Battery Power for Lawn equipment -- is it time?

Looks like a good soaker coming in now. (I've been working near Seattle for the past few weeks)

 

Note that there are industry standards for operating equipment while wet and/or submerged...IEC IP65, IP66 and IP67.

Mike

 

Thought I might update this thread.
For some background we own a Kobalt battery powered 21" self propelled lawn mower and a Kobalt battery powered string trimmer.
They use 80 volt batteries.
I have had them almost 6 years and they have been wonderful.

This spring I've noticed all 4 of my 80 volt batteries have degraded substantially, and I will have to replace them. After much research I found some replacements on ebay with a 5 year warranty.
Our current batteries are 80 volt 2.5 amp hours. The replacements are 80 volt 5 amp hour - they cost $149 each. I will buy just one and test it out.

Be aware if you buy electric yard tools they are really great - but- there will come a time to pay the piper for the degraded batteries.
The power equipment we have is still in great shape so we are going to cough up the money for a couple of replacement batteries.

It can be a close call on Return On Investment calculations for Battery Powered Lawn Equipment when your batteries crap out and you have to get new ones or buy a whole new system.

Personally, I will never go back to gas power yard tools but looking at buying two new batteries for our current system was quite a financial wake up call.

 

Sounds like the key is to replace one battery every 18 months for a four battery fleet. That's the same $100/year you're doing now, but without as much sticker shock.

 

The batteries were fine until this spring and the stored capacity just fell off a cliff.

Last year they had almost full capacity just like new batteries. With a Battery Lawn mower you notice any battery degradation pretty easily as to if you can cut your whole yard like you used to be able to or what portion of your yard one fully charged battery cuts etc..

I believe a characteristic of the Lithium Batteries our tools use is when they degrade it is like a cliff fall on their stored capacity.
The 80 volt motors on those Kobalt Power Tools are real beasts - great performers for yard work - but the batteries better be ready to bring a maxed out SOC for a sustained period or they just can't cut it!

 

These tool batteries probably aren't given a capacity buffer like even electronics. Swapping out packs while they still have charge could extend the overall life. Without an easy way to measure the battery, it will be mostly guess work on when to do so.

The replacement should last as long 2 of the old when doing the math.

Where the replacements brand name, or third party? I went with third party NiCd for some older tools, and have no complaints. Not sure if feasible with Li-ion, DIY refurbishment was possible with the nickel chemistries.

That is the general trend for Li-ion capacity loss. A little in the beginning, then the capacity mostly holds for some time, and finally a steep drop at the end.

If you can work with the limitations, corded tools will spare the costs of the battery convenience.

 

The battery that came with the first EGO Power+ tool I ever bought has at last given up the ghost.

They added a feature in later revisions where it self-discharges down to a less-than-full charge if sitting around long enough (such as during the off season). That feature's included in the newer battery I have. I wonder if that will extend its longevity some by comparison.

 

I was early to Ego brand tools and have a weed wacker, a blower and a hedge trimmer. I'm about to buy a chain saw.

Two chargers, 4 batteries.

I sometimes blow pine needles off a 1 mile stretch of 2 lane road using 3 batteries. Sometimes an inch in depth so it takes some wind to blow them off the road where they won't collect moisture.

I've replaced one battery in 5 years.

Not sure I'd buy a battery powered sit on lawn mower. ROI just not there with so many cheap used gas models. Plus my yard isn't that big and there are three sections with plantings to maneuver around. I do each of the 3 sections on a different day.

 

If I, like, won a robot lawnmower in a raffle or something, I might not turn it down

 

If the manufacturers would switch to LiFeSo4 batteries, They would live 5 times as long. For now, I have selected Makita tools and batteries across mechanical, woodworking, and gardening tools using the same set of batteries.

JeffD

 

I loved my robot mower. It took a while to dial it in but once adjusted it made my lawn look amazing for a few years.

The machine ran well for years, and it was just about time to invest in a substantial rebuild when the company was acquired by one of the 800lb gorillas of outdoor tool monopolists and they immediately fired the software and support team. (I'm still impressed that this lump of plastic drove just shy of 3,000 miles in its career)

Based on that experience I'd do it again, but not from any brand in that conglomerate.



Separately, I continue with my 40V Greenworks tools and batteries. Even the oldest ones (secondhand in 2017) are still useful.

 

It's a great thing that rechargeable-battery tool discussion has grown to near Mendel's vent thread in size. Chemical explosion driven tools still dominate in general, but their demerits are many. Earlier posts here may have run through that list.

Rechargeable batteries continue to under impress in terms of energy density and power delivery. Prius chatters notably take the low road though. What a gang!

Rechargeable batteries that fail are user recycled, or not. I'd like to hear about what our gang does with those. I have enough dead lithiums to calm many stressed people and enough (nickel) cadmiums to sicken many others , but my local recycling may be less effective than yours is.

Rechargeable batteries can fail in a fall-off-the-cliff way. This can be anticipated. Digital voltmeters are now cheap and even poor examples are adequate. You need to learn how shunt resistance simulates load on batteries, and how that teaches. Having learned this, your fleets of rechargeable batteries will reveal their secrets. We should move to the next level here.

 

home depot has a dropoff

 

Stores that sell these tools might be required to collect old batteries. Seen them in several stores. It's where the old NiCds went.

 

It appears Lowes accepts their old 80v Lithium batteries at their Customer Service desk, I'll confirm sometime this week.
Lowe’s answers your recycling FAQs (so you don’t have to ask) | Lowe’s Corporate (lowes.com)
"Rechargeable batteries (those found in your Kobalt cordless drill, for example) can be recycled at certain retailers, including Lowe’s. Simply follow the instructions at the Recycling Center (usually found near the front of a Lowe’s store) for proper rechargeable battery recycling."

 

I have a Cub Cadet XR2 1000 at home. I haven't mowed my grass there since 2018

I really lucked out. Saw a news report during Christmas 2017 about these "robot mower" and decide to check Kijiji (Craigslist in Canada, before Marketplace) and there was one for sale for $450. They usually cost $1,500. I offered $400 and he accepted. The thing was still packaged in its box, only the user manual was opened. He bought it while he was owning a house but since he split with his wife before using it even once and now living in an appartment, he didn't need it. Like me, he likes things automatised, hence why he bought it. He had been trying to sell it for two summers and lowered his price when I happened to see it. He lived just two blocks from me. Like I said, I lucked out

 

The Home Depot I go to has a battery drop-off box right at the front entrance.

 

And this is what happens to them (hopefully)

 

I’m sitting on my hands, but:

With a regular sized yard, I’ve got a couple of extension cords, and a Sears, corded-electric mower. It’s maybe 20 years old, all steel, working like new, knock on wood.

 

I'm still using the GreenWerks that (to my CFO's horror!) I rescued from the county landfill.
I had to get a blade for it about a month ago for my 2024 inaugural grass cutting ($13) and I'll admit that I don't look as 'eco-chic' as the kids do with their 'wireless' push mowers, but I already know how many batteries I will be sending to the recyclers - and I do have a 30" 'gasser' that I use for the front lawn.

It WILL be time for me to go battery at some point but for now the ROI seems a little steep - and besides.......the last time one of my few neighbors that do not have a lawn service saw me push mowing my lawn they offered to get their riding lawn mower to help me out.
I had to explain to them that some people push mow for the exercise and the fact that they prefer the looks of the lawn afterwards over that from a riding mower.