Electric vs. petrol mowers

IslandCrow · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:10 am Post subject: Electric vs. petrol mowers

I am about ready to give up trying to keep my lawn in shape using a push mower (and scythe). Part of the problem is that I am only here about half the time, so days can go by without attention to the garden, and in addition to the lawn (mostly on very poor soil that would take a heck of a lot of work to improve - It is mostly moraine which my dictionary defines as "a continuous marginal line of debris borne on or left by a glacier"), there are all the vegetables and fruit/berries to look after, as well as flowers for the joy of the soul.

I am sad about this, as I wanted to manage the whole garden without too many 'power' tools but I ain't as young (and fit) as I was.

I would like your input on electric vs petrol mowers. Thanks.

Comments on me having lawns can be addressed in the Hall of Fames Razz

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We should teach our children the 4-Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rejoice.

WisJim · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

We have been using an older Toro 12volt battery powered, 16 inch cut, electric lawn mower for a few years. It works fine as long as the blade is sharp and the grass isn't too long. A dull blade makes more of a difference than it does with a gas mower. I just bought a General Electric electric lawn tractor that needs work. Someone elses website that tells a bit about the Elec-Trak:
http://www.mrsharkey.com/electrak.htm We charge with our wind/PV system so no gasoline is involved in mowing. Hoping to get the electric tractor going to replace our larger gas mower.
Homebuilt electric mowers or conversions: http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Vehicles/LeeMower.htm

vision-master · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:40 am Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

Were all ya biin? Razz

WisJim · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 11:14 am Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

IslandCrow did say "I am about ready to give up trying to keep my lawn in shape using a push mower". I have a couple of good, usable push type reel mowers myself, and my long term goal is to have only as much lawn as I can manage with a push reel mower, but at present, I have limited time and lots of trees and bushes to mow around, so a power mower of some sort makes sense to me. And a reel mower doesn't do well with anything but a nice level lawn of fine grass.

IslandCrow · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 11:59 am Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

WisJim thanks for your comments.

Last year I used some of the lawn for berry bushes, and part is earmarked for a greenhouse extension to my house (if I ever get the money together). I am working on trying to reduce the lawn area and get more land under cultivation, but for this I would need to make some more 'raised beds' and that takes time and compost (so it is a long term project).

Also for the long term I am wondering about some small animals (hens or rabbits) in which case it doesn't matter if I have some lawn left for them to nibble/peck on.

Next time I am in town I will look at cordless mowers, although the price may be such that I will go with one with an extension cord and if the electricity goes then I will use the scythe, (except on the small shaded area by our front entrance which is flat and easy to use the push mower).
_________________
We should teach our children the 4-Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rejoice.

joeltrout · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 1317

Why not stop using both and use natures lawn mower:

Livestock

There are actually homes in my area (SW Los Angeles) that have hillside lots which cannot be grommed using machines so they actually hire a goat owner to bring their goats and eat up some of the vegetation for a couple days. Im not even joking.

joeltrout

Homesteader · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

I use sheep. But I know that isn't for everyone.

frankthetank · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

I have a plug in (AC) Black&Decker. Its probably running me $.20 to mow my lawn vs the 1/4 gallon or more it would with a gas mower. Doing the math says i'm saving around $.75 a mow. Too bad that plug in ones are really annoying and you have to kind of break your yard into sections and mow just that section and then move the cord/etc to another area.

I've thought about going cordless, but the battery replacement seems high. Most of the newer ones are 24volt or higher. I see Menards has one that is 60 volt. I'd rather have a 12volt and a deep cycle marine batter power it.
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IslandCrow · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 1:46 am Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

Gerben · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

IslandCrow · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 1:14 pm Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

outcast · Heavy Crude Joined: Apr 21, 2008 Posts: 236

My family used to have an electric mower, but it had a hard time with denser lawns (and also you have to mow it often because it really doesn't like tall grass).

A petrol mower could chew through anything we wanted.

evilgenius · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:43 am Post subject: Re: Electric vs. petrol mowers

When I was in England I used an electric mower. I didn't like it much because in those long skinny gardens it is hard to mow the whole thing from one plug location. I think I would have liked it better, even with the plug hassle, if the mower had been a wheeled variety rather than a flymow. The flymow has no wheels and is intended to ride over the lawn like some kind of live wire airhockey puck. For a really small patch that is ok, but not if you have real grass to mow or take too much time between mowings. Also a wheeled machine is better for the stuff growing out of the sidewalk, fewer bent blades. Over all, however, my complaints weren't about the electric configuration but with the way that people think electric machines need to be put together. As long as you don't have an enormous lawn a properly put together electric machine should be fine.