Battery pack
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Revision as of 18:00, 19 April 2007 Garsh (Talk | contribs) (→Tysonic TY-12-18) Next diff → |
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| ===Tysonic TY-12-18=== | ===Tysonic TY-12-18=== | ||
| - | I (user garsh) have tried these, and they worked for less than a year before they would no longer run the mower for a full 2-hour run. But they seemed somewhat promising, and it would be nice to hear if others have had a better experience with these batteries. | + | I ([[User:garsh]]) have tried these, and they worked for less than a year before they would no longer run the mower for a full 2-hour run. But they seemed somewhat promising, and it would be nice to hear if others have had a better experience with these batteries. |
| Specifications: [http://www.discountpv.com/pdf/TY-12-18.pdf Tysonic TY-12-18 Specifications] | Specifications: [http://www.discountpv.com/pdf/TY-12-18.pdf Tysonic TY-12-18 Specifications] | ||
Revision as of 18:00, 19 April 2007
RoboMower battery packs consist of a plastic shell holding two 12-volt deep cycle lead-acid batteries wired in series. This provides 24 volts to power the mower. Each battery pack has a set of large metal strips on the side that make contact with the mower when the battery is in place. A protection fuse is installed on the same side of the pack. Some battery packs also have a small connector that can be used by an external charger.
Contents |
Battery Chargers
Batteries are charged while installed in the mower using the supplied power pack or dock. The typical charging time is 20 to 26 hours. An optional, external quick charger is available that will charge the battery pack independent of the mower in four to six hours.
Opening a Battery Pack
Take your palm and press on the center of the lid and pull up and out slightly on the side of the lid near the tabs visible on the side.
Alternatively you can simply lift a bit on the front of the lid and open the door but access to the wires isn't quite as easy.
Tracking Charged and Uncharged Batteries
User:Dougs likes to keep a bunch of extra batteries charged and ready to go by using an external charger. He suggests using paper binder clips as markers to indicate which batteries are charged.
Winter Battery Storage
Cold weather and depleted charge can shorten the life of the batteries. The batteries should be fully charged then stored in a dry area at room temperature, such as a basement. It is recommended that the batteries not remain on the charger all winter but to charge them once or twice during that time. They should be fully charged again before use in the spring.
Replacement Batteries
The battery pack contains two sealed lead-acid batteries. Once the battery pack has been opened, it is fairly simple to replace the batteries. The batteries should be the same size in order to fit within the battery pack (181mm x 168mm x 76mm, 7.13" x 2.99" x 6.57"), and they should be the same voltage (12 volts). In addition, the replacement batteries should be designed for cyclic use (deep-cycle batteries).
A thread dedicated to finding deals on replacement batteries is available at Bargainshare.com.
Here are some possible replacment batteries:
BB Battery EVP20-12
These seem to be touted by many as one of the better deep-cycle batteries available. They have been mentioned on the Yahoo Robomower Mailing List. They have also been mentioned as a good lead-acid battery to use for converting the Toyota Prius to be plug-chargable.
Specifications: EVP20-12 Specifications
I have found three online vendors able to sell a pair of these for under $100 shipped. Please note that prices may change at any time.
Tysonic TY-12-18
I (User:garsh) have tried these, and they worked for less than a year before they would no longer run the mower for a full 2-hour run. But they seemed somewhat promising, and it would be nice to hear if others have had a better experience with these batteries.
Specifications: Tysonic TY-12-18 Specifications
Vendors:
Yuasa NPC17-12
These were the batteries that originally came with my (user garsh) mower. They are mainly sold in Great Britain. I have not found anyone who sells these batteries in the U.S.
