The Downside to Battery OPE

[fm2176]

Well, it's that time again... the grass is high and the neighbors just mowed theirs, making my yard look especially unkempt.  I finally had my retirement physical this morning and sat in the examination room like an idiot for 30 minutes afterward due to a miscommunication.  The doctor told me to get dressed while she worked on the paperwork, then when a nurse came in over half an hour later she seemed surprised to see me.  The doctor came in a few moments later to tell me that I was free to leave whenever and that she'd call me when the paperwork was completed.  While waiting for nothing, I rescheduled another appointment that I could have easily kept if I left when I could have.  But hey, there's yardwork to do!

 

My luck held out.  I got home and decided to break out the trusty(?) EGO mower.  A few minutes in the first 5Ah battery was depleted.  A 2.5Ah battery lasted maybe two minutes, and my second 5Ah battery was good for maybe 1/4 of the yard.  So here I sit, waiting for a travel authorization to be approved so I can file a voucher (the Department of Defense Travel System is fairly decent these days but can be a pain sometimes), and I'm about to be put on the bad kid list in forty minutes for having an unsubmitted voucher.  Meanwhile, my EGO mower sits in front of the house waiting for a fully charged battery so it can continue its duty.

 

So, the downside to battery OPE?  Batteries.  It takes a while to charge them and, unlike my power tool batteries, the EGO ones seem to not like holding a charge.  The upside?  Once my batteries are good I can finish the lawn without having to pull a cord, check oil, top off gas, or mix 50:1 2-cycle gas for the string trimmer and blower.  I guess I'll finish my Critical Drinker video, have a Dr. Pepper Zero and bourbon, and wait for the shoulder holster to show up.  Then it's time to finish the yard, or just wait for the kids to get home from school so they can.  😁

[fyrfytr998]

So in your case. What would you consider an ideal amount of batteries and chargers to run continuously? It’s what I’d thinking about ahead of time for when I decide to buy a mower and stop paying for a landscaper.

[Jronman]

I have not moved to battery mowers but all my handheld equipment is Ego. I would like to see what Ego can design for Commercial grade mowers. Runtime is a big factor into my purchasing decision. I signed papers on December 30th 2021 for a 37 HP EFI 61in SCAG Turf Tiger II ZTR with mulch kit for around $14,000. I mow around 38 properties. I need something with runtime and the Turf Tiger II with the 12 gallon tank and EFI has the runtime. I expect my next ZTR purchase will still be gasoline based. I am considering upgrading my SCAG 48in ZTR with bagger to another bagging ZTR. My 48 is a 2006 model with 4000+ hours and is due for an upgrade. I am also considering waiting on upgrading my 48in and buying a 30in walk behind. either upgrade option could be a good business choice. The 30in would save me some time over my 21in walk behind. The 48in upgrade would be more reliable saving me lost time due to breakdowns. I have really liked the EFI on my new mower because of the huge fuel savings. I would like to get another EFI. This would mean I would have to move up to a 52in because the 48 in does not have an EFI option right now. I expect the mower I buy after this bagging mower will have me consider electric. If the price and runtime are good on the electric 30in SCAG I might consider it over the gasoline option.