A lawn mower is a useful machine around the household as it will enable you to cut grass in order to get even lawns in front of your house. Moreover, most lawn mowers will allow you to set the height of the grass according to your desires plus you could either purchase mechanical lawn mowers or go for the battery powered ones.
Battery powered lawn mowers compromise of large plates made out of lead that is submerged in an acidic electrolyte. When the lawn mower is turned on and the battery starts discharging, the lead plates begin to cover in sulfate while the acidic electrolyte turns into an alkaline one.
Similarly, once the lawn mower battery charger, the alkaline electrolyte turns back into an acidic one because the sulfate from the lead plates goes back into the electrolyte. Here comes the similarity between the lawn mower battery and the vehicle battery- The process of charging and using the battery can lead it to corrode.
The problem might seem for many to be old as time and it is not surprising because the electrolyte battery design had been invented over a century ago. In addition to being very likely to corrode, lead batteries can be hazardous to handle as the electrolyte can cause serious skin burns if it leaks.
Plus, such batteries are not eco-friendly because if they are discarded the wrong way then they could contaminate soil and water. Furthermore, lead-acid lawn mower batteries are more exposed to the vibrations of the engine thus they are much more likely to leak.
To reduce this possibility, some manufacturers of lawn mower batteries have included glass mats or even gel body in their designs. Sadly, such lawn mower batteries cost much more.
What Types of Mowers Are There?
Nowadays, there are different types of lawn mowers available that range in price, size, features, and color. Smaller sized lawn mowers will need to be pushed from behind because the blades are powered by the manual force plus in these lawn mowers the wheels are often mechanically connected too.
Larger sized lawn mowers are usually self-propelled and run own lawn mower batteries moreover, some of the latest lawn mowers are completely robotic and could be controlled by remote control.
Rotary or Reel Lawn Mowers
Lawnmowers are often categorized by the style of the blades they use hence there are two main types of lawn mowers- the rotary and reel mowers.
The rotary mowers are the ones that have a single blade only that is designed to rotate around the single vertical axis whereas the reel mowers are the ones that incorporate multiple blades plus cutting bars.
Moreover, reel lawn mowers rotate around the horizontal axis and could sometimes be called cylinder lawn mowers too.
How to Select a Good Lawnmower?
Choosing what type of lawn mower you need will largely depend on how big your garden is and how often you are planning on mowing your lawns.
The smaller and man-powered lawn mowers will be great for small gardens or medium sized front yards. On the other hand, battery-powered lawn mowers will be better suited for larger lawns.
How to Learn to Ride a Lawnmower?
Riding a battery operated lawn mower can be fun if you know how things are supposed to go however if you do not then don’t worry because learning the proper steps is not very hard.
Firstly, you will need to make sure that your foot is placed over the brake pedal then shift the gear into N that stands for neutral. After that, you will have to open the throttle and turn the key to start the ignition.
Secondly, make sure that your feet can reach the pedals especially the brake pedal plus you could even engage the brake pedal a few times to ensure that it works. Thirdly, check and engage the parking brake that will usually be located to the right of you. After that, release the brake pedal and proceed to mow your lawn.
Furthermore, to ensure you have a smooth riding experience with your lawn mower, make sure you connect the battery correctly. The terminal position will dictate where and how the lawn mower battery is installed. Nowadays, there are mainly two terminal positions; U1L and U1R.
With U1L lawn mower batteries, the positive terminal is located in the left corner at the top of the lawn mower battery. Whereas, U1R batteries have the terminal located towards the right corner. Apart from these differences, both batteries are constructed the same way.
Hence, the only difference is the way they are installed and connected to the electrical system with cables. For example, if you were to install a U1L battery into a lawn mower that required a U1R battery, you would risk not having enough cable length to reach the terminal.
Moreover, stretching the cables is strictly forbidden because such connection could lead to potential damage in the cable insulation thus leading to short circuit troubles.
Troubleshooting Lawn Mowers
If your lawn mower refuses to start, check to see if it has enough fuel or battery left depending on what model of lawn mower you have. If you have a fuel lawn mower then check the gauge that should either be located under your seat or right in the front of the mower.
In order for the lawnmower to work, the fuel tank will have to be at least ¾ full plus make sure that the fuel does not leak anywhere. However, if you have a battery operated lawn mower, then check to see if the battery has at least 50% of charge. If not, make sure to charge it and use the lawn mower a little later.
Moreover, gas-powered lawn mowers should be well maintained in order to properly work plus the gas tank will have to be completely drained at least once a month. Otherwise, the lawn mower could get clogged.
Also, make sure to regularly check the oil level by using a dipstick to check the contents of the oil chamber through the valve located next to the engine. If you will notice the dipstick turning black then you would need to replace the oil by draining the old oil, cleaning or changing the filter and then filling the compartment with oil again.
Safety Measures of Riding Lawn Mowers
Firstly, make sure you are correctly seated on the lawn mowers seat then place your foot on the brake pedal and turn the key to start the engine. Once the engine will be turned on, release your foot from the brake pedal and proceed to mow your lawns.
Moreover, if you have a battery operated lawn mower then make sure to always be careful with the battery because lead acid batteries are made out of an acid and water solution that makes up the electrolyte.
This electrolyte can potentially cause chemical burns to the skin and the eyes if the battery leaks. The water from the electrolyte can evaporate during the battery’s work while hydrogen and oxygen get released when the lead plates are heated.
These gases are very dangerous because they are combustible have the potential to blow up hence it is crucial for you to take all the safety precautions when dealing with lead-acid lawn mower batteries.
Most scientists believe that a large number of explosions occur when the electrolyte level drops thus allowing for oxygen and hydrogen to accumulate. Then when the battery is started, a spark is created that could ignite these gases.
To protect yourself, always install and connect the battery in a well-ventilated area plus never smoke around the battery. Furthermore, always properly dispose of damaged batteries or keep in a tightly closed container until you will have the chance to take them to a recycling center.
Also, think about wearing gloves and maybe even an apron when you will be handling the battery, charging or installing it. Lastly, never forget to wash your hands thoroughly after lead-acid battery handling and check for battery leaks every once in a while.
Conclusion
As you can see there is nothing hard or scary about start riding a lawnmower because you would only need to follow several simple steps to ensure that your lawns will be always stay trimmed and that you always stay safe.
Plus, you would need to regularly check up on the lawn mower to ensure that the gas or battery level will at least be half full. Also, you would need to check and change the engine oil as well as the filters once every 6 months if you are going to use the lawn mower on a regular basis.