Glad to have found your video to confirm my idea was valid. I've been looking at used mowers and electric mowers are dirt cheap as opposed to battery-powered so I was brainstorming and thought about this exact setup. Nice job!
Yes, get yourself a real cheap used corded mower on Facebook marketplace and convert it to battery. Buy a solar panel kit to recharge it. Then you can mow your lawn for free!
Something to keep in mind besides the amp/hours of a LiFePO4 battery is the BMS current (amps) cutoff. The 18 to 24 amp/hour batteries are usually limited to 20 amps of current draw. If your inverter tries to pull more than 20 amps from the battery, the BMS will shut the battery down to protect it. For example: 20 amps current draw X 12.8 volts will equal 256 watts. I can almost guaranty that mower will draw more than 256 watts. You will need a battery that has a 50 amp BMS minimum.
My wife just bought an electric lawn mower that needs an extension cord and I'm not a fan of it so I looked up this video and to my surprise it's possible so I'm gonna be doing this.
Great sharing, ! Thank you. was looking for this to convert my electric lawn. I have the same green works bought it 4 years before in Walmart dirt cheap.. but still looking good and in working condition.
I've owned a corded Kobolt for ~13 years now, but right now at lowes there is a "Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower 4 Ah (1-Battery and Charger Included)" for $230.91. I'm deff considering buy it, I'd post a link - but I know most links on yt get knocked down haha- people post links often in my comments too goto approve em. But anyways- cordless is a WIN!
Been thinking about this for years! This is really helpful. Showing where to plug the battery on the motor would help as well, but inguess i can probably figure that out! Can you share the link to the battery charge display you have?
You don't plug the battery to the mower. You connect the battery to the inverter box and then plug the mower into the inverter. Here's a battery voltage screen on Amazon $10 www.amazon.com/Indicator-Backlight-Waterproof-Voltmeter-Lead-Acid/dp/B08BX13TYY/ref=asc_df_B08BX13TYY?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80882941400083&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584482468269533&psc=1
Given that the motor on this mower uses brushes, it likely is a universal motor and would also work on 120v dc. So you could probably just buy or make a lithium battery of the correct voltage and eliminate the inverter.
with prices he mentioned I have seen cordless lawn mowers for a lot cheaper than what he paid for the converter and when you figure in the battery off of ebay you can buy two lawn mowers with battery for less than what he paid, but at least I know how to do convert my exact same make mower.
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Also when you buy the inverter and the lithium battery like I did, you can use it for other things besides mowing the lawn. I used mine to power a window AC unit for a few hours in my shed. So this setup I have created serves multiple uses besides just mowing your lawn.
Great video! I have a couple of standard used car batteries still in good condition sitting and doing nothing. Can someone pitch in and explain exactly why they're not a good choice for this project and possibly won't work good for this, like author of the video said? I assume car battery would have a lot more power than the battery used in a video? My car batteries are 60 amps each. LifePO4 batteries are new to me and they cost a lot, I am trying to do this project on a budget....is there an alternative battery that is a good fit?
Well for starters, the car batteries are VERY heavy. Imagine pushing that around for two hours. The lithium is much lighter. Also car batteries aren't really designed for what we are doing. They are designed to give a massive initial charge to start the car. They aren't really designed for high sustained energy use like mowing a lawn.
It depends on the size of the power station some will run construction equipment (table saws, drills, etc) one fitting that requirement would run the lawnmower with no problems.
Im on similar project right now. I have 20year old Viking mower which is cord mower with 1500watt motor. Year ago my Greenworks 40V chainsaw broke, and I was left with working motor with all the electronics, so my plan is to attach it to that mower and remove that old AC motor. I hope it will be enough, unfortunately I dont have almost any info about that motor (sticker dissolved from oil).. But by the internet it should be 2kw motor with a lot of RPM, so might be even a little overkill, but we will see when i make it
Thank you for this initiative. It was useful in my quest to convert my cabled lawnmower to battery power. I have just started using av1500W inverter with a 12v50ah lithium battery to run my cabled lawnmower but the inverter keep shutting down after few minutes of running despite the battery remaining at 13v. What could be the problem with?
Can you provide me with the name and model of the inverter used? What is the "peak power" of your inverter. Mine is 3000 watts, even though it is rated for 1500watts. Devices use more power when they first start up. Here is the link to the inverter I am using in the video 1500W Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Converter and Peak Power 3000W Car Inverter with 4.2A Dual USB Ports Quick Charging Car Charger, Solar Inverter ETL Listed a.co/d/bDdKui4
Im down for the project aspect, but honestly sometimes certain projects cost more than they are worth, this is the first video I've watched on the subject as i have 3 good quality drill batteries i wanted to use to power my corded mower, but straight away at 90 for an inverter, potentially more if you need a better one for your mower, then the cables etc. i could go to my local garden place and pick up a cordless mower for 130 inc battery and charger. Like i say i respect the effort i love a project but im out
Not specifically for the mower but a power station like the Jackery or Eco Flo of proper size will run the unit without problems, just plug and play literally
I thought this was a great idea. I have a Greenworks 13 Amp 21" Corded Electric Walk-Behind Push Lawn Mower 25112. I did purchase a 3000W Inverter and a Moseworth 50A LiFePO4 Rechargeable Battery. I purchased the same 1 foot cord. The battery only runs for 15 to 20 minutes. Would you offer any suggestions on what may be wrong? and how can I get more run time?
nice video, I did this as well. I am actually now thinking of redoing the front axel so it can turn and then controlling it with a remote control so I can take mow over kids- I mean mow the lawn and sit down
@@techtidbits7594 I watched some other videos and decided to just do 2 motors controlling the back wheels which is easy enough to turn there too. it is pretty simple build. Also using gstreamer to send a low latency video signal so once I work out the safety software I can sit inside with it. Everything works well right now but I keep an eye on it still. I'll have it constant connection once per second and if that cuts off it'll shut itself down so it doesn't go rogue lmao
There are battery powered mowers on eBay for under $100?? I've never seen that. If so then they are probably really underpowered and practically junk. A good quality new oem battery mower is going to run you like $300-500 dollars from what I have seen.
Might as well buy a cordless mower with all the additional fees you added.... they run from 400 to 500. Its not much more expensive and this is way more of a pain
No, not efficient, grossly non efficient. Its a universal motor, it can run on dc, you just need about 90v-150vdc to run that motor, so either a 90vdc battery or several lower volt batteries in series.
My setup is not efficient, you are right. How do I do what you are saying? Can you make a video demonstrating what you are saying? I would be interested and I'm sure other people would too.
@techtidbits7594 Get 4, 20v power tool batteries and run them in series and plug them into your lawnmower into its cord and you'll be able to eliminate that power inverter.
@@techtidbits7594 Positive of the first battery plugs into the lawnmower it's negative goes to the positive of the 2nd battery. The negative of the second battery goes to the positive of the 3rd and so on and at the end of the 4th battery you'll connect its negative to the other prong where it plugs into the lawnmower. 1st battery positive goes to one prong and the negative of the 4th goes to the other prong on the lawnmowers extension cord plug.
If 80v using 4 power tool batteries isn't enough try 5 to get 100v. Those universal motors are very inefficient if theyre not within their voltage rating. The motor will run best when it sounds like it has about the same rpms as it does when running 120v ac.
@@z32racer1No, they arent non efficient. The load, wattage demand is proportional to load, since they are under-loaded, they do not generate excess heat. If you loaded it harder than whats sane, they would be not very efficeint. They are 2.5-5hp tradmill motors, rated at 130vdc, but they are only rated 5hp for 1 minute or less, otherwise, they run at half power, at half voltage, so technically they are 75v motors at 2hp or so, the sticker just has inflated ratings because of ............ THe motors also run at lower rpm, which is ok, they can run fairly low rpm to mow a yard, so its not a concern in this application. I have tried this already, it works at 60vdc quite nicely. ANd the motor does not get hot which was a suprise to me. Your motor IS different, but universal motors are basically fairly similar. However, it is best to run higher voltages most times. But i would trade off simplicity for what system you have. Its more dangerous to have 5 different tool brands, with 5 different connectors and 5 different voltages for 5 different purposes, with doubious degrees of useability and reliability. I kill govbt folks that concieve this horrendous scheme. IMO the govt should be doing a better job inspecting batteries and standardization. It should be something like 3 sizes, all standard. 5v, 20v, 80v,,, something like that. and chemistry that is not practially a bomb if abused or serviced a certain way. LIfepo4 or lto, 5v, 20v, 80v FOR EVERYTHING. Otherwise its a foul foul biden diaper mess, if you understand this.
Glad to have found your video to confirm my idea was valid. I've been looking at used mowers and electric mowers are dirt cheap as opposed to battery-powered so I was brainstorming and thought about this exact setup. Nice job!
Yes, get yourself a real cheap used corded mower on Facebook marketplace and convert it to battery. Buy a solar panel kit to recharge it. Then you can mow your lawn for free!
Something to keep in mind besides the amp/hours of a LiFePO4 battery is the BMS current (amps) cutoff. The 18 to 24 amp/hour batteries are usually limited to 20 amps of current draw. If your inverter tries to pull more than 20 amps from the battery, the BMS will shut the battery down to protect it. For example: 20 amps current draw X 12.8 volts will equal 256 watts. I can almost guaranty that mower will draw more than 256 watts. You will need a battery that has a 50 amp BMS minimum.
I didn't know that thanks
Would a 12v 55ah Gel deep cycle battery be good for this project?
@@frankstephens2510 I would only use lithium, the other kinds aren't very powerful
Got the same mower. Been considering doing this for a long time. Thanks for the video.
Thank you
My wife just bought an electric lawn mower that needs an extension cord and I'm not a fan of it so I looked up this video and to my surprise it's possible so I'm gonna be doing this.
Yes its possible I've been using it for like a year it still works. Not as powerful as a gas mower though
Great sharing, ! Thank you. was looking for this to convert my electric lawn. I have the same green works bought it 4 years before in Walmart dirt cheap.. but still looking good and in working condition.
I've owned a corded Kobolt for ~13 years now, but right now at lowes there is a "Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower 4 Ah (1-Battery and Charger Included)" for $230.91. I'm deff considering buy it, I'd post a link - but I know most links on yt get knocked down haha- people post links often in my comments too goto approve em. But anyways- cordless is a WIN!
Thought about this idea 6 months ago. glad to see someone has already done it. will also be power station for my corded chainsaw .
Been thinking about this for years! This is really helpful. Showing where to plug the battery on the motor would help as well, but inguess i can probably figure that out! Can you share the link to the battery charge display you have?
You don't plug the battery to the mower. You connect the battery to the inverter box and then plug the mower into the inverter. Here's a battery voltage screen on Amazon $10 www.amazon.com/Indicator-Backlight-Waterproof-Voltmeter-Lead-Acid/dp/B08BX13TYY/ref=asc_df_B08BX13TYY?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80882941400083&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584482468269533&psc=1
Given that the motor on this mower uses brushes, it likely is a universal motor and would also work on 120v dc. So you could probably just buy or make a lithium battery of the correct voltage and eliminate the inverter.
I should have waited until the end where you talk about eliminating the inverter. Lol. Good video.
Maybe so I don't know. This was an easy way to do it but not very efficient. I don't know much about electrical stuff and building batteries.
with prices he mentioned I have seen cordless lawn mowers for a lot cheaper than what he paid for the converter and when you figure in the battery off of ebay you can buy two lawn mowers with battery for less than what he paid, but at least I know how to do convert my exact same make mower.
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Also when you buy the inverter and the lithium battery like I did, you can use it for other things besides mowing the lawn. I used mine to power a window AC unit for a few hours in my shed. So this setup I have created serves multiple uses besides just mowing your lawn.
Thought about doing this but for the price or converters cords and battery you can about get a cordless
Mower
You can buy a cordless. However I use the inverter and battery on it with an extension cord to power my weed whacker, hedge trimmer and leaf blower.
Great video! I have a couple of standard used car batteries still in good condition sitting and doing nothing. Can someone pitch in and explain exactly why they're not a good choice for this project and possibly won't work good for this, like author of the video said? I assume car battery would have a lot more power than the battery used in a video? My car batteries are 60 amps each. LifePO4 batteries are new to me and they cost a lot, I am trying to do this project on a budget....is there an alternative battery that is a good fit?
Well for starters, the car batteries are VERY heavy. Imagine pushing that around for two hours. The lithium is much lighter. Also car batteries aren't really designed for what we are doing. They are designed to give a massive initial charge to start the car. They aren't really designed for high sustained energy use like mowing a lawn.
What about using one of those portable power stations that have a plug? Or do those not put out enough power
It depends on the size of the power station some will run construction equipment (table saws, drills, etc) one fitting that requirement would run the lawnmower with no problems.
Im on similar project right now. I have 20year old Viking mower which is cord mower with 1500watt motor. Year ago my Greenworks 40V chainsaw broke, and I was left with working motor with all the electronics, so my plan is to attach it to that mower and remove that old AC motor. I hope it will be enough, unfortunately I dont have almost any info about that motor (sticker dissolved from oil).. But by the internet it should be 2kw motor with a lot of RPM, so might be even a little overkill, but we will see when i make it
Thank you for this initiative. It was useful in my quest to convert my cabled lawnmower to battery power.
I have just started using av1500W inverter with a 12v50ah lithium battery to run my cabled lawnmower but the inverter keep shutting down after few minutes of running despite the battery remaining at 13v. What could be the problem with?
Can you provide me with the name and model of the inverter used? What is the "peak power" of your inverter. Mine is 3000 watts, even though it is rated for 1500watts. Devices use more power when they first start up. Here is the link to the inverter I am using in the video 1500W Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Converter and Peak Power 3000W Car Inverter with 4.2A Dual USB Ports Quick Charging Car Charger, Solar Inverter ETL Listed a.co/d/bDdKui4
That motor looks like an AC/DC type. You probably could have just connected a DC battery directly to the motor.
Im down for the project aspect, but honestly sometimes certain projects cost more than they are worth, this is the first video I've watched on the subject as i have 3 good quality drill batteries i wanted to use to power my corded mower, but straight away at 90 for an inverter, potentially more if you need a better one for your mower, then the cables etc. i could go to my local garden place and pick up a cordless mower for 130 inc battery and charger. Like i say i respect the effort i love a project but im out
How do you recharge the battery?
With a car battery charger or a solar charge controller
Has anyone made an all in one kit for these type of mowers?
I don't think so
Not specifically for the mower but a power station like the Jackery or Eco Flo of proper size will run the unit without problems, just plug and play literally
Might be a stupid question but how do you charge it?
Simple - with a car battery charger.
I thought this was a great idea. I have a Greenworks 13 Amp 21" Corded Electric Walk-Behind Push Lawn Mower 25112. I did purchase a 3000W Inverter and a Moseworth 50A LiFePO4 Rechargeable Battery. I purchased the same 1 foot cord. The battery only runs for 15 to 20 minutes. Would you offer any suggestions on what may be wrong? and how can I get more run time?
I would think that would work. Maybe there is a problem with the inverter sensing too little power supply and cutting off?
nice video, I did this as well. I am actually now thinking of redoing the front axel so it can turn and then controlling it with a remote control so I can take mow over kids- I mean mow the lawn and sit down
Great idea, hopefully everything works out well for you!
@@techtidbits7594 I watched some other videos and decided to just do 2 motors controlling the back wheels which is easy enough to turn there too. it is pretty simple build. Also using gstreamer to send a low latency video signal so once I work out the safety software I can sit inside with it. Everything works well right now but I keep an eye on it still. I'll have it constant connection once per second and if that cuts off it'll shut itself down so it doesn't go rogue lmao
you rule, thanks for sharing, now to make it work with my xbox controller and we are all fine and dandy
How the mower holding up?
It still works. I recharge the battery via a 100 watt solar panel.
Can we use the tv battery from Walmart ?
What do mean by TV battery? Like a battery for a television?
@@techtidbits7594 my apologies I mean Walmart marine battery
@@eyewatchvq no I would only use lithium or lipo
Could I use a 400 w inverter
Probably not
show me how to connect the battery to the motor?
You have to connect the battery to the inverter. Then plug the mower into the inverter.
Ive got the same mower but it won't start anymore.
Maybe the motor is burnt out?
You budget went Boeing. Lol
The cheapest way would be to buy a cordless off of EBAY or do a search for cheap cordless mowers with tool (battery).
There are battery powered mowers on eBay for under $100?? I've never seen that. If so then they are probably really underpowered and practically junk. A good quality new oem battery mower is going to run you like $300-500 dollars from what I have seen.
is the battery rechargeable
Yes the battery is rechargeable. You need to buy a 12v battery charge on Amazon. That particular battery I used came with a charger.
Great idea!
Might as well buy a cordless mower with all the additional fees you added.... they run from 400 to 500. Its not much more expensive and this is way more of a pain
I use it for other things besides mowing the grass, that's why I got the inverter
No, not efficient, grossly non efficient. Its a universal motor, it can run on dc, you just need about 90v-150vdc to run that motor, so either a 90vdc battery or several lower volt batteries in series.
My setup is not efficient, you are right. How do I do what you are saying? Can you make a video demonstrating what you are saying? I would be interested and I'm sure other people would too.
@techtidbits7594
Get 4, 20v power tool batteries and run them in series and plug them into your lawnmower into its cord and you'll be able to eliminate that power inverter.
@@techtidbits7594
Positive of the first battery plugs into the lawnmower it's negative goes to the positive of the 2nd battery. The negative of the second battery goes to the positive of the 3rd and so on and at the end of the 4th battery you'll connect its negative to the other prong where it plugs into the lawnmower. 1st battery positive goes to one prong and the negative of the 4th goes to the other prong on the lawnmowers extension cord plug.
If 80v using 4 power tool batteries isn't enough try 5 to get 100v. Those universal motors are very inefficient if theyre not within their voltage rating. The motor will run best when it sounds like it has about the same rpms as it does when running 120v ac.
@@z32racer1No, they arent non efficient. The load, wattage demand is proportional to load, since they are under-loaded, they do not generate excess heat.
If you loaded it harder than whats sane, they would be not very efficeint.
They are 2.5-5hp tradmill motors, rated at 130vdc, but they are only rated 5hp for 1 minute or less, otherwise, they run at half power, at half voltage, so technically they are 75v motors at 2hp or so, the sticker just has inflated ratings because of ............ THe motors also run at lower rpm, which is ok, they can run fairly low rpm to mow a yard, so its not a concern in this application.
I have tried this already, it works at 60vdc quite nicely. ANd the motor does not get hot which was a suprise to me. Your motor IS different, but universal motors are basically fairly similar.
However, it is best to run higher voltages most times. But i would trade off simplicity for what system you have.
Its more dangerous to have 5 different tool brands, with 5 different connectors and 5 different voltages for 5 different purposes, with doubious degrees of useability and reliability. I kill govbt folks that concieve this horrendous scheme.
IMO the govt should be doing a better job inspecting batteries and standardization. It should be something like 3 sizes, all standard. 5v, 20v, 80v,,, something like that. and chemistry that is not practially a bomb if abused or serviced a certain way. LIfepo4 or lto, 5v, 20v, 80v FOR EVERYTHING. Otherwise its a foul foul biden diaper mess, if you understand this.