A lawn mower is a machine used to cut the grass on a lawn to a specific height. It is either powered by an engine, a battery, or pushing power. Prior to the development of the lawn mower, the scythe was used to cut lawns. Using a scythe in order to get a short and even finish was difficult and required exceptional skill. Edwin Bunning, a British engineer, invented the first mower in 1830. The invention had a significant global impact on all outdoor sports played on grass and the growth of the suburbs around our cities.
The first mower with a combustion engine came into existence in 1902, while the electric model followed in 1926. Numerous mowers are available, including zero turns, walk-behinds, lawn tractors, and others. Among them, the popular ones are Fuel-based and electric lawn mowers. Let’s look into the details of how they operate.
How does a Fuel Lawn Mower work?
As the name suggests, fuel or petrol-based mower works using fuel. They are powerful and hence these lawn mowers are perfect for big lawns and open spaces. Let’s look at the process of how a fuel or petrol lawn mower works.
The Start-Up
A petrol lawn mower features a small engine that must be started by the operator pulling a starter cord. The motor will turn on by pulling the starter cable. Naturally, some larger self-propelled models might come equipped with a battery and starter motor, making starting them up much simpler.
The Motor
The engine works to turn the blades directly. A throttle is located on the handlebar and controls how fast the blades are spinning. This pulls a cable in the carburettor that opens and closes a valve. This aids in regulating the fuel delivered to the engine, which regulates the motor’s speed.
Blade Height
Before the final cut of the season, you might leave the blade at a different height. In order to “top” the grass, the initial cut must lift the blade. You can lower the blade gradually until it is at your desired height.
Grass Cutting & Collection
The blade spins rapidly beneath the deck, raising and cutting the grass as it does so. The grass clippings are then blown through the channel in the grass box and dropped on the lawn or in the grass box, where you can decide how to dispose of them.
Read Also: What is Lawn mowing: A Complete Guide
How does Electric Lawn Mower work?
Electric lawn mowers are the most effective lawn mowers as they have simplicity in their controls. But how do those controls work? Well, it all depends on the following factors.
- Power Cord: It plugs into an outlet and utilises electricity from that source of electricity.
- Lever- They determine the level for cutting the grass.
- Rear rollers: They aid in cutting the unbalanced grass effectively and can stabilise the mower.
- Cutout switches: They ensure the protection of the mower.
- Batteries- In the case of cordless mowers, they use batteries to run the machine but need continuous charging, typically after every 1 hour of use.
To know more about how electric mower work, we have to see the working aspect of corded and cordless electric mowers.
How do Corded Electric Mowers Work?
After you turn on the electricity, you can start up the lawn mower. For the corded model, you’ll need to plug it into an outlet, push a button, or flip a switch. And there you have it, the mower starts working. Make sure to operate the corded mower properly, as the wires may cause some accidents. Never use it on wet grasses, as these are electrical in nature.
How do Cordless Electric Mowers Work?
Like the corded one, you will first power up the mower and start up the lawn mower. For the cordless model, all you have to do is turn a key, pull a lever, or push a button. You can then maneuver the mower as you wish; there will be no wires to disturb you.
How does a robotic lawn mower work?
To provide the best cut to your lawn, a typical robot mower uses a combination of bump sensors, guidewire and navigation systems. So, to use the robotic mower, first, you can also set up a PIN for security. After that, you need to set up your charging station and the boundary wire. After that, you can set up Bluetooth or 4G setup for control purposes. So, once you have set up these, you can turn ON the robotic mower. Then the mower starts mowing within the boundary area. Even if the robotic mower collides with any object, it just changes direction and continues mowing till the fixed time.
Wrapping up
So, you can choose any kind of lawn mower after assessing your lawn condition and your budget. Further, you must take precautions to make the mower work better and last longer. Make sure to follow the necessary precautionary guidelines mentioned in the manual of the lawn mower whenever you are mowing. At the same time, you must make sure to have the lawn mower cleaned and stored in a safe place.