jamis

The mower has been pretty much flawless since taking it off the shipping pallet. It has had two issues. At eleven months, one of the batteries developed a weak cell that finally failed to the point the charger would not charge the mower. Troubleshooting with Ryobi support identified the problem and a replacement battery was delivered the next day. Mower was down for three days total and it runs like new at four years. The second issue was a broken charging door spring about two years in. Ryobi support had one in the mail the next day, but I replaced it with a pair of rare earth magnets glued in place. Never did put the replacement spring in. The biggest thing about this mower, besides the ease of use, quiet mowing, and lack of maintenance; is the low cost of operation. I have been paying $0.13/KWH from our utility for electricity. Because it was so new to me, I made something of a hobby with this mower and I record every usage and storage charge and the parameters of that use in a spread sheet. After 48 months, 200 mows, and 134 hours of use, the mower has cost $33.50 in electricity, or $0.25/hr. to run. Compare that with the cost of operation of a comparable ICE mower. Gas was $2.50/gal. when I bought this mower and is currently $4.07/gal. with a high so far of $5.10/gal. My records show the RM480e has saved me over $465.00 in just operational (fuel) cost over the 48 months. If you add in the cost of having the mower plugged in all winter (4 months for me), the total cost of electricity $38.66. Yes, 16 months of storage cost $5.16 total. That still makes the RM480e waaaaaay cheaper to run than an ICE mower. Could you run a comparable gas mower for 133 hours on $38.66? Another way to look at it is that this mower has cost me $0.80/month to own and run. The only maintenance is a yearly deck cleaning and blade sharpening. No oil, fluids, filters, belts, or spark plugs to replace. By the time the batteries wear out, the mower will have easily saved enough money to pay for new ones. Right now, I could replace all four batteries for $640. The batteries still power the mower for over two hours as originally specified and it still mulch mows better than my neighbor's $3,400 Toro Timecutter zero turn. I added a fold down tailgate to carry a trash can for yard work and the mower easily tows a fully loaded 7 cu.ft. four wheel dump cart. Looking forward to the next four years.

I recently received an answer to some questions about the SC-48 charger supplied with these mowers from Delta Q, the maker. They supply chargers to the golf cart market and to some high end cart makers. The one question that was answered was concerning "sulfation" of the SLA/AGM batteries. The answer was that the SC-48 charger used with the Ryobi 48 volt mowers performs a desulfation procedure during the finishing phase of a charge cycle. So every time the charger does any sort of charge cycle, it is reducing the chances of the batteries forming sulfates on the internal grids. This helps extend the lifespan of the batteries along with the 30% DOD limit the Ryobi system imposes.

I get the impression that a desulphation device isn't needed with the SC 48 chargers and the SLA/AGM batteries, but I guess it couldn't hurt. Is it worth the $75 for the 48 volt Power Pulse box?

I posed the same question to Delta Q, the maker of the SC 48 charger used with the Ryobi 48 volt mowers. They also make chargers for the golf cart market and their chargers are used with high end cart makers. Here's their response. "You are doing very well with your charger and battery pack already! We do not have any data or evidence that a sulfation reduction device provides any benefit. If you are using good charging and maintenance practices to keep the batteries topped up all the time then you should not have to worry about sulfation. That said, the charger will do some desulphation on its own each cycle during the finish phase.."

Power Pulse replied to my detailed description of the Ryobi riding mower charging system. Even though my batteries are performing pretty much like new with over 350 charges. Pretty much what I expected. "Thank you for contacting us. The PowerPulse will not allow sulfates to accumulate and reduce the capacity of your batteries. When batteries are even slightly discharged, the sulfates will start accumulating and the buildup rate increases with the depth of discharge. Using this product will work well together with your charger to make the bank perform stronger for an extended period"

I sent an e-mail to Power Plus with questions regarding how the Ryobi system operates and how their product will enhance the lifespan of the LPC12 batteries. I'll update this thread if and when they respond.

There are three pages in the owner's manual that detail the battery tray removal. You will need some sort of support or dolly 11 1/2" high to receive the tray when you slide it out.

What's wrong with the charger? Is it showing any led indicators?

Worst case, you could pull the battery tray per the manual instructions, disconnect the wiring, and charge each battery with a regular 12 volt battery charger, and then put it all back together. I can pull the battery tray in about 30 minutes.

It's a Delta Q SC-48 charger. It's supposedly custom set up to Ryobi's specs., but they are also used for golf carts. There were different Ryobi p/ns based on the mower's manufacturer number listed on the label under the seat. If you find a source, make sure the p/n matches the one on your original charger.

I'd check with Ryobi and their parts supplier for a replacement.

I am always interested when someone says their batteries failed. Did all four fail? Leoch states these batteries should be good for 1,500-1,700 charges. My 48 month old RM480e has over 350 charges on it and it will still mow for over 2 hrs. My neighbor's RM480ex is also in its fifth mowing season with over 300 hours of run time and over 600 charge cycles. Last month, he was seeing reduced run times and load testing revealed one battery not able to hold voltage under load. Replacement returned like new performance. Given that the Ryobi system limits the Depth Of Discharge to about 30%, I wonder how much the battery saver devices will really extend the life of these SAL/AGM batteries.

I'm not surprised things were dirty under the covers. When I pulled the battery tray for a failing battery after 11 months, I found all sorts of detris inside all over everything. I now remove the battery panel on top of the mower after each mow and use my leaf blower to blow out under the covers as well as the mowing deck. 190 mph air does a pretty good job without having to remove the covers.

RegR: A couple of questions and comments to assist with your question. First, have you modified the Battery Level Meter (BLM) to show volts, percentage, and hours? At key on, the BLM will show a series of numbers ending with the hours run. Ryobi has stated the other numbers shown are meaningless for the user. The "48" shown is NOT the pack voltage. The actual pack voltage immediately after the charge cycle completes will be well north of 50 volts, usually 51 to as much as 57 or more. Actually, the charger will accept a pack voltage up to 67.2 volts. The batteries will slowly self-discharge just sitting and that's the reason for having the mower plugged into the charge when not in use. The charger logic will initiate a charge cycle when the pack voltage falls below about 50 volts. Secondly, there is a master control relay that engages when the key is switched on. The relay is located on the right side of the mower down next to the battery tray along with the deck motor controllers behind the right side cover. There is no relay under the console panel. The relay circuit checks that the seat switch is engaged (operator is seated), the charger is not plugged into the charging port, and there is sufficient charge in the pack to operate the mower. I haven't checked, but it also may check to see if the blade PTO switch is not engaged. Third, my first guess is the seat safety switch. There are five of these mowers on my street and a couple of them (mine included) have had the seat safety switch work loose from its mount and cause some operational issues. Pushing the switch back into the seat mount until it clicks into place has corrected the problem.

I confess that after four years of use, I really don't understand how these batteries really work. 130 hours of use and 350 charge cycles with each charge recorded have left me unsure how these things behave. Last week, I mowed for 38 minutes, used 1.3 volts and it took 1,650 watts to recharge the battery pack to solid green. Today, I mowed for 33 minutes, used 1.3 volts and it took 790 watts to recharge the batteries to solid green (probably the lowest ever recharge). Both mows were 1/4" dry cuts and the temperature was 86 & 83 degrees. If you look at all of the 1.3 volt uses, the recharge watts are anything from 790 watts to 1,970 watts and run times ranged from 32 to 46 minutes with no correlation between run times and recharge watts. Confused as usual.

Just got my electric bill for June. Surprise! The rate dropped from $0.13/KWH to $0.06/KWH. 87E10 here is varying between $4.79 and $5.10 a gallon. The drop in the electric rate makes my mower even less expensive to operate than an ICE mower. The big reason for the drop in rate is due to my electric generation is 100% green (solar & wind) and the non-green generation here is nuclear & natural gas powered with some coal. Our county has an agreement with the electric utility to allow the customers to choose who generates the electricity and one of the suppliers has the 100% green option. Last month's green generation cost was $0.02/KWH. The rest was transmission charges by the utility. I know folks in other parts of the country have higher rates, so I'm not bragging, but I wonder how many have choices in how their juice is done?

I guess I never thought someone would try to steal a 600-700 pound mower. I always take the key out of the switch when I not on it, mostly so kids won't try to play with it. There is one neighbor boy who hasn't learned to respect other people's property. I also don't leave it out when I'm not using it. Mine is stored at the back of the garage with a car parked in front of it. I have to pull the car out of the garage to use the mower, a situation quite a few of my neighbors also have with their riding mowers.

Yes, Mine purchased in Aug 2018 is the same. The other four Ryobis on my street are also like that, and one is new this year. it's likely a design flaw with the Homelight made switch. Never understood why the AUX position even existed since there has never been any accessory PTO function or wiring on the mowers.

The RM480 Troubleshooting manual. rm480 1203847705_RYOBIRIDINGMOWERREPAIR9-4-201838inch.pdf

The ZT480 Troubleshooting manual. I don't have the repair sheet showing parts and p/ns. zt480 1741877491_RYOBIZTRMOWERREPAIR4-18-2019.pdf

Cerberus: Leoch states the LPC12 batteries can sit for up to six months without a maintenance charge if stored in the proper conditions. And they and Ryobi stated they should be maintained at least every month once used in the mower. Probably why Ryobi is replacing them all. When they replaced my one failed battery under warranty, It was overnighted via UPS.

CRP: Since your mower is brand new, you really need to contact Ryobi for assistance. Use all of the information from the label under the seat when you call them. I'm not that familiar with the ZT4480s so contacting Ryobi is the best I can offer at this point. Since none of the supplied manuals discuss the number of beeps, Ryobi definitely needs to be contacted. Just remembered I have the troubleshooting guide for the ZT480 mowers and upon checking, there is no stated beep count for any issues. Still the best thing to do is to contact Ryobi with a warranty issue. Also find out where the nearest Ryobi Authorized Outdoor Service Center is. Be aware that the one nearest me (1.5 mi.) is horribly backlogged with repairs as they also do John Deere, Honda, Stihl, and Toro stuff. HD has a 90 day return policy also. Here's what the troubelshooting manual states for the mower not moving: If the mower will not drive a. Make sure the seat switch is functional and activated. b. Test the angular transducers. Replace if necessary. c. Test the neutral switches. Replace if necessary. d. Test the brake switch. Replace if necessary. e. If the mower still will not drive, test the Drive Motor controllers. Replace if necessary. f. Test the drive motors and Hall sensors, replace as necessary

Not sure. It was less than $40 and he got it off of Amazon. I think it is this one, because it has the switch at the bottom for starting/stopping the test without messing with the leads. https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-24338-100A-Battery-Tester/dp/B07FQ1G327/ref=sr_1_8?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhqaVBhCxARIsAHK1tiN3qLLzu-Q-aGD4vR5O16SRyYdCN6yc2GAORc2jd1v3WfKm92KFzGcaAlsCEALw_wcB&hvadid=580743546407&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9015090&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14902647177619769028&hvtargid=kwd-398861394456&hydadcr=7501_13212144&keywords=battery+load+tester+100+amp&qid=1655341525&sr=8-8

I discovered an interesting fact about the batteries in my RM480e. My mower is in its fifth mowing season and my recorded data shows that as the batteries age, the cost per hour of operation is increasing. The cost per hour has gone up 1.3 cents per hour per year. So now the cost per hour to mow is at 25.8 cents per hour. I don't see any run time reduction, just a bit more charging watts. To put that into perspective, my neighbor's 42" Toro Timecutter V-Twin burns a gallon of 87E10 per hour. When I bought my mower, gas was $2.50 a gallon, it's now $5.10 a gallon. That makes my electric mower 19.76 times less expensive to use. I have spent a total of $32.78 for electricity to mow lawns for over 46 months. Including winter storage, the total electricity cost has been $37.94, or 82 cents per month of ownership.

TotalRex: the charging system has a thermistor connected to the batteries to prevent overheating during the charging cycle. It's that little black wire and white connector at the rear of the battery pack. It is wired into the safety and control logic circuits in the back of the charging receptical. Testing a SLA/AGM deep discharge battery with a CCA tester is not the correct method. It won't give you the correct results for this application. They need to be tested with a proper load tester for the deep discharge use. Cereberus: My local battery shop (Battery Wholesale) had no issues testing my SLA/AGM batteries for free even. Some new cars have SLA starter batteries, so maybe the auto parts shops can test them. Have any Interstate Battery stores around? How about trying a golf course cart shop to see if they can offer suggestions? Suggest Batteries Plus isn't very PLUS. Is there no other battery shop in the area? My neighbor bought a 100 amp battery load tester from Amazon for less than $40 to test his.