of 3yrs on the battery so it looks like you are just on the verge of that.

How long does it spend cutting before it goes back for a charge?

listermint

KCross wrote: »

You got a good deal but my lawn is 3 times the size of yours so not an apples to apples comparison as your McCulloch wouldnt manage that size lawn, so not sure what your point is on that.

The point is that the robots are cheaper than decent ride-ons and are cheaper to run also. Its worth it.

Still over-priced for what it costs them to make, but relative to a decent quality ride-on its worth it.




True.



I wont argue with you on that strategy. It might make sense but the car manufacturers are suffering the same dilema. They dont want to cannibalise their traditional petrol/diesel car business by selling electric cars cheaply. Too much capital invested in plants and dealers need to be kept happy.... very same for mower manufacturers/dealers.

If you were an independent Husqvarna dealer and you made, say, €500 on the sale of a petrol ride-on but several hundred a year on servicing after that... would you prefer that or to sell a robot cheaply as a once off €500 and corner the market?.... I know which business plan I'd prefer.

Their hand might be eventually forced if, as you say, cheap chinese mowers come in that do the same thing. But they aint going to change until that happens. The Husqvarna's are in the Irish market 15yrs+ now and still no sign of cheap chinese models, so whats holding them up I wonder?

I was saying I'm happy with mine because of cost. Not that you were mad buying yours. So chill


No grass in china no need for mowers I suppose