CNG is still a fossil fuel that produces greenhouse gases, but it burns cleaner than gasoline , diesel or propane. In comparison to gasoline, CNG emits an average of 80 percent less ozone-forming emissions [source: Consumer Energy Center ]. Electric zero-turn mowers are also beginning to hit the market, although they're still perhaps a bit cost-prohibitive for average consumers [source: Popular Mechanics ].
For more information about mowing the lawn -- and saving money and the planet from the comfort of your own home -- cruise through the links on the next page. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe.
Lawn Care. How Zero-turn Mowers Work. The Benefits of Zero-turn Mowers " ". You can generally tell you're looking at a zero-turn mower if it has two control levers instead of a steering wheel. Occasionally, you'll find one that sports a steering wheel or even a joystick at the helm. Up to half an acre: a reel mower , battery-powered mower or electric mower Between a half-acre and an acre: a gas-powered push mower Between one and three acres: a riding mower. The Drawbacks of Zero-turn Mowers Despite the many advantages of zero-turn mowers, there are some downsides to consider.
Which is greener, bagging your grass or leaving your clippings there? What is fertilizer and why do plants need it? Does fertilizer help or hurt my lawn? November Free Online Patents. June Consumer Energy Center. May 10, April 17, These claims place the invention of the zero mowers sometime between and While we may never know who actually invented the device and when it was invented, we do know how it works.
The zero mower exchanges the traditional wheel of a riding mower for two levers that are connected to two motors and the back wheels of the machine. This differs from many traditional mowers because most riding mowers depend on their front wheels to turn. However, this rear-wheel turning system has distinct advantages over front-wheel turning systems.
The zero-turn mowing system is so precise that you can make an exact turn that will start you off at the precise edge of where you left off. This is one of many reasons that the zero turn mower has become so popular today. The zero-turn mower has many benefits.
This is unfortunate because operating a zero-turn mower is actually a very simple process. The majority of zero mowers replace a traditional steering wheel with two levers. These levers are connected to two motors. The motors are connected to the rear wheels of the zero mower. This system allows you to move and maneuver the device quickly and effectively.
To move the zero mower forward, simply push the two levers forward at the same time. The farther you push the levers forward, the faster the device will go. To go in reverse, simply do the opposite and pull the levers back.
The farther back you pull the levers, the faster the device will go. This is fairly simple to learn. The levers are sensitive, but over time you will become more and more comfortable with the different speed levels of the device. Turning the zero turn mower sound more difficult than it actually is. Over the years, there have been many designs used by lawnmower manufacturers to make the best zero turn mowers. One of the popular designs was to have a mower in which the front wheels would be controlled by the steering wheel, which will turn as required.
This was known as front-wheel-drive design. Both the front wheels in this design are connected to two different motors, and two levers are used to select which motor to engage. By varying the speeds of two wheels separately, the zero turning radius was achieved.
But this design had many inherent flaws, which made it relatively difficult to judge the area being mowed and also less accurate. To overcome these limitations, a rear-wheel-drive system was brought into lawnmowers. In this system, the motor is connected to rear wheels, and rear wheels are used to turn the mower as required.
This makes the mower easy to maneuver and operate. The turning of the mower is controlled by controlling the speed of the two levers controlling the wheel speeds, which are connected to the levers using separate drive shafts. This design makes it very accurate and more comfortable to judge which part of the lawn is being cut.
The lever system is such that pushing both the levers in forwarding direction makes the mower move forward and pulling it back makes the mower move backward. To change the direction of the mower to the right lever is to be pushed further than the left lever, and to turn the mower left, the left lever is pushed further.
Depending on the relative speed of the left and right wheels, the mower turning radius will change, and at the farthest distance, it achieves zero turning radius.
This design was derived from the design of many agricultural and industrial equipment in use, like forklifts, tractors, etc. This system is straightforward to use as well as most efficient, and hence, it is used in the best zero turn mowers available in the market.
The controls sound complicated as compared to the traditional steering wheel controls. Still, once a person gets the hang of the controls, it becomes easy and swift to use zero turn lawn mowers, even for significant grounds. Generally, it is suggested after buying a new lawnmower to practice driving the mower without its blades attached, which helps in getting the hang of the controls without ruining the lawn.
The best zero turn mowers offer excellent maneuverability along with variable speeds to a higher degree. These mowers are usually used for mowing down big parks, golf courses, grounds, and fields as the speeds they work at are higher. This also is the reason behind relatively higher costs of zero-turn mowers, which makes it infeasible for owners of small homes with relatively smaller lawns.
When most people think of their dream homes, they always think about having a massive lawn around their house, which will make their house look lovely. But the problem with owning a big and beautiful lawn is to keep it beautiful and well maintained. Most people dread lawn maintenance tasks and often pay others to do it for them.
0コメント