RE: (ET) Wheelhorse E-81 and E-141

["John" <etrak jvlnet com>]

Hi all; I bought an E81 from Bill a few years ago and this is a design all
its own not based on a GE model. The mower deck is not able to raise and
lower from the seat as is the GE. The charger is off board and it doesn't
use a plastic body as does the GE. Bill had a couple E-141's the last time 
I
was and was taking offers on the lot. Unfortunately I don't have room for
them, they would be an interesting addition John

>
> Dennis and other GE groupies,
>
> The Wheel Horse E81 is identical to one of the two GE electric riding
> lawnmowers.  GE made
> an ER8-36, which is not what the E81 is, but I cannot remember the other 
> GE
model.
>
> The E141 was a Wheel Horse only design based on a gasoline tractor 
> chassis.
>  It used as
> delivered six 12 volt batteries, wired in a series/parallel arrangement 
> to
> give 36 volts.  Bill
> Gunn once theorized that Wheel horse did that because at that time the 
> six
> volt EV batteries
> were being supplanted by the 12 volt types.  Of course, the six volt EV
> battery is still with
> us.  Unfortunately the use of 12 volt batteries gave you twice as many
> cells to top off with
> water, and created the possibility of charge imbalance during charging.  
> It
> also used a Wheel
> Horse supplied off board charger.
>
> The E141 used a single speed traction motor with either a seven or eight
> speed shift on the fly
> transmission, which I believe was Wheel Horse designed .  Reverse was 
> also by
the
> transmission.  This transmission was also used on some of the Wheel Horse
> gasoline tractors.
>
> The mid mounted mower deck used a single large electric motor with belt
> drive vs. the GE
> three motors on a front or mid mount (E12-M).  This made the deck almost
> identical to the gas
> powered decks, although the electric deck could not be supplied with a
> grass clipping bagger,
> where the gasoline versions could.  I suspect a power limitation in the
> electric motor not
> present in the gasoline powered tractor.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Steve Naugler