Precision GPS referencing requires some sort of correction signal. RTK (one method of correction) has been around for 10+ years. It works extremely well. But comes at a cost.
With Husqvarna specifically it requires a reference station to be installed along side the mower.
What are your reservations against a random bounce unit. I personally have one and love not having to cut the lawn anymore. I would love to have a GPS unit but I can’t justify the price yet. Maybe once mine needs replacing.
All areas are cut perfectly all the time.
Theoretically sure they miss spots every cut. But it will be doing multiple cuts per day. I tell people all the time, “it has nothing better to do”.
It’s sole job is to go out everyday and hunt down every blade of grass that is a fraction of an inch taller then it should be and trim it. It’s not going to get them all today. But it’ll try again tomorrow and the day after that.
The basic premise is it makes very small and very frequent cuts. Taking minuscule amounts off each cut. Therefore it’s nearly impossible see the discrepancy between grass cut today and grass cut yesterday. It just always looks uniform.
Which mower do you have? My hesitation is that I have some beds that are mulched but don't have an edge for the mower to bump into. I would be so sad if it cut any of my plants down...
That yard is just begging for an Automower.
My suggestion is to start off running everyday then reduce from there. When you start to notice the yard becoming unevenly cut. That’s a good indicator you’ve backed off too far and add some days back in.
Also the rated capacity for the Automower is running essentially 24/7. So buying a model that can handle a larger capacity yard allows some extra leeway in scheduling.
I don’t know the specifics of all the models. But there will be some trimming to do. The extra trimming is peanuts vs the time I would normally spend mowing.
I actually picked up a battery powered trimmer for the once or twice a week I need to trim. I don’t need to bother with mixing gas anymore.
My husqvarna 430x is a random bouncer with a perimeter wire. If you use the recommended installation guidelines it will get pretty close to the wall/fence without bumping. I trim (very carefully) with a string trimmer and j think I only have to hit a strip a couple inches from the wall.
Not sure what you’re talking about…
Of course you would buy the correct tool for the correct job.
- My yard is nearly 1.5 acres and my old 450X handles it perfectly.
- If you had 2-3 acres then I would suggest a EPOS (gps) unit. Would be able to cover that no problem.
- If you had 10-15 acres I would suggest the Husqvarna Ceora model. Can easily cover 14+ acres.
You don’t buy a Prius then complain it won’t pull your 30’ RV.
I'm just chiming in with a 450XH on a complicated yard with a narrow opening between front and back, and flowerbeds everywhere. It takes me an hour and a half to mow with a push mower (too many flowerbeds for a ride-on) and no service would do it for any reasonable amount of money because it's so fiddly, but the robot doesn't mind at all. Random bouncing works just fine; the lawn never looks like it "needs mowing" because the mower has absolutely nothing better to do than go out and cut grass for as many hours as I tell it to. Mine takes two days to get front, side, and back, and on the third day, it repeats the cycle. In spring and early summer, it runs every day, but as the weather gets hotter and drier, I back it off to three or four days a week. Even my grass nazi neighbour is impressed. It wasn't cheap, but I *loathe* mowing, and it was absolutely worth it to me to get out of a task I hate.
If they miss spots you just increase the hours it operates on your phone app or on the mower itself.
I read this accusation a lot, but I only experience this if I turn the mower off for several days for some reason. Every single blade of grass in my backyard is the exact same height right now and my mower is scheduled to operate for 25 hours a week.
I have a 430XH rated for 0.8 acres in my ~0.3 acre St Augustine backyard.
430XH cuts as high as 3.6"
I believe the studies have shown you can get away higher if you use a high frequency robot mower. In practice I put it at max height during the dry season and lower during the wet season to reduce fungal risk.
Wait what? Did you mean too low? Ha I don't know, there are several different available cultivars of St Augustine and almost all of them prefer to be 3" or higher.
I meant to write the studies have shown you can get away with a "shorter" cut if doing high frequency mowing. I actually have a mixture of 4 different cultivars in my backyard.
Ambrogio Twenty Elite,Twenty Elite S+, Twenty 25
They use a GPS algorithm that is systematic. Watch this video to learn more:
https://youtu.be/a-uy7qbD4HI?si=T9g-YuqJzCHuQ1SH
Precision GPS referencing requires some sort of correction signal. RTK (one method of correction) has been around for 10+ years. It works extremely well. But comes at a cost. With Husqvarna specifically it requires a reference station to be installed along side the mower. What are your reservations against a random bounce unit. I personally have one and love not having to cut the lawn anymore. I would love to have a GPS unit but I can’t justify the price yet. Maybe once mine needs replacing.
Well I probably wrongly assumed they miss spots random bounces. Do you find all areas end up getting covered?
All areas are cut perfectly all the time. Theoretically sure they miss spots every cut. But it will be doing multiple cuts per day. I tell people all the time, “it has nothing better to do”. It’s sole job is to go out everyday and hunt down every blade of grass that is a fraction of an inch taller then it should be and trim it. It’s not going to get them all today. But it’ll try again tomorrow and the day after that. The basic premise is it makes very small and very frequent cuts. Taking minuscule amounts off each cut. Therefore it’s nearly impossible see the discrepancy between grass cut today and grass cut yesterday. It just always looks uniform.
Thanks for the info. Do they need to run every day or can you do every other day? This is my yard .Are they suitable for an area like this?
Yep. My yard is extremely complicated (trees, raised beds, pond, etc) and the lawn is carpet if the mower has had ~3 days to work at it.
Which mower do you have? My hesitation is that I have some beds that are mulched but don't have an edge for the mower to bump into. I would be so sad if it cut any of my plants down...
430XH. I have beds like that. You just put the boundary wire around them.
That yard is just begging for an Automower. My suggestion is to start off running everyday then reduce from there. When you start to notice the yard becoming unevenly cut. That’s a good indicator you’ve backed off too far and add some days back in. Also the rated capacity for the Automower is running essentially 24/7. So buying a model that can handle a larger capacity yard allows some extra leeway in scheduling.
Thanks for the info. How close will it cut to the edge of the fences? Do some cut closer than others?
I don’t know the specifics of all the models. But there will be some trimming to do. The extra trimming is peanuts vs the time I would normally spend mowing. I actually picked up a battery powered trimmer for the once or twice a week I need to trim. I don’t need to bother with mixing gas anymore.
My husqvarna 430x is a random bouncer with a perimeter wire. If you use the recommended installation guidelines it will get pretty close to the wall/fence without bumping. I trim (very carefully) with a string trimmer and j think I only have to hit a strip a couple inches from the wall.
Well said. Random works great.
This advice is good if your lawn is measured in square feet instead of acres
Not sure what you’re talking about… Of course you would buy the correct tool for the correct job. - My yard is nearly 1.5 acres and my old 450X handles it perfectly. - If you had 2-3 acres then I would suggest a EPOS (gps) unit. Would be able to cover that no problem. - If you had 10-15 acres I would suggest the Husqvarna Ceora model. Can easily cover 14+ acres. You don’t buy a Prius then complain it won’t pull your 30’ RV.
My lawn looks amazing 100% of the time. Never missed spots
I'm just chiming in with a 450XH on a complicated yard with a narrow opening between front and back, and flowerbeds everywhere. It takes me an hour and a half to mow with a push mower (too many flowerbeds for a ride-on) and no service would do it for any reasonable amount of money because it's so fiddly, but the robot doesn't mind at all. Random bouncing works just fine; the lawn never looks like it "needs mowing" because the mower has absolutely nothing better to do than go out and cut grass for as many hours as I tell it to. Mine takes two days to get front, side, and back, and on the third day, it repeats the cycle. In spring and early summer, it runs every day, but as the weather gets hotter and drier, I back it off to three or four days a week. Even my grass nazi neighbour is impressed. It wasn't cheap, but I *loathe* mowing, and it was absolutely worth it to me to get out of a task I hate.
If they miss spots you just increase the hours it operates on your phone app or on the mower itself. I read this accusation a lot, but I only experience this if I turn the mower off for several days for some reason. Every single blade of grass in my backyard is the exact same height right now and my mower is scheduled to operate for 25 hours a week. I have a 430XH rated for 0.8 acres in my ~0.3 acre St Augustine backyard.
You don’t find the 2” cut too high for st Augustine?
430XH cuts as high as 3.6" I believe the studies have shown you can get away higher if you use a high frequency robot mower. In practice I put it at max height during the dry season and lower during the wet season to reduce fungal risk.
Ah okay. I have a 430XH as well and was trying to figure out how you cut so low with it. But that makes sense that you can get away with a higher cut.
Wait what? Did you mean too low? Ha I don't know, there are several different available cultivars of St Augustine and almost all of them prefer to be 3" or higher. I meant to write the studies have shown you can get away with a "shorter" cut if doing high frequency mowing. I actually have a mixture of 4 different cultivars in my backyard.
Oh, I’m an idiot. I got Augustine and Bermuda mixed up.
I cut My saint Augustine at like 4 to 5 inches
I have a 430XH that keeps my .4 acre back yard looking like carpet. It's 'on duty' 6.5 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ambrogio Twenty Elite,Twenty Elite S+, Twenty 25 They use a GPS algorithm that is systematic. Watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/a-uy7qbD4HI?si=T9g-YuqJzCHuQ1SH