CONVERTING A GAS MOWER TO SOLAR ELECTRIC POWER

I enjoy mowing my rural lawn area - weeds and all. I just resent having to use a noisy polluting machine to do it! I learned that small gasoline engines like those in lawn mowers can pollute up to 7 times as much as vehicles (with the exception of our 60MPG Honda Insight and 30MPG Ford Escape Hybrid which are both Ultra Low Emission Vehicles!). Click here to learn more about our other sustainable living efforts.

In June of 2005 I read an article in Home Power Magazine's June/July issue (number 107) by a guy who converted a standard gas lawn mower to solar electric powered. Al Latham wrote the article and made it seem like a relatively simple job for the mechanically inclined guy. This blog details my experiences and should serve as a more detailed cookbook than the article for those inclined to try this themselves.

If you have completed a conversion and would like to share your experience, then send me pictures and a description and I'll add you to the Gallery of conversions!
Guy Marsden

My mower conversion was featured in Popular Science Magazine's July 2008 issue on page 45. It is one of "10 Audacious Ideas To Save The Planet"

The article states that I will "convert a mower for you, for a little green of your own." I have decided that I would rather let you do the work yourself - I have plenty of other things to keep me in trouble! So that's why I put up these detailed instructions. Go for it!

Mower plugged in to solar panels and charging from the sun

OVERVIEW

The project entails replacing the gasoline engine of a used 22" gas powered mower with a 12 Volt electric motor and battery - along with gauges, circuit breaker/power switch and charging connector. Using 12 Volts keeps the design simple and relatively safe.

The solar charging system consists of solar panel(s) that are wired to a charge controller with an extension cord that connects to the mower. Optionally, a standard AC powered automatic battery charger can be used.

The noticeable difference when mowing is the quiet! The blades are spinning at about 1/2 the speed (1750RPM) of a gas mower (3450RPM) with a virtually silent motor, it sounds like a big fan! With sharp blades it cuts just as good as my retired Sears 5HP mower.

Click here to review the parts list and price out the project.

Click here to get started on your conversion!

If this project is too daunting for you, here are some options:

You can buy an off-the-shelf SunWhisper solar mower with a 19" blade for under $700. This is basically a Black & Decker CMM100 24V rechargeable mower with a solar charging system added on.

Another option that cannot be solar charged is the Remington Power Mower, which is an electric rechargeable model that runs on a 60 Volt battery with built-in charger.

Riding mowers
People have asked me about converting riding mowers. A couple of folks have done this successfully, but it gets expensive, see the gallery section of my blog.

Here's another option, look at restoring or buying a used 1970's vintage GE ElekTrak all electric lawn tractor. Click here to learn more about these machines.

The Electric Power Research Institute of Palo Alto claims that replacing half of the nearly 1.3 million walk-behind gas mowers used in the United States with electric mowers would eliminate the equivalent hydrocarbon emissions of 2 million cars.

The old vs the new! The retired noisy, polluting 5HP Sears Craftsman monster next to my quiet, clean, free energy Green Machine!

Home Power magazine is the Hands-on Journal of Home-Made Power. If you are interested in: making your own electricity from renewable energy, alternative vehicles, or finding out the latest in related technologies and life-styles, then this publication can keep you up to date.

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