Lawn Mowers

[morpheus83uk]

I may have broken my lawn mower going over the plugs when aerating so I am awaiting the verdict tomorrow to see if it still works after giving it a thorough clean. So in the mean time if it is dead does anyone have any advice on a good lawn mower?

I am looking at this which has good reviews:

http://www.diy.com/departments/bosch-rotak-370-er-rotary-lawnmower/560423_BQ.prd

I am also looking at this one:

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homeba...600w-electric-rotary-lawn-mower---37cm-310473

I like the idea of the mulching attachment and also the grass combs on the Bosch. What are peoples thoughts on collecting the grass and mulching?

Thanks

James

 

[morpheus83uk]

the other thing I am trying to figure out is does the power of the mower actually count for anything? The Bosch has 1400W and the Qualcast has 1600 or 1800W does this matter will it improve the cut?

Thanks

James

 

[Mursal]

The higher power rating will allow you to keep cutting without it overheating, well in theory anyway.
I'd collect rather than mulch and keep it simple, the less stuff on the mower the less to give trouble ..............

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

How big is your lawn? That makes a significant impact on the best choice. I have a Bosch Rotak, a bigger one than in your link. It is very good. But it has a cable, which is a pain, as I have lawns on threesides of my house, so I need to use an extension lead, and roll it up, and unroll it each time I move to another lawn. Plus I always have to pull the lead about, and watch out for it. As for mulching, as supplied the mower is unsuitable. Without the bin, it
sends out a stream of cuttings, so you end up with a long narrow pile, which would kill the grass beneath. When I use the bin, I have to empty it many times, which is a pain.

I recently bought a Fiskars reel mower. It takes 1 hour to cut my lawn with the Bosch, which I hate as it is so tedious to deal with the cable and the bin. The Fiskars takes no more than 30 minutes to mow, and it is a joy to use except for the fiddly corners of the lawn. It mulches well, sending out cuttings in front. It does a nice cut too. And it is quieter. It is a bit heavy, not good if you have steps. And not good if you are weak. Apparently it does not work with long grass, but I mow each week now as it is so quick to do. I enjoy the exercise. I loathed using the Bosch.

 

[Mursal]

Electric maybe, petrol even better, but push .......................
She's "super excited"
........................

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

But what is wrong with a push mower? Easier and quicker to use. Quieter. Less pollution.

 

[morpheus83uk]

Thanks for the replies. I have been in garden centers today and found this one:

https://www.bosch-garden.com/gb/en/...ak-40-ergoflex-3165140816632-199956.jsp#tab_1

This looks and feels very good and I had a play with it. I don't mind the fact it has a lead on it as the cordless ones are a lot more expensive. Regarding my lawn size it roughly around 280 square meters that includes the front garden as well. I have done some more reading on mulching and have been asking about today while out and a lot of people like it because it feeds the grass but you have to really keep on top of it which I don't think I have the time to do. So I think I agree with you guys to bag it and compost it to save time.

I have seen good reviews for the bosch's all over so I didn't think it would be that bad so I am glad someone else ere is having good experiences with it. Is the link above the one you have WalksWithTurkeys?

Thanks

James

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I think that is indeed the one I have, bought from B&Q. Cuts well, easy to use. I hate the cord! It's not so bad for a back garden on its own, but I have back, side and front! It is a good mower in its class and type.

 

[morpheus83uk]

That's good to know that its a good mower. I will have a look at my current one and see what happens with it if it comes back to life or not. If it doesn't I think I will go for the one above the 40 as it seems a really good mower.

 

[Mursal]

@WalksWithTurkeys obviously you are more fitter than me, I couldn't manage a push mower.

 

[dishman]

What is wrong with your mower? What is the issue that is causing it to not run?

Are you hoping that cleaning it will fix it or will you attempt further investigation/repair?

You may find you have snapped the belt that connects the motor to the blade.

I was in the council skip last year and saw a mower of the same model as mine. I fished it out and discovered the owner had binned a perfectly servicable machine for that very reason.

I now have a new blade, spare motor, hover fan and switch just in case!

 

[morpheus83uk]

I tried it after cleaning and still nothing. I took it apart and found the belt had snapped. I bought a replacement belt and fitted it but still nothing. The motor is making a sound but its not turning anything at all so its just sat there making noise. I cant seem to find the problem or the motor anywhere on the internet so its looking like a new one. This is after speaking to loads of authorized re-sellers and such.

 

[Mursal]

And if you take the belt back off will it run when plugged in, is the motor free to spin? Any tightness in the bearings will stop the motor from starting. What make/model of mower are you fixing?

Always use a RCCB/ELCB cutout on the lead for safety, when using an electric mower

 

[dishman]

I would not give up quite yet. As per above run the machine with the motor installed but without the belt connected. See if you can see the motor head spinning (the part where the belt wraps around).

If it does, then there is still hope.

It may be that the belt is not tight enough so it is just slipping and not grabbing. It has to be very very tight. Much tighter than you may think it needs to be. Make sure the belt is the correct way round (or if it has a specific way round).

Check on youtube for belt replacement videos. That always helps.