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Re: (ET) Battery Powered Push Mowers
Dennis, Dwight, et al,
At 68, I forget if I sent you the poop on my converted Lawn Boy? A
Unitarian church(I'm a recovering liberal, myself) had this kaput old Lawn
Boy, which I tore apart and got neat junk from. I left the wheels, and
mounted a $10 gasoline pump A.C.110v. motor on the old flat bed with only
two "L" brackets. Onto the shaft, I clamped on an arbor and a cutting
blade. I put a 110v. box and switch, with a (14" + or - 4") pig tail male
plug dangling. With some pius adjustment, it took off like a champ! And
here's the best part, it's completely silent from 10' away! Roaring
neighbors with their devilish 2cycle
environmental disasters wink at my 100' no.12 cord and the black tape
marking the splices where I learned how not to mow over the cord 6 times.
I learned to start mowing next to the house, and work toward the curb,
with the cord plugged into a bedroom outlet with a Ground Fault
Interrupter.
It is a joy to behold how quiet it is, and how cheap: about 13 cents a
mow.
We have the cheapest power rates in 21 states. Unfortunately, the big oil/
cronies lobbies keeps us in the dark ages by not allowing "NET BILLING."
Net Billing allows an individual to erect any kind of power gathering,
such as wind, and gets to sell it back to the power company, as they do in
enlightened IOWA. But here in the Gateway To Zip, they even fine me for
driving an electric/battery powered 1980 Plymouth hatchback, claiming that
I
drive on the highways(which I don') and don't pay taxes at the pump. So
let
other enlightened California, Maryland, etc. offer tax free incentives to
drive clean electric, forget it in Nebraska!
I hope you find your old gas mower and go quietly into the night.
(James
Joyce?) Yes, you can plug in a reflected 110 v. troublelight bulb, and mow
when your neighbors are asleep: it's cooler too. I recommend using heat
shrink tubing on any nicks and cuts of the 100' cord. Blood Sweat and some
tears later, you'll have a quiet, cheap lawnmower. Cost? Motor, cord and L
brackets, total $28.00! You should have the GFI in your outlets anyway,
they could save a life. paul wood III
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pestka, Dennis J" <Dennis Pestka mkg com>
To: "Hazen, Dwight L" <hazen indiana edu>
Cc: "Elec-Trak Email Discussion List" <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 9:42 AM
Subject: RE: (ET) Battery Powered Push Mowers
>
> Dwight;
>
> More good suggestions.
> I like the idea of no cord, but either way sounds like a good idea.
> Maybe an old 110Vac corded mower would be the best to convert to 36VDC
> corded.
> They are light and usually 16" to 18" cut.
> I bet I could even rig up a mount on my trailer hitch to hold the mower
> while not in use.
>
> On those gel cell batteries.
> Any brand suggestions, weight, voltage, and cost ?
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hazen, Dwight L [mailto:hazen indiana edu]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 9:25 AM
> To: 'Humphrey, Timothy'; Elec-Trak Email Discussion List
> Subject: RE: (ET) Battery Powered Push Mowers
>
>
>
> How about a 36 volt ElecTrak mower motor mounted on a old push mower
frame?
> Then you could run it off the tractor with a short length of heavy cable.
Or
> you could use a bunch of small gel cells in series to get 36 volts on the
> mower deck. Hey I might want to build on of these! Darn I just last year
> gave away all my junk/working gas mowers..
>
> You could tow the push mower behind the tractor and do spot trimming as
> required with the push mower!
>
> Dwight
>
>
>
> Dwight L. Hazen, Indiana University, UITS
> Bloomington, In. 47408-7378 Phone 812-855-5367 hazen indiana edu
> http://php.ucs.indiana.edu/~hazen/ Ham Radio wb9tlh arrl net
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Humphrey, Timothy [SMTP:HumphreyT neads ang af mil]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 10:04 AM
> > To: Elec-Trak Email Discussion List
> > Subject: RE: (ET) Battery Powered Push Mowers
> >
> > This is mainly for Dennis, but it may inspire thought from others.....
> >
> > Would a corded mower not be usable?
> >
> > How about a cordless or corded weedeater. I have a B&D Grasshog corded
> > weedeater and 2 150' extension cords. This will be my third season with
> > this
> > weedeater. With a cordless I could see a mount on the ET to carry it
with
> > you.
> >
> > Or how about an invertor on your ET to run all kinds of "cheap" tools.
> > Drills, saws, weedeaters, whatever. I would think the cost of a new
> > cordless mower would be close to the cost of pretty good sized
> > invertor.
> >
> > I don't have an ET. I plan to convert an old gasser soon though if I
can't
> > find one.
> >
> > Hump
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Pestka, Dennis J [mailto:Dennis Pestka mkg com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 9:24 AM
> > To: Elec-Trak Email Discussion List
> > Subject: (ET) Battery Powered Push Mowers
> >
> >
> > To the group;
> >
> > My gas powered push mower might have one season left in it, so I would
> > like
> > to get a head start with some opinions from anyone on replacing it with
a
> > battery powered push mower.
> >
> > I am looking at strictly a small walk behind type for trimming around
> > areas
> > that the tractor won't get to.
> >
> > Anyone that owns a battery powered push mower and what you think of it
> > ?
> > Brand, voltage, weight, cutting time, ease of use, reliability ?
> >
> > New mowers that are offered for sale ?
> >
> > Old mowers that are no longer made, but that may be better quality than
> > anything new offered now ?
> >
> > If the old mowers are the best choice this will give me time to keep an
> > eye
> > open at the garage sales, flea markets this summer.
> >
> > Thanks;
> > Dennis