A New Ryobi Tool

[leehljp]

Removing the batteries from the charger is generally NOT RECOMMENDED, in most cases and with most chargers LiIon batteries should be left on the charger. Definitely follow the manufacturer's recommendations, but most LiIon chargers have battery monitoring and conditioning and the batteries will last longer if left on the charger. Manufacturer's may differ in their recommendations, but most brands recommend leaving them on the charger to increase longevity. People report Ridgid will not warranty batteries that have not been kept on the charger, for example. One concern is that LiIon batteries deteriorate if allowed to discharge too low, and this can happen with self-discharge.

Here is a link that explains in more detail why it's better to leave them on the charger.
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a..._ion_batteries

WT,
I am glad you brought this up. The key to leaving them in is - many/most LiOn batteries / battery chargers are built for that purpose. However in the smaller electronic world of cheap cell phones and small size electronics, they want to get by as cheaply as possible to sell as cheaply as possible. THESE, that situation, is where leaving batteries in - is NOT recommended. Those cheap chargers as were many early LiOn chargers did not have the self regulators on them, causing problems and even fires. I cannot give specific facts, but I do remember that early LiOn battery chargers and accompanying batteries said not to leave it in much longer past full charge. I remember that because I thought that was pure stupidity - who in the world is going to stay around a charger to see when it was done to take it out! Then we got a cordless vac with LiOn batteries about 5 years ago. There were mixed reviews on Amazon with people saying that batteries were NOT supposed to stay in past charge, and those that said they could. The actual instructions said that they could. The charger did/does have the regulator.

Ryobi chargers and most tools have the regulator to allow charging only for what is needed, allowing a battery to stay in the charger for even days on end. I will often put an 18V battery in my charger and not go back into my shop for two or three days, at which time I remove it and it is not hot.

[woodturner]

Lipo/Li-Ion batteries should NOT be left on the charger. If you want them to last, and be safe, you remove them from the chargers as soon as practical to do so.

Removing the batteries from the charger is generally NOT RECOMMENDED, in most cases and with most chargers Li-Ion batteries should be left on the charger. Definitely follow the manufacturer's recommendations, but most Li-Ion chargers have battery monitoring and conditioning and the batteries will last longer if left on the charger. Manufacturer's may differ in their recommendations, but most brands recommend leaving them on the charger to increase longevity. People report Ridgid will not warranty batteries that have not been kept on the charger, for example. One concern is that LiIon batteries deteriorate if allowed to discharge too low, and this can happen with self-discharge.

Here is a link that explains in more detail why it's better to leave them on the charger.
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a..._ion_batteries

[Jim Frye]

Just to clarify what I posted. The Ryobi RM480e (and ex) mower uses Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries (4 in series). The Troybilt electric mower uses LiOn batteries and retails for the same price as the Ryobi. The SLA batteries should be left on the charger which keeps them topped (trickle charge) up automatically. This is stated in the manual. This increases the life span of the batteries. I haven't investigated how the charger works in the Troybuilt mower, but I discounted the Troybuilt mower purely due to its one hour run time. Reviewers of the Ryobi mower state that a one hour run on the RM480 uses less than 20% of the charge. SLA batteries have longer life spans if they are not completely discharged and recharged fully before they are used again.

[Carlos]

I'm not sure if that was a typo or too many mixed negatives, but Lipo/Li-Ion batteries should NOT be left on the charger. If you want them to last, and be safe, you remove them from the chargers as soon as practical to do so.

[Jim Frye]

Just to add some information on this subject, since it appears to be a new enough product (on the market since Feb. 2017) with a somewhat unique solution. Where I live, it will cost about $2.80 per season for the electricity to keep this unit fully charged. A comparable gas engine rider nearest this size will cost about $70.00 per year for gas (@ $2.50/gal), plus the cost of oil & filter every year (about $30.00 for full synthetic oil and filter). I've also found that replacement batteries for the RM480e run $50.00 to $95.00 per battery, depending on where you buy them. Ryobi warrants the batteries for three years, so three years of fuel & oil savings should pay for battery replacement after the warranty expires. These batteries should be good for 5 to 7 years (like golf carts) if properly maintained (i.e. they sit on the charger when not in use). It strikes me that the fuel and maintenance savings would easily offset the higher initial cost of this mower over a long period of time. Also, the smallest Toro Timecutter rider lists for $900 more than this mower and uses more gas than the smaller riders. Troybilt has a battery rider, but it has half the run time of the RM480e. It uses LiOn batteries and costs the same as the RM480e. It's also not nearly as well built as the Ryobi.

[durango dude]

My nearby tools direct outlet is selling close-out Subaru mowers. Subaru got out of the small engine businesses.... which is a dang shame..... they had s strong product.

i don’t know much about new stuff.... can’t stand it. I rebuild (read hoard) Wheel horse tractors......

[capncarl]

I use to change the blades every other cut because the grass wasn’t well established over the entire yard and the sand and dirt dulled blades quickly. Now that the grass is well established I still change to sharp blades just to keep from running the mower so hard. Setting almost on top of a 27hp motor running 3500 rpm is not that much fun and the racket it makes and is annoying, running at aprox 2000 rpm reduces the noise 10 fold so the noise canceling headset I use does a good job.

Times really have changed, or maybe it is just my area, but I haven’t seen a teenager operate a lawn mower since my 2 boys left home! My neighborhood of aprox 30 homes with lots ranging from 2-5 acres each, with probably 25 of these homes having able bodied teenagers, I have only seen one teenager operating a mower. That particular time the kid was just riding around on his fathers new zero turn mower without the blades turned on. I would gladly pay the teens to cut my yard, but they won’t even cut their own parents yard. They won’t even help pick up pine cones and limbs or rake leaves. But they do exepect mom and pop to stop what they are doing and drive them into town so they can play ball. Sad.

Concerning the price of the RM480. I consider it a purchase like this to buying a nicer shop tool, something that I want to use, like a Unisaw, or a nice custom hand plane. It’s something that gives me pleasure to use ( if that can be said of mowing the yard ) and will last a long time.

[leehljp]

I had not given a thought to how many cuts between sharpening but I guess I do similar as you do. I sharpen in the spring (April), before the first cut, usually cut every week to 10 days on average and sharpen again in early July. Once July hits, grass cutting is about once every other week. This puts me at about sharpening once every 6 to 8 cuts.

Most of the time, I just feel the edge and if it starts to feel rounded over edge, I either sharpen it then or at least the next time if I am pushed for time.

[Jim Frye]

Yes, I have two sets of blades for the mower and switch out about every 6 uses. It takes me five to silx minutes to draw file the edges on both blades (the Honda uses dual blades off set by a few degrees) and balance them. The sharp blades don't tear the grass so it doesn't turn brown on the ends and makes the lawn look greener. The sharp blades also mulch much better. The Honda runs at a constant rpm, but the sharper blades cut easier and the engine doesn't have to compensate because it loads up less. The walking speed is controlled by thumb paddles. It's sort of like a CVT transmission.

[capncarl]

Something that I don’t see anyone who mowes concerned much with is sharp blades. Everyone runs their mowers engines wide open, saying they factory manual says to do this! I say, duh dude, if I was selling lawnmowers I would want you to run wide open so I can sell you a new mower every 4 years I have 5-6 sets of blades for my mower that I keep sharp and install a fresh sharp blade every 4-5 cuts. This allows me to cut with my 3 1/2 acres with the motor running about 1/2 speed, getting a good cut with less noise and save the wear and tear on my motor. The mower still runs faster than my back can stand.

[Jim Frye]

Jim, for less than the price of the Ryobi, you could get a Husqvana robot mower from Lowes and sit on the porch while your lawn mows itself. A friend of mine who lives in town has one and has had no issues with it in 4 years. Unfortunately, I'd need a fleet of 4 of the high end mowers and an army of other robots to pick up sticks, apples, and walnuts in my yard in order to use it.

I've looked at the robotic mowers, including the new Honda unit, but grading on my property is far too uneven for them to work properly. My lawn is full of ruts and furrows from the slit seeder the landscaper used when the twits did the lawn. I was hoping the extreme weight of the RM480e (595 pounds plus my 220 pounds) will flatten things in the spring when the ground is soft.

This whole topic got started because SWMBO thinks I should have a rider to ease my aging knees. Right now, I walk to mow, walk to spread lawn food, and walk to do yard work. With a rider, I can tow the spreader, a lawn cart, and even an aerator. There is talk amongst some users of mounting a snow blade on it. My issue is that the second best (by ratings) small rider is the Cub Cadet CC30h and even though it's nearly half the price, it's not as good a mower as the Ryobi. The RM480e (and ex) came out in February of 2017, so maybe I can hold her off until next year and see what happens with the unit. The old Honda will run for many years and I'll just cheat my Son out of getting it for a while. He'll just have to make do with his cheapo big box store mower.

[Jim Frye]

I just thought about the battery life of SLA batteries. My seven year old Honda 21" electric start walk behind still has its original SLA battery and it works just fine. This battery does not have an external charger, so it can't be kept charged during winter storage, yet it still works great all summer. You just have to pull start it for the first use each spring. Unfortunately, the tires are completely bald (a common thing with Honda self propelled walk behinds). Doesn't affect mowing on level ground.

[Carlos]

That price is insane for something that isn't self-driven and automatic. We were considering planting a small grass area for our dogs, and I was looking at the Dewalt for $400. This would be the first time I've had to mow a lawn as an adult. I hate grass, wife wants to make the dogs happy.

[cwsmith]

I didn't catch this yesterday, so a little late to the show with an opinion, but here goes:

First, I really like all my Ryobi tools, but in very recent years it seems that the introductions and departures seem to be an annual event, with what I thought were new models being replaced in just a year or two. That seems especially the case with outdoor products, but I perhaps I'm wrong about this, as I really don't attempt to keep up.B
That said, the question in my mind would be how long are you going to get parts, batteries, etc. from an expensive tool like this, when it may have been dropped or replaced in another two years or so? (I'm greatly disappointed in the fact that with a classic tool like by BT3100, and several TTI-made Ridgid tool purchases are now without parts.)

I do agree with those who state that it's hard to find someone to come and mow your lawn, especially if you want it done on a regularly scheduled basis. I have my house here in Binghamton (60 x 120), my house in Painted Post (60 x 110.. and a steep bank) and for three years my MIL's house over on the east side here (finally sold it last year), which was 50 x 100). I simply could not find a neighborhood teen who might want to do it, so I mowed the two houses here every week and the Painted Post house every other week.

I have a mower in Painted Post, and so don't have to transport one there (150 miles round trip), but for the in-laws, I'd have to ramp the mower into the van and take it to the other side of town. Frankly, it's exhausting, especially on these close to 90-degree days. BUT, you can't find a kid anymore!. The lawn services are ridiculously priced, asking $60 or more, for a job that can be done in thirty minutes. For awhile I had a guy in Painted Post, and our arrangement was that he'd mow in the middle of the month and I'd mow at the end of the month. But other than that first month, whenever I'd go there, it was apparent it hadn't been mowed in weeks. I'd call him and get one explanation or another and he'd say he'd come up and mow it in a few days. I told him I just mowed, so come in two weeks and my neighbor would tell me that he'd show up a couple days after I mowed, run his mower around anyway, then not show up again. We obviously couldn't get in sync and after three months I dropped him, and haven't found anyone since.

Personally, I can see the attraction of a rider, especially electric, but that Ryobi just seems expensive to me. I'm going to be 74 in another week or so. Seems like I've been mowing lawns for lawns for more than sixty years. Unfortunately the way my lawn is, I could never justify a rider and I guess my excuse is that need the exercise, or so I keep telling myself! Finding a neighbor kid sure would be nice though,

CWS

[twistsol]

Jim, for less than the price of the Ryobi, you could get a Husqvana robot mower from Lowes and sit on the porch while your lawn mows itself. A friend of mine who lives in town has one and has had no issues with it in 4 years. Unfortunately, I'd need a fleet of 4 of the high end mowers and an army of other robots to pick up sticks, apples, and walnuts in my yard in order to use it.

Robot Mower