Computers >
Computers
Robomower Winter Care and Feeding
By : tocshop@comcast.netAfter another season of mowing you've put your Robomower robotic lawn mower in the garage for the winter. No need to worry about it until spring, right? Wrong! That could cost you a pretty penny!
First, the battery needs to be charged for one day every other month, if not the battery will deteriorate very rapidly. That will be very costly come the first mowing and you get a very short cutting session.
Lead acid batteries are finicky. They can't be left on the charger full time and they can't be left alone all winter to drain. There are plenty of websites that cover the intricacies of lead acid batteries so I will skip the details. Suffice it to say that charging the batteries once a day-for only a day- every other month will extend the life of the battery considerably.
Make sure the Robomower is standing on its wheels and not on the bumpers! If left for a long time the bumper contacts can stick together, not a cheap proposition.
Is there a grinding sound in the drive train? If so the gear case may be ready to give out. Why wait until spring or hope that it will make it a little while longer? Beat the crowd and get it fixed it before mowing season. This time of year, the servicing dealer will give it that extra special attention. It is incredible how many individuals all want their Robomowers fixed in April. Not a worthy time to be without your mower.
Perimeter switches are not waterproof or meant for cold temperatures so bring them inside. When the snow melts or frost builds up on the circuit board one thing is for sure, a Robomower dealer is going to be smiling.
The docking station needs to be brought inside as well. There is a circuit board inside the gray shield that is not waterproof or designed to withstand cold temperatures.
Check the blades. Winter is the best time to get a new set of blades. In the spring everybody and their brother is ordering parts, it is not unusual for the distributor to race out or ration them to the dealers. Blades make nice Christmas presents, even in January.
Some sites may even have winter specials. One thing you can count on is pricing aren't going to be going down in the spring.
A little forethought this winter can save you time, money, and headaches this mowing season.
Kerry Clabaugh runs http://www.bamabots.com, a website dedicated to robotic lawnmowers sales and education.
|
|
Keywords:
winter time robomower spring mowing