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[Sir Tigger KC]

I fear my trusty Bosch Rotak electric mower is not long for this world and I've been eyeing up cordless mowers for when the time comes to buy a new one. 

So... Anyone here got one? Are they any good?      

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I fear my trusty Bosch Rotak electric mower is not long for this world and I've been eyeing up cordless mowers for when the time comes to buy a new one. 

So... Anyone here got one? Are they any good?      

They are shite. Get a petrol jobbie.

I seem to remember that Ogri stuck a V8 in his.

[redelitev6]

Wife got something similar to clean between the joints in the block paving , supposed to do X square meters on a single charge , does it sh*te , dismal bit of kit 

[Kevin Wood]

I was going to say, I've got a great cordless mower. Pour petrol in and off it goes. No cords required.

[TheBoy]

I keep looking, as I have a tiny amount of grass to cut.  But don't think they are close to being viable yet, looking at reviews - most people complain that if the grass is thick or more than 2mm long, it struggles, and that kills the battery.

Also, battery care is a problem.  They all use proprietary expensive batteries that last about a year, and then its almost as cheap to buy a new machine.  Obviously, you cant store lithium batteries in a garage and expect them to work again after a cold winter, so maybe thats part of the problem?

I half eyed up the Ryobi one advertised on telly, as I assume it uses the standard Ryobi batteries, and comes with a strimmer as well for about £200...   ...and my current Wank and Decker cordless strimmer is shite (the old NiCad based one was excellent, and lasted about 8yrs (with regular battery replacements)), even in "Turbo mode", which should be classed normal mode, as normal is a waste of time, and just a stunt to allow them to claim a 20 minute run time.

But I'm sticking with my B&S engined Hawk for now, as there is nothing better available.  Remember a stupid mains powered mower can't match the crappiest petrol one, and it appears a battery mower can't get near even a mains powered one.


Which is how far backwards we seem to have come - Dad had a battery powered cylinder mower in teh 70s, and on a single charge of its (car) battery, it would easily do both reasonably sized lawns.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Even the best of the best cordless mowers is only 500W (e.g. the Husqvarna) which is sub 1 hp, I know they fit super thin blades and make the cutting width small (340mm or less) to try to get the cut capability up but, its a fraction of the power you get out of a decent Briggs and Spratton 3.5hp petrol engine.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I rather think Tigger has had his question answered.

[TheBoy]

The trouble with me demonstrating to all the neighbours that electric mowers are just hard work and completely pointless is I currently have my immediate neighbours' B&S in kit form, strewn across the garage floor

I should actually be tinkering with mine, as the revs are a tad low, but buggered if I can work out how the governor works!  Removing the springs and wedging the throttle in place, whilst might work, is defeatist....

[YZ250]

………..
I should actually be tinkering with mine, as the revs are a tad low, but buggered if I can work out how the governor works!  Removing the springs and wedging the throttle in place, whilst might work, is defeatist....

As they lack adjustment screws, either bend the governor arm to tighten the spring or shorten the spring to increase rpm.    What is it, a Hayter with a Briggs engine.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I rather think Tigger has had his question answered.

I can replace my electric Bosch for about a hundred and twenty notes like for like, so that's what I'll probably end up doing. 

Although I have quite a big lawn, I expect that I'll have plugged mine in, whipped around and would be enjoying a cold beer while admiring my handywork, by the time you get your petrol jobbie started up. 

[YZ250]

I rather think Tigger has had his question answered.

I can replace my electric Bosch for about a hundred and twenty notes like for like, so that's what I'll probably end up doing. 

Although I have quite a big lawn, I expect that I'll have plugged mine in, whipped around and would be enjoying a cold beer while admiring my handywork, by the time you get your petrol jobbie started up. 

I agree that electric mowers just work, until they die, so are less hassle. 
Stale fuel is the biggest culprit of poor starting on a petrol mower. We fill the mower tank, mow the lawn and put it back in the shed, where it sits for a while until the grass needs cutting again. We then leave them over winter, with fuel in, in a tank that’s vented. 
Two stroke equipment is the worst when not used regularly, as the petrol/oil ratio changes when left for long periods. Ditch the fuel, fill with fresh and away you go. 

[Rangie]

Had our petrol mower for several years only serviced once in all that time totally neglected by me I have to admit, but starts first time every time and our lawns look great.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

https://youtu.be/pTRxZ878pQY

Tigger says he has a large lawn. I believe he owns half of 'Darzett'

This is what he needs.

[YZ250]

Had our petrol mower for several years only serviced once in all that time totally neglected by me I have to admit, but starts first time every time and our lawns look great.

 
I had a Honda Izy in my garage that hadn’t been started for at least four years. The fuel had long since evaporated so I put fresh fuel in it ……. and it started first pull. Some of them are just super reliable. 

[TheBoy]

………..
I should actually be tinkering with mine, as the revs are a tad low, but buggered if I can work out how the governor works!  Removing the springs and wedging the throttle in place, whilst might work, is defeatist....

As they lack adjustment screws, either bend the governor arm to tighten the spring or shorten the spring to increase rpm.    What is it, a Hayter with a Briggs engine.

I since saw a gaytube vid about bending arm, but mine is like a cock in a sock, so might be wrong spring - what I assume is the actual throttle bit (towards the rear of the engine, when the 2 springs attach) can be moved over its full range without troubling the spring to have any tension.

But now I know what I'm looking at.  Still not quite sure how it knows how high it's revving though.

And, yup, Hayter Hawk  , donated to me by a colleague at work, following the garage incident.

[TheBoy]

I rather think Tigger has had his question answered.

I can replace my electric Bosch for about a hundred and twenty notes like for like, so that's what I'll probably end up doing. 

Although I have quite a big lawn, I expect that I'll have plugged mine in, whipped around and would be enjoying a cold beer while admiring my handywork, by the time you get your petrol jobbie started up. 

Nope, your wrong at every level Sir Tim, but you knew that already .

I bet I can stream the edges with my useless Wank and Decker cordless, and cut front and rear, whilst you're still dicking around getting the extension reel out....    ...and that includes first use of the year, when I might have to pull the cord 2 or 3 times.

And to top it off, if I've been lazy and let the grass grow a bit long, the only downside is I have to empty the grass box more often.


Cutting the grass is dull enough, without pissing around with cables.  Hence I was looking at cordless (but they are still shit), and would never, ever consider a plug in electric one again. Ever.

[TheBoy]

Had our petrol mower for several years only serviced once in all that time totally neglected by me I have to admit, but starts first time every time and our lawns look great.

 
I had a Honda Izy in my garage that hadn’t been started for at least four years. The fuel had long since evaporated so I put fresh fuel in it ……. and it started first pull. Some of them are just super reliable. 

I had an Izy, though it was a black and red one, before they were branded Izy. Brilliant engine on it. And with a manual throttle .

Downside of mine, for somebody who never, ever cleans the mower, was the steel deck, that corroded badly after about 15yrs of me having it (and it wasn't new when I got it, it fell off the back of a lorry).  The only maintenance that ever got was fresh oil every 5 years, and plenty of welding towards the end.  The garage incident finished it off  :'(

[Sir Tigger KC]

I rather think Tigger has had his question answered.

I can replace my electric Bosch for about a hundred and twenty notes like for like, so that's what I'll probably end up doing. 

Although I have quite a big lawn, I expect that I'll have plugged mine in, whipped around and would be enjoying a cold beer while admiring my handywork, by the time you get your petrol jobbie started up. 

Nope, your wrong at every level Sir Tim, but you knew that already .

I bet I can stream the edges with my useless Wank and Decker cordless, and cut front and rear, whilst you're still dicking around getting the extension reel out....    ...and that includes first use of the year, when I might have to pull the cord 2 or 3 times.

And to top it off, if I've been lazy and let the grass grow a bit long, the only downside is I have to empty the grass box more often.


Cutting the grass is dull enough, without pissing around with cables.  Hence I was looking at cordless (but they are still shit), and would never, ever consider a plug in electric one again. Ever.

You're very welcome to come down and show me how it's done TB, and I'll sit back and admire your handiwork with a cold beer. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

https://youtu.be/pTRxZ878pQY

Tigger says he has a large lawn. I believe he owns half of 'Darzett'

This is what he needs.

Such things will be banned shortly in the drive to Net Zero, so I suppose the landed gentry like yourself Lord Opti, will have to go back to using serfs with scythes? 

Still, there will be plenty of work for the illegal immigrants! 

[ronnyd]

https://youtu.be/pTRxZ878pQY

Tigger says he has a large lawn. I believe he owns half of 'Darzett'

This is what he needs.

Such things will be banned shortly in the drive to Net Zero, so I suppose the landed gentry like yourself Lord Opti, will have to go back to using serfs with scythes? 

Still, there will be plenty of work for the illegal immigrants! 

The way things are going they'll soon be legal. 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

https://youtu.be/pTRxZ878pQY

Tigger says he has a large lawn. I believe he owns half of 'Darzett'

This is what he needs.

Such things will be banned shortly in the drive to Net Zero, so I suppose the landed gentry like yourself Lord Opti, will have to go back to using serfs with scythes? 

Still, there will be plenty of work for the illegal immigrants! 

The way things are going they'll soon be legal. 

Once here the number that are returned is vanishingly small. Even when repeatedly told to leave they stay.

[Sir Tigger KC]

https://youtu.be/pTRxZ878pQY

Tigger says he has a large lawn. I believe he owns half of 'Darzett'

This is what he needs.

Such things will be banned shortly in the drive to Net Zero, so I suppose the landed gentry like yourself Lord Opti, will have to go back to using serfs with scythes? 

Still, there will be plenty of work for the illegal immigrants! 

The way things are going they'll soon be legal. 

Once here the number that are returned is vanishingly small. Even when repeatedly told to leave they stay.

And the ones that do get kicked out just come back... 

I read about an Albanian who has been deported three times. Our ruling classes are just pathetic! 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

https://youtu.be/pTRxZ878pQY

Tigger says he has a large lawn. I believe he owns half of 'Darzett'

This is what he needs.

Such things will be banned shortly in the drive to Net Zero, so I suppose the landed gentry like yourself Lord Opti, will have to go back to using serfs with scythes? 

Still, there will be plenty of work for the illegal immigrants! 

The way things are going they'll soon be legal. 

Once here the number that are returned is vanishingly small. Even when repeatedly told to leave they stay.

And the ones that do get kicked out just come back... 

I read about an Albanian who has been deported three times. Our ruling classes are just pathetic! 

I hear that some are being paid £1500 to leave and not come back.

My guess is they take the money and leave, but come back again.

[YZ250]

………..
I should actually be tinkering with mine, as the revs are a tad low, but buggered if I can work out how the governor works!  Removing the springs and wedging the throttle in place, whilst might work, is defeatist....

As they lack adjustment screws, either bend the governor arm to tighten the spring or shorten the spring to increase rpm.    What is it, a Hayter with a Briggs engine.

I since saw a gaytube vid about bending arm, but mine is like a cock in a sock, so might be wrong spring - what I assume is the actual throttle bit (towards the rear of the engine, when the 2 springs attach) can be moved over its full range without troubling the spring to have any tension.

But now I know what I'm looking at.  Still not quite sure how it knows how high it's revving though.

And, yup, Hayter Hawk  , donated to me by a colleague at work, following the garage incident.

Regarding the governor arm and how it works, a throttle spindle inside the engine has an umbrella type thing fitted on the end of it. If you can imagine a closed umbrella, when you spin it, it will open a bit. The faster you spin it the more it opens, until it hits something and can’t open any wider. So then you have to move whatever is restricting it farther out. In the case of the mower, it’s a spinner hitting the governor arm mechanism inside and restricting the rpm. By bending the governor arm, or shortening the spring slightly, you are moving the restriction farther away, hence the umbrella will open more and rpm will increase. By moving the governor arm nearer to the spinner/umbrella you will restrict the umbrella from fully opening so rpm will decrease in this instance. Quite primitive when you rip one apart but it’s simple and it works. 

[YZ250]

………..
I should actually be tinkering with mine, as the revs are a tad low, but buggered if I can work out how the governor works!  Removing the springs and wedging the throttle in place, whilst might work, is defeatist....

As they lack adjustment screws, either bend the governor arm to tighten the spring or shorten the spring to increase rpm.    What is it, a Hayter with a Briggs engine.

I since saw a gaytube vid about bending arm, but mine is like a cock in a sock, so might be wrong spring - what I assume is the actual throttle bit (towards the rear of the engine, when the 2 springs attach) can be moved over its full range without troubling the spring to have any tension.

But now I know what I'm looking at.  Still not quite sure how it knows how high it's revving though.

And, yup, Hayter Hawk  , donated to me by a colleague at work, following the garage incident.

Regarding the governor arm and how it works, a throttle spindle inside the engine has an umbrella type thing fitted on the end of it. If you can imagine a closed umbrella, when you spin it, it will open a bit. The faster you spin it the more it opens, until it hits something and can’t open any wider. So then you have to move whatever is restricting it farther out. In the case of the mower, it’s a spinner hitting the governor arm mechanism inside and restricting the rpm. By bending the governor arm, or shortening the spring slightly, you are moving the restriction farther away, hence the umbrella will open more and rpm will increase. By moving the governor arm nearer to the spinner/umbrella you will restrict the umbrella from fully opening so rpm will decrease in this instance. Quite primitive when you rip one apart but it’s simple and it works. 

Should add that what I wrote above is a mechanical geared governor but they also do Air Vane governors that sense engine load and adapt throttle position accordingly and flyweight governors using centrifugal force to measure engine load.

[Nick W]

Should add that what I wrote above is a mechanical geared governor but they also do Air Vane governors that sense engine load and adapt throttle position accordingly and flyweight governors using centrifugal force to measure engine load.

The weights were usually spherical. Which is where the phrase balls out for running something at its limit comes from.

[TheBoy]

Ta

[TheBoy]

So, Mr YZ, which spring?  They both appear to be pulling the throttle in the same direction?  Note, the top one barely does anything, no matter what position the throttle is in?


And also...
https://theboy.omegaowners.com/oofpics/oof_odds_and_sods/BaS-carb-vid.mov

Any pointers gratefully received.  Unless they are "clean it"

[TheBoy]

Oops, soz for image size.  Poxy stupid Mac, it looked smaller on my screen

[YZ250]

So, Mr YZ, which spring?  They both appear to be pulling the throttle in the same direction?  Note, the top one barely does anything, no matter what position the throttle is in?
………

The long spring controls the governor but I’m trying to determine whether your front plate is fixed or not. I had an old Briggs and Stratton Series 35 (still got it somewhere) and the front plate swivels on that to control rpm. I can’t see the swivel plate on yours but that may be because you’ve been mowing a cornfield with it.     I’ll have a gander online at your model. 

Mine was this type

https://youtu.be/HveZoY5ddVM

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Pull/bend the right spring and it should revs it's tits off.

[Sir Tigger KC]

You never need to tinker with an electric mower, just plug it in and away you go!                                                           

[YZ250]

So, Mr YZ, which spring?  They both appear to be pulling the throttle in the same direction?  Note, the top one barely does anything, no matter what position the throttle is in?
………

The long spring controls the governor but I’m trying to determine whether your front plate is fixed or not. I had an old Briggs and Stratton Series 35 (still got it somewhere) and the front plate swivels on that to control rpm. I can’t see the swivel plate on yours but that may be because you’ve been mowing a cornfield with it.     I’ll have a gander online at your model. 

Mine was this type

https://youtu.be/HveZoY5ddVM

Just looking at this one and it’s not like the swivel plate. If you skip to 3.50 minutes you’ll see that he bends the arm on the short spring. Is this like yours. His problem is hunting so ignore the rest of the video. 

https://youtu.be/_0ks74iKMdY

[TheBoy]

Mine (and my neighbour's identical one), the tub under his finger at exactly 1m21 is bent down by 90 degrees, so that whole plate only swivels a few degrees.

[TheBoy]

Ah, watching the rest of that, so is his at the end.

[TheBoy]

Ah, I should read the last page of threads before replying

[TheBoy]

You never need to tinker with an electric mower, just plug it in and away you go!                                                           

Yeah, but you'd still be pissing around with extension leads, whilst I'd fixed the mower, down the shopping, cut the grass, and supped beer.

[TheBoy]

So, Mr YZ, which spring?  They both appear to be pulling the throttle in the same direction?  Note, the top one barely does anything, no matter what position the throttle is in?
………

The long spring controls the governor but I’m trying to determine whether your front plate is fixed or not. I had an old Briggs and Stratton Series 35 (still got it somewhere) and the front plate swivels on that to control rpm. I can’t see the swivel plate on yours but that may be because you’ve been mowing a cornfield with it.     I’ll have a gander online at your model. 

Mine was this type

https://youtu.be/HveZoY5ddVM

Just looking at this one and it’s not like the swivel plate. If you skip to 3.50 minutes you’ll see that he bends the arm on the short spring. Is this like yours. His problem is hunting so ignore the rest of the video. 

https://youtu.be/_0ks74iKMdY

Just like that.  Given how much slack there is in that spring, not sure how that can adjust RPM though?

[biggriffin]

I've acquired a G-tech, battery mower, on a normal sized lawn that isn't over say 2-3" in height it just about manages, if the grass is slightly damp or longer, it starts to struggle,, so that there Zider wombles who owns arf O dawsett he needs a big Ol petrol thingy,

[STEMO]

I've acquired a G-tech, battery mower, on a normal sized lawn that isn't over say 2-3" in height it just about manages, if the grass is slightly damp or longer, it starts to struggle,, so that there Zider wombles who owns arf O dawsett he needs a big Ol petrol thingy,

G Tech is about the worse in the market for everything it makes. From lawn mowers to cordless vacs, they are universally shite.
Did I sound like Jaime then?

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

This thread is done.

Old Tigger needs a petrol mower, no if's no buts.

Anyway, cordless mowers are for girlies and gay boys.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Did you seek advice on that from your gardner ? 

I can picture the scene. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNuV0W9upTI