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New Greenworks 20" twin blade Li-Ion battery powered lawn mower !

Jan 9, 2013#1

MowerMike

This is one serious battery powered push lawn mower. They are listed at Lowe's online (Item # 421871) for $399, but are not yet available. There is also a new 36 volt lead-acid push mower (Item # 421869) with a 19" cut for $299 that is comparable to the Black and Decker CM1936 for $150 less.

GreenWorks - Product Detail - G-MAX 40V 20" 2-in-1 Twin Force Mower

http://greenworkstools.com/product-detail/36v-push-mower-lead-acid

Jan 10, 2013#2

lawn mower fanatic

Why would you need 2 blades for a 20 inch mower?

Jan 10, 2013#3

MowerMike

lawn mower fanatic said:
Why would you need 2 blades for a 20 inch mower?

I think it is more efficient and uses less power than a single 20" blade. You can run the smaller blades at a higher RPM to maintain the same tip speed for quality cutting. Per the Greenworks manuals, the blade on the 20" mower with the lead acid battery turns at 3500 RPM, but the dual blade in this new mower turn at 5000 RPM. Greenworks claims 70 minutes run time on the dual blade mower, which is longer than the 20" mower with the larger capacity and much heavier lead acid battery. It also has a longer run time than their single blade 19" mower with Li-Ion batteries.

Jan 10, 2013#4

lawn mower fanatic

MowerMike said:
I think it is more efficient and uses less power than a single 20" blade. You can run the smaller blades at a higher RPM to maintain the same tip speed for quality cutting. Per the Greenworks manuals, the blade on the 20" mower with the lead acid battery turns at 3500 RPM, but the dual blade in this new mower turn at 5000 RPM. Greenworks claims 70 minutes run time on the dual blade mower, which is longer than the 20" mower with the larger capacity and much heavier lead acid battery. It also has a longer run time than their single blade 19" mower with Li-Ion batteries.

OK thanks for the info! It's pretty cool!

Jan 14, 2013#5

MowerMike

Exciting news ! The Greenworks 20" twin blade Li-Ion mower is now available online at Shop Greenworks 20 inch Dual Blade - 40 Volt Lithium Ion battery powered lawn mower with mulching and bagging capabilities at Lowes.com with free shipping to your home. I've ordered one and it should arrive by the end of this week. I'll keep you posted.

Jan 14, 2013#6

lawn mower fanatic

MowerMike said:
Exciting news ! The Greenworks 20" twin blade Li-Ion mower is now available online at Shop Greenworks 20 inch Dual Blade - 40 Volt Lithium Ion battery powered lawn mower with mulching and bagging capabilities at Lowes.com with free shipping to your home. I've ordered one and it should arrive by the end of this week. I'll keep you posted.

I can't wait to hear how you like it, and maybe we could get some pictures! :smile:

Jan 14, 2013#7

MowerMike

I found this facebook link that explains why I was only able to find this mower at Lowe's:

https://www.facebook.com/GreenWorksTools/app_208195102528120

Jan 18, 2013#8

MowerMike

Fresh off the boat - a truly new innovation in lawn mower design.

It arrived late yesterday and I noticed that the date code is 12/14/12, which means that it was built scarcely a month ago, and was fresh off the boat from China when I placed my order 5 days ago. It shipped from the west coast (Portland, OR), so it may have arrived by boat in a container ship.

It is supplied with two batteries that fit into two separate compartments on the mower. It only draws power from one battery at a time, starting with the battery in the left compartment, and then switching to the battery in the right compartment when it is depleted. One battery is a small 73 Wh unit, while the other is a large double sized 146 Wh unit. Since the two compartments will both accommodate the large size battery, it should be possible to increase the operating time by replacing the small battery with a second large battery. It will operate just fine with just one battery installed in either compartment.

A really unique innovation is the smart power sensing feature, which automatically varies the motor power and blade speed depending on conditions. When you first start the mower, the motors rev up to 5000 rpm full speed and then after a few seconds with no resistance they slow down and draw less battery power. Then as you begin to mow, they speed up again based on the resistance from the grass until reaching maximum rpms again under very heavy grass conditions.

The mower uses two separate motors with 10 in. cutting blades that counter-rotate and are offset. When the blades are both perpendicular to the cutting path, there is about 1 inch of overlap, such the the true effective cutting path is more like 19 inches than the 20 inches that is claimed by Greenworks. Also, the front wheels are 17 inch diameter, not 18 inches as claimed on their website. Fortunately, the claimed 3-3/8" (8.5 cm) maximum cutting height is spot on.

The rear wheels are located within the width of the deck, such that edging and cutting close to fences and walls is excellent. The handlebar is also narrow, permitting very good access to tight places. The large 10 inch rear wheels makes use in rough terrain a snap. The bag attaches and removes very easily, has a comfortable built-in handle on the rigid top section and a convenient bag-full indicator. It also has an inside liner on the right and rear sides to minimize dust blowing back at the operator when bagging in dry conditions. The rear stone guard is designed to rotate freely on the housing instead of flexing, so it's service life should be a lot better than guards that are bolted rigidly to the deck.

My only concern is availability of replacement blades, since they are totally non-standard and unique to this product. Also, the left and right blades are different parts. My past experience with Greenworks is that their support in this regard is very poor.

Right now there is no grass to cut, so I will have to wait at least a month before I can test it out and see how well it performs.

Jan 18, 2013#9

lawn mower fanatic

Nice! I see the blades don't overlap, so they don't need to be timed. Correct? That is how my Billy Goat was. It seems like a nice mower! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Jan 18, 2013#10

MowerMike

lawn mower fanatic said:
Nice! I see the blades don't overlap, so they don't need to be timed. Correct? That is how my Billy Goat was. It seems like a nice mower! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Correct. When the blades are in line with each other, then there is about a 1/4 inch gap between their tips, so they won't hit and don't need to be timed. There are two separate motors, one for each blade, and they run independently.

Jan 18, 2013#11

lawn mower fanatic

MowerMike said:
Correct. When the blades are in line with each other, then there is about a 1/4 inch gap between their tips, so they won't hit and don't need to be timed. There are two separate motors, one for each blade, and they run independently.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Jan 31, 2013#12

A

allanh2

I think you should check out the Recharge Mower 20" Lithium. This has 10.5 Ah and 36v. Super Powerful. More money than others but after using it I was sold. Blew all others away.

Feb 1, 2013#13

MowerMike

allanh2 said:
I think you should check out the Recharge Mower 20" Lithium. This has 10.5 Ah and 36v. Super Powerful. More money than others but after using it I was sold. Blew all others away.

Thanks for your post and welcome to the forum. It's good to hear from another lithium ion powered mower fan. Yes, I am familiar with the Recharge Mower PMLI-20 mower, but passed it up for the Greenworks mower because of the high cost of both mower and battery as well as its short 1 year warranty. The PMLI-20 costs $280 more than the Greenworks and the battery alone costs $400, which is the same as the Greenworks complete mower with batteries and charger. The Greenworks has a 2 year warranty on the batteries and 4 year warranty on the mower, and the batteries cost half as much. Although the battery on the Recharge Mower will probably last more than a year, it's scary to think that I might have to spend $400 yearly to replace it.

Another problem I have is with run times. The Recharge Mower states that runtime is "in excess of 45 minutes," which could mean 50 minutes or more, but if it's less than an hour, then a spare battery would be needed. At $400 for a spare that's a bit steep for me. The Greenworks promises "up to 70 minutes," and I could buy an extra 2 Ah battery for $80 to extend the run time about another 20 minutes if need be.

Finally, the wheels on the Recharge Mower PMLI-20 are rather small, 6.5" front and 7.5" rear, whereas they are 7" front and 10" rear on the Greenworks. I can live with small front wheels, but I really like large rear wheels on a mower.

I think if Recharge Mower offered a better warranty and a longer run time, then it might be able to justify the higher price.

Feb 1, 2013#14

A

allanh2

The part that I find interesting is the time. The green works talks about RUN time. That is sitting on a cement driveway running without touching a blade of grass. Any mower has a long RUN time. Why I chose the Recharge Mower is the 45 minutes is CUT TIME. That is actually mowing your lawn. Run time is very misleading and in no way reflects the amount of time you will be able to actually use the mower. Don't get caught in that trap.

Feb 1, 2013#15

MowerMike

allanh2 said:
The part that I find interesting is the time. The green works talks about RUN time. That is sitting on a cement driveway running without touching a blade of grass. Any mower has a long RUN time. Why I chose the Recharge Mower is the 45 minutes is CUT TIME. That is actually mowing your lawn. Run time is very misleading and in no way reflects the amount of time you will be able to actually use the mower. Don't get caught in that trap.

Nope. It's also cutting run time on the Greenworks, only it's a maximum rather than a minimum. It does vary depending on conditions, but it is still the projected operating time. The Greenworks has a unique power management feature, which varies the blade speed and power draw depending on conditions. Under light cutting conditions the motors run slower and use less battery capacity, but under heavier conditions they speed up in order to maintain good cutting action. They automatically slow down again as conditions become lighter, extending the battery run time. The Recharge mower runs at full speed and power all the time, regardless of conditions, which is why its run time is shorter despite having a higher capacity battery than the Greenworks. My experience with Greenworks is that their estimated run times are quite accurate and reasonable. I own their 16 inch Li-ion mower, which they estimate at 40 minutes maximum run time, and I've gotten a 45 minute run time from it under medium cutting conditions, so I have no reason to doubt their 70 minute estimate for the new twin blade model.

Feb 1, 2013#16

A

allanh2

I must tell you that I find that interesting but can advise that I have used the Recharge in a commercial application without issue. Performance has exceeded expectations. I am more than satisfied and happy with my purchase. They were first with lithium in North America and have certainly set the standard.

Feb 4, 2013#17

MowerMike

allanh2 said:
I must tell you that I find that interesting but can advise that I have used the Recharge in a commercial application without issue.

Are you aware that you may have voided your warranty ? According to the terms of warranty on page 23 of your Operator's Manual under Limitations and Exclusions:

"2. Any COMMERCIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AGRICULTURAL, INDUSTRIAL, INCOME PRODUCING, or RENTAL use will result in No Warranty."

Feb 26, 2013#18

1

1 Lucky Texan

I just unboxed mine last night. (purchased because my old 21"Bolens is being passed down to a son-in-law)

here are some general thoughts and a question or 2;

I am generally impressed. It is quiet. It is light-weight. The battery system seems very intelligent.

From reading, I have concerns about warranty service should that come up.

I found no instruction for registering the mower or batteries. I have an email into the company about that.

While the quickstart guide and instruction manuals are adequate, they would be better if drawings and text were larger and the paper were closer to being white than brown.

I may order a spare key, a spare set of blades and a spare left-hand thread blade nut.

Wondering if wheel axles, height-adjust mechanism or other spots would benefit from lubrication of some kind?

Feb 26, 2013#19

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
From reading, I have concerns about warranty service should that come up.

I found no instruction for registering the mower or batteries. I have an email into the company about that.

I may order a spare key, a spare set of blades and a spare left-hand thread blade nut.

Wondering if wheel axles, height-adjust mechanism or other spots would benefit from lubrication of some kind?

If you need service or warranty support your only recourse is to talk to them by phone and have them give you the address of the nearest service center. They do not respond to emails sent either directly or via their website. Registering your product on their website is a waste of time, since they do not save this information or have any sort of database. In addition, this product is not listed on their registration form. I suggest that you use it a bunch to make sure there are no problems so that you can return it directly to Lowe's within their grace period if any defects occur.

Greenworks does not sell replacement parts and there are a limited number of online web stores that do sell them. There are definitely no current sources of spare parts such as blades for this product, and it most likely be a long time if ever that you will be able to find any. So I would be very careful not to mow where there are stones and stumps that might damage the blades. I sharpen all my mower blades using a Dremel tool with a blade sharpener kit that permits me to do it w/o having to remove the blades. I don't know why you think you need a spare key, since you can just leave it in place all the time and it is tethered to the mower to avoid it getting lost.

I don't think you need to lubricate anything, but if you want to remove the wheels it is pretty simple, since they are retained by cotterpins which are cheap and easy to replace. Since the entire height adjustment mechanism is completely inside the housing, it is not exposed to a lot of dirt, so I don't see any reason to mess with it. Be advised that in order to remove the housing to gain access to the height mechanism, it is secured with T27 star (Torx) screws and the ones at the front are deeply recessed, so you would need a long T27 screwdriver to access them.

Feb 26, 2013#20

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
If you need service or warranty support your only recourse is to talk to them by phone and have them give you the address of the nearest service center. They do not respond to emails sent either directly or via their website. Registering your product on their website is a waste of time, since they do not save this information or have any sort of database. In addition, this product is not listed on their registration form. I suggest that you use it a bunch to make sure there are no problems so that you can return it directly to Lowe's within their grace period if any defects occur.

Greenworks does not sell replacement parts and there are a limited number of online web stores that do sell them. There are definitely no current sources of spare parts such as blades for this product, and it most likely be a long time if ever that you will be able to find any. So I would be very careful not to mow where there are stones and stumps that might damage the blades. I sharpen all my mower blades using a Dremel tool with a blade sharpener kit that permits me to do it w/o having to remove the blades. I don't know why you think you need a spare key, since you can just leave it in place all the time and it is tethered to the mower to avoid it getting lost.

I don't think you need to lubricate anything, but if you want to remove the wheels it is pretty simple, since they are retained by cotterpins which are cheap and easy to replace. Since the entire height adjustment mechanism is completely inside the housing, it is not exposed to a lot of dirt, so I don't see any reason to mess with it. Be advised that in order to remove the housing to gain access to the height mechanism, it is secured with T27 star (Torx) screws and the ones at the front are deeply recessed, so you would need a long T27 screwdriver to access them.

I do have a parts list, and I also hope Lowes will carry at least spare blades. I'm pretty sure I will need blades at some point.

Feb 26, 2013#21

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I do have a parts list, and I also hope Lowes will carry at least spare blades. I'm pretty sure I will need blades at some point.

AFAIK, Lowe's has never carried spare blades for Greenworks mowers. This mower is unique in that there are different blades for each side of the mower, so it's even less likely that they will be readily available. Only recently was I able to find a replacement blade for a 16" Li-Ion Greenworks mower that has been on the market for over a year and is also used on a Ryobi branded mower. Even then, it was some obscure online web store, and not through Lowe's or some other big box store. So, like I said, be careful and the blades will last a long time, because finding replacements is going to be difficult. I also own this mower and I've used the parts list to search the internet for spares and come up empty.

Feb 26, 2013#22

MowerMike

Here's a video posted on the Lowe's website. They make no mention of the variable blade speed control to automatically adjust to grass conditions, which is what really makes this mower unique.

Feb 27, 2013#23

MowerMike

And another video that shows use of the grass catcher:

Feb 27, 2013#24

1

1 Lucky Texan

Used the mower today on my front yard. It is a fairly small yard with just a few obstacles. My wife did rake some leaves out from under some hedges for me to mow over.

It is very quiet, perhaps quieter than some vacuum cleaners (though i rarley hear a vacuum cleaner outdoors).

I think most people will use the height positions from 2-5, I suspect positions 3-4 and , perhaps, 5 will be my most likely range.

Given the dormant nature of the lawn plus the dried leaves I mowed over, it does seem mulching performance is adequate - at leas as good as my traditional mower. I never bag but may consider trying it with this mowe to add some mulched leaves to my compost tumbler next fall.

The machine got quite dusty. I think monitoring the inside of the battery chamber for a collection of debris would be a good idea.

I didn't do any scientific measurements, but my gut feeling is, 50-60 minutes of mowing is quite possible (with the 2 batteries supplied) and under ideal conditions more.

I wish the angle of the handle were more upright. Seems I'm too far back and my hand/arm position seems odd. I notice there is a way to change the length of the handle (don't recall seeing that in the manual) by shifting the upper handle clamps to a different pair of holes. I don't think i will like that position but will try it to see.

VERY easy to maneuver. seems very capable so far.

Feb 27, 2013#25

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I wish the angle of the handle were more upright. Seems I'm too far back and my hand/arm position seems odd. I notice there is a way to change the length of the handle (don't recall seeing that in the manual) by shifting the upper handle clamps to a different pair of holes. I don't think i will like that position but will try it to see.

Moving the handle to the alternate set of holes will shorten the handle slightly and lower it slightly, but the change will be very small. I'm short (5'-3"), so I've got it set in the lower position.

Feb 27, 2013#26

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Moving the handle to the alternate set of holes will shorten the handle slightly and lower it slightly, but the change will be very small. I'm short (5'-3"), so I've got it set in the lower position.

I may not like it then, though I'm by no means tall (5' 9")

I kinda feel I'm too far 'back' from the mower so, I will experiment. I haven't looked at the lower mechanism closely to see if it can be modified or shifted to a higher angle.

I suppose being a rear bagger, they just had to design it such that there was plenty of clearance for tall-ish folks to walk without stepping on the bag. I'm unlikely to regularly use the bag.

One other thing occurred to me. Charge time for a battery, is not much slower than cutting time. But a 'warm' battery directly pulled out of the mower must cool a little before charging so, if someone had a 3rd battery, I think you might be able to mow almost continuously, stopping only to swap batteries. One in the mower, the next one in the charger, one cooling-off. (assuming all batteries begin with a full charge) If you were stopping to empty the bag, maybe take a potty or snack/drink break occasionally, batteries would be charging the whole time.

Feb 27, 2013#27

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I kinda feel I'm too far 'back' from the mower so, I will experiment. I haven't looked at the lower mechanism closely to see if it can be modified or shifted to a higher angle.

One other thing occurred to me. Charge time for a battery, is not much slower than cutting time. But a 'warm' battery directly pulled out of the mower must cool a little before charging so, if someone had a 3rd battery, I think you might be able to mow almost continuously, stopping only to swap batteries. One in the mower, the next one in the charger, one cooling-off. (assuming all batteries begin with a full charge) If you were stopping to empty the bag, maybe take a potty or snack/drink break occasionally, batteries would be charging the whole time.

You cannot modify the lower handle clamping mechanism that I can see. Also, while we're on the topic, avoid lifting the mower by the handle and especially don't pull it sideways. Only use it to push / pull the mower or to push down to lift the front wheels while turning. The attachment blocks to the mower body at the bottom of the handle are held in place by only two very small screws that thread directly into the plastic, and can easily strip out if you put any tension force on them.

According to Greenworks, it takes about 60 minutes to recharge a fully depleted 73 Wh battery and 120 minutes for the 146 Wh battery. I can mow my entire yard in less than 40 minutes using only the 146 Wh battery, and don't even bother inserting the 73 Wh battery.

Feb 27, 2013#28

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
You cannot modify the lower handle clamping mechanism that I can see. Also, while we're on the topic, avoid lifting the mower by the handle and especially don't pull it sideways. Only use it to push / pull the mower or to push down to lift the front wheels while turning. The attachment blocks to the mower body at the bottom of the handle are held in place by only two very small screws that thread directly into the plastic, and can easily strip out if you put any tension force on them.

According to Greenworks, it takes about 60 minutes to recharge a fully depleted 73 Wh battery and 120 minutes for the 146 Wh battery. I can mow my entire yard in less than 40 minutes using only the 146 Wh battery, and don't even bother inserting the 73 Wh battery.

good to note on the lower mount! thanx

I DO think it's almost a perfect replacement for a small, push gas mower - again, form a single use. I hope reliability is good and parts become available. I need to keep this for years to justify the price.

just fyi, I did receive an email response from GW. They said the serial number is on the box.

OH, I complained in a post above about debris in the battery compartment. Evidently, the lids actually latch down. I never noticed and don't think that is mentioned in the manual either. One reviewer at Lowes said he filed some of the latch away so opening the lid is easier.

Feb 27, 2013#29

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
OH, I complained in a post above about debris in the battery compartment. Evidently, the lids actually latch down. I never noticed and don't think that is mentioned in the manual either. One reviewer at Lowes said he filed some of the latch away so opening the lid is easier.

That was me, and I was replying to another reviewer who complained about the same problem. :smile:

Feb 27, 2013#30

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
That was me, and I was replying to another reviewer who complained about the same problem. :smile:

wow!

Just when you though the Internet was a big place......

this seems to be the product registration page; http://greenworkstools.com/product-registration

Feb 27, 2013#31

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
this seems to be the product registration page; GreenWorks - Product Registration

Yes it is, but you won't this model mower listed there. Also, I've registered other Greenworks products there and have yet to receive my free gift for joining the GREEN CREW.

Feb 27, 2013#32

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Yes it is, but you won't this model mower listed there. Also, I've registered other Greenworks products there and have yet to receive my free gift for joining the GREEN CREW.

I have read enough to be pessimistic about the customer service from Greenworks, but if there's a safety recall or if service there improves, at least I can claim I jumped through their hoops and tried to register properly. Hope the Twin Force gets added soon.

Feb 28, 2013#33

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I have read enough to be pessimistic about the customer service from Greenworks, but if there's a safety recall or if service there improves, at least I can claim I jumped through their hoops and tried to register properly. Hope the Twin Force gets added soon.

Actually, IMO product registration is mostly market research and is total bullpucky in terms of warranty validation. As long as you have your Lowe's receipt, that is all you will every need to validate your purchase. The only time it's useful is when you can get a free warranty extension if you register, which was the case when I bought a Bosch battery powered drill/driver. Like I said before, just run the heck out of it for the first month to make sure there are no defects so you can just return it to Lowe's for either a refund or replacement. Most problems show up during the first few hours of use, but from what you've written it looks like the unit you bought is good.

Mar 3, 2013#34

A

atp1313

Did some research and found this to be the best option for a gas-free cordless mower, despite the possible frustration of it being so new on the market that parts are harder to find, not having an established reputation, etc. So I was excited to go to Lowe's this morning to buy one, and get it home, charged and fired up for the first rough cut (mostly weeds) of the season. Got the batteries charged, plugged them in, inserted the key, and hit the start button....and nothing happened. Have checked the lights on the batteries (both show fully charged). Checked against the lights on the charger, again shows both batteries as charged. Have tried the key both ways, nothing. Called the Help Line (per the troubleshooting chart) and was bummed to hear that they are only open M-F, 9-5. I will certainly be calling tomorrow, but it is a shame that no one is home on the weekends...you know, when most people have the time to do yard work and might run into problems. But perhaps they truly are a small company and they can't afford a 24/7 call center yet, or at least a 7-day call-in staff.

But if anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. The troubleshooting chart does say something about a faulty key/switch. So if it is specifically listed, that must mean they have a recognized history of this part going bad. With my luck, it figures that I would get the one with a faulty starter/switch.

Mar 3, 2013#35

MowerMike

atp1313 said:
Did some research and found this to be the best option for a gas-free cordless mower, despite the possible frustration of it being so new on the market that parts are harder to find, not having an established reputation, etc. So I was excited to go to Lowe's this morning to buy one, and get it home, charged and fired up for the first rough cut (mostly weeds) of the season. Got the batteries charged, plugged them in, inserted the key, and hit the start button....and nothing happened. Have checked the lights on the batteries (both show fully charged). Checked against the lights on the charger, again shows both batteries as charged. Have tried the key both ways, nothing. Called the Help Line (per the troubleshooting chart) and was bummed to hear that they are only open M-F, 9-5. I will certainly be calling tomorrow, but it is a shame that no one is home on the weekends...you know, when most people have the time to do yard work and might run into problems. But perhaps they truly are a small company and they can't afford a 24/7 call center yet, or at least a 7-day call-in staff.

But if anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. The troubleshooting chart does say something about a faulty key/switch. So if it is specifically listed, that must mean they have a recognized history of this part going bad. With my luck, it figures that I would get the one with a faulty starter/switch.

Sorry to hear this. Did you push in on the handle button and at the same time pull back on the bar fully to the grip ? Pushing the button just connects the upper cable to the lower cable so that it pulls the switch inside the housing when you pull the bail bar back. Just pushing the button will not start the mower. You should feel some strong spring tension on the cable when you pull the bail bar.

Also, you must push the button first before you pull back on the bail bar. Otherwise, the cable will not engage and you won't operate the switch inside the housing.

Mar 3, 2013#36

A

atp1313

MowerMike said:
Sorry to hear this. Did you push in on the handle button and at the same time pull back on the bar fully to the grip ? Pushing the button just connects the upper cable to the lower cable so that it pulls the switch inside the housing when you pull the bail bar back. Just pushing the button will not start the mower. You should feel some strong spring tension on the cable when you pull the bail bar.

Also, you must push the button first before you pull back on the bail bar. Otherwise, the cable will not engage and you won't operate the switch inside the housing.

I must need to get my glasses updated. I misread the "1" and "2" on the diagram and was pulling the handle first. I am an idiot! Thank you for pointing that out. Now to quickly try this puppy out before the sun goes down!

UPDATE: Man, that cuts (the weeds) as well as my gas mower did, except I could actually hear my footfalls on the crunchy dead grass and leaves and twigs. This thing is quieter than my vacuum cleaner, and probably even my wife's hairdryer.

MowerMike - Thanks again for helping me find the obvious issue.

Mar 3, 2013#37

MowerMike

atp1313 said:
I must need to get my glasses updated. I misread the "1" and "2" on the diagram and was pulling the handle first. I am an idiot! Thank you for pointing that out. Now to quickly try this puppy out before the sun goes down!

UPDATE: Man, that cuts (the weeds) as well as my gas mower did, except I could actually hear my footfalls on the crunchy dead grass and leaves and twigs. This thing is quieter than my vacuum cleaner, and probably even my wife's hairdryer.

MowerMike - Thanks again for helping me find the obvious issue.

You are most welcome. Glad that it all worked out and you are happy with the mower as I am with mine. :smile:

Apr 3, 2013#38

W

wooties

Hi all,

I'm on the cusp of picking one of these up this month. I'm a little hesitant as I've never used an electric. Has anyone ran over, say, pine cones? How's it handle? I live in Utah, my grass should be good for this type of mower. I'm thinking that the 30 day return policy should be enough for me to take the leap but i'm still on the fence. Anything anyone have that could push me over the edge?

I'm eyeing the 40v gmax trimmer, too. No reviews yet, but amazon has it for sale, less than $180.

Apr 3, 2013#39

MowerMike

wooties said:
Hi all,

I'm on the cusp of picking one of these up this month. I'm a little hesitant as I've never used an electric. Has anyone ran over, say, pine cones? How's it handle? I live in Utah, my grass should be good for this type of mower. I'm thinking that the 30 day return policy should be enough for me to take the leap but i'm still on the fence. Anything anyone have that could push me over the edge?

I'm eyeing the 40v gmax trimmer, too. No reviews yet, but amazon has it for sale, less than $180.

Well, I haven't run over pine cones with mine, but I don't think the small thin blades would like that sort of treatment. Also, at the present time replacement blades are not available, and there are separate left and right side blades, because the motors rotate in opposite directions. The plastic deck is pretty stout, so I wouldn't worry about it being damaged by pine cones, rocks etc, but the blades could be damaged.

The mower itself is outstanding and the best battery powered mower to date. It will mow through anything that a gas mower can handle, and the standard batteries will give you over one hour run time. It takes me about 35 minutes to mow my 6500 sq ft lawn, and I can do it on the large 4A battery alone, and still have 1/4 capacity remaining, so over one hour is likely with both batteries. If you buy the G-MAX trimmer, you will get the 4A battery, which would easily give you over 1-1/2 hours run time.

It is super light, has a great bag design and the rear wheels tuck in nicely to permit close edging at walls, fences, driveways, walkways, etc.

As to the trimmer, it's the same design sold previously with the standard 40 volt Li-Ion batteries, so you can read reviews on Amazon to get an idea what others think.

Apr 4, 2013#40

1

1 Lucky Texan

wooties said:
Hi all,

I'm on the cusp of picking one of these up this month. I'm a little hesitant as I've never used an electric. Has anyone ran over, say, pine cones? How's it handle? I live in Utah, my grass should be good for this type of mower. I'm thinking that the 30 day return policy should be enough for me to take the leap but i'm still on the fence. Anything anyone have that could push me over the edge?

I'm eyeing the 40v gmax trimmer, too. No reviews yet, but amazon has it for sale, less than $180.

MM covered the main points. First, the last I looked (yesterday) the gmax trimmer's availability was still 1-2months. There's some indication at GW's Facebook page that more product will be available middle of April so, maybe that's when we'll see more tools, blades, individual batteries and tool-only gear show up?

I also have concerns for my back yard as I have cypress knees. I'm hoping replacement blades will be available or else I may need to find some way to alter some edger blades to work. I try to keep the knees chopped out/down, but have hit some in the past with gas mowers. There are also some small 'teeth' under the mower that seem to be positioned to help lift/orient grass blades for more thorough cutting. I have some concerns that, after a few seasons, they may become brittle and any object hit could begin breaking them off. I dunno how those would survive pinecones or other objects. I'd like to believe the engineers have tested running over sticks, toys, dog poop, dead birds and other common debris. lol!

Apr 4, 2013#41

W

wooties

You guys are great, thanks!

I think I'll pull the trigger next weekend (it's scheduled to rain tomorrow through Tuesday next week). I actually scored the trimmer through Amazon after I posted yesterday. The site said there were 5 available, they ran out shortly after that. It looks like they're getting inventory slowly.

I'll keep an eye on my pine cones and rake them up. I'm sure I'll run over a few. If I have any issue, I'll post here.

Apr 4, 2013#42

1

1 Lucky Texan

wooties said:
You guys are great, thanks!

I think I'll pull the trigger next weekend (it's scheduled to rain tomorrow through Tuesday next week). I actually scored the trimmer through Amazon after I posted yesterday. The site said there were 5 available, they ran out shortly after that. It looks like they're getting inventory slowly.

I'll keep an eye on my pine cones and rake them up. I'm sure I'll run over a few. If I have any issue, I'll post here.

thanx for the info wooties, just ordered my trimmer!

Apr 8, 2013#43

1

1 Lucky Texan

a few quick points;

I moved the handle position and much prefer the lower/shorter position. It only took a coupla minutes. (I'm 5'9")

I did some mowing with it in my back yard today. One minor annoyance, you cannot 'nose' up to an obstacle and trim as closely as with a single blade mower. Yes, it gets as close on the sides, but for 3-4 spots in my yard, i may have a little additional trimming with the string trimmer.

I use the mulching plug. It seems to get filled with clippings. Not a big deal, but I am contemplating filling the 'belgian waffle' holes in the top of it with some expanding foam.

Coming from using a small gas mower, this mower is so quiet and vibration free - it is more comparable to using a large vacuum than to mowing.

Apr 16, 2013#44

1

1 Lucky Texan

Link to Owner's Manual

.pdf of Owner's Manual;

http://greenworkstools.com/cms/uplo...w_20in_Dual blade_mower_E_manual(updated).pdf

just fyi

Apr 25, 2013#45

G

gfc56

MowerMike said:
I found this facebook link that explains why I was only able to find this mower at Lowe's:

https://www.facebook.com/GreenWorksTools/app_208195102528120

I clicked the link, but did not see the reason why the mower is only available at Lowe's.

Apr 26, 2013#46

W

wooties

Well, it's been a few weeks and I've only mowed with this thing twice. I'm very impressed and I think I'm in love. The mower works really well, it's easy to maneuver and I get my entire lawn mowed with just one 4AH battery.

I did rake away some pine cones the first round, but ended up running over several of them in the next mowing. I've checked the blades, they don't look affected at all.

It's a keeper! I also notice that many more reviews are showing up on Lowe's site. Most all are positive. Good on ya, Greenworks!

Apr 27, 2013#47

K

konowl

wooties said:
Well, it's been a few weeks and I've only mowed with this thing twice. I'm very impressed and I think I'm in love. The mower works really well, it's easy to maneuver and I get my entire lawn mowed with just one 4AH battery.

I did rake away some pine cones the first round, but ended up running over several of them in the next mowing. I've checked the blades, they don't look affected at all.

It's a keeper! I also notice that many more reviews are showing up on Lowe's site. Most all are positive. Good on ya, Greenworks!

I've got about 80 feet of waterfront about 150 feet deep including 30 by 30 house and driveway.

I've been mowing with gas and am sick of them. My last one died again after just 2-3 year (Craftsman with Kohler engine). Replace spark plug, getting spark, still nothing.

I'm throwing around the idea of getting this electric mower. I do intend on getting a small riding lawn mower soon, but more to use it for yardwork than the actual mowing (80 feet of waterfront creates incredibly heavy weeds). I was looking at the Troy neighbourhood mower as an ideal solution.

Really curious to see more reviews on this mower, for lawns the size of mine.

Apr 27, 2013#48

MowerMike

konowl said:
Really curious to see more reviews on this mower, for lawns the size of mine.

Have you checked to see if it's available in Canada ? According to the Greenworks Facebook page announcement, it is only available in the USA and only through Lowe's. This mower is fine for a lawn your size, and there are many reviews on the Lowe's online store website. My mowing area is about 6500 sq. ft. and I can can complete it on about half the battery charge (2 batteries). It can plow through anything, so you won't have a problem even with heavy weeds.

Apr 28, 2013#49

K

konowl

MowerMike said:
Have you checked to see if it's available in Canada ? According to the Greenworks Facebook page announcement, it is only available in the USA and only through Lowe's. This mower is fine for a lawn your size, and there are many reviews on the Lowe's online store website. My mowing area is about 6500 sq. ft. and I can can complete it on about half the battery charge (2 batteries). It can plow through anything, so you won't have a problem even with heavy weeds.

Definately available in Canada yes through Canadian Tire for $550 or $150 more than Lowes in the States. Typical gouging from a Canadian retailer.

May 1, 2013#50

1

1 Lucky Texan

Hey wooties

..... post that pic here of those broken teeth on your mower.

I'm gonna check mine when I get home.

May 1, 2013#51

M

mustangTerry

MowerMike said:
Have you checked to see if it's available in Canada ? According to the Greenworks Facebook page announcement, it is only available in the USA and only through Lowe's. This mower is fine for a lawn your size, and there are many reviews on the Lowe's online store website. My mowing area is about 6500 sq. ft. and I can can complete it on about half the battery charge (2 batteries). It can plow through anything, so you won't have a problem even with heavy weeds.

Hi Mike, Just bought a twin blade green works, charged the batteries plugged them in, plugged in the key, held down the start button, pulled the handle, nothing happens. Then I googled and found this forum, but out of the box, cant understand why it wont run.Im in BC, got it at Canadian Tire yesterday.

May 1, 2013#52

MowerMike

mustangTerry said:
Hi Mike, Just bought a twin blade green works, charged the batteries plugged them in, plugged in the key, held down the start button, pulled the handle, nothing happens. Then I googled and found this forum, but out of the box, cant understand why it wont run.Im in BC, got it at Canadian Tire yesterday.

Do you feel any resistance on the safety bar when you pull it back ? Try pulling it first w/o pushing the button and then doing it with the button depressed. You should feel a lot more resistance with the button depressed than when you just pull the bar w/o depressing it. If you feel no difference, then there's something wrong with the cable mechanism. If you can't get it to work, I'd just returned it to the store and have them exchange it for a good unit.

May 1, 2013#53

R

rp2s

My new Greenworks 20" twin blade Li-Ion battery powered mower

I just purchased this mower yesterday, and used it the first time today after work. I was really impressed by the larger (146W) battery. After just one charge, I was able to cut 80% of my 1/3 acre yard, easily finishing with the smaller battery. I've been using a Neuton 6.2 cordless for almost 6 years. I replaced the original lead-acid battery last year (the original still gives me about 25/30 minutes of solid run time. Pretty impressed with that battery also. What I really like about the Greenworks, beside the battery tech, is the light weight of the mower. I only hope it holds up like my older Neuton.

May 1, 2013#54

1

1 Lucky Texan

Inspected the underside of my mower. 4 1/2 of the little plastic 'teeth' have broken off. Another one appears to be compromised.

I suspect their purpose is to 'align' blades of grass or otherwise help reduce the odds of missing some grass lying down. Not sure.

Very disappointed as I've used the mower for less than 4 hours I'm sure. The plastic will only get more brittle with age.

May 2, 2013#55

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
Inspected the underside of my mower. 4 1/2 of the little plastic 'teeth' have broken off. Another one appears to be compromised.

I suspect their purpose is to 'align' blades of grass or otherwise help reduce the odds of missing some grass lying down. Not sure.

Very disappointed as I've used the mower for less than 4 hours I'm sure. The plastic will only get more brittle with age.

I would call those "combs" rather than "teeth" and they most certainly are there to stand up the blades of grass so that they can be cut properly by the mower blades. I inspected mine and they are in perfect condition, so I suspect that you must have hit something to make them break off.

May 6, 2013#56

S

sporkk

Brought out my corded and mowed for the first time this spring. Not something I was looking forward to in a already busy weekend. I might finally purchase the twin force next week. I still have concerns about finding a replacement blade should I ever need one.

May 6, 2013#57

MowerMike

sporkk said:
I still have concerns about finding a replacement blade should I ever need one.

I did an online search using the blade part numbers and found a source for the blades. There are two separate blades, since one of them rotates in the opposite direction from the other one.

Blade part no. 33307486 (blade) >>> 33307486 - Greenworks Part 33307486 - Blade - GRN-33307486 - GREENWORKS

Blade part no. 33308486 (reverse blade) >>> 33308486 - Greenworks Part 33308486 - Reverse blade - GRN-33308486 - GREENWORKS

As you can see, they are a bit pricey @ $18.79 each, but at least you can be confident that they are available.

May 10, 2013#58

S

sporkk

I talked myself out of it again!

Sometimes I read to many reviews. Several reviews reporting that the mower stopped working after several uses. With one reviewer they narrowed it down to a faulty switch. With only 30 days to return and then the only option to take a trip to a service center that is located who knows where doesn't give me a lot of reassurance in this mower. I don't want to spend another 50 on the store warranty either.

If reel mowers didn't have problems with weeds I wouldn't bother with a powered mower at all.

May 19, 2013#59

1

1 Lucky Texan

wow!

Greenworks G-MAX Models - G-MAX 40V 4Ah Li-ION Battery 31104975

SKU# SUN-31104975
$60.00
Qty:

-OR- Checkout with PayPal

Email to a Friend

Shipping Policy | Returns Policy | Warranty Info | Payment Info | Pricing Info
G-MAX 40V 4Ah Li-ION Battery

Click on image to zoom

Details
Greenworks G-MAX Models - G-MAX 40V 4Ah Li-ION Battery 31104975

Specifications:
Used On Mower Models 25223; 25312; 25322; 25302
Used on G-MAX Cultivator Model 27062
Battery Model: 29472
Battery Part Number: 31104975
Up to 3x longer run time than Nicad battery
Quick Charging - 120 minutes for 4Ah
Maintains consistent fade-free power throughout entire cycle
Charge anytime, no negative memory effect
Longer life cycle: up to 2000 charge cycles
Battery charge level indicators for easy check of power level

Additional Information

Greenworks G-MAX Models - G-MAX 40V 4Ah Li-ION Battery 31104975

(they appear to have both blades as well)

May 19, 2013#60

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
Greenworks G-MAX Models - G-MAX 40V 4Ah Li-ION Battery 31104975

SKU# SUN-31104975
$60.00
Qty:

Greenworks G-MAX Models - G-MAX 40V 4Ah Li-ION Battery 31104975

(they appear to have both blades as well)

Just tried to order the battery, but they are already backordered. Did you manage to order one ? They do have the blades, however, and they are a bit cheaper than the other source that I found in post #57.

Their website doesn't seem to be working. Can't set up an account or log in. Typical Greenworks website nonsense.

This is confusing. The website is actually Ordertree.com, not GreenworksTools.com and the actual supplier is Dixie Sales Company, Inc. I remember when I needed a battery replaced on a previous Greenworks tool (16" 40V mower) that the repair shop they sent me to said the batteries came from Dixie Sales, since Greenworks themselves don't have a warehouse. Crazy.

May 19, 2013#61

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Just tried to order the battery, but they are already backordered. Did you manage to order one ? They do have the blades, however, and they are a bit cheaper than the other source that found in post #57.

Their website doesn't seem to be working. Can't set up an account or log in. Typical Greenworks website nonsense.

This is confusing. The website is actually Ordertree.com, not GreenworksTools.com and the actual supplier is Dixie Sales Company, Inc. I remember when I needed a battery replaced on a previous Greenworks tool (16" 40V mower) that the repair shop they sent me to said the batteries came from Dixie Sales, since Greenworks themselves don't have a warehouse. Crazy.

Honestly, I was just digging around there and decided to try a part number or 2 from my trimmer's manual that I have handy. I have ZERO experience with that site and did not order anything. Actually, I'm thinking that price is a mistake and , if real, won't last long. Seems like actual cost with shipping would be around $71 dollars but it's all 'vapor ware' if you can't actually get one. So, not too surprised at your report. (they list a charger at $5.11 !!!)

crazy indeed

May 19, 2013#62

MowerMike

Over 10,000 views of this epic thread. Yeeeehaaaa !!!!

May 19, 2013#63

lawn mower fanatic

MowerMike said:
Over 10,000 views of this epic thread. Yeeeehaaaa !!!!

Wow that's a lot! I didn't even notice....CONGRATS! :dance1:

May 19, 2013#64

midnite rider

MowerMike said:
Over 10,000 views of this epic thread. Yeeeehaaaa !!!!

A great informative thread I have really enjoyed viewing, Congratulations Mike and thanks for your posts. :thumbsup::drink:

May 22, 2013#65

N

northertunder

Well guys me being a internal combustion engine person as i have raced cars all my life for me to buy a battery operated lawn mower and grass trimmer was not on my Radar BUT i did buy The Greenworks grass trimmer and 2 days later went and bought the twin force mower that says i was impressed with the Trimmer enough to buck up for the mower and they are 499 here not 399 like down south So far i am very impressed as what they can handle the Batteries charge Fast and the both exceeded my expectations so far I had the Starting problem that some people talked about but all i did is Put a little pressure on the wire that ran up to the pull lever the first few times i started it now it works great so i will Keep on cutting and let you guys all know how it goes from time to time GOOd Bad or otherwise thanks Guys no more pull cords for me Kevin

May 28, 2013#66

1

1 Lucky Texan

So far, still working well. Really enjoy the maneuverability, and quiet, smell-free operation.

I do kinda wish there was a 'hack' for it that would create a 'turbo' button/switch so I could force it into high-power mode. I think that would help with mulching some dried leaves. It doesn't seem to vacuum-up quite as well as my old gasser.

maybe someone will dig into the guts and figure it out. I can't afford to do that with a $400 item that's still in warranty.

May 28, 2013#67

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I do kinda wish there was a 'hack' for it that would create a 'turbo' button/switch so I could force it into high-power mode. I think that would help with mulching some dried leaves. It doesn't seem to vacuum-up quite as well as my old gasser.

The reason your gas mower does a better job at vacuuming heavy items like dried leaves is that its blade tip speed is higher due to its blade being twice as long as the blades on the Greenworks twin blade mower. Blade tip speed is proportional to blade RPM and blade length, such that the blades in this mower must spin at twice the speed as a full size single blade mower to create the same lift force. This is one of the downsides of using smaller size blades.

May 30, 2013#68

1

1 Lucky Texan

dunno if it really belongs here or needs a separate thread but, the 'tool only' G-MAX equipment just got listed at Amazon. No delivery listed yet but, at least you could get your order in.

the way they are listed makes them hard to find so, you may need to get the GW 'tool only' part number for the equipment you're interested in from the GW website.

the 40V G-MAX 'tool only' (no battery or charger) hedge trimmer is #22332 and the blower is 24282

fyi

Jun 1, 2013#69

S

sporkk

I found a 10% off coupon for lowes so mine is on the way. I did buy the 3 year warranty so that way I'm covered from any weird qc defects. I may buy the trimmer if I like the mower.

Edit: I also wanted to mention that when browsing corded mowers I could not find one with a flip handle anymore which makes a cord slightly more tolerable. This helped to bring me into a decision to go battery powered.

Jun 1, 2013#70

1

1 Lucky Texan

sporkk said:
I found a 10% off coupon for lowes so mine is on the way. I did buy the 3 year warranty so that way I'm covered from any weird qc defects. I may buy the trimmer if I like the mower.

Edit: I also wanted to mention that when browsing corded mowers I could not find one with a flip handle anymore which makes a cord slightly more tolerable. This helped to bring me into a decision to go battery powered.

yeah, the center-mounted flip handles made the corded mowers very useable on lawns with no/few obstacles. Start near the house and just work back and forth away from the outlet leaving the cord on the new-mown area. I bet I haven't used one in 35+ years now i think of it!

Jun 4, 2013#71

S

sporkk

I was excitedly waiting for the mower to arrive and decided to check the website as I had received no confirmation about anything. I found that my order had been cancelled! Ordering online is my only choice since they do not carry it locally. The first person I talked to thought they were out of stock when my order was placed but then the 2nd person said it was some kind of issue with the epp. I was half asleep when they returned my call. Anyway I found another 10% off coupon code from slickdeals and placed another order ... and while clicking the submit button is takes me to a page saying access in denied. How frustrating. I've been spoiled as a Amazon customer.

However it did seem to go through and is listed as processing. I'm still not sure they didn't cancel it the first time because they didn't like the 10% off code. So I won't have the extended warranty which is fine I guess. A reviewer on amazon posted a easy fix for the common problem of the mower not starting. You have to remove the cover and bend a bracket IIRC.

I was waiting to mow my front yard until this mower arrived so with the delay it should be quite a test for it. With my corded mower you have to walk slowly for it to cut the grass and I'm hoping I can move a bit faster with the twin blade.

Jun 5, 2013#72

1

1 Lucky Texan

sporkk said:
A reviewer on amazon posted a easy fix for the common problem of the mower not starting. You have to remove the cover and bend a bracket IIRC.
.

got a link to that 'fix'?

Jun 5, 2013#73

N

northertunder

Well Guys i am back we have had rain for forty days and forty nights up here in Canada with the sun popping out for a few minutes now and then so we have had lots of Grass to Cut the Greenworks grass Trimmer works excellent love it i have not used my Shindaiwa once this year MY TWIN BLade Greenworks has been working excellent i have cut mine and the Neighbors Grass about 10 times when it is wet it does not Mulch as well as it should but i have not found a mower yet that does Happy silent Cutting Kevin:smile:

Jun 5, 2013#74

N

northertunder

FOR the GUYS whos GREENWORKS Twin Blade Mowers who won't Start when they get them Here is the FIX Put your Battery"s in PUT the Key in PUSH the Start Button PULL back the LEVER Release the Button Take your FREE hand while still holding the Safety bar And Push the cable that runs to the bar towards the bar it should get tighter and bingo the mower start I had to do this the first couple of times i started my mower and now it works fine if you have any Questions about this post it here and i will help you out Thanks Happy silent Cutting Kevin Think Green

Jun 5, 2013#75

S

sporkk

Actually I was mistaken and its for 25312 but it sort of sounds like the same problem that people are having.

Amazon.com: James W. Caras' review of GreenWorks 25312 G-MAX 40V Cordless 19" Mo...

If I ever have any troubles I will try the above posters directions before opening the mower. My order still says processing so I guess its good that its not cancelled yet.

Jun 5, 2013#76

MowerMike

sporkk said:
Actually I was mistaken and its for 25312 but it sort of sounds like the same problem that people are having.

Amazon.com: James W. Caras' review of GreenWorks 25312 G-MAX 40V Cordless 19" Mo...

If I ever have any troubles I will try the above posters directions before opening the mower. My order still says processing so I guess its good that its not cancelled yet.

All of the Greenworks Li-Ion battery powered mowers use the same start mechanism, and even share many common parts. There are basically two possible failure points. The first is at the start button on the handlebar and the second is at the electrical switch under the mower housing cover. At both locations there are slider blocks which can fail to engage.

Jun 7, 2013#77

S

sporkk

I received the mower and was able to try it out. It cuts better than my corded B&D and is very easy to push. You still have to walk slower than with a gas mower which I expected. However the batteries only lasted about 35 min. I'm not sure if they will last any longer once they have been cycled a few times. I didn't expect a full 70 minutes but at least more than 50% of the quoted run time.

I brought out my reel mower to finish the job. I may have to return the mower if the run time doesn't improve even though I like it a lot

Jun 7, 2013#78

MowerMike

sporkk said:
I received the mower and was able to try it out. It cuts better than my corded B&D and is very easy to push. You still have to walk slower than with a gas mower which I expected. However the batteries only lasted about 35 min. I'm not sure if they will last any longer once they have been cycled a few times. I didn't expect a full 70 minutes but at least more than 50% of the quoted run time.

I brought out my reel mower to finish the job. I may have to return the mower if the run time doesn't improve even though I like it a lot

Li Ion battery run time doesn't improve with cycling. Is the mower constantly running at a higher speed ? Run time is highly dependent on mowing conditions, and will be reduced significantly under constant heavy mowing of very thick or long or wet grass. I'm getting 35 minutes on just the large battery alone with still one battery light showing (25% capacity remaining) with about an 80/20 percent mix of easy and hard mowing. This equates to about 70 minutes total run time. If you are mowing under similar conditions then one or both of your batteries may be weak and should be replaced under warranty. I had a problem with a battery on a previous Greenworks mower that also gave me less than 50% of rated run time, and the replacement gives me 100%.

Jun 7, 2013#79

1

1 Lucky Texan

sporkk said:
I received the mower and was able to try it out. It cuts better than my corded B&D and is very easy to push. You still have to walk slower than with a gas mower which I expected. However the batteries only lasted about 35 min. I'm not sure if they will last any longer once they have been cycled a few times. I didn't expect a full 70 minutes but at least more than 50% of the quoted run time.

I brought out my reel mower to finish the job. I may have to return the mower if the run time doesn't improve even though I like it a lot

that's disappointing. Were you able to confirm that the 'active' LEDS switched from one side to the other? Does the mower start at high rpm then drop to low rpm?

You might experiment with running the small battery alone, then, when depleted, put it on the charger and use the large battery. Then, if you only have a small area left after depleting the large battery, the small battery may have 5-10 minutes of charge in it and MIGHT finish up.

but it does seem like something is wrong.

Jun 7, 2013#80

S

sporkk

The grass was somewhat damp and I missed a week of mowing in the front so I could put this mower to the test. So yes it was running at full power most of the time. I started out with the 2ah battery and run time on that was 10 - 15 min. I put that back in the charger and ran down the larger battery and finished up with the reel mower. I then put the 2 ah battery back in to grab the taller stuff that the reel mower missed and squeezed another 5 min out of the battery.

I'm going after the back yard later which I mowed last week and will report back how the run times are. Maybe the run time is accurate and my expectations were off due to the conditions of the yard. I will certainly have to pick up another battery though. I have my mower set at 3". I wouldn't mind buying more batteries if it was a one time thing but the cost really multiplies when it comes time to replace them.

Jun 7, 2013#81

S

sporkk

I just mowed the back yard. The 2ah battery lasted 10 minutes. The grass was shorter than the front and was not wet. I mowed for another 10 min with the larger battery and the back was done. So the back yard takes 20 - 25 min which is about the same as my reel mower. I estimated my front yard at 3200 square feet by walking it. The back yard is smaller so a real rough estimate of my yard is 5 - 6k square feet.

I'm not sure what to do. There were several other reviewers on lowes with similar 30 - 40 min run times. One person called and they said the only option was to return because they didn't have replacement parts. Maybe its the thickness of my grass. I'm going to test the voltage on the batteries after a fresh charge. Has anyone tested theirs? I was very happy mowing without a cord but the batteries are disappointing. MAYBE I could do the entire yard if I had 3 full size batteries.

Jun 7, 2013#82

MowerMike

sporkk said:
I'm going to test the voltage on the batteries after a fresh charge. Has anyone tested theirs?

My two batteries measure 41.3 to 41.4 vdc between the two outer terminals labelled + and - when fully charged.

Jun 7, 2013#83

S

sporkk

I just checked one of the batteries after a charge and it measured 41.6. Maybe kentucky bluegrass is a bit thicker causing it to run at full power most of the time. I'm still undecided if I should return it or not. How many years of use will these batteries carry near full capacity? If they have to be replaced say every 3 years that is over a $300 bill for me. In comparison a gas mower is maybe $25 a year in maintenance and gas.

Jun 7, 2013#84

N

northertunder

Howdy all well i see some people are getting short cut times mine lasted over an hour the first time i used mine and still had 2 dots left on my second Battery and it was heavy wet cutting so i would contact the seller and get new batteries something is wrong or contact Greenworks this type of batteryshould work right after the first full charge its nice when all you hear is the sound of grass being CUT till next time Kevin

Jun 9, 2013#85

S

sporkk

I let mine run without cutting any grass and made 19 min on the 2ah battery. So yea something is not right if others are getting 20 + minutes while mowing on the small battery. I returned it to lowes and a employee was there trying to school me on batteries saying that maybe I left it on the charger to long etc which was mildly annoying.

I have my refund and our local store does not stock the mower. I didn't want to call greenworks because other reviewers have said they don't have batteries at the moment and even if they did it would probably use up my warranty on them (if thats how they still work it). I guess back to the cord for now.

Jun 10, 2013#86

1

1 Lucky Texan

1 Lucky Texan said:
dunno if it really belongs here or needs a separate thread but, the 'tool only' G-MAX equipment just got listed at Amazon. No delivery listed yet but, at least you could get your order in.

the way they are listed makes them hard to find so, you may need to get the GW 'tool only' part number for the equipment you're interested in from the GW website.

the 40V G-MAX 'tool only' (no battery or charger) hedge trimmer is #22332 and the blower is 24282

fyi

Amazon sent me a delivery estimate on my 40V G-MAX hedge trimmer and blower 'tool only' order; Jul 10 - 31.

GW is sure slow getting these available for this season.

just fyi

Jun 10, 2013#87

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
Amazon sent me a delivery estimate on my 40V G-MAX hedge trimmer and blower 'tool only' order; Jul 10 - 31.

GW is sure slow getting these available for this season.

Don't forget that all these products come in container ships from China, which can take over a month. Greenworks does not manufacture anything, and they rely on contract factories in China for everything they sell. Many parts like batteries are sold through other companies such as Dixie products.

Jun 10, 2013#88

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Don't forget that all these products come in container ships from China, which can take over a month. Greenworks does not manufacture anything, and they rely on contract factories in China for everything they sell. Many parts like batteries are sold through other companies such as Dixie products.

yeah, Sun or Sunrise I think may be the Chinese Co. ? Or maybe that's the Canadian Co. that owns GW?

Just seems like you'd plan for that container ship's travel time in launching a product line.

Looks like at least one more hedge trimming job with my Black & Decker 18v NiCd unit!

Jun 10, 2013#89

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
yeah, Sun or Sunrise I think may be the Chinese Co. ? Or maybe that's the Canadian Co. that owns GW?

Just seems like you'd plan for that container ship's travel time in launching a product line.

Looks like at least one more hedge trimming job with my Black & Decker 18v NiCd unit!

Honestly, except for their Li-Ion mowers and chain saw, I don't care much for their other 40V products. I much prefer my B&D 36V Li-Ion string trimmer to the Greenworks 40V trimmer, have yet to find a battery powered blower that can do anything useful beyond being an electric dust broom, and use a B&D corded blower/vac for leaf cleanup in the fall. I don't have any hedge trimmers, because I don't have any hedges. I recently bought a B&D 36V Li-Ion blower/vac tool only, since I already have two 36V batteries for my trimmer, that is great for light duty vacuuming on outdoor hard surfaces. If I have any serious leaf blowing to do I just use one of my handheld gas blowers.

Jun 10, 2013#90

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Honestly, except for their Li-Ion mowers and chain saw, I don't care much for their other 40V products. I much prefer my B&D 36V Li-Ion string trimmer to the Greenworks 40V trimmer, have yet to find a battery powered blower that can do anything useful beyond being an electric dust broom, and use a B&D corded blower/vac for leaf cleanup in the fall. I don't have any hedge trimmers, because I don't have any hedges. I recently bought a B&D 36V Li-Ion blower/vac tool only, since I already have two 36V batteries for my trimmer, that is great for light duty vacuuming on outdoor hard surfaces. If I have any serious leaf blowing to do I just use one of my handheld gas blowers.

I definitely don't have the suite of tools you do and my present blower is corded. I don't use it much, partly because of the cord hassle so, hoping the GW blower is adequate. From what I've read, I expect the hedge trimmer will be a step up from my B&D.

Thing is, I have mutliple tools like drill-driver, emergency/work light, recip. saw, chain saw, sander, etc. in the 18V single source line. i already gave my s-i-l the 18v string trimmer, a dual charger and 2 batteries. i told him to save for LI-ion tools though. I'll mention the 36V B&D line to him since you seem pleased with it.

Jun 10, 2013#91

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I definitely don't have the suite of tools you do and my present blower is corded. I don't use it much, partly because of the cord hassle so, hoping the GW blower is adequate.

I have the GW blower with the gen 1 non G-MAX 40V battery, and it's a real disappointment in terms of blowing power. I actually think my old WeedEater 20v Li-Ion blower is more powerful, but neither of them do much more than dust off the driveway and walkways of dry clippings after mowing. I can get things cleaned up faster with a broom.

Jun 11, 2013#92

R

ross77

I just received this mower last week and mowed my 1/4 acre lawn last weekend. It used all of the larger battery and half of the smaller battery. It seemed to be running in the low speed mode most of the time.

I bagged on the 2nd lowest setting. I've got Kentucky Bluegrass. It wasn't overly long or wet.

I'm happy with the mower. The batteries not lasting long enough was my main concern before purchasing and it doesn't seem to be an issue.

No gas and low noise is fantastic. Now if I could just get my neighbors to all buy one.....

Jun 18, 2013#93

MowerMike

For anyone interested in buying replacement blades, the price has come down significantly since I last posted a link to an online source. They used to cost $18.79 apiece, but are now only $10.35 from the same vendor.

Blade part no. 33307486 (blade) >>> 33307486 - Greenworks Part 33307486 - Blade - GRN-33307486 - GREENWORKS

Blade part no. 33308486 (reverse blade) >>> 33308486 - Greenworks Part 33308486 - Reverse blade - GRN-33308486 - GREENWORKS

You can also purchase repair parts such as the electric power switch, which can fail over time >>> http://www.m-and-d.com/GRN-36302470.html

Jun 18, 2013#94

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
For anyone interested in buying replacement blades, the price has come down significantly since I last posted a link to an online source. They used to cost $18.79 apiece, but are now only $10.35 from the same vendor.

Blade part no. 33307486 (blade) >>> 33307486 - Greenworks Part 33307486 - Blade - GRN-33307486 - GREENWORKS

Blade part no. 33308486 (reverse blade) >>> 33308486 - Greenworks Part 33308486 - Reverse blade - GRN-33308486 - GREENWORKS

You can also purchase repair parts such as the electric power switch, which can fail over time >>> 36302470 - Greenworks Part 36302470 - Switch - GRN-36302470 - GREENWORKS

good post - prompted me to check ordertree and they now list $9.00 for one of the blades (looks like they also caught their mistake on the G-MAX battery price, now at $130)

Also, on a related subject, 'tool only' 40V G-MAX equipment may be in stock now. Amazon has shipped my blower. just FYI

Jun 18, 2013#95

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
good post - prompted me to check ordertree and they now list $9.00 for one of the blades (looks like they also caught their mistake on the G-MAX battery price, now at $130)

Also, on a related subject, 'tool only' 40V G-MAX equipment may be in stock now. Amazon has shipped my blower. just FYI

It's kind of ridiculous that they only list one of the blades (reverse blade) and not the other, since you'd most likely want to replace them as a set. Also, the battery price is now $11 more than the Amazon price, so what's the point in buying it from them.

It looks like Greenworks also has a new line of 20V Li-Ion battery tools with what they call a "compact" battery. So far there is a string trimmer and a hedge trimmer, and they can either be bought with battery and charger included or as tool only. They are less expensive than the previous generation 20V tools.

Jun 19, 2013#96

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
It's kind of ridiculous that they only list one of the blades (reverse blade) and not the other, since you'd most likely want to replace them as a set. Also, the battery price is now $11 more than the Amazon price, so what's the point in buying it from them.

It looks like Greenworks also has a new line of 20V Li-Ion battery tools with what they call a "compact" battery. So far there is a string trimmer and a hedge trimmer, and they can either be bought with battery and charger included or as tool only. They are less expensive than the previous generation 20V tools.

that is weird - maybe another typo ?

(probably both blades are actually unavailable lol! - BTW, that now $130 battery shows as backordered too.)

Hope there WILL be multiple sources for parts though.

more incompatible lines of batteries huh? crazy

Jun 19, 2013#97

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
I didn't bother to look for the other one. sorry for any confusion i just didn't have both numbers handy and I was almost out of battery power when I posted. They had previously listed both so, they probably still have both.

good to see multiple places listing parts and that prices are more reasonable.

Actually, I did check ordertree and they do not list the other 10" blade. They are listed under Sunrise as the manufacturer, not Greenworks, and they only have three blades: 18" for $15, 16" for $15 and 10" (reverse blade for twin force) for $9.

Jun 19, 2013#98

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Actually, I did check ordertree and they do not list the other 10" blade. They are listed under Sunrise as the manufacturer, not Greenworks, and they only have three blades: 18" for $15, 16" for $15 and 10" (reverse blade for twin force) for $9.

somehow, they're related. At the bottom of some pages at the GW website, you see this;

ｩ2013 Sunrise Global Marketing LLC

so, i dunno who owns who.

EDIT; found the following in a press release;

About Sunrise Global Marketing, LLC Sunrise Global Marketing, LLC , located in Mooresville, NC is the North American sales and marketing division for Globe Tools Company, Ltd., a privately held global manufacturer of outdoor power equipment. SGM supports major retail customers in the U.S. and Canada, both with OEM brands and with their private brands, GreenWorks, PowerWorks and ToolWorks.

About Globe Tools Co., Ltd. Globe Tools , based in Changzhou, China, is a privately-held company with offices and facilities in Changzhou, China, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Operating globally since 2001, Globe manufactures outdoor power equipment, including lawn and garden tools, generators, air compressors and pressure washers. In addition to manufacturing for several of the top brands in the U.S. and Europe, Globe manufactures products under their own brands of GreenWorks, PowerWorks and ToolWorks.

not certain though, that there might be a quality difference between the same part number being sourced as Sunrise vs Greenworks

ordertree is about 80 miles away from Sunrise in NC. and there's this; http://www.ordertree.com/lowes/ Perhaps because...Lowe's is headquartered in Mooresville NC !

interesting

Jun 23, 2013#99

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
Honestly, except for their Li-Ion mowers and chain saw, I don't care much for their other 40V products. I much prefer my B&D 36V Li-Ion string trimmer to the Greenworks 40V trimmer, have yet to find a battery powered blower that can do anything useful beyond being an electric dust broom, and use a B&D corded blower/vac for leaf cleanup in the fall. I don't have any hedge trimmers, because I don't have any hedges. I recently bought a B&D 36V Li-Ion blower/vac tool only, since I already have two 36V batteries for my trimmer, that is great for light duty vacuuming on outdoor hard surfaces. If I have any serious leaf blowing to do I just use one of my handheld gas blowers.

OK, I just received the blower i ordered and, you are right, it is indeed toy-like compared to my old Weedeater corded blower. i think it will be adequate for chasing grass clippings and leaves off the driveway - but i doubt it could do anything 'serious' like move wet leaves around or blow a dryer vent-stack clean. My wife likes it - it will be more convenient for her than a broom to clear off the deck. No cord hassle will be a plus. Seems a little expensive for what you get though. The manual has an error concerning the switch and power-level operation. Perhaps the text was just moved over from a different model?

Hedge trimmer should arrive on Monday. It will probably get a work-out soon. Mower is still quite nice overall.

Jun 23, 2013#100

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
The manual has an error concerning the switch and power-level operation. Perhaps the text was just moved over from a different model?

I'm not sure what error you are referring to. The instructions in my manual for the Gen 1 40V battery model 24102 seem to be correct.

Jun 23, 2013#101

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
I'm not sure what error you are referring to. The instructions in my manual for the Gen 1 40V battery model 24102 seem to be correct.

The manual's instructions are for a combination On/Off/power-level switch. My 24282 has a separate On/Off switch( a rocker switch with the now ubiquitous I and 0 markings) located forward on the extreme top , forward-facing portion of the handle. After is is turned on, the rolling thumbwheel controls the power.

Even the drawing on the front of the manual is missing the switch. As well as every 'figure' inside the manual.

if you zoom in (Ctrl + on my FireFox browser) on this pic from a Canadian site, you can see the switch;

but not at greenworkstools or Amazon. No big deal really, just indicative of inattention to detail.

Jun 24, 2013#102

MowerMike

1 Lucky Texan said:
The manual's instructions are for a combination On/Off/power-level switch. My 24282 has a separate On/Off switch( a rocker switch with the now ubiquitous I and 0 markings) located forward on the extreme top , forward-facing portion of the handle. After is is turned on, the rolling thumbwheel controls the power.

Even the drawing on the front of the manual is missing the switch. As well as every 'figure' inside the manual.

if you zoom in (Ctrl + on my FireFox browser) on this pic from a Canadian site, you can see the switch;

View attachment 15242

but not at greenworkstools or Amazon. No big deal really, just indicative of inattention to detail.

That's exactly how mine works. There's a single thumbwheel switch that serves both as an ON/OFF switch and speed control. So, they've taken the manual for mine and not bothered to revise it to be consistent with yours.

Jun 24, 2013#103

1

1 Lucky Texan

MowerMike said:
That's exactly how mine works. There's a single thumbwheel switch that serves both as an ON/OFF switch and speed control. So, they've taken the manual for mine and not bothered to revise it to be consistent with yours.

that's how it seems. I wish it was like yours, the switch's location is a little awkward. A 'trigger' style switch would be the best for battery run-time. easier to turn the device off while walking to another area for work.

definitely feels like a design feature engineered by someone who has never used yard tools, or, hurriedly slapped on for regulatory reasons.

Jun 27, 2013#104

MowerMike

100 review mark reached on the Lowe's website store

These mowers have been selling like hotcakes at Lowe's, which is the only outlet for them in the USA. The 100 review mark was reached today, and they are mixed. 71 of 100 reviewers would recommend this product, whereas the remaining 29% would not. The main reasons for the negative reviews are initial quality defects such as failure to operate, broken key connector, defectively made plastic parts, short run time and weak plastic parts that break. The main reasons for the positive reviews are ease of use, light weight, good cutting power, good run times, short recharge times and quiet operation. The biggest drawback this product is bad quality control and poor customer service, and its biggest asset is advanced design at an affordable price.

Jun 27, 2013#105

1

1 Lucky Texan

Re: 100 review mark reached on the Lowe's website store

MowerMike said:
These mowers have been selling like hotcakes at Lowe's, which is the only outlet for them in the USA. The 100 review mark was reached today, and they are mixed. 71 of 100 reviewers would recommend this product, whereas the remaining 29% would not. The main reasons for the negative reviews are initial quality defects such as failure to operate, broken key connector, defectively made plastic parts, short run time and weak plastic parts that break. The main reasons for the positive reviews are ease of use, light weight, good cutting power, good run times, short recharge times and quiet operation. The biggest drawback this product is bad quality control and poor customer service, and its biggest asset is advanced design at an affordable price.

great summary.

I wonder where the returned units are going? Maybe CPOoutdoor.com ? or ??? I kinda wish i could get a re-furbed one, if it was cheap enough, to dig into. I could keep it for parts and maybe figure out a way to make a 'turbo' button to force it into high-speed operation.

Jul 23, 2013#106

1

1 Lucky Texan

Used the mower on my overgrown backyard. I missed mowing and got caught with about 4 days of rain, then waiting a coupla more days for a cooler Saturday morning. It did as well as my old gasser would have. Mulching suffered if I tried to mow too much 'mass' but, I just slowed down a little and/or overlapped more of the path.

Jul 24, 2013#107

R

ross77

After using this mower for about a month I'm giving it a B. Had they included two large batteries this would have been a home run. I can't finish my 1/4 acre lawn with the included batteries.

I've also noticed it has been missing blades of grass so I have to mow a little slower. I would assume this is contributing to the batteries running out before I can finish.

Could the blades already be dull or is it due to the lower suction power of two small blades? It must not be able to pull up the grass to get cut as well as a gas mower.

Jul 24, 2013#108

1

1 Lucky Texan

ross77 said:
After using this mower for about a month I'm giving it a B. Had they included two large batteries this would have been a home run. I can't finish my 1/4 acre lawn with the included batteries.

I've also noticed it has been missing blades of grass so I have to mow a little slower. I would assume this is contributing to the batteries running out before I can finish.

Could the blades already be dull or is it due to the lower suction power of two small blades? It must not be able to pull up the grass to get cut as well as a gas mower.

I had stragglers with my old gasser, which I think were due to the weight on the wheels. The stragglers with this GW mower, seem to be more random so, yeah, I think it's low suction. Or possibly due to more walking around I do pre-mow to clear sticks away. Overall, about the same number of uncut blades I'd say.

I did sharpen the blades on my mower but, not sure it made a huge difference.

Jul 26, 2013#109

C

cwlaw

We recently bought our first house and after researching our options for electric mowers decided on the dual blade greenworks mower. It worked fine the first few times and then it just died in the middle of mowing the lawn. My first thought was that I had drained the battery so I grabbed the second battery that had been on the charging cradle. It showed a full charge so I put it in the lawnmower and put the other battery on the cradle (it still showed 2 green lights worth of charge). Nothing. I had used the smaller battery alone before so I knew it could work, but nothing. I took it back to Lowes and they gave me a replacement. It worked fine the first couple of times but then sat in my garage for about 10 days due to rainy weather making grass cutting impractical. Went to turn it on... nothing. Both batteries fully charged...nothing.

I noticed that I had left the key in when I got the lawn mower out so my first thought was that perhaps it does more than just close a circuit and there was some internal battery that I had drained. This wouldn't explain how the first lawnmower died as it had died in the middle of operation, but seemed plausible for this scenario. I opened up the lawnmower and there doesn't appear to be any sort of internal battery. There is a small panel with a couple of capacitors on it, but no indication that they are there for anything more than power conditioning.

The starter pull is activating the mechanism correctly, the issue appears to be in the electric board somewhere. Any thoughts on what I might be able to do about this would be greatly appreciated. If I wind up returning it again I won't be getting a third, I'll just abandon my hope of a quieter, more environmental lawn mower, and get myself a gas mower.

Jul 26, 2013#110

MowerMike

cwlaw said:
We recently bought our first house and after researching our options for electric mowers decided on the dual blade greenworks mower. It worked fine the first few times and then it just died in the middle of mowing the lawn. My first thought was that I had drained the battery so I grabbed the second battery that had been on the charging cradle. It showed a full charge so I put it in the lawnmower and put the other battery on the cradle (it still showed 2 green lights worth of charge). Nothing. I had used the smaller battery alone before so I knew it could work, but nothing. I took it back to Lowes and they gave me a replacement. It worked fine the first couple of times but then sat in my garage for about 10 days due to rainy weather making grass cutting impractical. Went to turn it on... nothing. Both batteries fully charged...nothing.

I noticed that I had left the key in when I got the lawn mower out so my first thought was that perhaps it does more than just close a circuit and there was some internal battery that I had drained. This wouldn't explain how the first lawnmower died as it had died in the middle of operation, but seemed plausible for this scenario. I opened up the lawnmower and there doesn't appear to be any sort of internal battery. There is a small panel with a couple of capacitors on it, but no indication that they are there for anything more than power conditioning.

The starter pull is activating the mechanism correctly, the issue appears to be in the electric board somewhere. Any thoughts on what I might be able to do about this would be greatly appreciated. If I wind up returning it again I won't be getting a third, I'll just abandon my hope of a quieter, more environmental lawn mower, and get myself a gas mower.

The key is just a jumper that acts as a second safety switch. Check it with an ohmmeter to make sure it has continuity (zero resistance). Also, check continuity throughout the internal wiring and look for loose connections. Also, did you try the battery in both compartments ? It could be a blown capacitor on the power board or the internal power switch may be broken.

Jul 31, 2013#111

A

atp1313

Greenworks 20" twin blade got wet

We had 4" of rain 2 days ago and my mower "may" have gotten wet from rising water in the yard (it was up to my calves before I could drain the yard). It is at the very least damp from the extra humidity, and won't start. Is there a set time frame to let it dry out? Anything I can do to accelerate the drying time? Is it ruined? How bad can this be?

Jul 31, 2013#112

MowerMike