Anyone building an electric push mower?

[Ryland]

I have high hopes to build an electric push mower in the next few weeks so I can get rid of the gas mower along with the gas cans in my garage.
Now I have a 36v 1/3hp motor, I have no idea what it's from but I was wondering if anyone else has found low HP 24v or 36v motors from things like electric forklifts that would work for push mowers.
I thought about coping the 12v electric mower that my parents have, but with a higher voltage it seems like you can then use smaller gauge wire and either have more lead acid batteries so you get more mow time, or like in my case use some of the 36v DeWalt lithium cordless tool batteries that I already have, along with the mounting plate for said batteries so they can clip on to the mower just like they clip on to the cordless tool.
So anyone else up to the challenge of trying to build an electric push mower and getting rid of their gas mower?

[dcb]

don't rule out corded, it isn't bad to manage, just pile up the cord by the outlet and mow in rows increasingly farther from the outlet. Mine is very torquey compared to the old gasser, quieter, starts reliably, lighter, and I only have to replug in once (front vs back).

here's my official plug:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...html#post65005

you never have to worry about dead batteries or replacing them, it's lighter and more powerful, and there are plenty of 120 volt motors to choose from (and broken gas mowers on curbs). I believe it would ultimately be more efficient to plug a motor into the wall than to plug batteries into the wall to carry them around the lawn and run the motor with.

The convenience hit isn't what most people think it is once you get a decent cord management strategy. I just run the cord out a window but installing outside outlets isn't terribly challenging either.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by dcb

The convenience hit isn't what most people think it is once you get a decent cord management strategy. I just run the cord out a window but installing outside outlets isn't terribly challenging either.

I only have one out door outlet right now, I installed it for charging my electric car.
I hadn't thought about a corded mower, it might be worth a try, my lawn is broken up a fair amount as we try not to have much of a lawn so it might be just as much time moving the cord around as mowing.
I was however planing to get a corded string trimer, the people next door have one and it looks like it works well.

[vpoppv]

FWIW,
I had a corded mower back in California, and I literally used it to death. I picked it up at a Salvation Army for $25. I rebuilt it once, but couldn't get it going a second time. It did, however, last several years altogether. I liked it a lot more than the gas one for the same reasons mentioned above: you didn't have to mess with filling up a gas can and it was very quiet. Wal-Mart sells a corded one for $159- very tempting if I weren't so cheap....

[sid]

I was going to and started scrounging up parts to do it. But then I decided to get rid of all my grass instead. Two years later, I don't regret my decision.

By the way, Home Power magazine had an article a few years back on building an electric mower. I think the article is on their website.

[Christ]

I'd do a corded mower before a cordless one, just to save the conversion loss (and added weight) of batteries and recharging.

I, however, consider grass a weed. I prefer low-lying mosses to grass, although I don't have my own home to make that decision as yet. When I do, I likely will not have grass, and/or the little bit I do have will likely be mowed with a reel mower. I may build an electric mower anyway, but chances are, I won't have a use for it.

[TomEV]

I saw a 24v battery powered motor yesterday - was for sale for $45 but needed a new battery and didn't have a charger...

[Piwoslaw]

I've mowed with corded mowers all my life. Only for one summer did I use a gasser, and I'll never do it again.
My neighbor made his own mower from an old (corded) electric drill. He's been using it for 20 years.

My Mom has a push mower at her place and I love to use it when I visit.

[captainslug]

There are cordless mowers commercially available. My In-laws are quite happy with theirs.
cordless mower - Google Product Search

[Christ]

I wanna know how many rubes out there need to use a cordless vacuum cleaner. That is all.