raven hybrid mower

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: meep

It is NOT a hybrid..... there is no battery to make it go from what I can tell. Or maybe the drive is DC, but I have a hard time seeing 36-60 volts of batteries in there as needed to pull a 500lb mower + 500lb tow-toy.

from the lowes community Q&A : How long will it run on battery power only? ;Without running the gas engine, how long will the batteries last? The battery only mode is intended for a backup mode or a light-use mode. The longevity will depend on the terrain. On flat or paved terrain the battery can last over an hour while driving. The MPV will not mow in battery only mode. what does the raven run off when operating fuel or battery? The RAVEN runs off of regular unleaded gasoline. It also has the ability to operate for limited periods of time using batteries only. This battery only mode is limited to driving. Mowing and generating are only available while the engine is running. Where can I find information on batteries? ;Where can I find specifics on the electric motors and batteries in this machine, including replacement costs and longevity.? The batteries never need to be replaced but you do have to clean them after so many hours of use according to manual. The machine over all is a great machine and well worth the price and drives very easy and silently The motors are DC Brushless 48V motors. You should never need to replace these or do any sort of maintenance. The MPV has two sets of batteries. One 12V starter battery which is a pretty typical off-the-shelf battery you can get anywhere. And one 48V battery pack. The pack itself should never need replacing because its power is managed by the system and does not go through deep drain cycles. Both the 12v and 48v batteries are charged when the MPV is running on gasoline. If it were needed to be replaced I could only guess at the cost being somewhere around $100.

 

[lars11]

WOW! that's actually a great combination I never thought of. The concept of the generator and all the new fairly heavy duty electrical garden equipment like saws, leaf blowers, flood lights etc makes this a great large garden thingy. I want to know if it's as heavy duty as it seems. Then I want it. In europe, in a 250 volt version!

 

[BigCahuna]

I didn't see or hear of any attachments for the Raven. A rear bag system would work for me.,,

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: earlyre

... And one 48V battery pack. The pack itself should never need replacing because its power is managed by the system and does not go through deep drain cycles. Both the 12v and 48v batteries are charged when the MPV is running on gasoline. If it were needed to be replaced I could only guess at the cost being somewhere around $100.

$100 might be a little on the light side. A cheap riding mower 12VDC battery is like $30. What impresses me the most with the raven is the transaxle on it. It looks like a little truck axle/differential on it. You can't get anything close to that for $3K.

 

[Vikas]

The review on the Lowe's site seems to be somewhat tongue in cheek and possibly fake.

 

[KD0AXS]

I stopped by Lowes to check this thing out, but unfortunately they're still in full blown winter mode with about 20 snowblowers on display. Only mower they had was a junky MTD rider, and even that had a flimsy snow plow blade attached to it that looked like it would fold in half the first time you tried to plow with it, if you didn't get stuck first.

 

[Cujet]

My local Lowes did not have one either.

 

[stumpypete]

They seem to working their way up from the south following the weather. If you google "reddit:my brother designed this Raven" it will take you to a discussion site my kids and other 20 somethings frequent. One poster, designer816 and another, lagger, seem to be the guys who concieved of the idea, designed it, tested it and are helping shepard it through production. There's a lot of good natured ribbing and some serious questions that these guys answer including ground clearance, how much can it really pull, and future plans for a bagger and snowblower. Worth a look if anyone wants more info. I like that it's conceived, designed and assembled here by a local company. Looks like RATO a chinese OPE maker bought out Denver Global Products in NC to bring this thing to market and supplies at least the engines and generator. They say it will be sold through independent shops later on but only Lowes to start. There's also a picture from the factory floor and the designer's original sketch by these 2 posters. If the chinese parts prove to be durarable and not junky this thing could be a big hit.

 

[meep]

ok I know I'm being hard on it. Thanks Earlyre for the battery info above. I can admit, if it were reliable and robust, it could be a very handy machine. Ok so it's a 48v subsystem. And it will do electric-only propulsion. Also cool. 1 hour runtime seems like a stretch to me... that's a lot of energy. No way the batteries are $100. If they are truly "lifetime," (right...) then they are a highly-computer-regulated Li-ion or NiMH, and at that capacity will cost. If it's cheaper, like lead-acid, calling it "lifetime" is silly. It really IS a neat concept. And I can see the application. It's an everything-you-need workhorse. I'm just skeptical, suspicious that it's all hype and thin steel. OTOH, to get all of those features in a robust machine, you'd double the cost. party on

 

[JTK]

I like the one Lowes review: "..went in for light bulbs. Came out with a Raven." LOL!!

 

[user52165]

My store in San Diego doesn't have it, knows nothing about it, has no idea when it might be here, no interest in checking, basically blew me off. BTW - this is the store nearest Jimmy Johnson's home.

 

[RavenOwner]

I'm the guy that posted the "Went in for Lightbulbs...". As I stated on the Lowe's review, I ended up buying the Raven because I was in the market for a lawn tractor and down the road an additional generator for projects. I also have to admit that there was a certain curb appeal when I first saw this machine. However, after asking a bunch of questions, I just said "what the h#ll, lets do this"! I even surprised myself when buying it. I normally spend weeks or months researching before I ever buy a product, but this was truly based on impulsive "got to have it" buying! So far though, the thing works great. The mowing blades cut clean, the battery charges within about 30-45 min. and it provides power to all my "Tim the Toolman" power tools. It really does get up and move and goes off road within reasonable terrains. I actually get more use out of my power tools; like my pole saw, electric chainsaw (still have a gas one for back-up), drills, grinders, etc.

 

[Tdbo]

It's a neat idea. Only time will tell if it is a good one.

 

[meep]

Originally Posted By: RavenOwner

I'm the guy that posted the "Went in for Lightbulbs...". As I stated on the Lowe's review, I ended up buying the Raven because I was in the market for a lawn tractor and down the road an additional generator for projects. I also have to admit that there was a certain curb appeal when I first saw this machine. However, after asking a bunch of questions, I just said "what the h#ll, lets do this"! I even surprised myself when buying it. I normally spend weeks or months researching before I ever buy a product, but this was truly based on impulsive "got to have it" buying! So far though, the thing works great. The mowing blades cut clean, the battery charges within about 30-45 min. and it provides power to all my "Tim the Toolman" power tools. It really does get up and move and goes off road within reasonable terrains. I actually get more use out of my power tools; like my pole saw, electric chainsaw (still have a gas one for back-up), drills, grinders, etc.

hey keep us posted. since you actually have one it'd be neat to know what it's like to live with such a unique machine.

 

[lexus114]

OMG!

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: RavenOwner

I'm the guy that posted the "Went in for Lightbulbs...". As I stated on the Lowe's review, I ended up buying the Raven because I was in the market for a lawn tractor and down the road an additional generator for projects. I also have to admit that there was a certain curb appeal when I first saw this machine. However, after asking a bunch of questions, I just said "what the h#ll, lets do this"! I even surprised myself when buying it. I normally spend weeks or months researching before I ever buy a product, but this was truly based on impulsive "got to have it" buying! So far though, the thing works great. The mowing blades cut clean, the battery charges within about 30-45 min. and it provides power to all my "Tim the Toolman" power tools. It really does get up and move and goes off road within reasonable terrains. I actually get more use out of my power tools; like my pole saw, electric chainsaw (still have a gas one for back-up), drills, grinders, etc.

Hey, welcome to BITOG and thanks for posting. Keep us posted and can we get some pics?

 

[RavenOwner]

Thanks; I'll keep you all posted of any positives/negatives and will post pictures when I get the chance.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: RavenOwner

Thanks; I'll keep you all posted of any positives/negatives and will post pictures when I get the chance.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for it? Does the engine have an oil filter? What 'brand' engine is it? Post a pic of the rear axle / trans if you can! (almost sounds obscene) Thanks!

 

[KD0AXS]

Doesn't appear that the engine has an oil filter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHMEyI98aJE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[RavenOwner]

JTK - After my 10% military discount, I paid around $2600 for the unit then I bought the extra warranty coverage for about $280. That would cover me for up to 5 years; I figured I might need this since it's new to the market. The engine brand is "Raven". I thought it would be built by B&S, or some other known brand, but it's not. I'll post a picture of the rear axle after I get home. However, due to the amount of problems this thing is experiencing, I may be bringing it back! Everyone who bought the Raven had issues with the seat safety switch. The metal is so weak that you can bend it with your hands. After sitting down on the seat a few times, the spring refuses to engage again. Another problem has been the mower blades activating by themselves without even touching the PTO switch. Therefore, I figure if those things have gone wrong, there's sure to be more! I'm not taking the chance anymore. I think I'll be buying a Husqvarna or Craftsman!