Re: (ET) first mow

The drone is not loud. I think it's probably normal, it's just interesting. Belt driven blades all run at the same speed so you don't get the beat frequency (probably coudln't hear it anyway). I rebuilt the motors with new bearings. The motors pass the "spin-one-and-the-others-spin" test. Actually, the beat frequency may be due to one motor that may be marginal. It had a big chunk missing in the curved area (bottom end) of the housing that I patched with liquid steel or whatever that stuff is. I notice that motor doesn't spin quite as easily as the others, so it's probably a bit out of kilter. The motors stay cool which is a good sign. I'll probably replace the marginal one someday. I don't notice any bad vibration in the deck; in fact I just realized what was different about these machines (other than the quiet) - you don't get the ICE vibrations.

----- Original Message -----

From: Elie, Larry (L.D.)

To: 'SteveS' ;

Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 9:26 AM

Subject: RE: (ET) first mow

If the drone was loud, you probably have a bearing going bad. Spin each blade by hand. If the drone was not loud, you probably have a 'beat' between the differing speeds of the 3 blades. I have heard it, and had it go away. There is a lot of vibration in these decks.

As far as the speeds; at least one poster has relayed a problem where the mounting of the speed control prevented the lever from going far enough forward to close the last switch. ET's are not constant speed machines; going up hill they do slow down. I'm on flat ground, so I can't speak well to this.

Larry Elie

-----Original Message-----
From: SteveS [mailto:ssawtelle fcc net]
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 9:12 AM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: (ET) first mow

Well, my snowplow worked great this past winter - we had no snow! But since I took so long to get the mower deck rebuilt, the grass took off. So this past weekend I finally did some real Elec-Trak work mowing the yard. Ahh! The front mount mower takes a bit of getting used to, but I like it. From what I have read, I was worried that the rear disharge mower wouldn't cut well in the long (and wet) grass. But it did a good job and rarely bogged down. I really like how easy cleaning out deck is!

Got a question though. I mowed in the higher of the two low gears and the elec-trak slowed a lot going up small slopes. Mower speed stayed about the same, so I think the batteries were up and I never went past mid-dial on the amp gage. One clue is that when I shift (this is an E12S) the speed forward from stop, I hear the click when I go to the 2nd position, but not to the 3rd position. I also don't notice a speed change between the 2nd and 3rd position. So I'm guessing I have bad connection somewhere. Coudl this be the cause of my lack of uphill power?

Thanks,

SteveS

E12S

BTW, the mower deck has an eerie bagpipe-drone-kinda sound - I guess from the small speed differences of the three motors. It's interesting. Reminds me of riding in multi-engine prop planes (long time ago).