Solar Powered Lawn mower/trailer

[SunEagle]

I started with a 51 inch, big enough but able to get into a lot of tight spaces. 20 hp had trouble getting
through the toughest grass (till I modified the engine), and anything less than 100% dry grass would
result in a slipping and a burned out drive belt. The 4WD Simplicity has a shaft drive and 27 hp. Didn't
get the 60 inch, 54 is already harder to fit in, and wider is less even where its not flat. It will get done
in 2 hours if nothing distracts me. Diesel was an option, but not electric. Bruce

I chose the 23 hp Kawasaki over the 25hp Kohler in the Gravely. The Kawa seems to be a better motor even though is does run on gasoline.

[bcroe]

I started with a 51 inch, big enough but able to get into a lot of tight spaces. 20 hp had trouble getting
through the toughest grass (till I modified the engine), and anything less than 100% dry grass would
result in a slipping and a burned out drive belt. The 4WD Simplicity has a shaft drive and 27 hp. Didn't
get the 60 inch, 54 is already harder to fit in, and wider is less even where its not flat. It will get done
in 2 hours if nothing distracts me. Diesel was an option, but not electric. Bruce

[SunEagle]

I have to deal with 5 acres of slippery hills after rain or snow. So its 4WD, unusual for smaller
equipment. At 9 mph it gets the job finished, but getting too enthusiastic will tear up some grass.
Most recent work was running a 40 inch cultivator through some dirt. Bruce Roe

I am lucky I only have about 2 1/2 acres of grass (or hay) with very few obstructions to mow around. I just purchased a 52 inch Gravely ZT X series mower and it does the job in about 2 hours

[bcroe]

I have to deal with 5 acres of slippery hills after rain or snow. So its 4WD, unusual for smaller
equipment. At 9 mph it gets the job finished, but getting too enthusiastic will tear up some grass.
Most recent work was running a 40 inch cultivator through some dirt. Bruce Roe

[littleharbor]

Is this community all in the same location? If so maybe they could dedicate an area to set up a solar array and battery shed. Keep all your charging gear there.

[jflorey2]

Could a trailer 7x16, 6.3 height hold enough panels on roof and side to make happen? cheap option and price is no object option.

Cheap - no. Only way to do it cheaply is alternator + inverter.

Cost is no object - we'd need the battery capacity of the mower, and how often you need to charge each battery, to figure that out. But with fold-out panels, a slew of charge controllers, a lithium-ion battery and a schedule that only supports sunny days you could do it.

However, it occurs to me that you are not selling solar powered lawn maintenance; if you were doing that, you'd just put a large array on your roof and keep the paperwork to prove you generate more than you use. So do that and then put a few solar panels on the trailer; cheap, effective and it looks like your trailer is solar powered.

[user001]

Here's my suggestion.

1) Get a tow-capable hybrid vehicle with a full hybrid assist. (i.e. not a weak hybrid.) A Tahoe or Yukon for example.
2) Get a 300V 2-4kW inverter. Connect it to the traction battery pack.
3) Tow your trailer with the hybrid and use the inverter to charge your batteries.
4) Put a solar panel on the top to keep the 12V (starter) battery charged. If anyone asks, tell them that the solar panel is charging the batteries (which is somewhat true.)

Or if you don't want to do that, put a larger alternator on your tow vehicle, put in a larger 12V battery and run a ~2kW 12V inverter, paying careful attention to protection and cable lengths (since getting 2kW out of a 12V system is going to be a bit of a challenge.) Charge your mowers with the inverter. Then use the panel to charge the 12V battery.

Thanks for the info everyone, and for the alterative option above.

I have a captured market community of 50-75 households on .5-2 acres. Never had landscaping company but the whole idea of electric solar powered lawn mowing came up and many in community want it. so I put it out there I could try and do it. As a business goes it sounds good(cost free power), but may not be viable.

What would it take, or is it possible to make a station that would charge 1 of these in 1-3 hours? Does anyone know if their electrical system proprietary, or could you switch to something better? I seen Samsung said they coming out with some amazing new battery.
Could a trailer 7x16, 6.3 height hold enough panels on roof and side to make happen? cheap option and price is no object option.

Thanks everyone for all the info and insight.


options for trailer are

Electric Tongue Jack 3500 lb. (includes battery)	$400
110 Volt Interior Receptacle	$30 each
110 Volt GFI Receptacle (interior or exterior)	$40 each
110 Volt Interior Switch	$25 each
60 Amp Panel Box with Life Line

[SunEagle]

If I did play, I'd probably be the engineer in the foursome that gets stuck behind a foursome of blind golfers.

Back to the fray.

Been there done that. Of course I played worse then that foursome ahead of us so it didn't really slow me down much if I kept looking for my lost ball.

[J.P.M.]

I thought you were just stupid stoned out of your gourd like most Calaphonies. My bad.



I have to ask and think I am going to kick myself. Do you play golf?

Having fairly well developed libertarian sense, I've mostly no say or concern how folks screw up their heads, but I never did much dope - twice I think - made me sick/FUBAR, but I managed to kept the world's breweries in 3 shifts for a lot of years as one of my two major goals in life.

Don't play golf either - just like big backyards that I don't need to take care of. Used to watch some of the Bob Hope/Chrysler classic from my patio when I lived in LaQuinta. I've lived on golf courses since moving to CA, except for a side trip to NM of several years.

If I did play, I'd probably be the engineer in the foursome that gets stuck behind a foursome of blind golfers.

Back to the fray.

[Sunking]

I was the guy eating my yard.

I thought you were just stupid stoned out of your gourd like most Calaphonies. My bad.



I have to ask and think I am going to kick myself. Do you play golf?

[J.P.M.]

Well wave next time, I did not know that was you.

I was the guy eating my yard.

[Sunking]

And, ending this thread on a high note: As for the spot/line of dead grass from hydraulic fluid - that's from old(er) golfers who can't make it to the comfort stations. See it off my back porch all the time.

Well wave next time, I did not know that was you.

[J.P.M.]

Wheat, Oats, Rye, and rice are all grasses. Trick is you have to let it go to seed waist high, so no mowing.

Having said that to be honest I have helped a couple of Green Mafia members convert a riding lawn mowers to electric. Funny thing is after a season or two brought home a brand new John Deer riding lawn mower with a nice quite gas engine.

However a lot of golf courses today use hybrid green and fairway mowers. They use either gas or diesel engines that turn a generator to power an electric motor that does the cutting. Has nothing to do with being green, rather not using a hydraulic PTO that springs leaks killing grass. Ever seen a spot or line of black dead grass on a putting green or fairway? It is caused by hydraulic leak inn the PTO drive train.

Anyway this thread is done, stick a fork in it. The OP has moved on realizing how stupid silly the idea is.

I lived at PGA West for a few years. Went back recently to find a lot of the courses got rid of the grass on the fairways to save H2O. I suppose that saves H2O, but takes some visual and aesthetic adjustment. Also, CA law forbids HOA's from disallowing "water saving landscaping", including, as it turns out, rocks that use no water.

And, ending this thread on a high note: As for the spot/line of dead grass from hydraulic fluid - that's from old(er) golfers who can't make it to the comfort stations. See it off my back porch all the time.

[Sunking]

A few folks here/there in a few urban/suburban areas have done such things, usually to the dismay of neighbors more attuned to a lifestyle of "pleasant valley Sundays" and seeing grass in a front yard rather than Zucchini.

Wheat, Oats, Rye, and rice are all grasses. Trick is you have to let it go to seed waist high, so no mowing.

Having said that to be honest I have helped a couple of Green Mafia members convert a riding lawn mowers to electric. Funny thing is after a season or two brought home a brand new John Deer riding lawn mower with a nice quite gas engine.

However a lot of golf courses today use hybrid green and fairway mowers. They use either gas or diesel engines that turn a generator to power an electric motor that does the cutting. Has nothing to do with being green, rather not using a hydraulic PTO that springs leaks killing grass. Ever seen a spot or line of black dead grass on a putting green or fairway? It is caused by hydraulic leak inn the PTO drive train.

Anyway this thread is done, stick a fork in it. The OP has moved on realizing how stupid silly the idea is.

[J.P.M.]

What would be greener would be to let the grass grow and not cut it or plant more trees and let them grow (even it they block the sunlight landing on your pv panels) and stop using any fossil fuel if CO2 reduction is really important to you.

Among other attributes, my 1st wife was a gardener. I grew veggies with some success back in the day. She once brought home a book: "Edible Landscaping", which I somewhat mockingly retitled "Eat Your Yard", which is basically about replacing grass with food. Nice theory, but like a lot of other treehugger stuff, not very practical or thoughtful of others in the reality of a developed society, and seemed mostly bereft of common sense.

A few folks here/there in a few urban/suburban areas have done such things, usually to the dismay of neighbors more attuned to a lifestyle of "pleasant valley Sundays" and seeing grass in a front yard rather than Zucchini.