Reader note
This post is #2 in a series of three blog posts I have written about robotic mowing, and my ongoing education and learning on this exciting new industry.
If you want to see the first post (which explains how I decided to replace my commercial mowers with robotic mowers and how things got started, you can see that post HERE entitled “How a seasoned pro picks a new mower…and changes his life”
There is also a follow up to this post called, “Robot Mowing - Observations from my second season”. This post is pretty much what you would think it is. It provides more 2.0 level understanding of robotic mowing to this blog post. Between all three, hopefully my thoughts, comments, learning and suggestions can help answer some of your similar thoughts and questions, and help you more knowledgeably decide if this world is for you…or not.
David Decoteau
Owner
Mr. Mowbot
Observation #1
Mowing robots are a new world to me…but they’ve been around for a while. Do your homework.
There was much to learn. YouTube is your friend. Also the websites of the manufacturers.
This is a new thing. How many folks do you know with robot mowers? I didn’t know any. No one to ask this side of the Distributors, Facebook groups, and the only “Installer” within 50 miles. All those folks might have bias, that didn’t make me feel like I was going to get the best…objective…opinions. I did visit the websites of companies who make the robot mowers. There were more manufacturers than I first realized. Some with a deep commitment to their Automower, some with a seeming passing interest. I also did a few web searches to determine “best robot mowers” and other topics of interest. I filed all the time I spent doing this as “homework”. I like to know what I’m getting into.
When I was finally convinced, and I went ahead and bought a Husqvarnna model 315X, It seemed like the right size mower for my need (based on my homework).
So, it took me a few days to get my Automower set up. Here is what that process looked like:
First impressions/Unboxing
When I first un-boxed my Husqvarna 315x mower, I really felt like a futuristic trendsetter. This sleak-looking, low-riding, molded piece of glossy grey, grass cutting tech, seemed like I was looking into the future…or at least at something my neighbors might find “cutting edge”. I mean, how cool is a robot lawn mower, right?
From it’s password coded access screen to it’s GPS assisted mapping which helps the mower “learn” my yard: the mower has so many features, that I’m going to skip over the tech here, and simply let you GO TO THE HUSQVARNNA PAGE, if you want to learn all the frequently asked questions of this product. Future posts might go into my personal favorites or most helpful product features.
This post also isn’t about why I decided to go with a robot mowing system when my mower was on it’s last legs. You can read about that process HERE
What this post is about, is my first “hands on” experiences with the mower. My actual lessons learned during the installation and first season of use.
Observation #2
Installation is more complex than you think
This is a big category, that could probably use it’s own post; but I’ll do a brief summary here. Installation was a bit harder than I would have liked to imagine.
Mower installed and in “his” little shelter.
Although the manufacturer shows videos of basically placing the wire on the ground, and holding it down with the stakes provided by the manufacturer, my local professionals with experience did not recommend this type of installation in our area. They felt like the combination of frost, rodents and other threats to the exposed wire, made this type of installation very hazardous to the life expectancy of the border and guide wires. Instead, they recommended burying the wire.
My lot is rocky and that makes installing it by hand difficult. I knew this to be true, after I had installed a dog fence by hand in the past, with great difficulty. This time, I decided to rent a machine to do the trenching, even though the wire is pretty small.
The trencher machine - although very adequate for the job - was unwieldy, top-heavy, and could not navigate my steeper hills or sharper turns the way I would have liked. Add to that awkwardness, the rocks and roots in my yard, and you had a trencher machine that was not exactly perfect for the job. Accuracy with wire placement suffered as a result, and this means missed patches of lawn and inconsistent boundaries. The robot can compensate for a lot, but like most machines, it can’t easily adjust to random variables. Lesson 1: Consistency is needed in installation.
The trencher also did far more excavation than was necessary. I rented the smallest unit available, but it was still more “trench” than I needed. I learned later that there is better equipment for the job, and you can read about that more in my second blog post about robotic mowers HERE.
The coveted “Green light”
When your boundary and guide wires are installed correctly, there is a green light that goes on when you connect to the base unit. My light came right on when I connected my wires. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. And if you get anything but the green light…you have a problem. A problem that can be really vexing to solve. More on troubleshooting in upcoming posts. But for this post, let’s just be thankful for beginners luck, and wish you all “green lights” in your installations.
Pairing
Once you have the unit installed, you need to pair the machine with your phone. Now, if you have a service (like Mr. Mowbot), your service provider will pair the mower to their fleet software. But for the individual machine (like mine was) I paired to my phone. The Automower Connect app (AMC) is good. It provides very good monitoring and control. You can control just about everything but blade height (on this model, others can control blade height remotely). It’s cool to watch on your phone what the mower is doing, as it cruises around the yard in almost real time. But, I did have some troubles with the pairing, that required some calls, and a few attempts as the network seemed to be having some difficultly early on.
Eventually, I got it done, entered the PIN # that makes each unit safe against unwanted use or theft, and we got rolling. Super fun to watch it at first. Between watching in real life and on my phone, I got a bit of an addiction. So much to the point that while on vacation, my wife started to get mad at me when she saw me looking at the phone too much. She would say, “Are you looking at that lawnmower again?” I’d have to admit to my guilty pleasure. It would have been easier on her if I was just having an affair.
Observation #3
There is a significant learning curve
Trial runs & set up
So there is a lot to adjust. You can set when it runs. When it’s off. Headlights. No headlights. On some models where it spends each percentage of it’s time. If it runs in the rain. How far past the boundary wire it goes (to keep trimming minimal). Spiral mode (for tall or thick grass). All kinds of settings. Again, if you are looking for a hobby, this robot could be the ticket. There are even users groups on social media you can subscribe to in order to learn in real time and from various other Autobot mowers. Again, it’s all a matter of how “into it” you want to get. But this will be a new world that is unveiled to you if you decide to buy and install your own Automower. If you just want to have the lawn cut, in an environmentally responsible manner while realizing the absolute best cultural methods for your lawn…a robotic mowing service (like Mr. Mowbot) is likely your best bet. To me, service offers the best way to “mow better”, without taking on a new hobby.
Lessons learned
Right tools - I have a bucketful now, and they include many things you might not expect. I also bought an electric powered trencher (once I decided to get into the business), as the trencher you can rent from the local rental store will likely be like the one I described in my experience above. The specific trencher for this job, makes being exacting and consistent much more possible.
Software - The Husqvarna software is good. It’s fairly user friendly. There will be some terms and connectivity issues that might cause you some frustrations, but all and all, it’s great and the options have a learning curve, but all become appreciated as you learn more about your mower over time.
Tweaks - So I made lots of “islands” around all the tress in my yard. Turns out, individual trees are not a problem for the Automower. If I had to do it again (and I do now that I’m in the business) I would leave most individual trees unprotected by border wire. Letting the mower “bump off” does no damage to anything, and it provides the closest possible cut to all trees.
Not so obvious - ruts, ditches, uneven areas. Some things that are unseen and were never a problem for your conventional mower, could be a problem for your robotic mower. Areas that get the bottom of the mower “hung up” are the problem. Roots can do it. A strategic pair of divots or holes can do it. If there is a place your mower can get hung up…it will find it. Short, steep areas can also be problematic. I have had to do some creative fixes for areas that make the mower “slide off”. More on that in future posts. All this being said: the mower will go over more stuff than you would think. It’s just a few specific criteria (typically in a specific combination) that can give it problems.
Bottom line:
Now you are in a relationship….you want it to last
Sure, the decision to get into robotic mowing was fun and exciting (and a little daunting), but now that you are here…the luster quickly fades from your “cutting edge technology” and it is quickly replaced by a very strong hope that you did your homework diligently, and that this solution (that you are already loving) will last a good many years…so you can get your investment back out.
I can tell you that I am now finished my second season, and I am still VERY PLEASED with my first installation. It has save me A LOT of time, an once all the bugs were worked out, I have spent very little time messing with the mower. It just keeps my grass cut and looking good…like magic!
And speaking of “magic” this was one of the unexpected joys of ownership: the fact that you can forget about the lawn…completely. If you set it to cut in the dark, early morning hours (like I did), it’s like you never see it being cut…yet it’s always “magically” cut. Like you have invisible helpers! It’s pretty cool.
Going forward
There is so much more that I learned in my second season (don’t worry, I am still very pleased with robotic mowing). Stuff you might want to know. Please stay abreast of all my blog posts. I will endeavor to be as honest and forthcoming as possible. The best robotic mowing client, is a knowledgeable client with realistic expectations. And, I will say this loud and clear…
ROBOTIC MOWING IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.
Learn more about why that is in my next post: “Robotic Mowing Observations - Second Season”