justwannak
The yard I mow with the mower I want to convert is almost 5 acres. What's the ideal mower to use for converting purposes?
Answer
Any mower will do.
There is 2 ways of doing this.
First is to take a riding lawn mower and remove the engine and axle. Replace the axle with an electric transaxle (These are quite common these day), look for one that is minimum 1000 to 1200 watts. You will need a motor controller for this and throttle (There are foot pedal throttles.), make sure the controller has a reverse function on it. Then you will need a motor (At least 1hp to run the blades - single blde of 36", 2hp for multiple blades)
or, use a lawn mower that has a hydrualic transaxle (very common these days) on it. This way you don't have to purchase a new axle and controller. With this you will need at least a 3hp DC motor that runs at 3500-3700rpm.
Most mowers now use a belt system to transfer power from the motor to the axle and blades.
Now batteries.....this is where it gets expensive. It needs batteries that have a high amp output(Discharge rate), with a high aH (Amp Hour)..and if you use a 24, 36 or 48DC motor, these can range from $300 to $1000 each. (i.e. golf cart batteries which are generally 6 volts). Or you can go for some exoctic battery packs, but these can run $1200 - $3000.
This is why the major manufactuers like Deere don't have any models really to speak of. It's not the cost of manufacturing the battery riding mower, which is about the same as a gas mower, but it is the cost of the batteries. (Say a $1400 riding gas mower, would be about $3500 - $4500 as a battery mower.)
There are some great sites out there for batteries and motors. You can search under "EV", electric vehichle supplies.
By the way, I am making a riding battery lawn mower for myself right now for my 2 acres.
Any mower will do.
There is 2 ways of doing this.
First is to take a riding lawn mower and remove the engine and axle. Replace the axle with an electric transaxle (These are quite common these day), look for one that is minimum 1000 to 1200 watts. You will need a motor controller for this and throttle (There are foot pedal throttles.), make sure the controller has a reverse function on it. Then you will need a motor (At least 1hp to run the blades - single blde of 36", 2hp for multiple blades)
or, use a lawn mower that has a hydrualic transaxle (very common these days) on it. This way you don't have to purchase a new axle and controller. With this you will need at least a 3hp DC motor that runs at 3500-3700rpm.
Most mowers now use a belt system to transfer power from the motor to the axle and blades.
Now batteries.....this is where it gets expensive. It needs batteries that have a high amp output(Discharge rate), with a high aH (Amp Hour)..and if you use a 24, 36 or 48DC motor, these can range from $300 to $1000 each. (i.e. golf cart batteries which are generally 6 volts). Or you can go for some exoctic battery packs, but these can run $1200 - $3000.
This is why the major manufactuers like Deere don't have any models really to speak of. It's not the cost of manufacturing the battery riding mower, which is about the same as a gas mower, but it is the cost of the batteries. (Say a $1400 riding gas mower, would be about $3500 - $4500 as a battery mower.)
There are some great sites out there for batteries and motors. You can search under "EV", electric vehichle supplies.
By the way, I am making a riding battery lawn mower for myself right now for my 2 acres.
Will homeowner's insurance cover a ride on lawn mower that caught on fire?
October ba
My brother-in-law was riding the lawnmower and it backfired, so he got off to check the engine and when he opened it up there were flames shooting out. They don't have a fire extinguisher, so he put baking soda on it, but it didn't work. He tried flour (bad idea) and then sand. Finally, a neighbor came over with a fire extinguisher and put it out. I guess the hood is melted and the wires are all melted.
My husband seems to think that this would be covered under home owners insurance as personal belongings. Is he right?
Answer
Yes, this would be covered under most homeowners policies. When it comes to Coverage C items (personal property) - it has to be one of the named perils that causes the damage. Fire is a named peril. For it to be fire - there has to be a flame - smoldering does not count. You had flame. The fact that the fire was caused because of a mechanical failure is not really a problem.
Now....lawn maintenance equipment is usually settled at actual cash value. That means - the cost to replace with a similar item less depreciation.
For example - the mower is 8 years old. It is the kind of thing you can buy at Lowes - what they call a "garden tractor". You have a 500 deductible. The cost to replace the mower is 1000.00. The insurance company would take the 1000 replacement cost and subtract for deprecation 8 years, say 40%. (40% of 1000 = 400. therefore: 1000-400 = 600.00. From this, we subtract the deductible -500.00. Therefore, the policy would pay you 100. That is probably not worth filing a claim for.
Before you file a claim. I suggest you price out the cost of replacing the lawn mower with a similar one and then talk to your agent. Depending on the replacement cost, age of the mower and your deductible - it may not be worth filing the claim.
Yes, this would be covered under most homeowners policies. When it comes to Coverage C items (personal property) - it has to be one of the named perils that causes the damage. Fire is a named peril. For it to be fire - there has to be a flame - smoldering does not count. You had flame. The fact that the fire was caused because of a mechanical failure is not really a problem.
Now....lawn maintenance equipment is usually settled at actual cash value. That means - the cost to replace with a similar item less depreciation.
For example - the mower is 8 years old. It is the kind of thing you can buy at Lowes - what they call a "garden tractor". You have a 500 deductible. The cost to replace the mower is 1000.00. The insurance company would take the 1000 replacement cost and subtract for deprecation 8 years, say 40%. (40% of 1000 = 400. therefore: 1000-400 = 600.00. From this, we subtract the deductible -500.00. Therefore, the policy would pay you 100. That is probably not worth filing a claim for.
Before you file a claim. I suggest you price out the cost of replacing the lawn mower with a similar one and then talk to your agent. Depending on the replacement cost, age of the mower and your deductible - it may not be worth filing the claim.
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