Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Green Culture
Non-polluting DIY lawnmower runs on solar power
Granted, this has little if anything to do with automobiles, but I thought that our readers might enjoy the story anyway. We have covered solar cars and cars with solar assisted charging before, so it's close enough in my book! So, without further ado, here is the link that explains how one man made his own solar-charged electric lawnmower. Truth be told, I have an electric lawnmower already. I can't stand the cord and would have gotten a gasoline powered mower years ago if my yard were any larger than it is. I have looked at the electric mowers in the past, but would be forced to order one online, as no local stores carry any. I attempted, unsuccessfully, to convince my wife that I could replace the AC motor in our mower with a DC motor and run it on battery power... now I can show her a real-life example of how somebody even cooler than myself beat me to the punch. By the way, she was aware that she was marrying a geek when she said "I do".
[Source: Appropedia via Hugg.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil L. 9:47PM (2/14/2007)
Pretty cool project. But pricey - at $312 for the motor alone, this isn't the kind of thing most DIYers will take on just to mow the lawn.
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nopanacea 4:12AM (2/15/2007)
Definitely expensive, but I have found this same motor (okay not the same motor, but a motor with the same specs 12VDC, ~3/4 HP) used for $60.
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Mulad 9:20AM (2/15/2007)
What? No reel mower? Actually, I've heard that they've improved in the years since gas mowers have dominated, though they still require proper maintenance... But the nice thing about those is that they actually cut the grass rather than thwacking it really fast and hoping it breaks.
Are you sure nobody carries electric mowers where you are? You can order them through Ace Hardware, although whether they're actually in the store is a question. Also, I suspect any dealer of Black & Decker tools could order one too (though there are other brands of electric mowers out there as well).
My parents have had a cordless electric mower for several years now, mostly because it's quieter. Unfortunately, they often have to split mowing the front yard and the back yard into two separate sessions since the battery won't always last until the end if they do the whole yard. Of course, it's just a lead-acid, so who knows what might be possible if the battery technology was moved forward to NiMH or Lithium-something.
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Jim 9:44AM (2/15/2007)
This is a fun project for someone who's so inclined, but a better solution is here:
http://cleanairgardening.com/scotclasreel.html
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Jay Tee 11:56AM (2/15/2007)
You let your wife tell you what to do the the lawnmower? Get some balls, dude. Or tell her to cut the lawn.
Very cool project. Very tempted to try this myself.
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Phil L. 2:23PM (2/15/2007)
When I was in a townhouse, I had a reel push mower.
But reel mowers presume ideal conditions: Fairly level ground with consistent grass, no bumps, rocks, roots, etc.
It was OK for my own tiny, cared-for townhouse lawn. But then I had several rental neighbors who never ventured into their yards, let alone mowed them. I ended up taking care of several areas that had lots of sticks, rocks, foot-tall weeds, discarded toys, tree seedlings and other variations I had no control over. I gave up on the reel mower and found a corded electric mower (I repaired one out of a dumpster!). That spinning blade thwacks grass pretty well - and will tolerate multiple sharpenings via aggressive grinding. Yes, you can sharpen a reel mower - but it presumes the reels are well-aligned and haven't hit big rocks. If you chip a reel mower blade (i.e., 1/8" deep or better), you're sunk. Rotary blade mowers tolerate far more abuse - and they continue to work well with a quick sharpening, even after some good-size chips have been taken out. Plus the blades are cheap to replace. I see the reel mowers for sale in my local hardware store - but they don't seem to carry replacement parts.
So... If you've got a perfect yard (let's not discuss the environmental ramifications of that), a reel mower can do well. Many of the rest of us would like something that can survive real-world conditions, including letting a teenager use the mower!
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Phil L. 2:30PM (2/15/2007)
More info on cordless rechargeable mowers:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n5_v198/ai_19554050
Pricey. The models in this review are $350+
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bartdabek 11:48AM (2/21/2007)
I love solar power I think over the next few years it's going to be exploding even more... as performance of solar panels goes up people are going to be adopting it everywhere they can... after all it's free energy :) BTW here is more solar power information -> Solar Power
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