Re: (ET) Ariens AMP Mower

["David Roden" <etpost drmm net>]

On 14 May 2009 at 13:35, Christopher Zach wrote:

> This is what GE did with the E15 and one of the main reasons why it is 
> so bad. 

I have an E15 and I don't think it's "so bad" at all.  It's a very 
reliable 
machine.  Once I learned to come to a full stop before reversing, I quit 
having so much trouble with the reversing relay.  

It's a moot point now anyway as I no longer have a reversing relay.  Now I 
have a nice smooth PWM controller to provide both relayless reversing and 
stepless acceleration.  I can creep the tractor up to the bumper of the 
project car in the garage, moving less than a cm at a time.  

If I'm crazy enough to do so, I can hit the reverse switch while moving 
forward.  The tractor will come to a stop and then start backing up.  

I can (again if I'm being silly) also leave the controller on with the 
tractor on a slope and the brake not set.  The controller will hold the 
tractor still for me.  (I don't recommend this for long term use, as it's 
rough on the motor and wastes energy.)

> Do what everyone else does.

No thanks.  If it did that, I'd be buying a new gas tractor from Home 
Despot 
every 5 years, storing and burning gasoline, and breathing exhaust fumes.

As I said, there's a place for simple conversions -- at the budget end of 
the line.  But electric drive has significant advantages over ICEs.  There 
should be room in the marketplace for a well designed electric machine 
that 
doesn't disregard those advantages, though that room is of necessity apt 
to 
be at the top end!


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA

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