# Swardman Electra



## GrassDaddy

Hey Guys

So I don't have one, let's start with that LOL but Michal sent me a video showing it off and if you think the Edwin gas version is great, man the Electra is SLICK. It's so quiet you could mow your lawn in the middle of the night and nobody would notice lol And you can change the speed, and there is a mode for scarifier / verticuting that makes the cartridge spin super fast. It can even go in reverse (powered)

Anyways, I just think it's super cool they keep on making cooler and cooler products!

Tim


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## OnyxsLawn

I'd love to see some more info on these. I love the idea of a battery powered mower (I've already replaced the rest of my OPE with battery powered equipment) but a replaceable battery is a must, especially for a product that takes pride in build quality. Are they actually shipping, testing yet?


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## SGrabs33

OnyxsLawn said:


> I'd love to see some more info on these. I love the idea of a battery powered mower (I've already replaced the rest of my OPE with battery powered equipment) but a replaceable battery is a must, especially for a product that takes pride in build quality. Are they actually shipping, testing yet?




__
http://instagr.am/p/BiDwhxuhD5V/


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## TigerinFL

wonder when they are going to release the pricing on these units?


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## J_nick

Word on the street is they are only available with an European style plug in


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## Fishnugget

If I had to do it, I would go for battery as long as it has enough run time. I have a total of 2700 sq ft. If it can handle that in a single battery then I would be in for one. All my equipment is slowly changing to battery too.


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## Ware

I'm going to move this to the regular equipment thread since this discussion doesn't involve buying or selling one.


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## Ware

@Reelrollers


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## MasterMech

J_nick said:


> Word on the street is they are only available with an European style plug in


We have some smart guys here on the forum. I'm sure we could approximate some 230V single phase in our garage to charge up our mower....


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## J_nick

MasterMech said:


> J_nick said:
> 
> 
> 
> Word on the street is they are only available with an European style plug in
> 
> 
> 
> We have some smart guys here on the forum. I'm sure we could approximate some 230V single phase in our garage to charge up our mower....
Click to expand...

Haha, I meant to say I was just kidding but got busy and hit submit


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## SCGrassMan

Am I the only guy here that would love one of these in pink?


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## gatormac2112

That would be great, but when all is said and done I'm going to have about 18000 square feet to mow. It would take a battery mower 5 recharges to get through that I bet.


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## Shindoman

TigerinFL said:


> wonder when they are going to release the pricing on these units?


Michal emailed me an order sheet with pricing for the Electra just the other day. He says May or June they will ship to North America. I'm sure it will come here with NA voltage. I want one but will wait until 
there are reviews from Stateside. Geez, I must be getting old. I'm going to sell my KTM dirt bike to pay for a new mower!


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## Mightyquinn

SCGrassMan said:


> Am I the only guy here that would love one of these in pink?


YES!!! :lol:


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## SwardmanGuy

gatormac2112 said:


> That would be great, but when all is said and done I'm going to have about 18000 square feet to mow. It would take a battery mower 5 recharges to get through that I bet.


Hi, actually the best battery we have for this mower is for 15000sq feets... but If you dont mow with the highest speed, you can mow even larger area...


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## gatormac2112

SwardmanGuy said:


> gatormac2112 said:
> 
> 
> 
> That would be great, but when all is said and done I'm going to have about 18000 square feet to mow. It would take a battery mower 5 recharges to get through that I bet.
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, actually the best battery we have for this mower is for 15000sq feets... but If you dont mow with the highest speed, you can mow even larger area...
Click to expand...

Very interesting :thumbup:


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## dwells97

The May/June time frame would be good time for a new mower for me. Sounds like it would cover my 5,000 square feet I will be mowing. Where can I get pricing on the Electra? Might have to take the plunge.


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## Shindoman

I filled out the "pre reserve an Electra" form. A few days later I received an email from [email protected] He sent me an order form with pricing. If I could figure out how to share it in this thread I would. Basically the Electra is $300 more than a gas version. The upgraded batteries are an additional $150 or $300. if it's as good as they say it is, I'll buy one.


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## dwells97

Thanks for the reply. 
I will fill out the pre reserve form.


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## Ganny

Just added myself to "pre-reserved" (might need to sell my TruCut C-25).


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## Ware

https://youtu.be/ATdgX00tVWM


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## Shindoman

I want one.


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## Bermuda_Newbie

Has there been any updates on these?


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## Ware

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> Has there been any updates on these?


@Reelrollers


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## dmouw

Anyone get theirs yet?


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## Shindoman

Received an email from Michal at Swardman today. They are shipping 2 Electras to the US dealer today. He will review them and they will start selling them in August.


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## Rpatterson

Michal said he will be in Texas in a few weeks. He wants to demo an Electra and Edwin for a small group, but needs a nice lawn. We just built so my lawn is in the process of being leveled out and it's not very big. Anybody in DFW willing to help out?


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## vkp413

Rpatterson said:


> Michal said he will be in Texas in a few weeks. He wants to demo an Electra and Edwin for a small group, but needs a nice lawn. We just built so my lawn is in the process of being leveled out and it's not very big. Anybody in DFW willing to help out?


My lawn is available, but I am in Fulshear (Houston)


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## Shindoman

Rpatterson said:


> Michal said he will be in Texas in a few weeks. He wants to demo an Electra and Edwin for a small group, but needs a nice lawn. We just built so my lawn is in the process of being leveled out and it's not very big. Anybody in DFW willing to help out?


Please post a video if you are there for the demo.


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## Kicker

Rpatterson said:


> Michal said he will be in Texas in a few weeks. He wants to demo an Electra and Edwin for a small group, but needs a nice lawn. We just built so my lawn is in the process of being leveled out and it's not very big. Anybody in DFW willing to help out?


My lawn is not ideal for a demo, but i would be interested in at least viewing/seeing it in action. Where can I/we stay up to date with the details of the demo?


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## Rpatterson

I'll take videos and keep everyone updated as it gets closer.


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## BrewNight

I'm in NFW if he needs a place. Lawn is at 5/8" already, but with my HRX 217. I need to pull the trigger on a Swardman.



Rpatterson said:


> Michal said he will be in Texas in a few weeks. He wants to demo an Electra and Edwin for a small group, but needs a nice lawn. We just built so my lawn is in the process of being leveled out and it's not very big. Anybody in DFW willing to help out?


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## Reelrollers

The Electra is officially here in the states. I have 1 demo Electra here in Atlanta and Michal from Swardman is taking the other Electra demo to Texas as mentioned above.

My iPhone for some reason makes the reel sound way louder than it actually is, I think because it's made to amplify your voice. The mower is so cool and insanely fun to operate.

Like I said, here are a few quick videos my 11 year old did for me between football games of mowing my yard with the Swardman.

If you live in the Atlanta area, I'm happy to have you demo the mower. Later this week we will be taking orders for the Electra's!

now I just need to figure out how to post a video... lol


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## Shindoman

@R@Reelrollers What's the lead time for ordering an Electra?


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## NoslracNevok

@Reelrollers Do you have an example of how much they're being sold for? Also, I don't see a video link in your comment.


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## g-man

Reelrollers said:


> now I just need to figure out how to post a video... lol


Upload to YouTube and then share the link in a post. The phpBB embeds it for easy viewing.


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## vkp413

Thanks to Michal D, I had a privilege to see & try the Electra yesterday. Now, I hate buying Edwin and should have waited for Electra, patience man patience 

Really good one and works so well, nice features too like Reverse etc


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## Bermuda_Newbie

vkp413 said:


> Thanks to Michal D, I had a privilege to see & try the Electra yesterday. Now, I hate buying Edwin and should have waited for Electra, patience man patience
> 
> Really good one and works so well, nice features too like Reverse etc


Can you explain more what the performance differences are between the two? I'm very excited for the video.


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## vkp413

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> vkp413 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks to Michal D, I had a privilege to see & try the Electra yesterday. Now, I hate buying Edwin and should have waited for Electra, patience man patience
> 
> Really good one and works so well, nice features too like Reverse etc
> 
> 
> 
> Can you explain more what the performance differences are between the two? I'm very excited for the video.
Click to expand...

For me, it is comparing a BMW M2 (Edwin) with Tesla S (Electra). Smooth Performance with hardly any sound, what I was hearing was just the blade cutting the grass, that is it.


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## Rpatterson

I'm excited as well! Michal said he will be Austin next week and Dallas the week after. I gave him my address awhile back so he's planning on coming to my house in east Plano. Message me if anyone wants to see it in person and I'll send you my address &#128513;


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## Shindoman

Received an email from Swardman this morning. Electra can now be ordered but you must place an order before Sept. 2. in order to receive in mid November. I'm still trying to recover from the sticker shock. If I order it with all the extras I want ( 10 blade and 5 blade reel, scarifier, verticutter, leather grips, custom color, and storage rack). No brush is listed as an accessory. The price is over $5000 USD. That converts to almost $7000 Canadian before I pay sales taxes of 12%. I really want one but at that price I will wait until next year to see how they perform . Too much money to take a chance on a brand new product. I'll also look into the Allett C20 that I'm guessing will be in the same price range and I know has a proven record of quality and reliability. I could buy 2 nice used greens mowers for less money. Geez


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## Reelrollers

Shindoman said:


> Received an email from Swardman this morning. Electra can now be ordered but you must place an order before Sept. 2. in order to receive in mid November. I'm still trying to recover from the sticker shock. If I order it with all the extras I want ( 10 blade and 5 blade reel, scarifier, verticutter, leather grips, custom color, and storage rack). No brush is listed as an accessory. The price is over $5000 USD. That converts to almost $7000 Canadian before I pay sales taxes of 12%. I really want one but at that price I will wait until next year to see how they perform . Too much money to take a chance on a brand new product. I'll also look into the Allett C20 that I'm guessing will be in the same price range and I know has a proven record of quality and reliability. I could buy 2 nice used greens mowers for less money. Geez


A blackberry retails for $199.99. An Iphone retails for $799.99
A Igloo cooler retails for $19.99. A YETI retails for $399.99

It's true that today we launched the Swardman Electra in the USA. I agree, the price of $7K would be a HUGE sticker shock for most people, but that's not the real price of the Electra. You included a 12% tax which doesn't apply to most, a currency exchange which doesn't apply to most, and included almost every option available. I don't want to mislead customers here in the USA to believe the Electra will cost them $7,000. Plus, it's really not a fair comparison of a Swardman Electra to a gas powered Allett C20. A fair comparison of the Allett C20 would be an Edwin that retails for $2,500.

I have posted the pricing for Electra below and we will be posting lots of videos, reviews, and photo's in the coming months. 
The way I see it, the Electra should be the last mower you ever own.

When we launched the Edwin 2.0 in April, we discounted the mowers for 2018 and are doing the same with the Electra for the remainder of the year on our website www.SwardmanUSA.com or www.ReelRollers.com

MOWER 2018 SALE PRICE MSRP (2019 pricing)
Electra US Special 45-5 Blade $2,999 $3,099 
Electra US Special 45-6 Blade $3,049 $3,157 
Electra US Special 45-10 Blade $3,099 $3,217 
Electra US Special 55-5 Blade $3,199 $3,399 
Electra US Special 55-6 Blade $3,249  $3,451 
Electra US Special 55-10 Blade $3,299 $3,491


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## Rpatterson

Shindoman said:


> Received an email from Swardman this morning. Electra can now be ordered but you must place an order before Sept. 2. in order to receive in mid November. I'm still trying to recover from the sticker shock. If I order it with all the extras I want ( 10 blade and 5 blade reel, scarifier, verticutter, leather grips, custom color, and storage rack). No brush is listed as an accessory. The price is over $5000 USD. That converts to almost $7000 Canadian before I pay sales taxes of 12%. I really want one but at that price I will wait until next year to see how they perform . Too much money to take a chance on a brand new product. I'll also look into the Allett C20 that I'm guessing will be in the same price range and I know has a proven record of quality and reliability. I could buy 2 nice used greens mowers for less money. Geez


After reviewing the website it looks like a few options have changed. They originally were going to offer 3 battery choices and now are only offering the highest capacity one which was a $310 option. It looks like they just added $310 to the quoted base price of $290 higher than the Edwin 2.0 (at least for the 45cm). I guess I can stop collecting bourbon and put that money towards the mower :lol:


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## Kicker

Rpatterson said:


> I'm excited as well! Michal said he will be Austin next week and Dallas the week after. I gave him my address awhile back so he's planning on coming to my house in east Plano. Message me if anyone wants to see it in person and I'll send you my address 😁


count me in on this one.

PM sent.


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## avionics12

I was fortunate to see the Electra in person not too long ago at Lee's shop. My baseline experience is a Tru-Cut C-27 that I enjoy a great deal. A few items I noticed:

•The weight of the mower, even with the largest available LiFePo4 battery will be a winner, IMHO. I like my Tru-Cut C-27 however, as some of you know, a C-27 can be a little cumbersome to maneuver. The reverse drive function on the Electra mitigates any problem I will have in use for tight spots. Use reverse to back out and reposition for more near silent cutting. This mower is quiet which will make early morning cutting more pleasurable for me and the neighbors.
•What little I saw of the Owners Manuals left a good impression on me. Illustrations are always a winner and it appeared the manual had clear and easy to read text.
•The safety switch is in a good position, out of the way but easily engaged and disengaged.
•The operators display is fairly intuitive and presents remaining battery power and provides a good spot for operational buttons. I believe it presents other information, however I spent quite a bit of time focused on handling and operation. 
•Sealed bearings are a good thing, less maintenance means more fun time to mow.
•The ease of use of the cartridge system means the same as above. More time for fun with increased functionality. That helps me justify the initial price.
•The adjustability of the operators handle is wide ranging and I suspect anyone who buys an Electra will find their sweet spot for driving.
•Variable speed took a few passes to get comfortable with, however I adjusted OK to that.
•Superspeed for the verticutter and scarifier gave me more confidence that the Electra would not slow down when using these cartridges. I believe coupled with the larger battery this will serve my purposes well.
•Aesthetically this mower is what I wish other manufacturers had incorporated years ago. This looks like a professional home lawn mower and in my short time with it I knew the wait would be worth it.
•I regret not taking any pictures; I was having too much fun driving the Electra around the shop and asking questions.

Taking all things into consideration, I will be buying a customized Electra early next year. The price of admission is steep, however I subscribe to the saying "Buy once, cry once." The only thing preventing my order now is the fact that I am moving. Ironically, at my next home, my front and back Bermuda lawns are adjacent to one of the Greens of the Georgia National Golf Course. With the knowledge I get here on TLF and a Swardman Electra I may try to give them a "run for their money".


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## Ware

avionics12 said:


> •Superspeed for the verticutter and scarifier gave me more confidence that the Electra would not slow down when using these cartridges. I believe coupled with the larger battery this will serve my purposes well.


Thanks for the detailed review. Can you elaborate on the "superspeed" feature?


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## avionics12

Normally the reel will run at reduced speed when first starting up then increase speed as you start mowing. It remains at a constant speed until you stop. By pressing a series of buttons on the handle control console you can initiate a superspeed mode, which to me, appeared to be an even higher cartridge speed.

@Reelrollers Did I get that right?


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## Reelrollers

Ware said:


> avionics12 said:
> 
> 
> 
> •Superspeed for the verticutter and scarifier gave me more confidence that the Electra would not slow down when using these cartridges. I believe coupled with the larger battery this will serve my purposes well.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the detailed review. Can you elaborate on the "superspeed" feature?
Click to expand...




avionics12 said:


> Normally the reel will run at reduced speed when first starting up then increase speed as you start mowing. It remains at a constant speed until you stop. By pressing a series of buttons on the handle control console you can initiate a superspeed mode, which to me, appeared to be an even higher cartridge speed.
> 
> @Reelrollers Did I get that right?


Yes, you are correct. There are essentially 2 Reel spinning modes. The default mode spins the reel at a cutting speed which automatically increases and decreases the reel speed based on your ground speed for a perfectly timed cut. The Hyperspeed or Superspeed mode is for use with the other cartridges (Verticutter, Rotary Brush, and Scarifier).

Even cooler feature in the hyperspeed mode is the control you have on reel speed. the tighter you squeeze the handle, the more speed for the reel.


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## Ware

That's a very nice feature.


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## avionics12

While out on Friday night date with the TruCut I was reminded of another feature of the Electra. When you release the handles the mower stops and the reel shuts down. This is a safety feature that I really like.


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## Shindoman

@Reelrollers Make no mistake, the Electra is the mower that I want to buy. It ticks all the boxes for what I want. I didn't mean to mis inform anyone about pricing. I was only basing it on what the Electra and the accessories I want will cost me (the 12% sales tax I must pay is over and above the $7000). I'm fine with paying that or more to get the best mower for me. My only concern is that it is a brand new version from a fairly new manufacturer. Reliability and longevity are a question mark at this point. So far it seems like Swardman and ReelRollers are standing behind their product quite well. I mentioned the Allett C20 not as a direct comparison to the Electra but rather that it is another mower I am considering and they do have a stellar durability and longevity record. 
Can you talk as to the warranty for the Electra and battery warranty? Also why is the brush cartridge not given as an available accessory in the online store? 
I hope you sell a bunch of them. It is one cool machine!


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## scarlso2

@Alan and I checking out the Electra on my Zorro Zoysia. VERY nice cut! I want it!


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## Bermuda_Newbie

@scarlso2 is that the 45 or the 55 inch?


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## scarlso2

It's the 55cm model


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## Bermuda_Newbie

scarlso2 said:


> It's the 55cm model


Haha cm makes more sense than inches


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## Reelrollers

Finally got the video up on the Swardman Electra Demo I have in Georgia. The Iphone made the reel way louder than it was in person. The controls are amazing.

https://youtu.be/oqIHZwBjrNo


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## SwardmanGuy

Shindoman said:


> Received an email from Swardman this morning. Electra can now be ordered but you must place an order before Sept. 2. in order to receive in mid November. I'm still trying to recover from the sticker shock. If I order it with all the extras I want ( 10 blade and 5 blade reel, scarifier, verticutter, leather grips, custom color, and storage rack). No brush is listed as an accessory. The price is over $5000 USD. That converts to almost $7000 Canadian before I pay sales taxes of 12%. I really want one but at that price I will wait until next year to see how they perform . Too much money to take a chance on a brand new product. I'll also look into the Allett C20 that I'm guessing will be in the same price range and I know has a proven record of quality and reliability. I could buy 2 nice used greens mowers for less money. Geez


Hi @Shindoman , may I ask you how is it with your 12% sales tax? There is no such a thing in US I believe (ok, customer has to pay about 30USD to customs but nothing more). And I have been told that its the same in Canada. Are you sure with this 12% sales tax? Thank you, Michal


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## NoslracNevok

Thanks for posting @Reelrollers. Higher video resolution would be even more appreciated.


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## dwells97

@Reelrollers Can you show a picture of where you plug in the mower for charging? Would be interested in seeing the charging port


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## Shindoman

> Hi @Shindoman , may I ask you how is it with your 12% sales tax? There is no such a thing in US I believe (ok, customer has to pay about 30USD to customs but nothing more). And I have been told that its the same in Canada. Are you sure with this 12% sales tax? Thank you, Michal


Hi Michal. I live in British Columbia. We have a 7% sales tax. Everyone in Canada also has to pay G.S.T which is another 5%, so that's how we arrive at 12%. Alberta has no sales tax so you just pay 5% G.S.T. That's how we pay for our free health care. Sales tax varies from State to State as well. I believe Washington State it is 9%. When I price out an Electra on the ReelRollers website it adds a sales tax to the total in my cart. 
Can you tell me what the warranty will be on the Electra, as well as what is the warranty for the battery? Is the battery built in or do you remove it to charge?


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## avionics12

dwells97 said:


> @Reelrollers Can you show a picture of where you plug in the mower for charging? Would be interested in seeing the charging port


Still regretting not taking pictures when I saw the Electra, however I do know the charging port is a 5mm type barrel connection similar to the photo. IIRC I had no concerns with the location of the battery charging port; I simply don't remember where it is.


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## dwells97

@avionics12 
Thanks for the information


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## Rpatterson




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## SwardmanGuy

Rpatterson said:


>


@Rpatterson thank you for this picture!!! I wanted to take this picture too. But again I forgot... Well thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed the mower!


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## Rpatterson

SwardmanGuy said:


> Rpatterson said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Rpatterson thank you for this picture!!! I wanted to take this picture too. But again I forgot... Well thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed the mower!
Click to expand...

The mower was great! It really showed how bad a shape my lawn was under the canopy lol. I want one.


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## SwardmanGuy

Hi, at this time Im in Dallas with Electra mower. Im going to stay here till Friday. I believe I already wrote emails to all guys from this area. If I forgot to somebody, please write me an email. Also If somebody new would be interested, write me also. I still have some time for new demos. Thank you, Michal


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## Reelrollers

I can also demo the Electra for anyone in the Atlanta area. We can put it side by side with the Edwin, Trimmer, McLane, and Tru Cut. I have a few of each to really let you feel the difference back to back.


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## Shindoman

Atl. is a long drive for me. 
Hoping for a lengthy online video review.
Still curious as to the warranty for the Electra and the battery warranty.


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## Shindoman

Has anyone purchased an Electra?


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## Rpatterson

Shindoman said:


> Has anyone purchased an Electra?


I did.


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## Shindoman

Rpatterson said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone purchased an Electra?
> 
> 
> 
> I did.
Click to expand...

Do you have it yet? If you do I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks


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## dmouw

we need a good youtube review


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## Rpatterson

It won't be delivered until November. I'll get a video together for everyone. The reason it's taking so long is because they're shipping them via boat. It would have been $600 per mower if shipped by air because of something to do with the battery. I like to say it's making the maiden voyage.


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## SwardmanGuy

Electra delivery - exactly as you wrote. Electra use Li'FePo4 battery. Which is danged goods for air shipping. Its very difficult and expensive to ship these Lithium batteries in plane. That is why we have to use boat shipping...


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## joeker

How much do these run for again?


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## Shindoman

joeker said:


> How much do these run for again?


Base price before options is just over $3000.


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## joeker

Shindoman said:


> joeker said:
> 
> 
> 
> How much do these run for again?
> 
> 
> 
> Base price before options is just over $3000.
Click to expand...


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## Passat774

I was talking to Lee the Swardman USA representative and he told me they are having a first time ever Thanksgiving Sale of 20% off through the 25th.

This is an incredible savings on a top-notch machine, if I was in the market I certainly would be taking advantage of it.


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## Shindoman

Passat774 said:


> I was talking to Lee the Swardman USA representative and he told me they are having a first time ever Thanksgiving Sale of 20% off through the 25th.
> 
> This is an incredible savings on a top-notch machine, if I was in the market I certainly would be taking advantage of it.


That's a great deal for sure. Just need to see some real world reviews of the Electra first.
@Passat774 Are you a VW guy? I have 3 incl a '08 Passat Wagon V6 4Motion.


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## Passat774

Shindoman said:


> Passat774 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I was talking to Lee the Swardman USA representative and he told me they are having a first time ever Thanksgiving Sale of 20% off through the 25th.
> 
> This is an incredible savings on a top-notch machine, if I was in the market I certainly would be taking advantage of it.
> 
> 
> 
> That's a great deal for sure. Just need to see some real world reviews of the Electra first.
> @Passat774 Are you a VW guy? I have 3 incl a '08 Passat Wagon V6 4Motion.
> [@Passat774
> 
> I started with a B6 1.8T but graduted up into a MB AMG C63S. Hopefully the Swardman will be next
Click to expand...


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## Reelrollers

Electra container arrives tomorrow, Nov. 30 to our shop. We should be sending out 20 - 30 of them on Monday so we should have lots of reviews in the coming weeks. This was the first shipment, so moving forward we'll have them in stock in our Atlanta location.


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## Rpatterson

The wife picked white.


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## Shindoman

@Rpatterson Congrats. It looks good in white.


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## Fishnugget

RPatt looks good. You should also post a pic of your garage. What floor is that?

Your pics are making me want to buy an Electra. Time to tell the wife my JD is too big for my front lawn. 

Post some vids with it in action


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## Scpenner2000

It's here. And I have to go feed the family.


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## Reelrollers

This is what Xmas is all about!


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## Shindoman

Still no real world reviews on the Electra?


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## SwardmanGuy

Shindoman said:


> Still no real world reviews on the Electra?


Hi, first customers have their Electras. But it´s winter time. So really difficult to make some real videos. But we are already preparing some videos on March. I hope you will like it!!


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## SwardmanGuy

Reel mower Swardman Electra just won the prestigious German Design Awards 2019 - if you are interested more about it, check this article: https://www.swardman.com/us/news/swardman-electra-won-the-prestigious-german-design-awards-2019/


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## Ware

SwardmanGuy said:


> Reel mower Swardman Electra just won the prestigious German Design Awards 2019 - if you are interested more about it, check this article: https://www.swardman.com/us/news/swardman-electra-won-the-prestigious-german-design-awards-2019/


Congratulations! :thumbup:


----------



## PokeGrande

Are there currently any discounts or deals available? If there were one like there was back in November, I'd buy the Electra (and accessories) in an instant.

If wanting to maintain my bermuda between 0.5" - 0.75", which would be the preferred reel - the 6-blade? At what height lowering your cut would the 10-blade give you the best cut? I also would like to mow my cool season grass around 1.25" - 1.5", which I assume the 5-blade would be best choice for that. I don't mind getting 2 different reels but would not be interested in getting all 3 so would go with the 2 best suited for my different lawns.

After the blade reels, what are the must-have cartridges and accessories (for bermuda section)? If you could choose only one of the verticutter or scarifier, which would it be?

Thanks for any help, suggestions provided.


----------



## Reelrollers

PokeGrande said:


> Are there currently any discounts or deals available? If there were one like there was back in November, I'd buy the Electra (and accessories) in an instant.
> 
> If wanting to maintain my bermuda between 0.5" - 0.75", which would be the preferred reel - the 6-blade? At what height lowering your cut would the 10-blade give you the best cut? I also would like to mow my cool season grass around 1.25" - 1.5", which I assume the 5-blade would be best choice for that. I don't mind getting 2 different reels but would not be interested in getting all 3 so would go with the 2 best suited for my different lawns.
> 
> After the blade reels, what are the must-have cartridges and accessories (for bermuda section)? If you could choose only one of the verticutter or scarifier, which would it be?
> 
> Thanks for any help, suggestions provided.


I would suggest starting with the 6 blade reel and see if that 1 reel accomplishes both of your desired cuts and may not need a 2nd reel cartridge. I really haven't seen a huge difference between the 5 blade reel vs 6 blade and if you want a 2nd cartridge, most likely will be for the 10 blade so you can mow lower on the Bermuda. Many folks start off saying they want 1/2"-3/4" Bermuda cuts, but once they realize how low they can go without scalping and how their Bermuda thrives low, they tend to cut 1/2" or lower depending on how level their turf is overall.

Far as ground engaging cartridges, my personal favorite is the Scarifier (dethatcher). It has multiple uses from cleaning up mulch buried in grass around beds, to standing up dormant grass to scalp, and then of course the obvious of cleaning up all the thatch that can accumulate. A tool you can use all season long.


----------



## PokeGrande

Reelrollers said:


> PokeGrande said:
> 
> 
> 
> Are there currently any discounts or deals available? If there were one like there was back in November, I'd buy the Electra (and accessories) in an instant.
> 
> If wanting to maintain my bermuda between 0.5" - 0.75", which would be the preferred reel - the 6-blade? At what height lowering your cut would the 10-blade give you the best cut? I also would like to mow my cool season grass around 1.25" - 1.5", which I assume the 5-blade would be best choice for that. I don't mind getting 2 different reels but would not be interested in getting all 3 so would go with the 2 best suited for my different lawns.
> 
> After the blade reels, what are the must-have cartridges and accessories (for bermuda section)? If you could choose only one of the verticutter or scarifier, which would it be?
> 
> Thanks for any help, suggestions provided.
> 
> 
> 
> I would suggest starting with the 6 blade reel and see if that 1 reel accomplishes both of your desired cuts and may not need a 2nd reel cartridge. I really haven't seen a huge difference between the 5 blade reel vs 6 blade and if you want a 2nd cartridge, most likely will be for the 10 blade so you can mow lower on the Bermuda. Many folks start off saying they want 1/2"-3/4" Bermuda cuts, but once they realize how low they can go without scalping and how their Bermuda thrives low, they tend to cut 1/2" or lower depending on how level their turf is overall.
> 
> Far as ground engaging cartridges, my personal favorite is the Scarifier (dethatcher). It has multiple uses from cleaning up mulch buried in grass around beds, to standing up dormant grass to scalp, and then of course the obvious of cleaning up all the thatch that can accumulate. A tool you can use all season long.
Click to expand...

Thank you, much appreciated.


----------



## PokeGrande

Just made the plunge. :shocked:

@Reelrollers, send me a good one!


----------



## Shindoman

PokeGrande said:


> Just made the plunge. :shocked:
> 
> Congrats! Make sure to let us know how it performs for you.


----------



## BadDad

Curious how this badass machine does in morning dew Bermuda... would seem to be the biggest benefit after of course the reel would be the extreme low level of volume enabling cool morning mows in July and August?


----------



## Reelrollers

PokeGrande said:


> Just made the plunge. :shocked:
> 
> @Reelrollers, send me a good one!


She'll ship tomorrow, delivered to you by Thursday.


----------



## sanders4617

Can't wait to see some real world videos of the Electra. I have a TruCut C27 that works fine, but having an electric reel mower (though pricey) would be really cool. No more filling up gas. No more smelling like it. Can hear what's going on around you. A lot of positives to it, if it proves to be a worthy addition to the lineup!

I'm interested how it does in the morning as well.. I'd love to get up earlier and give my lawn a cut before work. I think I'd find it much easier to cut 3-4 times a week that way.


----------



## PokeGrande

Whatever could this be??? I bet there is something blue in there.


----------



## PokeGrande




----------



## Ware

PokeGrande said:


>


Nice! :thumbup:


----------



## Shindoman

Love that color! 
Congrats!


----------



## sanders4617

@PokeGrande How quiet is she?


----------



## PokeGrande

sanders4617 said:


> @PokeGrande How quiet is she?


Not as loud as my manual push! Very quiet!

Was able to get a quick cut in:


----------



## sanders4617

Any first impressions after a couple days?


----------



## PokeGrande

sanders4617 said:


> Any first impressions after a couple days?


Awesomeness


----------



## PokeGrande

I double cut a combined 7,100 sq ft without any issues, FYI. So I have no doubts you can cut at least 15,000 sq feet on normal slope without recharging.


----------



## mowww

I double verticut 5k and brushed once and ended up with about 50% of my battery left. Really impressed with everything about the Electra except for its ability to hold a slight side hill. Beautiful machine.


----------



## sanders4617

@mowww What exactly do you mean by that?


----------



## mowww

sanders4617 said:


> @mowww What exactly do you mean by that?


As with any mower with a smooth drum, it is difficult to hold a side slope. They do have rubber ridged drums which I need to ask about. Fortunately the mower is pretty light compared to my old 220E and other gas reel mowers so I can handle it pretty easily.


----------



## Reelrollers

mowww said:


> sanders4617 said:
> 
> 
> 
> @mowww What exactly do you mean by that?
> 
> 
> 
> As with any mower with a smooth drum, it is difficult to hold a side slope. They do have rubber ridged drums which I need to ask about. Fortunately the mower is pretty light compared to my old 220E and other gas reel mowers so I can handle it pretty easily.
Click to expand...

Awesome lawn, we're you mowing with the front grooved or smooth roller on the side hill?

I also mow my front hill sideways and found the grooved front roller holds my line much better. The rear drum is trailing a few inches down the hill which still does a great job. Adding the rear rubber isn't an option bc it really takes away from the benefits of a metal rear drum drive. We tried it about a year ago on 10 mowers, but it grips too much digging up the turf on turns. Probably why greens mowers don't have rubber either.


----------



## Ware

@Reelrollers @SwardmanGuy perhaps Swardman could experiment with a dimpled drum for added traction like Toro and others use on their 26" machines.


----------



## Mightyquinn

Ware said:


> @Reelrollers @SwardmanGuy perhaps Swardman could experiment with a dimpled drum for added traction like Toro and others use on their 26" machines.


The Baroness has a dimpled roller on there 22" models too :thumbup:


----------



## mowww

Reelrollers said:


> mowww said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sanders4617 said:
> 
> 
> 
> @mowww What exactly do you mean by that?
> 
> 
> 
> As with any mower with a smooth drum, it is difficult to hold a side slope. They do have rubber ridged drums which I need to ask about. Fortunately the mower is pretty light compared to my old 220E and other gas reel mowers so I can handle it pretty easily.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Awesome lawn, we're you mowing with the front grooved or smooth roller on the side hill?
> 
> I also mow my front hill sideways and found the grooved front roller holds my line much better. The rear drum is trailing a few inches down the hill which still does a great job. Adding the rear rubber isn't an option bc it really takes away from the benefits of a metal rear drum drive. We tried it about a year ago on 10 mowers, but it grips too much digging up the turf on turns. Probably why greens mowers don't have rubber either.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update! Using the grooved roller definitely improves handling on slopes. The relatively low weight of the machine makes it manueverable regardless of slope but I would be interested in the dimpled configuration if that ever came to market.


----------



## Rpatterson

I know it's a balancing act but I can't seem to get all blades to cut in the same place. I've adjusted the reel to bed knife a million times and feel like there I can't get it right. Paper is doubled over in the video. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I think when it does the "waves" it's too tight, but it won't cut if I back it off any more...


----------



## TN Hawkeye

Rpatterson said:


> I know it's a balancing act but I can't seem to get all blades to cut in the same place. I've adjusted the reel to bed knife a million times and feel like there I can't get it right. Paper is doubled over in the video. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I think when it does the "waves" it's too tight, but it won't cut if I back it off any more...


Could you number you reel blades to see if the same ones miss in the same spots? Maybe some of the blades have slight variations in them that would cause them to be off from the bed knife. Seemed like some of them cut in spots and some didn't.


----------



## mowww

Check out this article: https://www.golfcourseindustry.com/article/ironinfocus-052413-closer-look-frequency-of-clip/

You may need a 10 or 11 blade cartridge depending on how low you are going.


----------



## Rpatterson

TN Hawkeye said:


> Rpatterson said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know it's a balancing act but I can't seem to get all blades to cut in the same place. I've adjusted the reel to bed knife a million times and feel like there I can't get it right. Paper is doubled over in the video. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I think when it does the "waves" it's too tight, but it won't cut if I back it off any more...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could you number you reel blades to see if the same ones miss in the same spots? Maybe some of the blades have slight variations in them that would cause them to be off from the bed knife. Seemed like some of them cut in spots and some didn't.
Click to expand...

I'll do that tonight. I thought I read the blades don't touch on the Electra whereas the gas version needs the bed knife to stop the reel from spinning.

@mowww I think the waves are from cutting too low. It's a 5 blade and I cut at 0.5. I didn't notice waves at 0.75 or 1". Thanks for the info!


----------



## Ware

Toro Aftercut Appearance Troubleshooting Guide


----------



## Bergman

Not wanting to hijack this thread but I am very interested in purchasing one of these. Reelrollers sent me two emails that there is a demo in my area this Sunday. I responded to both invites, and even called the number and left a message but so far no response. Does anyone know where and what time the Greenville SC event is being held? I really want to go there. thx.


----------



## gb043075

Yeah baby.....


----------



## Rpatterson

TN Hawkeye said:


> Rpatterson said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know it's a balancing act but I can't seem to get all blades to cut in the same place. I've adjusted the reel to bed knife a million times and feel like there I can't get it right. Paper is doubled over in the video. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I think when it does the "waves" it's too tight, but it won't cut if I back it off any more...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could you number you reel blades to see if the same ones miss in the same spots? Maybe some of the blades have slight variations in them that would cause them to be off from the bed knife. Seemed like some of them cut in spots and some didn't.
Click to expand...

Appears that two blades rub the bed knife when it's adjusted so all blades will cut a doubled over piece of paper. If all blades are free from the bed knife 2 of 5 blades won't cut it. Let me know your thoughts.


----------



## sanders4617

With the TruCut, the reel (or blades) are suppose to make slight contact with the bed knife. Unless I'm doing something wrong, but that's how I get the best cut.


----------



## TN Hawkeye

Rpatterson said:


> TN Hawkeye said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rpatterson said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know it's a balancing act but I can't seem to get all blades to cut in the same place. I've adjusted the reel to bed knife a million times and feel like there I can't get it right. Paper is doubled over in the video. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I think when it does the "waves" it's too tight, but it won't cut if I back it off any more...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could you number you reel blades to see if the same ones miss in the same spots? Maybe some of the blades have slight variations in them that would cause them to be off from the bed knife. Seemed like some of them cut in spots and some didn't.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Appears that two blades rub the bed knife when it's adjusted so all blades will cut a doubled over piece of paper. If all blades are free from the bed knife 2 of 5 blades won't cut it. Let me know your thoughts.
Click to expand...

@Reelrollers what advice can you offer this man?


----------



## SGrabs33

Bergman said:


> Not wanting to hijack this thread but I am very interested in purchasing one of these. Reelrollers sent me two emails that there is a demo in my area this Sunday. I responded to both invites, and even called the number and left a message but so far no response. Does anyone know where and what time the Greenville SC event is being held? I really want to go there. thx.


@Reelrollers


----------



## MasterMech

I'd be interested in the Greenville demo too if The timing works.


----------



## Austinite

I have the same issue with my Edwin. Blades don't cut in spots and when I do tighten it enough to cut the reel Gets stuck and won't spin. I sent my cartridge back to Lee for him to investigate and fix. He's been very helpful.


----------



## gb043075

What a beauty! Unfortunately the data cable is severed. Not sure if I did it during unboxing or it was like that. Spoke with Lee and he's sending me a replacement. So much for the Friday test drive. But I can't complain, ordered Wednesday mid-day, at my house noon today. Awesome customer service - Thanks @Reelrollers !


----------



## PokeGrande

gb043075 said:


> Awesome customer service - Thanks @Reelrollers !


Ditto that.


----------



## Reelrollers

gb043075 said:


> What a beauty! Unfortunately the data cable is severed. Not sure if I did it during unboxing or it was like that. Spoke with Lee and he's sending me a replacement. So much for the Friday test drive. But I can't complain, ordered Wednesday mid-day, at my house noon today. Awesome customer service - Thanks @Reelrollers !


Shoot, I'm sad I broke up the Friday fun! The cable is ready to ship!


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Hey Folks,

I'm a low-mow newbie. I got my "War Eagle Blue" Electra 55 earlier this Spring and thought I'd share my first impressions. Basically, I took the Electra out of the box, charged it overnight, and beat on it hard for about 12 hours over a two-day period. I tuned the 6-blade reel, scalped my small bermuda front yard down to dirt, verti-cut, de-thatched, and bagged. I almost bought a TruCut C27, but I'm really glad I got the Electra 55 instead. For me, 27" would have been way too big. Not to mention I avoid the nuisances of gas, oil, and repeatedly renting a verticutter and power rake. I'll swap cartridges a bunch over the next two years since my bermuda is so "leggy". So for what it's worth, here are some first impressions from a reel mower newbie...

#1) The Electra 55 isn't "light duty" at least not to me. I wouldn't want to deal with anything heavier! I've personally never used a true "golf green" mower which apparently weighs around 9,000 pounds by reputation. As an American homeowner I'd say Swardman has hit a sweet spot for size and weight. While I never want to pick this thing up alone, it was still more maneuverable than I expected around my curvy mulch beds and pavers. The speed control and reverse features alone makes an electric mower invaluable when navigating small areas that homeowners deal with.

#2) As for durability, the Electra and its accessories are all mechanically well-designed and well-built. I am very impressed with the "bones" of this mower. I don't foresee any mechanical failures for a reasonalby long life expectancy. I expect the failure points will be...well...I'll cover that in item #6.

#3) The motor+battery are strong and quiet. I was impressed with the power and endurance. Again, I don't expect failures here. Swardman calls the high-speed spin feature "Rejuvenate Mode" but I'd call it "Beast Mode!!!". With the verti-cutter installed, I was slicing the soil and a literal fountain of bermuda straw and dirt was flying out the front. I wouldn't want to use anything stronger. The verti-cutter actually made a bit of a mess in a few mulch beds and on my walkways because I wasn't paying attention. *First lesson learned:* after verti-cutting, blow all the dirt and straw back into the yard first, then use the de-thatcher cartridge to bag the mess.

#4) I never thought about using this mower on a slope, but I tried anyway. The side of my house is a small 30° slope. The Electra was a skatey handful, especially on dead, dry bermuda. I managed to mow the area I needed on the slope, but I suspect reel mowers aren't intended to be used on such a steep grade. So I'll use my rotary mower and string trimmer for those areas.

#5) I'm far from the point where I can make judgements on "cut quality", especially by the standards I see in this forum. Ignoring the headaches caused by bumps and low spots which will plague any reel mower, I didn't have any issues while scalping. The 6-blade reel threw all the clippings into the catcher, although they tended to clump near the blades due an extreme depth-of-cut. I was impressed and kinda mezmerized watching the clippings fly. The catcher bin is heavier and bulkier than I expected. The bin doesn't look big in the photos, but emptying it about 4 bajillion times was quite a workout for a 50+ year old marshmellow office worker like me. *Second lesson learned:* use lawn bags with a super-wide mouth and a stand so both hands are free to dump the clippings. And if you plan to hold a lawn bag with one hand while tipping the catch bin using your free hand, I suggest playing Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax" (a.k.a. "The Benny Hill Show" theme) on a loudspeaker so your neighbors can fully enjoy your antics.

#6) My main criticisms of the Electra are relatively trivial and all related to the electrical controls. Everything worked perfectly out of the box for me, so this is all just speculation. First, the "membrane" keypad works fine and is a good choice for outdoor applications. But I know from experience that the most-used membrane button wears out relatively quickly. Hopefully, that button will last long enough and a new keypad will be cheap enough so that it can be considered a "consumable" like the drive belt. Second, the keypad circuit board below the handle is rather exposed in my opinion. I really hope the circuit board has a good conformal coating to keep out moisture and grime. If not, then I can see Swardman replacing a LOT of these circuit boards over the next few years. Third and most shocking (no pun intended), the "data cable" from the keypad circuit board uses a standard RJ-11 jack which connects into the back of the mower about a foot above the ground. This is basically a plastic, indoor telephone wall plug using plain, indoor telephone wire. Granted, this cable and plug may be adequate to the job. Only time will tell whether such light-duty gear will break or if dust, dirt, and water will slowly intrude into the mower during typical use. But at the Electra's price-level and superb mechanical design, I was a bit disappointed to see them use something so...uh...cheezy. I can certainly understand how the above poster's Electra arrived with a broken data cable or connector. Those indoor RJ-11 connectors are fragile.

So that's it. The Electra 55 is a top-shelf homeowner tool. I am very impressed and pleased with only minor caveats. Now I'm waiting for my bermuda to grow tall enough (it's Easter and 45° F in Alabama!) so I can start laying down sand without it being washed away and/or smothering the grass. I suspect it's gonna take a year or two and many sand applications to get my front lawn smooth enough to take advantage of a reel mower's benefits. If my impressions of the Electra change over time, then I'll post more. But that's probably enough for now.


----------



## Shindoman

@hsvtoolfool 
Very nice review of your Electra. Sounds like it's the perfect machine for you. 
It seems like you've joined the ranks of a true lawn nut!
Congrats and happy mowing.


----------



## zinger565

Rpatterson said:


> TN Hawkeye said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rpatterson said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know it's a balancing act but I can't seem to get all blades to cut in the same place. I've adjusted the reel to bed knife a million times and feel like there I can't get it right. Paper is doubled over in the video. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I think when it does the "waves" it's too tight, but it won't cut if I back it off any more...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could you number you reel blades to see if the same ones miss in the same spots? Maybe some of the blades have slight variations in them that would cause them to be off from the bed knife. Seemed like some of them cut in spots and some didn't.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Appears that two blades rub the bed knife when it's adjusted so all blades will cut a doubled over piece of paper. If all blades are free from the bed knife 2 of 5 blades won't cut it. Let me know your thoughts.
Click to expand...

I'm not a reel expert, but from an engineering perspective it sounds like your cartridge is eccentric, with 2 of the blades being further out than the others. Again, from a non-expert, your options are probably a new cartridge or finding a way to bring those 2 blades back into round. Most likely the best way would be to grind off the extra metal, but probably not something you'd want to do at home.


----------



## sanders4617

@Rpatterson We're you able to find an answer on your paper cutting issue?

I'm debating a Swardman, and curious on some of the issues I've seen on here.

Also, to anyone.. is the 10 blade the way to go? I wish they had a 7-8 blade reel.

Thanks


----------



## Rpatterson

sanders4617 said:


> @Rpatterson We're you able to find an answer on your paper cutting issue?
> 
> I'm debating a Swardman, and curious on some of the issues I've seen on here.
> 
> Also, to anyone.. is the 10 blade the way to go? I wish they had a 7-8 blade reel.
> 
> Thanks


Michal sent my videos to the manufacture and they said it wasn't sharpened correctly. Need to send it in to get adjusted and re-sharpened (no cost to me). I'll update once I receive it back in a few weeks :thumbup:


----------



## hsvtoolfool

sanders4617 said:


> Also, to anyone.. is the 10 blade the way to go? I wish they had a 7-8 blade reel.


From a low-mow newbie perspective and Electra 55 user, the 6-blade cartridge is more than adequate especially since my yard is still reely rough. I may eventually get a second 6-blade cartridge and rotate them mid-Summer or every year. I reely don't expect to need a 10-blade cartridge unless I get my lawn reely smooth and want to try mowing half-inch. But that's getting into crazy town territory and I've got lot to learn (and do) before then! My hopes for now are to have a reely dense, weed-free lawn at about 1" HOC. Oh, and to use bad "reel" puns whenever possible.

Like you, I did a lot of reading and thinking before leaping. Honestly, I think the 10+ blade greens mowers aren't required until your lawn approaches putting green quality. I believe the industry term is "Frequency Of Clip" if you want to do some web research on the subject.






The two main reasons all greens mowers are moving toward electic-driven reels are A) no more potential hydraulic leaks leaving kill-lines on greens and B) the Frequency Of Clip can vary dynamically based on travel-speed.

As I'm sure you know, the Electra also varies "FOC" based on speed. I'm not sure which reel (6 or 10-blade) the Electra FOC was tuned for. Or even if the FOC can be adjusted from the keypad. Those are both good questions to ask Lee @Reelrollers who will no doubt kick the question back to Michal @SwardmanGuy. I would be extremely cool if we could adjust FOC based on which reel is installed and lawn conditions. Then again, such features would likely be way above most homeowner's knowledge and needs. But electrics make it relatively trivial to accomplish.


----------



## sanders4617

Thanks @hsvtoolfool

At first I was under the impression that the reel speed on the Electra was independent of the speed you walked. So that's good to know that it is dependent upon walking speed.

I've got a TruCut C27.. and as far as I've been able to tell, it doesn't seem to matter at what speed I'm going. But it may be very subtle changes, not sure.

I love having the 27" wide cut.. and I've got mine cutting probably 1/2" on the C27 with a really bumpy lawn.. but I don't scalp at all because of the roller. Just have some spots with a little higher HOC (in the dips).

The thought of getting up early before work and cutting the lawn, then getting ready for work, sounds really good.

Question.... are there any problems with cutting the grass with dew present?


----------



## hsvtoolfool

I haven't mown early enough to know about dew. Like you, I plan to adopt that habit once it gets hot. I don't expect any problems except maybe a slightly messier cleanup due to wet clippings.

The Electra's drum is smooth metal and there's lots of torque available. So the drum tends to spin on slick surfaces and slopes. In other words, it won't "plow" against resistance very well. As an experiment yesterday, I tried to mow bermuda I'd allowed to grow over 4" in my back yard. The drum wheel spun like crazy relative to how fast I was walking. It didn't do any damage, it just couldn't get good traction. And no surprise, It also didn't cut very much since the roller was laying down the long bermuda ahead of the cutter. What a shock!

Otherwise, I don't have any problems when the Electra is used the way this type of mower is intended: on flat, smooth lawns with a max HOC of about 2" (with 1" being more normal). My issues are all caused by a bumpy, dippy lawn. I'm working on that right now.


----------



## MasterMech

I can't comment on the Electra specifically but you will not hurt your grass by cutting it with the dew on.


----------



## sanders4617

hsvtoolfool said:


> I haven't mown early enough to know about dew. Like you, I plan to adopt that habit once it gets hot. I don't expect any problems except maybe a slightly messier cleanup due to wet clippings.
> 
> The Electra's drum is smooth metal and there's lots of torque available. So the drum tends to spin on slick surfaces and slopes. In other words, it won't "plow" against resistance very well. As an experiment yesterday, I tried to mow bermuda I'd allowed to grow over 4" in my back yard. The drum wheel spun like crazy relative to how fast I was walking. It didn't do any damage, it just couldn't get good traction. And no surprise, It also didn't cut very much since the roller was laying down the long bermuda ahead of the cutter. What a shock!
> 
> Otherwise, I don't have any problems when the Electra is used the way this type of mower is intended: on flat, smooth lawns with a max HOC of about 2" (with 1" being more normal). My issues are all caused by a bumpy, dippy lawn. I'm working on that right now.


Do you have the grooved front roller? Curious if that makes any difference to anything.


----------



## PokeGrande

MasterMech said:


> I can't comment on the Electra specifically but you will not hurt your grass by cutting it with the dew on.


Until my recent purchase of an Electra, I'm almost always mowed in the morning when there was dew. I was using a push reel mower so this made it easier to cut and to see where I had cut.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Nope. It was extra and I have tons of prep work before I can really get the most out of a reel mower, much less a grooved roller. I can always install one in a few years if it solves some problem I might have. We'll see.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

MasterMech said:


> ...but you will not hurt your grass by cutting it with the dew on.


Golf courses normally mow with dew on the ground, right? My understanding is that reel mowers perform a little better when the grass has a little dew. How can mowing with a little wet hurt bermuda?


----------



## mowww

@hsvtoolfool you are correct. In general, no it won't hurt the turf. Times when it could hurt would be if there is significant disease (especially in the oomycete family) and we risk spreading it if the disease is not treated.

Great cut while wet!


----------



## bauc54

I tend to leave my Electra in regeneration mode while mowing. I like the blades to be spinning really fast regardless of the speed the mower is moving. Is there any negative to this approach?


----------



## MasterMech

hsvtoolfool said:


> MasterMech said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...but you will not hurt your grass by cutting it with the dew on.
> 
> 
> 
> Golf courses normally mow with dew on the ground, right? My understanding is that reel mowers perform a little better when the grass has a little dew. How can mowing with a little wet hurt bermuda?
Click to expand...

Indeed they do. I don't know about the mower performing any better tho, especially if the reels are set correctly.

As mentioned above, there are some diseases more easily spread by mowing in the wet, but that's usually a special case.


----------



## The Anti-Rebel

A dry cut is always better.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

bauc54 said:


> I tend to leave my Electra in regeneration mode while mowing. I like the blades to be spinning really fast regardless of the speed the mower is moving. Is there any negative to this approach?


If I had to guess: it's louder, there's less mowing time on a battery charge, and the blade/bedknife wears quicker. I suspect the only harm which might occur is a shorter motor or bearing life if they aren't designed for a 100% duty-cycle in Beast Mode. After verit-cutting in Beast Mode, I noticed the motor was warm when I changed to the next cartridge, so it's certainly drawing more current.

I'm curious why you like the reel spinning super-fast? What effect does it produce? I like the peaceful, soft purr of the reel at standard speed.


----------



## SwardmanGuy

bauc54 said:


> I tend to leave my Electra in regeneration mode while mowing. I like the blades to be spinning really fast regardless of the speed the mower is moving. Is there any negative to this approach?


Hi @bauc54, just to your question about mowing in ´regenerative mode´. Its really not worth it. Thera are several minuses: 1. you wear out the blades much more faster, 2. it drains battery faster than normal mode, 3. it actually does not help to cut better, 4. if you hit something, you can make much more damage to the reel.... so would not recommend it


----------



## sanders4617

@Reelrollers I notice a backlap kit for sale on your website. At the same time, I've read that you can't backlap the Swardman reels. And to just send it in at the end of each season to have sharpened.

What is the truth on this matter? And what do you recommend? Thanks


----------



## Reelrollers

From the factory, all Swardman reels have a flat edge which require a spin grind. Very similar to greens mowers. If the reel has a flat grind, you are correct you cannot back lap the reel, only spin grind.

However, when you send your reel to us for the first time, we don't spin grind the reel, but instead do a relief grind which is more common withbteaidential reel mowers. At this point (now that is has a relief grind), you can back lap.

Hope I explained that well.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

First, a minor report. I finally had my first-ever genuine low mow in my front yard. I scalped the front yard in March, bagged, verti-cut, and scarified. I think we can all agree that isn't exactly fun. But the Electra did great and I was impressed with its performance. The lawn has now finally grown up enough to require it's first regular mow. So I set the Electra at 3/4" HOC and went to town.

I had never done this before, but I get it now. It was nothing like slogging through ankle-deep bermuda using a rotary mower. That is a royal chore which I truly hate. This was totally different. The Electra quietly glided over the surface without effort. I now understand why you folks like to mow so much. I wasn't even sweating afterwards. I just had a big grin. There are even one or two spots in my yard which are smooth and dense enough to actually look good. Most of the lawn it is still a disaster, but maybe someday....

Okay, so on to the main report...

I recently decided to scalp my back yard. My plans for this season changed and I decided to gather tools and learn about Pre-E, Post-E, PGR, Fert, and perform other chemistry experiments before total renovation or sand leveling the front. I figure the back yard is great place to experiment and learn.

I have learned that there is one benefit to using the Electra's *Beast Mode* with a reel cartridge installed. I wouldn't use it for everyday mowing, but Beast Mode helps a LOT when taking a really heavy cut on bermuda. You can tell that "1/3 Rule" to go jump in a lake.

Beast Mode made the bulk-scalp-n-bag go _much_ faster. In fact, the regular blade speed often bogs down and stops the reel on the stiff tangle of dead stolons which I call "a lawn". That gets annoying in a hurry, not to mention that it's not good for the mower. So, Beast Mode to the rescue!

First, I cut the 4-inch plus bermuda down to about 2" over the past week using my rotary. Good execise! I then set the Electra to about 1" HOC and adjusted the reel to _almost_ touch the bed knife. I wanted it to spin freely and I didn't care about super clean cuts. I mostly wanted to minimize reel/bed wear and especially the noise. Then I put 'er in Beast Mode and went to town.

Man alive! The fountain of clippings that poured into the bin is just hilarious compared to a normal mow. The electra never hestistated as I shattered the 1/3 Rule. I only hogged about 20 feet at a time before the bin had to be emptied. The clipping bin tends to "ride" on the tall grass ahead of the mower. This seems to limit the depth of cut to about 1" regardless of HOC. Also, the long, dry bermuda stolons are slippery so the rear drum tends to spin unless the ground speed is slow. But once the Electra is used on short green grass (as intended), slipping isn't an issue.

I only got about 1/3 my back yard cut to 1" before the rain moved in. In fact, it's raining all day today and maybe tomorrow. My sore back is glad. So darn, I'll have to wait until next week to continue this silly project. But I'll get er' done eventually. Then both the front and the back yard will be fun to cut.

Overall, I'm even more impressed with the Electra. I understand why Swardman does not recommend using "Rejuvenation" mode with the reel cartridges. If you hit a rock, it will not end well. But for the rare occaision you must hog tall grass well above any rocks, I think it works very well.


----------



## bauc54

SwardmanGuy said:


> bauc54 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I tend to leave my Electra in regeneration mode while mowing. I like the blades to be spinning really fast regardless of the speed the mower is moving. Is there any negative to this approach?
> 
> 
> 
> Hi @bauc54, just to your question about mowing in ´regenerative mode´. Its really not worth it. Thera are several minuses: 1. you wear out the blades much more faster, 2. it drains battery faster than normal mode, 3. it actually does not help to cut better, 4. if you hit something, you can make much more damage to the reel.... so would not recommend it
Click to expand...

I was mowing in regeneration mode because I hadn't switched to my 10 blade reel yet. The 6 blade reel wasn't giving me a great cut at 6mm. Now that I have switched to the 10 blade, the quality of cut is better and I don't need to be in regeneration mode.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Wow, that's way out of my league. I'm hoping for 0.75", maybe 0.5" someday.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@Reelrollers

On the Swardman website, it says the Electra is 8 weeks to deliver from the time you order. Is that time estimate accurate?


----------



## Reelrollers

we'll have Swardman update that language and let customers know they should be ordering through our website since the mowers are shipping from us in ATLANTA. If you visit our site www.ReelRollers.com the only delay is for custom non stock colors. Stock Electra colors are dark red, dark blue, and anthracite.

Thank you


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@hsvtoolfool

Thanks for your thorough review of the Electra. I'm very interested in it myself but pretty much my whole front yard is a hill. I'm not sure how steep it is but you mentioned the Electra had trouble with the steep part of your yard. Is there any way you can post a picture of that part of your yard so I can compare it to mine? One of the main reason I want an Electra is because of the difficulty moving around the metal plate in my front yard and the slope that everything is on makes it hard to get a nice cut with my Cal trimmer. I'd hate to spend that kind of money only to find out it's worse at the hill than my trimmer.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> Is there any way you can post a picture of that part of your yard so I can compare it to mine?


I'm still camera-challenged right now. I have an old Sony in a drawer somewhere, but I can't find the silly thing. I found the charger and battery, at least. I'll keep hunting.



Bermuda_Newbie said:


> I'd hate to spend that kind of money only to find out it's worse at the hill than my trimmer.


I'm probably not the best resource. I use an Ego 21" for all the little slopes around my house. These are drainage easements between lots in my subdivision. I never planned to use a reel mower for these areas anyway. Most of them are too wet or don't get enough sun to be good candidates anyway.

If I had to guess, I'd say the Electra/Edwin will fare worse on slopes and hills than a CalTrimmer or Tru-Cut which both have rubber wheels. But I can attest that the Electra metal drum works fine on short bermuda. It also handles like a dream around curves and corners. My front lawn isn't close to pool-table-flat, but gentle swales aren't an issue either. During my first genuine mow on short, green bermuda, that little sloped area at the side of my house was no big deal. But I'm also not using the Electra down my sloped property line. I use the Electra in the front yard and the Ego in the back. It's like a mullet for lawns.

Back in March scalping the lawn, I was dealing with dead, dry bermuda with very long stolons. The metal drum just can't get traction on that surface. Combine that with a 30° slope and it's slip-n-slide big time.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

hsvtoolfool said:


> Bermuda_Newbie said:
> 
> 
> 
> Is there any way you can post a picture of that part of your yard so I can compare it to mine?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm still camera-challenged right now. I have an old Sony in a drawer somewhere, but I can't find the silly thing. I found the charger and battery, at least. I'll keep hunting.
> 
> 
> 
> Bermuda_Newbie said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'd hate to spend that kind of money only to find out it's worse at the hill than my trimmer.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm probably not the best resource. I use an Ego 21" for all the little slopes around my house. These are drainage easements between lots in my subdivision. I never planned to use a reel mower for these areas anyway. Most of them are too wet or don't get enough sun to be good candidates anyway.
> 
> If I had to guess, I'd say the Electra/Edwin will fare worse on slopes and hills than a CalTrimmer or Tru-Cut which both have rubber wheels. But I can attest that the Electra metal drum works fine on short bermuda. It also handles like a dream around curves and corners. My front lawn isn't close to pool-table-flat, but gentle swales aren't an issue either. During my first genuine mow on short, green bermuda, that little sloped area at the side of my house was no big deal. But I'm also not using the Electra down my sloped property line. I use the Electra in the front yard and the Ego in the back. It's like a mullet for lawns.
> 
> Back in March scalping the lawn, I was dealing with dead, dry bermuda with very long stolons. The metal drum just can't get traction on that surface. Combine that with a 30° slope and it's slip-n-slide big time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I actually talked to Lee at ReelRollers today and he looked at a picture of my lawn. He said the slope I have would be no problem for the Electra. I'm sending him the list of the features I want to order since I'm getting the 45cm instead of the 55cm given my small yard and weird tight spaces. The only thing left is to figure out the color which is surprisingly hard because each monitor/phone I look at the RAL swatches look different. My guess is no matter what I choose, the actual color is going to look different in person. Thanks again for all your help!


----------



## PokeGrande

I love the blue


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@PokeGrande The blue is really pretty and contrasts well with the grass. I went with Red Raspberry. It's RAL 3027. I almost went with pink but this was a little more subdued but still girly for me. If I lived out in the country I would have gotten a brighter color but being in the suburbs, I don't want the neighbors to stare. My husband said he'd mow occasionally no matter what color I got which I thought was sweet. We'll see what it looks like in person. Hopefully it pops against the grass as a background. I'll post pictures when I get it. It's at least 6+ weeks out so the waiting begins.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> If I lived out in the country I would have gotten a brighter color but being in the suburbs, I don't want the neighbors to stare.


I never anticipated all the neighbors out on walks stopping to ask, "What is that thing? What are you doing?" They instantly understand once I take the grass catcher off. They all think it's a vacuum cleaner or floor waxer or something. They look at me like I'm crazy.


----------



## Austinite

Neighbor: What is that square thing?

Me: it's a cylinder mower.

Neighbor: did ya forget to turn it on??

Me: no. It's on. It's just quiet.


----------



## Reelrollers

After 6 short months of having the Electra here in the states, April was the first month we sold more Swardman Electra's (battery) than Swardman Edwins (gas). I didn't think it could get any better than the Edwin with the replaceable cartridges, rear drum drive, enclosed grass catcher, and maneuverability.... but now with the Electra, there really is nothing like it on the market. You have all the features of the Edwin plus the Electra has more power, no noise, no maintenance, and as a homeowner absolute control. 16 ground speeds, reverse, cruise control, and of course two reel speeds (mowing and "beast mode"). If your lawn is your passion, but don't want the fuss of a gas engine, it doesn't get any better. Maybe I'm a slow adopter, but if you would have asked me 6 months ago if I would EVER be mowing my Zoysia with a battery mower - I would have laughed and said NEVER. Shame on me for doubting how fast technology evolves!

I retired the rotary 12 years ago and never looked back. now I'm retiring the gas engine and obviously I'm not alone. Cool to be part of such a market shift.


----------



## Austinite

What's a "rotary mower"?

&#128540;


----------



## MasterMech

Reelrollers said:


> After 6 short months of having the Electra here in the states, April was the first month we sold more Swardman Electra's (battery) than Swardman Edwins (gas). I didn't think it could get any better than the Edwin with the replaceable cartridges, rear drum drive, enclosed grass catcher, and maneuverability.... but now with the Electra, there really is nothing like it on the market. You have all the features of the Edwin plus the Electra has more power, no noise, no maintenance, and as a homeowner absolute control. 16 ground speeds, reverse, cruise control, and of course two reel speeds (mowing and "beast mode"). If your lawn is your passion, but don't want the fuss of a gas engine, it doesn't get any better. Maybe I'm a slow adopter, but if you would have asked me 6 months ago if I would EVER be mowing my Zoysia with a battery mower - I would have laughed and said NEVER. Shame on me for doubting how fast technology evolves!
> 
> I retired the rotary 12 years ago and never looked back. now I'm retiring the gas engine and obviously I'm not alone. Cool to be part of such a market shift.


This all depends on how big your lawn is too. Unfortunately, at 20k, I think I'm just out of reach for the Electra, especially for non-mowing tasks.


----------



## Joe Mufferaw

Well I almost took the plunge and bought an Electra but being up here in Canada after the exchange and Trudeau's 13% tax grab I'm looking at around 6200 and change. I just can't pull the trigger. Hope for a sale in the near future to make it a little less painful


----------



## Shindoman

Joe Mufferaw said:


> Well I almost took the plunge and bought an Electra but being up here in Canada after the exchange and Trudeau's 13% tax grab I'm looking at around 6200 and change. I just can't pull the trigger. Hope for a sale in the near future to make it a little less painful


I looked into an Electra before I purchased my current mower. The cost was too high ordering thru the American dealer. I contacted Michal from Swardman directly and if I remember correctly he would sell direct to me as there was no Canadian dealer and the price was cheaper.


----------



## emi

I have a question about the Electra and I don't seem to find the answer anywhere. When the drive is disengaged, can you manually pull the mower backwards, or do you have to use the reverse button? I guess I have the same question for pushing it forward, can I push it forward without engaging the drive? I'm asking this because I'd like to buy one and with my rotary mower I find myself pushing it and pulling it several times in different areas of my yard to get the job done, and not sure if the electric drive has any limitations in this respect.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

@Reelrollers will have to tell us if manually pulling the mower backwards could harm to the drive or differential. I don't see how it could hurt, but that idea never occured to me.

Whe I first got my Electra, I pulled it backwards when making turns or adjustments. It was just a habit. But I quickly changed that habit and now use the Reverse feature exclusively when I need to back up. It's a very handy feature for a 130 lb mower. The Reverse is constant and easy to control so it works well even in tight areas. The Reverse button is also right under your left thumb. After a while, you just press the button and back up without even thinking.

I've never tried to push the Electra forward manually. That would require pretty serious effort I think. The forward drive is infinitely variable. Pull the lever slightly and crawl foward at a very slow pace. Pull the lever all the way for fast mowing. I use variable forward speed (and reverse) a lot when mowing tight areas like the heck strip out near the street.

One last note: the Electra's reel speed is tied to the drive speed. This gives a fixed "cuts per inch" and it's something only electric-motor reels can do. When the mower is not moving, the reel rotates at a slow speed. As you pull the forward lever, the reel speeds up more and more. At top speed, both the mower and the reel are pretty darn fast.


----------



## Ware

hsvtoolfool said:


> One last note: the Electra's reel speed is tied to the drive speed. This gives a fixed "cuts per inch" and it's something only electric-motor reels can do.


This statement is not true. Every greens mower I have owned is geared to maintain the same frequency of clip, regardless of engine RPM.


----------



## Austinite

Ware said:


> hsvtoolfool said:
> 
> 
> 
> One last note: the Electra's reel speed is tied to the drive speed. This gives a fixed "cuts per inch" and it's something only electric-motor reels can do.
> 
> 
> 
> This statement is not true. Every greens mower I have owned is geared to maintain the same frequency of clip, regardless of engine RPM.
Click to expand...

I think there may be a misunderstanding (potentially on my part), but the FOC _does _in fact increase and decrease on the Electra, as the mower speed is increased and decreased. This means every linear yard gets the same amount of clippings, regardless of speed, which is not true for all other mowers. Only the Electra does this to my knowledge.

I might be misunderstanding the original comment and reply. If so I apologize.


----------



## Ware

@Austinite if reel speed changes with the drive drum speed, FOC is constant. Variable FOC occurs when reel speed does not change with ground speed.

Homeowner reels like McLane and Tru-Cut do not maintain a constant FOC. Every greens mower I have seen does.

Some good reading on FOC here.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Interesting @Ware. How does a non-electric-drive reel change speed relative to forward speed? Is there an infinitely variable transmission between the drive wheel and the reel? One feature I wish for the Electra is the ability for the user to adjust the FOC from the control panel. Obviously, I can just buy a 10-blade reel cartirdge, but even then it would be nice to play around with FOC under different conditions. It should be a trivial feature to add with an electric-drive reel.

I recall watching a YouTube sales video for a John Deere golf course greens mower that used electric-drive reels. The video bragged two benefits: no more hydraulic leaks killing greens and the FOC could vary as needed.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

hsvtoolfool said:


> One feature I wish for the Electra is the ability for the user to adjust the FOC from the control panel. Obviously, I can just buy a 10-blade reel cartirdge, but even then it would be nice to play around with FOC under different conditions. It should be a trivial feature to add with an electric-drive reel.
> 
> I recall watching a YouTube sales video for a John Deere golf course greens mower that used electric-drive reels. The video bragged two benefits: no more hydraulic leaks killing greens and the FOC could vary as needed.


Is this something they could roll out to existing machines with a firmware update? It is electric after all.


----------



## Ware

hsvtoolfool said:


> Interesting Ware. How does a non-electric-drive reel change speed relative to forward speed? Is there an infinitely variable transmission between the drive wheel and the reel?


No, the reel and drum are just geared to a certain FOC, and they are driven from the same engine shaft. So changing engine RPM proportionally increases/decreases both ground speed and reel speed - maintaining a constant FOC.

The reason mowers like Tru-Cut can get wonky with regard to FOC is you can feather the drive speed independently of reel speed. This results in a variable FOC.



hsvtoolfool said:


> One feature I wish for the Electra is the ability for the user to adjust the FOC from the control panel. Obviously, I can just buy a 10-blade reel cartirdge, but even then it would be nice to play around with FOC under different conditions. It should be a trivial feature to add with an electric-drive reel.
> 
> I recall watching a YouTube sales video for a John Deere golf course greens mower that used electric-drive reels. The video bragged two benefits: no more hydraulic leaks killing greens and the FOC could vary as needed.


You are referring to the hybrid electric JD 220E, which has a dial to allow the user to manually adjust FOC. Once it is set, that FOC is maintained across the entire range of engine RPM/ground speed.

The ideal cut is achieved when FOC = Height of Cut (HOC), so adjustable FOC allows the user to more closely match FOC to HOC without changing the reel to a different blade count and/or installing a clip kit like this one for a Toro Greensmaster 1000:


----------



## Austinite

Excellent info. Thank you, @Ware .


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Yes, thanks!


----------



## HungrySoutherner

Has anyone had charging issues with their Electra? Mine showed full charge yesterday but battery was dead after 430 sqft of mowing and from there it would charge. Does anyone's power brick show the lights just cycling all the time with the red power light off? I did a reset on the mower and it now is showing a full battery but the charger is just spinning. Not real sure what to make of it. In the middle of all that my HOC just completely lost tension so my yard looks like a crazy person mowed it and it's unfinished


----------



## hsvtoolfool

I've not had any problems charging. Sounds like you need a new charger. I'd contact @Reelrollers for advice.

Two things make me curious: Did you push buttons to "reset" the mower? I didn't know that was possible. Did the cam-lock on the left side loosened while mowing? Did the screw on the right side also loosen?


----------



## HungrySoutherner

hsvtoolfool said:


> I've not had any problems charging. Sounds like you need a new charger. I'd contact @Reelrollers for advice.
> 
> Two things make me curious: Did you push buttons to "reset" the mower? I didn't know that was possible. Did the cam-lock on the left side loosened while mowing? Did the screw on the right side also loosen?


Yes you can reset the onboard controller by switching the power off and pressing "+" "-" and "ok" at the same time. When I did that it showed full battery charge on the handle, but I have no clue if that is really the case and my front yard is already jacked so I'd have to get out and mow again to see this afternoon. and Yes the Cam lock was lock but didn't have enough tension and was easing itself lower and lower without me realizing it to late. I was already scalping down so I didn't think about how bad it was scalping until the mower died and I saw it was floored below 1/4". So far I'm on the fence about the Swardman long term.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

HungrySoutherner said:


> Yes you can reset the onboard controller....


Very interesting. I did not know that. Thanks!



HungrySoutherner said:


> Yes the Cam lock was lock but didn't have enough tension and was easing itself lower and lower without me realizing it to late.


Tighten the cam-lock so that it's difficult to push down. After I scaled and verti-cut my yard back in March, I set my HOC at 3/4" and never touched it since. It won't back off if you lock it down properly. I was more worried about the right-hand screw moving over time, but it's also been rock steady.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

hsvtoolfool said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes you can reset the onboard controller....
> 
> 
> 
> Very interesting. I did not know that. Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes the Cam lock was lock but didn't have enough tension and was easing itself lower and lower without me realizing it to late.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Tighten the cam-lock so that it's difficult to push down. After I scaled and verti-cut my yard back in March, I set my HOC at 3/4" and never touched it since. It won't back off if you lock it down properly. I was more worried about the right-hand screw moving over time, but it's also been rock steady.
Click to expand...

Yeah it was locked very tight so not sure what happened. Unfortunately everyone dealing with Swardman is out office I guess so my front yard is going to look like crap until I can figure out what is going on.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

HungrySoutherner said:


> hsvtoolfool said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes you can reset the onboard controller....
> 
> 
> 
> Very interesting. I did not know that. Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes the Cam lock was lock but didn't have enough tension and was easing itself lower and lower without me realizing it to late.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Tighten the cam-lock so that it's difficult to push down. After I scaled and verti-cut my yard back in March, I set my HOC at 3/4" and never touched it since. It won't back off if you lock it down properly. I was more worried about the right-hand screw moving over time, but it's also been rock steady.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah it was locked very tight so not sure what happened. Unfortunately everyone dealing with Swardman is out office I guess so my front yard is going to look like crap until I can figure out what is going on.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping what you are experiencing is a fluke. I have an Electra on order to be delivered in a few weeks. Please let us know when you find out what's wrong.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

HungrySoutherner said:


> Yeah it was locked very tight so not sure what happened.


It sounds like either the threads are stripped or the washer is missing. I am not gentle with my Electra, yet the HOC setting on both sides remain solid. My lawn is very bumpy and rough too.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hsvtoolfool said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very interesting. I did not know that. Thanks!
> 
> Tighten the cam-lock so that it's difficult to push down. After I scaled and verti-cut my yard back in March, I set my HOC at 3/4" and never touched it since. It won't back off if you lock it down properly. I was more worried about the right-hand screw moving over time, but it's also been rock steady.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it was locked very tight so not sure what happened. Unfortunately everyone dealing with Swardman is out office I guess so my front yard is going to look like crap until I can figure out what is going on.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm hoping what you are experiencing is a fluke. I have an Electra on order to be delivered in a few weeks. Please let us know when you find out what's wrong.
Click to expand...

I could be a fluke. The only issue you may run into is just the support side. I'm a little impatient today about it because my front yard is 1/4 scalped and looks ridiculous and at the height its currently at if it takes a while I'll be rescalping a scalp etc. My rotary can't mow that low obviously so its going to grow out in the mean time


----------



## HungrySoutherner

hsvtoolfool said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it was locked very tight so not sure what happened.
> 
> 
> 
> It sounds like either the threads are stripped or the washer is missing. I am not gentle with my Electra, yet the HOC setting on both sides remain solid. My lawn is very bumpy and rough too.
Click to expand...

The threads aren't stripped, not sure which washer you're referring to.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

You're right, there isn't a washer. I looked at mine this morning. What I thought was a washer is a single part below the cam which flairs out. It sort of looks like a large washer below a nut at a glance.


----------



## Jimefam

Hmmm hoping to see some more durability reports and feedback on cutting results. I would love to get an electra but not sure I could drop 4k+ on something unproven. They do look beautiful though thats for sure.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

Jimefam said:


> Hmmm hoping to see some more durability reports and feedback on cutting results. I would love to get an electra but not sure I could drop 4k+ on something unproven. They do look beautiful though thats for sure.


To be clear I think its a good mower and will last. It should be very easy to work on. As long as the parts continue to be available there isn't a whole lot to break that can't be fixed easily. The part that I see wearing out quick is the touch panel and I'm hoping that will be a part that can be replaced, its like the old microwave buttons that eventually bust. The battery should be easily replaced and if you wear out the electric motor should be simple to replace. I don't feel like the transport wheels are all that sturdy and they just get in the way if you are mowing low, so I'm working on a small dolly to transport the mower across concrete so I can remove the transport wheels. Its a solid machine. I'm just having some bumps with the charger and learning all the different ways you can reset the controller.


----------



## sanders4617

@HungrySoutherner The wheels are set up higher than the bottom of the mower correct? I'm debating buying one as well, so I'm trying to read through everything and figure out what options would be best for me if I do buy one.

The transport wheels aren't too useful for you... How would other people judge the transport wheels? Get them or don't?


----------



## WSTIOP

I have the transport wheels. They do sit above the bottom of the mower. If compared to the transport wheels on a Toro/JD/Jake/Baroness greensmower, they are flimsy, but they are fine for me. I have a shell concrete driveway and there's no way I'm going to put up with the racket that the steel drum would cause...


----------



## HungrySoutherner

sanders4617 said:


> @HungrySoutherner The wheels are set up higher than the bottom of the mower correct? I'm debating buying one as well, so I'm trying to read through everything and figure out what options would be best for me if I do buy one.
> 
> The transport wheels aren't too useful for you... How would other people judge the transport wheels? Get them or don't?


I mean they work fine on the concrete. For me I've really got to tilt the mower back to get it off the rear drums. My issue is at the end of a pass in my lawn I have to pay special attention not to tilt the mower back to far or the transport wheels will hit my lawn and dig and grab turf. Like I said they aren't terrible and your mileage will vary based on your mowing style and turftype and flatness of your lawn. At the end of the day the transport wheels serve their purpose just fine, in a simple way.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

HungrySoutherner said:


> My issue is at the end of a pass in my lawn I have to pay special attention not to tilt the mower back to far or the transport wheels will hit my lawn and dig and grab turf.


Why tilt back when making turns? Does it hurt anything if you don't tilt?

At the end of each pass, I back off the speed lever until the drum is barely engaged. Then I pivot 180° for the next row. I've learned the split drum does most of the work if the drum is just barely engaged. I keep the blades spinning all the time. After the straight rows are done, I'll go back and "erase" my turns with a double outline pass of the perimeter.



sanders4617 said:


> How would other people judge the transport wheels? Get them or don't?


The wheels are super handy for me. Frankly, I think they should be standard rather than an option. Unless you will never move over 4 feet via concrete, then I'd get them. It doesn't hurt to roll the drum on cement. Any scratches on the drum are just cosmetic. But the drum noise on cement is REALLY loud. The mower itself is dead silent when the reel blades aren't engaged, which makes the drum seem even louder on cement.

As for design, I agree the transport wheels are....adequate at best. I don't see them as a point of failure during a reasonable 10 to 15 year product life. But they'd certainly be more rigid with a support bar between them. That's one of the few MacGyver's I'm considering for my Electra: a bar between the transport wheels to add horizontal rigidity. Perhaps I'll replace the stock bolts with a long piece of threaded rod.

I take care of my Electra, but I don't "baby" it either. The transport wheels allow me to navigate my driveway, sidewalk, and pavers quickly and easily. I've brought my Electran in my front door many times by backing over the threshold. That little hop takes some effort. Imagine a hand truck with small wheels carrying about 125 lbs. But the transport wheels handle it just fine.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

hsvtoolfool said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> My issue is at the end of a pass in my lawn I have to pay special attention not to tilt the mower back to far or the transport wheels will hit my lawn and dig and grab turf.
> 
> 
> 
> Why tilt back when making turns? Does it hurt anything if you don't tilt?
> 
> At the end of each pass, I back off the speed lever until the drum is barely engaged. Then I pivot 180° for the next row. I've learned the split drum does most of the work if the drum is just barely engaged. I keep the blades spinning all the time. After the straight rows are done, I'll go back and "erase" my turns with a double outline pass of the perimeter.
> 
> 
> 
> sanders4617 said:
> 
> 
> 
> How would other people judge the transport wheels? Get them or don't?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The wheels are super handy for me. Frankly, I think they should be standard rather than an option. Unless you will never move over 4 feet via concrete, then I'd get them. It doesn't hurt to roll the drum on cement. Any scratches on the drum are just cosmetic. But the drum noise on cement is REALLY loud. The mower itself is dead silent when the reel blades aren't engaged, which makes the drum seem even louder on cement.
> 
> As for design, I agree the transport wheels are....adequate at best. I don't see them as a point of failure during a reasonable 10 to 15 year product life. But they'd certainly be more rigid with a support bar between them. That's one of the few MacGyver's I'm considering for my Electra: a bar between the transport wheels to add horizontal rigidity. Perhaps I'll replace the stock bolts with a long piece of threaded rod.
> 
> I take care of my Electra, but I don't "baby" it either. The transport wheels allow me to navigate my driveway, sidewalk, and pavers quickly and easily. I've brought my Electran in my front door many times by backing over the threshold. That little hop takes some effort. Imagine a hand truck with small wheels carrying about 125 lbs. But the transport wheels handle it just fine.
Click to expand...

I agree about the pivoting when I turn but I have a drainage area on one side of the hard and a slope on the other so the drum slips when turning on those areas. I have to life the reel and give it a turn to keep it going. I hope they make a drum with rubber grooves eventual for more traction


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Oh! I didn't even think about slopes. I was worried that I was messing up my turf somehow.

Yeah, the drum is slick and the Electra doesn't like slopes. I agree that some sort of replaceable plastic/rubber "tire-sleeve" would be a cool option. On the other hand, a grippy drum may be prone to damaging the turf if you accidentally throttle-down suddenly. I do that now and again but the steel drum just slips until the forward momentum matches. So maybe the slick drum is a "feature" and not a "bug".

This reminds me of another "free" software feature I'd like to see in the Electra. The Electra should speed up gradually when the drive is engaged. My Ego rotary does this and it's a subtle but very nice touch. You can set a fast walking speed, slam the throttle lever down, and the Ego gradually ramps up to final velocity. I almost never spin the tires on my Ego mower, even though I always mow at max speed when feasible.

The Electra drive motor has a LOTS of torque. Unless you're careful, it's very easy to spin the drum when the drive is engaged. It doesn't hurt anything, but I quickly got into the habit of keeping my thumb wedged between the handlebar and the throttle lever just to control the movement and limit the initial acceleration. It would be very nice if I could just slam the throttle down and the computer would accelerate the mower gradually. *I suspect this software update would be critical if a rubber tire option is eventually released.*

So that makes two "free" software upgrade requests for me...

#1) When the throttle is applied, auto-accelerate gradually to the preset speed level.

#2) Adjust the Frequency Of Clip (FOC) via the front control panel.

Wait! I just thought of a ridiculous but super-cool THIRD feature for my wish list...

#3) Use Bluetooth and a smartphone "app" to access all mower parameters. Obviously, this would require a complete control system redesign, so it's unlikely to happen. But I'm geeking out over this idea. How cool would it be to view the battery charge, vary the sleep-mode timer from 1 to 5 minutes, or set the cartridge type (5/6/10 blade, verticut, dethatch, brush) and have ALL mower parameters change to a different setup group?! Each setup group for a cartridge could define the walking speed, an acceleration curve, a unique FOC or even "Beast Mode", display the run-time since the cartridge blades were sharpened, and so forth. In theory, you could eliminate the front panel entirely except for an on/off button.

Finally, the perfect lawn mower for millennial hipsters: it's "Retro", it's "Green", and it's Bluetooth accessible via an $800 iPhone. It just needs to include a straight razor, a shaving brush, a "Pabst Blue Ribbon" bumper sticker, and an ironic 1980s _"The Last Starfighter"_ t-shirt.


----------



## avionics12

I concur on all of the above with one final request:

Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 and Vol 2 to auto-play when engaging the drive motor.

For those of us who remember those days...


----------



## froggydetail

My daughter accidentally threw my new Electra instruction book away. I can't find anything online in PDF form. Anyone have the PDF?


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

froggydetail said:


> My daughter accidentally threw my new Electra instruction book away. I can't find anything online in PDF form. Anyone have the PDF?


@Reelrollers


----------



## bauc54

@froggydetail I have a PDF of the Electra manual. DM me your email address and I'll send it right over.


----------



## froggydetail

Thanks for offering. Swardman updated website this morning with manual. It was missing now it's there. Thanks again.


----------



## PantherCityBermuda

HungrySoutherner said:


> In the middle of all that my HOC just completely lost tension so my yard looks like a crazy person mowed it and it's unfinished


Yesterday, I received my Electra and had the very same issue. I set the HOC to 3/4" and it dropped to 0" on the first pass leaving a ugly scalped strip. I tightened the quick-release bolt and the HOC stayed in place the entire mow.

I found a random nut at the bottom of the shipping box when unboxing the mower. After removing the side cover, I noticed two screws from the mounting bracket to travel engine had missing nuts. I spent an extra 30 minutes looking over the machine and making sure all nuts and bolts were tight and not missing. It's a little frustrating knowing I dropped a little over $4k on this mower.

I've contacted ReelRollers and they will be reaching out to Swardman. I've had great customer service with ReelRollers so far.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

PantherCityBermuda said:


> I tightened the quick-release bolt and the HOC stayed in place the entire mow.


Facing the front of the mower, the cam-lock height adjustment lock is on the *RIGHT* side. There is a secondary HOC locking screw on the *LEFT* side which must be secured also. This lock screw is near the bottom and tightened via the supplied hex wrench. Since you didn't mention this locking screw, I thought I'd bring it up. I overlooked this screw when I first got my Electra and really struggled to adjust the cut for scalping. The HOC adjustments got much easier once I realized it was there.

Here's my process to set HOC on my Electra...

#0) Obviously, turn off the main power switch and tilt the mower back so the handle is on the ground. Hold the handle down using a weight.

#1) Flip open the HOC cam-lock on the right. Loosen the locking screw on the left via the hex wrench. The front roller bar now pivots freely throughout its entire range of motion. There should be very little resistance as the front roller bar is moved from min to max HOC.

#2) Move the front roller bar to the desired HOC. The scale on the cam-lock side is a handy approximation. but now I just use my gauge.

#3) Tighten the left side HOC locking screw using the hex wrench. Once the screw is tight, double-check the depth on that side is close before proceeding.

#4) Tweak the front roller bar on the right side to exactly match the left side. It will be pretty close, but use your gauge to get it exact.

#5) Flip the lever on the cam-lock on the right side. Verify it's good and tight. It should take significant thumb pressure to snug it down.

#6) Verity the HOC across the entire mower. If needed, tweak one side or the other to get the HOC perfectly even.

#7) Before mowing, verify the left-hand locking screw AND the right-hand cam-lock are tight.

The process sounds more complex than it really is. I can now do this in about 60 seconds. Granted, my lawn is still pretty bumpy and I don't seek the crazy precision some folks here demand. I'm cutting at 3/4" rather than 0.750". I didn't even use a gauge to set HOC the first month. I just got both sides even "by eyeball" and went to town. Even then, I didn't have a problem with visible "steps" in my lawn.

More importantly, I have never had the cam-lock or the opposite locking screw "work loose" while mowing. I am mowing two or three times a week at 3/4" HOC without adjustments or re-tightening for at least 2 months now. I don't baby the Electra either. My yard is still pretty rough compared to the "sexy supermodels" here. I'm rolling onto pavers, sidewalks, and dealing with a drain and severe local dips while navigating my front yard. If the front roller bar was prone to coming loose, I'd be the first person to make that happen. Mines been solid.


----------



## Reelrollers

PantherCityBermuda said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> In the middle of all that my HOC just completely lost tension so my yard looks like a crazy person mowed it and it's unfinished
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday, I received my Electra and had the very same issue. I set the HOC to 3/4" and it dropped to 0" on the first pass leaving a ugly scalped strip. I tightened the quick-release bolt and the HOC stayed in place the entire mow.
> 
> I found a random nut at the bottom of the shipping box when unboxing the mower. After removing the side cover, I noticed two screws from the mounting bracket to travel engine had missing nuts. I spent an extra 30 minutes looking over the machine and making sure all nuts and bolts were tight and not missing. It's a little frustrating knowing I dropped a little over $4k on this mower.
> 
> I've contacted ReelRollers and they will be reaching out to Swardman. I've had great customer service with ReelRollers so far.
Click to expand...

The missing 2x nuts was a miss during manufacturing I can only assume, but we'll be sure on our end to check each Electra even more throughly and we're shipping those today. The additional nut you found in the box is a front roller nut so if those are all in place on the roller, it was dropped in the box on accident but I can see how that would create a concern when the other nuts were missing on the electric motor mount.


----------



## PantherCityBermuda

hsvtoolfool said:


> PantherCityBermuda said:
> 
> 
> 
> I tightened the quick-release bolt and the HOC stayed in place the entire mow.
> 
> 
> 
> Since you didn't mention this locking screw, I thought I'd bring it up. I overlooked this screw when I first got my Electra and really struggled to adjust the cut for scalping.
Click to expand...

You're right I didn't mention this but I made sure the left sided screw was secured after setting the HOC. The issue was from the cam-lock being loose from the factory. The cam-lock wasn't making enough contact when locked. Light downward pressure on the mower caused it to lower on the right side when facing it. I tightened the cam-lock screw with the hex and it made a huge difference.

Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## froggydetail

Does anyone know the scenarios when the Electra software will automatically shut off the blade automatically? I don't want to consider anything I'm experiencing an issue until I know what can possibly cause the blade to stop without you asking it to. If the only way it can ever stop is for mechanical issues, then I'll keep doing mechanical inspections. I'm more curious about software possibilities for 'self protection' tolerances that might cause it to stop to protect itself.


----------



## Austinite

@froggydetail

I've had mine stop recently for the first time. I started cutting my neighbors yard which is unfamiliar to me, and I hit a high spot. Other than that, it has never stopped on me. Not even when cutting tall wet grass. And I know I've scooped up a piece of mulch here and there that blew in from the neighbors beds. I think it has to have serious resistance to shut the reel off. But that's just speculation and 1 time experience talking...


----------



## PantherCityBermuda

Reelrollers said:


> PantherCityBermuda said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> In the middle of all that my HOC just completely lost tension so my yard looks like a crazy person mowed it and it's unfinished
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday, I received my Electra and had the very same issue. I set the HOC to 3/4" and it dropped to 0" on the first pass leaving a ugly scalped strip. I tightened the quick-release bolt and the HOC stayed in place the entire mow.
> 
> I found a random nut at the bottom of the shipping box when unboxing the mower. After removing the side cover, I noticed two screws from the mounting bracket to travel engine had missing nuts. I spent an extra 30 minutes looking over the machine and making sure all nuts and bolts were tight and not missing. It's a little frustrating knowing I dropped a little over $4k on this mower.
> 
> I've contacted ReelRollers and they will be reaching out to Swardman. I've had great customer service with ReelRollers so far.
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The missing 2x nuts was a miss during manufacturing I can only assume, but we'll be sure on our end to check each Electra even more throughly and we're shipping those today. The additional nut you found in the box is a front roller nut so if those are all in place on the roller, it was dropped in the box on accident but I can see how that would create a concern when the other nuts were missing on the electric motor mount.
Click to expand...

I appreciate you following up. Thanks for being on top of it.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

@PantherCityBermuda, I'm glad you got it locked down. Good luck!



froggydetail said:


> Does anyone know the scenarios when the Electra software will automatically shut off the blade automatically?


My blade only stops when it senses too much torque or maybe less speed than expected. Something like that. I'm sure there's a sensor on the motor, possibly detecting excess current draw. I suspect Swardman uses brushless DC motors, and the motor microcontroller probably handles those details.

When I first got my Electra, I set the reel/bedknife gap too close and caused too much friction. That caused the reel to stop several time while mowing. Backing off the reel fixed the issue. I'm still learning what the ideal reel gap sounds and cuts like.

I caught a thumb-sized piece of chert rock in the reel yesterday. I suspect it was blown into my front yard from my neighbor's driveway. Didn't hurt anything because the reel stopped, which is the design intent.

My Electra has "bogged" while taking a very heavy cut depth on tall, thick Bermuda AND I slow down the reel during a turn. This is over 1.5" tall grass being hacked down to 3/4" in one pass. It's just an experiment I'm doing in my back yard, which is 2" HOC normally.

Otherwise, my Electra reel e-stops so rarely that it always freaks me out when it does happen.


----------



## froggydetail

Thank you for the response. Lee says mine might be due to faulty keyboard in handlebars so he's sending me a new one shipping on Monday. I'm still functional but have to restart it over and over even when barely cutting 1/8 inch tips from my 1 inch HOC.


----------



## froggydetail

froggydetail said:


> Thank you for the response. Lee says mine might be due to faulty keyboard in handlebars so he's sending me a new one shipping on Monday. I'm still functional but have to restart it over and over even when barely cutting 1/8 inch tips from my 1 inch HOC.


This fixed my issue, see response from @SwardmanGuy and @Reelrollers 
"First please try to re-calibrate the handlebars (Its possible, that the electric board in the handlebars slightly moved which requires it to be re-calibrated)

The process is:


Press and hold OK and quickly press buttons +, -, +, R

After this, one light should blink

Press left paddle and leave it. Press right paddle and leave it.

If all works well, all lights should simultaneously blink once. And handlebars should be recalibrated. (If the lights after this step did not blink, the recalibration did not work…)

Here is the video:





Your issue, what happened - I believe, that the electric board in handlebars slightly moved. Which means that the distance between the board and magnets changed and that caused your issue… that with fully pressed paddles, the reel stops."

As usual @Reelrollers and @SwardmanGuy saved the day and did it with top notch customer service.


----------



## thelawnpirate

Ganny said:


> Just added myself to "pre-reserved" (might need to sell my TruCut C-25).


@Ganny Did you end up getting one? Let me know if you need the Tru-Cut taken off your hands


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

It's here!








The cut on this thing is amazing. My yard has never looked this good. It's so easy to use. It feels more like taking a walk around my yard than mowing the lawn. The grass catcher holds a lot without it spilling out like my current mower so I don't have to stop as often. The grass catcher is so ergonomically designed that it feels lighter than it is because it balances so well. I haven't had a chance to try it on my front yard yet with all the maneuvering but I have a feeling the reverse is going to come in handy there. So glad I bought this even with the hefty price tag. While it was shipping I had lots of second thoughts about the amount of money spent but it's really well built and I think it should last a long time. The custom color is a fun add-on. I tried to tweak the last picture's color to show what it looks like in person. I got the raspberry color which has a little more pink to it. It's really beautiful. Can't wait to use it some more!


----------



## Qstorm

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> It's here!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cut on this thing is amazing. My yard has never looked this good. It's so easy to use. It feels more like taking a walk around my yard than mowing the lawn. The grass catcher holds a lot without it spilling out like my current mower so I don't have to stop as often. The grass catcher is so ergonomically designed that it feels lighter than it is because it balances so well. I haven't had a chance to try it on my front yard yet with all the maneuvering but I have a feeling the reverse is going to come in handy there. So glad I bought this even with the hefty price tag. While it was shipping I had lots of second thoughts about the amount of money spent but it's really well built and I think it should last a long time. The custom color is a fun add-on. I tried to tweak the last picture's color to show what it looks like in person. I got the raspberry color which has a little more pink to it. It's really beautiful. Can't wait to use it some more!


Congrats nice & color choice.


----------



## Reelrollers

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> It's here!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cut on this thing is amazing. My yard has never looked this good. It's so easy to use. It feels more like taking a walk around my yard than mowing the lawn. The grass catcher holds a lot without it spilling out like my current mower so I don't have to stop as often. The grass catcher is so ergonomically designed that it feels lighter than it is because it balances so well. I haven't had a chance to try it on my front yard yet with all the maneuvering but I have a feeling the reverse is going to come in handy there. So glad I bought this even with the hefty price tag. While it was shipping I had lots of second thoughts about the amount of money spent but it's really well built and I think it should last a long time. The custom color is a fun add-on. I tried to tweak the last picture's color to show what it looks like in person. I got the raspberry color which has a little more pink to it. It's really beautiful. Can't wait to use it some more!


I'll admit, I was really excited to see
This color too. Took a few weeks longer than I hoped, but the mower looks awesome!


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@Reelrollers Thanks Lee! It all got here and works wonderfully. I haven't tried the scarifier yet. It got here the day before I had to go back to work so I've been swamped but I hope to have some time this week to try out the things it can do.


----------



## Ryesteve

The cartridge system of the electra is really appealing to me, but I'm concerned that it's not practical for the size of my property, and that I should be looking at riding mowers instead. Can you guys please provide feedback on what the battery recharge time is, and whether or not it'd be too much time and effort to try to use this on about 30k sqft of lawn?


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@Ryesteve do you mow it all at once? I ask because I typically do not front and back yard on separate days and that cuts my already small square footage in half. I don't know if it would work for that large of a lawn but you should also ask yourself whether you want to walk that much.


----------



## Ryesteve

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> @Ryesteve do you mow it all at once? I ask because I typically do not front and back yard on separate days and that cuts my already small square footage in half. I don't know if it would work for that large of a lawn but you should also ask yourself whether you want to walk that much.


So far, I'm not mowing it at all myself. This would be my first machine. So I don't even have a sense of how long it'd take to mow it on foot.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

@Bermuda_Newbie, I have a 3K front yard which takes about 40 minutes to mow at 3/4" HOC. But it's rather curvy, bumpy, and divided into small sections by mulch beds and pavers. These factors slow my pace a lot, especially the bumpiness. So leveling my lawn next year is an important step just to speed things up. With a smooth lawn I can reduce my mowing time by 25% and get better results to boot.

But using that as a worst-case, I estimate my open 10K back yard will take about 2 hours to mow using my Electra. I currently cut the back using a Ego 21" set at the fastest pace in about 45 minutes. Starting next Spring, I'll probably break that 10K area into two, one-hour mows spread across two days. So I'd mow the front on day one, back half "A" on day two, back half "B" on day three, then rinse and repeat. I'll also incorporate PGR spraying next year to slow down the vertical growth rate. I doubt I could keep up without PGR. The first time it rains for a few days, I'd get behind and never catch up.

@Ryesteve , I can't imaging mowing 30K SF using any walk-behind mower. That's 2/3 of an acre and would take me 6 hours! I want some light exercise, but I'd never be able to keep up with that much grass. I'd have to get an electric ZTR for most of the property and then design some small "garden lawns" near the house that I'd mow low using the Electra.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@hsvtoolfool I get the curves taking longer. My front yard is so annoying the way it curves and slopes. It sure is beautiful but it is slow to mow. It takes me probably just as long if not longer to mow the front than my larger back yard because of the topography. If we ever move, I'm looking for a flat front yard.


----------



## Ryesteve

hsvtoolfool said:


> @Ryesteve , I can't imaging mowing 30K SF using any walk-behind mower.


Thanks, yeah, that's what I suspected, but I didn't want to concede til getting some feedback. 
Haven't really looked at any electric ztrs yet... are you able to hitch stuff to the back of them to duplicate the functionality of the electra cartridge system, or am I going to have to look for multiple pieces of equipment?


----------



## ctrav

Rpatterson said:


> The wife picked white.


Beautiful machine 👍🏾


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

@Rpatterson congrats! I love mine. It's so nice to use. Let us know how you like it.


----------



## Rpatterson

I enjoy it very much. I love how quiet and clean I am after using it. I pull out the rotary to pick up a few leaves and to clean up the HOA weeds sprayed onto my yard and can't believe how dirty and dusty it is.

I should have gotten the grooved front roller and more blades when I ordered. I have the 5 blade which I don't think they offer anymore and can't go too low without my lawn looking like corduroy pants. I think the grooved roller will help the grass blades stand up. When I go up my front yard it's like going against the grain and cuts off much more than going down (if that makes sense).

I like how easy it is to use and the dethatching cartridge the most.


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Ryesteve said:


> Haven't really looked at any electric ztrs yet... are you able to hitch stuff to the back of them to duplicate the functionality of the electra cartridge system, or am I going to have to look for multiple pieces of equipment?


Do any riding mowers offer the functionality of the Electra / Allett cartridge system? I mean, yes, I'm sure a typical 42" lawn tractor or ZTR can tow light dump carts and such, but I don't think they can "drive" accessories like a true tractor's hydraulic power-takeoff. Were you thinking of a tow-behind de-thatcher or core plugger?


----------



## Bobby23

HungrySoutherner said:


> Bermuda_Newbie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it was locked very tight so not sure what happened. Unfortunately everyone dealing with Swardman is out office I guess so my front yard is going to look like crap until I can figure out what is going on.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm hoping what you are experiencing is a fluke. I have an Electra on order to be delivered in a few weeks. Please let us know when you find out what's wrong.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I could be a fluke. The only issue you may run into is just the support side. I'm a little impatient today about it because my front yard is 1/4 scalped and looks ridiculous and at the height its currently at if it takes a while I'll be rescalping a scalp etc. My rotary can't mow that low obviously so its going to grow out in the mean time
Click to expand...

I know I'm a little late to the party here but I'm having the same problem with my electra. The hoc is dropping while I mow. I'm wondering if you figured out a solution because it is really stressing me out. Thanks.


----------



## mowww

@Bobby23 Locktite on machine screw that holds height lever on machine (on the cover side). Since doing that I have had zero issues with it loosening.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

Bobby23 said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bermuda_Newbie said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm hoping what you are experiencing is a fluke. I have an Electra on order to be delivered in a few weeks. Please let us know when you find out what's wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> I could be a fluke. The only issue you may run into is just the support side. I'm a little impatient today about it because my front yard is 1/4 scalped and looks ridiculous and at the height its currently at if it takes a while I'll be rescalping a scalp etc. My rotary can't mow that low obviously so its going to grow out in the mean time
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I know I'm a little late to the party here but I'm having the same problem with my electra. The hoc is dropping while I mow. I'm wondering if you figured out a solution because it is really stressing me out. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Use the Allen key to add more tension to the tension lever


----------



## ShaneQi

Has anyone bought an Electra with a credit card?

I'm planning to buy one with credit card. But when I tried to place an order, there was only a 'Bank Transfer' option in the payment step (screenshot at the bottom).

I asked this question via email last week to [email protected], haven't gotten response.
I tried to call them using the number on the website (ends with 2821), but there was only phone company saying this number doesn't receive any calls.

@SwardmanGuy I'm under the impression that you are with Swardman, could you check if the email and phone number on the US website are working? It really didn't give me a good feeling to buy anything from Swardman when that phone number turned out to be broken.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

ShaneQi said:


> Has anyone bought an Electra with a credit card?
> 
> I'm planning to buy one with credit card. But when I tried to place an order, there was only a 'Bank Transfer' option in the payment step (screenshot at the bottom).
> 
> I asked this question via email last week to [email protected], haven't gotten response.
> I tried to call them using the number on the website (ends with 2821), but there was only phone company saying this number doesn't receive any calls.
> 
> @SwardmanGuy I'm under the impression that you are with Swardman, could you check if the email and phone number on the US website are working? It really didn't give me a good feeling to buy anything from Swardman when that phone number turned out to be broken.


I put mine on my American Express.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

ShaneQi said:


> Has anyone bought an Electra with a credit card?
> 
> I'm planning to buy one with credit card. But when I tried to place an order, there was only a 'Bank Transfer' option in the payment step (screenshot at the bottom).
> 
> I asked this question via email last week to [email protected], haven't gotten response.
> I tried to call them using the number on the website (ends with 2821), but there was only phone company saying this number doesn't receive any calls.
> 
> @SwardmanGuy I'm under the impression that you are with Swardman, could you check if the email and phone number on the US website are working? It really didn't give me a good feeling to buy anything from Swardman when that phone number turned out to be broken.


Why aren't you ordering it from the US rep from Reel Rollers? Lee takes Credit Cards and has everything.


----------



## ShaneQi

Thanks for the confirmation.

But I checked again and did put down an order, but there was only a instruction of transferring money to their bank account. I guess I will need to cancel this order and find a way to contact someone inside Swardman to figure out how to use a credit card.



Bermuda_Newbie said:


> ShaneQi said:
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone bought an Electra with a credit card?
> 
> I'm planning to buy one with credit card. But when I tried to place an order, there was only a 'Bank Transfer' option in the payment step (screenshot at the bottom).
> 
> I asked this question via email last week to [email protected], haven't gotten response.
> I tried to call them using the number on the website (ends with 2821), but there was only phone company saying this number doesn't receive any calls.
> 
> @SwardmanGuy I'm under the impression that you are with Swardman, could you check if the email and phone number on the US website are working? It really didn't give me a good feeling to buy anything from Swardman when that phone number turned out to be broken.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I put mine on my American Express.
Click to expand...


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

ShaneQi said:


> Thanks for the confirmation.
> 
> But I checked again and did put down an order, but there was only a instruction of transferring money to their bank account. I guess I will need to cancel this order and find a way to contact someone inside Swardman to figure out how to use a credit card.
> 
> 
> 
> Bermuda_Newbie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ShaneQi said:
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone bought an Electra with a credit card?
> 
> I'm planning to buy one with credit card. But when I tried to place an order, there was only a 'Bank Transfer' option in the payment step (screenshot at the bottom).
> 
> I asked this question via email last week to [email protected], haven't gotten response.
> I tried to call them using the number on the website (ends with 2821), but there was only phone company saying this number doesn't receive any calls.
> 
> @SwardmanGuy I'm under the impression that you are with Swardman, could you check if the email and phone number on the US website are working? It really didn't give me a good feeling to buy anything from Swardman when that phone number turned out to be broken.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I put mine on my American Express.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I ordered it through Reel Rollers. Lee was great. I called and talked to him before I ordered it to make sure I was ordering everything correctly. It has a spot for a credit card when I did it but I think you are doing it through their international site and not Reel Rollers. Reel Rollers is the official US distributor.


----------



## ShaneQi

HungrySoutherner said:


> ShaneQi said:
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone bought an Electra with a credit card?
> 
> I'm planning to buy one with credit card. But when I tried to place an order, there was only a 'Bank Transfer' option in the payment step (screenshot at the bottom).
> 
> I asked this question via email last week to [email protected], haven't gotten response.
> I tried to call them using the number on the website (ends with 2821), but there was only phone company saying this number doesn't receive any calls.
> 
> @SwardmanGuy I'm under the impression that you are with Swardman, could you check if the email and phone number on the US website are working? It really didn't give me a good feeling to buy anything from Swardman when that phone number turned out to be broken.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why aren't you ordering it from the US rep from Reel Rollers? Lee takes Credit Cards and has everything.
Click to expand...

Oh, I didn't know I can do that. 
I definitely prefer some kind of a US dealer (like Reel Rollers you mentioned). 
Actually I've noticed Reel Rollers when I was looking through Swardman website, but didn't look into it.

Thank you so much!


----------



## ShaneQi

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> ShaneQi said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the confirmation.
> 
> But I checked again and did put down an order, but there was only a instruction of transferring money to their bank account. I guess I will need to cancel this order and find a way to contact someone inside Swardman to figure out how to use a credit card.
> 
> 
> 
> Bermuda_Newbie said:
> 
> 
> 
> I put mine on my American Express.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I ordered it through Reel Rollers. Lee was great. I called and talked to him before I ordered it to make sure I was ordering everything correctly. It has a spot for a credit card when I did it but I think you are doing it through their international site and not Reel Rollers. Reel Rollers is the official US distributor.
Click to expand...

Yeah I did use Swardman's international site, not Reel Rollers.

I didn't know about Reel Rollers. Thank you and HungrySoutherner for pointing that out to me. I'd like to buy one from Reel Rollers.

PS: That was my first question in TLF, and you guys are so helpful and responsive, you all rock!


----------



## RangersFC

Ok, I'm about to pull the trigger on a Swardman, and have read this thread and the entire thread on Swardman questions. I am 90% sure I'll buy the Electra, as it has some key benefits: quiet and no gas motor to maintain.

Is there any downside to the Electra as compared to the Edwin 2.0? In all my research I haven't seen anyone say they prefer the Edwin over the Electra.


----------



## DFW_Zoysia

RangersFC said:


> Ok, I'm about to pull the trigger on a Swardman, and have read this thread and the entire thread on Swardman questions. I am 90% sure I'll buy the Electra, as it has some key benefits: quiet and no gas motor to maintain.
> 
> Is there any downside to the Electra as compared to the Edwin 2.0? In all my research I haven't seen anyone say they prefer the Edwin over the Electra.


I was seriously considering getting the Edwin 2.0, but now that the B&S is the only engine option and not Kawasaki, that would keep me from ordering one. I've owned too many pieces of equipment over the years with B&S, Honda and Kawasaki engines and know I will only do Honda or Kawasaki.

I am not saying the B&S is a bad engine - this is just my own personal experience having owned dozens and dozens of pieces of equipment over the years.


----------



## Oddvious

bauc54 said:


> @froggydetail I have a PDF of the Electra manual. DM me your email address and I'll send it right over.


Mind shooting me and Electra manual just got mine and seems to keep stoping once the real stop then the back and forth movement. If I leave it be it all comes back on I think I need a book to figure this thing out lol


----------



## bauc54

Oddvious said:


> bauc54 said:
> 
> 
> 
> @froggydetail I have a PDF of the Electra manual. DM me your email address and I'll send it right over.
> 
> 
> 
> Mind shooting me and Electra manual just got mine and seems to keep stoping once the real stop then the back and forth movement. If I leave it be it all comes back on I think I need a book to figure this thing out lol
Click to expand...

I'm happy to email it to you. What is a good email address?


----------



## Oddvious

bauc54 said:


> Oddvious said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> bauc54 said:
> 
> 
> 
> @froggydetail I have a PDF of the Electra manual. DM me your email address and I'll send it right over.
> 
> 
> 
> Mind shooting me and Electra manual just got mine and seems to keep stoping once the real stop then the back and forth movement. If I leave it be it all comes back on I think I need a book to figure this thing out lol
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm happy to email it to you. What is a good email address?
Click to expand...

I got it seems swardman has it online now appreciate the offer thanks


----------



## Fusion2002

Hey Electra Owners,

I got my Electra 55 on Monday, and I'm already having an issue. Out of the box, everything seemed to work fine, the machine would power on, and the reel would spin, and drive the way you expect it. We got some snow here in Minnesota so I didn't get a chance to give it a real try in the yard. I had the charger plugged in over night, and now today I was going to do some dethatching. I unplugged the charging cord, and pulled the switch out, Press OK and I get no lights at all. No buttons respond, controls, its like its dead. Has anyone else experienced this? I have a voicemail and a email in to Lee, but I realize he's not available 24 hours a day. I thought I'd see if anyone else had this experience. I have read the manual cover to cover, and it offers no suggestions for what I'm supposed to do. I checked and rechecked the data cable from the handlebars, and its secure.

I'm literally crushed right now, I really wanted to use the mower this week to at least do some yard clean up.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!


----------



## HungrySoutherner

If you can find the manual there are 2 different types of ways to reset the control board. If I can find the instructions you may need to reset the controller. I had this issue when I first I got mine and it took 2 resets to get it straightened out. You may also check your charger. I had a failed charger and had to get Lee to send me a new one. I'll try and get back to you on this


----------



## Fusion2002

HungrySoutherner said:


> If you can find the manual there are 2 different types of ways to reset the control board. If I can find the instructions you may need to reset the controller. I had this issue when I first I got mine and it took 2 resets to get it straightened out. You may also check your charger. I had a failed charger and had to get Lee to send me a new one. I'll try and get back to you on this


Can you tell me symptoms your charger charger had? How did you Identify there was a problem? I'm technical enough to do some troubleshooting, I'd crack open the mower but I want to be mindful of my warentee so I'm not going to do anything unless Swardman tells me to.

I tried the + - ok button combination to reset, still no lights or any kind of activity.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

Fusion2002 said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> 
> If you can find the manual there are 2 different types of ways to reset the control board. If I can find the instructions you may need to reset the controller. I had this issue when I first I got mine and it took 2 resets to get it straightened out. You may also check your charger. I had a failed charger and had to get Lee to send me a new one. I'll try and get back to you on this
> 
> 
> 
> Can you tell me symptoms your charger charger had? How did you Identify there was a problem? I'm technical enough to do some troubleshooting, I'd crack open the mower but I want to be mindful of my warentee so I'm not going to do anything unless Swardman tells me to.
> 
> I tried the + - ok button combination to reset, still no lights or any kind of activity.
Click to expand...

This was the other reset combo they sent me: re-set the electronic board in the handlebars by holding the OK button and quickly pressing + - + -. Then the second LED light on the handlebars should blink. If blinks the first light and not the second, please repeat the procedure with OK +-+-


----------



## Fusion2002

HungrySoutherner said:


> This was the other reset combo they sent me: re-set the electronic board in the handlebars by holding the OK button and quickly pressing + - + -. Then the second LED light on the handlebars should blink. If blinks the first light and not the second, please repeat the procedure with OK +-+-


I tried this combination as well, no lights at all.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

This is going to sound dumb but have you tried plugging it into a different outlet? Sometimes an outlet isn't working right and you could at least rule that out.


----------



## Fusion2002

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> This is going to sound dumb but have you tried plugging it into a different outlet? Sometimes an outlet isn't working right and you could at least rule that out.


I tried that, the charger does power up, and has led's that are on when plugged in so I have ruled out any kind of outlet issues.


----------



## Fusion2002

Huh, I found the problem, the data cable has a short in it. About 12" from the bottom. I'll have to have them send me a new one.

Big thanks to @HungrySoutherner for his post with his tear down pictures, which inspired me to take things a part a little to explore.

Thank you TLF!

This machine is really amazing. The build quality, and engineering is top notch (except for the 1990's phone cord data cable :lol: ) It is a different animal from a home owner rotary, I have a feeling its going to take some time to get used to mowing with it.


----------



## ShaneQi

I see that Electra's mowing height is between 0.15 - 2 inches. 
Would 2 inch be too low for common Bermuda? I'm concerned that my common Bermuda would not be able to live with 2 inch mow.
And even if 2 inch is okay for common Bermuda, I'm also concerned that if I skip a mow, next mow at 2 inch would have scalping effect (brown looking because I'd be cutting more than 1/3).

Any Electra owner has common Bermuda?


----------



## avionics12

ShaneQi said:


> Would 2 inch be too low for common Bermuda? I'm concerned that my common Bermuda would not be able to live with 2 inch mow.


These pictures are from last year with my common Bermuda cut at 1/2 inch with a TruCut C-27. Go Reel Low. Looking forward to getting an Electra to see even better results!


----------



## Mightyquinn

ShaneQi said:


> I see that Electra's mowing height is between 0.15 - 2 inches.
> Would 2 inch be too low for common Bermuda? I'm concerned that my common Bermuda would not be able to live with 2 inch mow.
> And even if 2 inch is okay for common Bermuda, I'm also concerned that if I skip a mow, next mow at 2 inch would have scalping effect (brown looking because I'd be cutting more than 1/3).
> 
> Any Electra owner has common Bermuda?


I don't think any bermuda should be cut over 1" unless you have a rotary but that's just me


----------



## ShaneQi

@avionics12 @Mightyquinn

Thanks for chime in! Amazing looking lawn from avionics12.

I was concerned because I've heard something like: plug hybrid Bermuda, keep mowing low and the Common Bermuda will die because it can't live with that low.

I've also tried keep mowing at the lowest of my rotary (manual says 1.5in) on a experimental area every 3 days Last year, and it never looked even close to what avionics12 has. But might be other reasons other than the mowing height.

Anyway, thanks you two for giving me some assurance. Also open to inputs from other common Bermuda owners.


----------



## avionics12

When I first moved in this home the lawn was poorly kept, weed infested, and mowed at 4 inches. I invested in a reel mower and followed the Bermuda Bible to get the present day results. It takes time but is worth the effort.

Bermuda Bible


----------



## Mightyquinn

@ShaneQi

If your lawn is at 3 inches and you cut it down to 1.5 inches and then maintain that HOC, your lawn will never look good because you actually need to go lower, like 1 inch and then bring it back up to 1.5 inches. Bermuda will start growing from it's lowest cut point so cutting it from 3 to 1.5 you will be removing all the green stuff and then every time you mow at 1.5 you are still just removing all the green stuff again. I hope that explanation makes sense.


----------



## ShaneQi

@Mightyquinn Yes that makes sense. I'm aware of that, so I realized I mis-described what I did: I mowed from 2.5in to 1.5in and mowed at 2in every 3 days.

But I still think you are on the point, I guess I really need to mow it lower than 1.5in to push the brown down. The 0.5in green from 1.5 to 2 isn't enough for it to look good.

@avionics12 thanks for the inspiration, I was a bit upset about my common Bermuda because I thought it can't be mowed low at all.


----------



## Reelrollers

Go LOW!!! Your Bermuda will thank you!

Steps to Going Low:
1. Buy a reel mower 
2. Mow turf at lowest rotary setting (bag grass)
3. Set reel mower at 1" and mow lawn
4. Same day or next day, now with reel mower at 3/4" perpendicular to 1" cut
5. Same day or next day, take turf down to 1/2", if you hit dirt anywhere in lawn, raise height 1/8"-1/4". 
6. Find the lowest height you can cut without hitting dirt anywhere in your lawn and then raise cutting height 1/8". That's your sweet spot to mow low for your lawn.

Your goal is to find the lowest reel mowing cutting height possible for your own without hitting dirt. When you find that height, you should maintain your cut 1/8" higher. Do this and in a month you'll have a great cut, in a season you'll have insanely thick turf.

As these guys have all said, it's a process and it will look terrible at first!

This is my Zoysia and they always say to mow it at 2", nonsense! This is at 1/2" and it loves it! Bermuda will love it even more!


----------



## ShaneQi

@Reelrollers Thanks for the guide!

And I'm glad you chimed in, because I've built an Electra on the website just now, but I can't find the grassbox/grasscatcher.
Checked accessories and parts sections, didn't find it. Did I overlook it?


----------



## Reelrollers

Grass catcher Comes with it. No additional item or charge.


----------



## ShaneQi

@Reelrollers That's great, thanks for the info.


----------



## thompwa

Has anyone ever used their brush cartridge to pick up grass dams after a heavy rain? What about aerator cores on top of the ground? Trying to decide if I want to invest in a brush cartridge or if my rake and broom does just as well.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

thompwa said:


> Has anyone ever used their brush cartridge to pick up grass dams after a heavy rain? What about aerator cores on top of the ground? Trying to decide if I want to invest in a brush cartridge or if my rake and broom does just as well.


I've wondered myself what it would be good for. I tend to get a bad case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) with new hobbies and I go back and forth on what my motivation is for getting the brush. @Ware says it gets rid of worm casings pretty well but those are a little softer than aerator cores. I think the purpose of it is to sort of grind stuff in your yard so if you just want to spread the grass around after a heavy rain, it might do that similar to the worm casings. If you figure out a good use for it other than brushing in sand, let me know.


----------



## Shawn E

To pick up aerator cores I use the detacher attachment. works great.


----------



## LawnTherapy

Reelrollers said:


> Go LOW!!! Your Bermuda will thank you!
> 
> Steps to Going Low:
> 1. Buy a reel mower
> 2. Mow turf at lowest rotary setting (bag grass)
> 3. Set reel mower at 1" and mow lawn
> 4. Same day or next day, now with reel mower at 3/4" perpendicular to 1" cut
> 5. Same day or next day, take turf down to 1/2", if you hit dirt anywhere in lawn, raise height 1/8"-1/4".
> 6. Find the lowest height you can cut without hitting dirt anywhere in your lawn and then raise cutting height 1/8". That's your sweet spot to mow low for your lawn.
> 
> Your goal is to find the lowest reel mowing cutting height possible for your own without hitting dirt. When you find that height, you should maintain your cut 1/8" higher. Do this and in a month you'll have a great cut, in a season you'll have insanely thick turf.
> 
> As these guys have all said, it's a process and it will look terrible at first!
> 
> This is my Zoysia and they always say to mow it at 2", nonsense! This is at 1/2" and it loves it! Bermuda will love it even more!


New to TLF - but researching Swardmans. I'm in Illinois and was exposed to them by Ryan Knorr channel. Buuuuuttttttt, I have zoysia and a used GM1600. I see you have zoysia.

Considering trading the used GM 1600 for Swardman to use on the zoysia. Edwin 2.1 or Electra is your tool of choice? Any advice for the zoysia. It's weird to have up here in the middle of IL but I inherited the lawn.


----------



## alistairfang

Mightyquinn said:


> @ShaneQi
> 
> If your lawn is at 3 inches and you cut it down to 1.5 inches and then maintain that HOC, your lawn will never look good because you actually need to go lower, like 1 inch and then bring it back up to 1.5 inches. Bermuda will start growing from it's lowest cut point so cutting it from 3 to 1.5 you will be removing all the green stuff and then every time you mow at 1.5 you are still just removing all the green stuff again. I hope that explanation makes sense.


Wouldn't maintain HOC to 1.5 inches force Bermuda to spread because they cannot go up?
I am so new to Bermuda and this is one of the statement I heard. Not sure it is correct so bring this up.


----------



## Lot-A-Sap

alistairfang said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> 
> @ShaneQi
> 
> If your lawn is at 3 inches and you cut it down to 1.5 inches and then maintain that HOC, your lawn will never look good because you actually need to go lower, like 1 inch and then bring it back up to 1.5 inches. Bermuda will start growing from it's lowest cut point so cutting it from 3 to 1.5 you will be removing all the green stuff and then every time you mow at 1.5 you are still just removing all the green stuff again. I hope that explanation makes sense.
> 
> 
> 
> Wouldn't maintain HOC to 1.5 inches force Bermuda to spread because they cannot go up?
> I am so new to Bermuda and this is one of the statement I heard. Not sure it is correct so bring this up.
Click to expand...

Different cultivars of grass have a HOC that they look best at. In the case of Bermuda, in particular hybrids, lower is ideal. Above 2" it starts to look very leggy. Some of this is personal preference. 
In terms of encouraging lateral growth, mowing frequency can help influence "spread"


----------



## Brou

Hello everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster. I use a manual reel mower on my front lawn and usually cut the grass around 6 am.

I've seen a few people comment on how quiet the Electra is and how it could be used in the morning without disturbing the neighbors. Does anyone actually mow with it in the morning? The YouTube videos I've seen all seem to demonstrate it being too loud for morning use to me.

Thanks.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

I just got through mowing with mine. I'd say it's not loud like an engine but it probably depends on your neighborhood whether it's quiet enough to use at 6am. Maybe I don't have mine calibrated correctly (I've hit a few rocks) so it's a little noisy. I think it's almost noisier when it's super quiet outside because it's all you hear. If you have traffic nearby your house or something it's probably fine.

I just asked my husband and he said that he thinks it's totally fine for mowing with at 6am so my guess is you will get a variety of opinions. They have a video on YouTube where it shows how many decibels it is so you could see what the numbers are and compare it to common sounds.


----------



## Brou

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> I just got through mowing with mine. I'd say it's not loud like an engine but it probably depends on your neighborhood whether it's quiet enough to use at 6am. Maybe I don't have mine calibrated correctly (I've hit a few rocks) so it's a little noisy. I think it's almost noisier when it's super quiet outside because it's all you hear. If you have traffic nearby your house or something it's probably fine.
> 
> I just asked my husband and he said that he thinks it's totally fine for mowing with at 6am so my guess is you will get a variety of opinions. They have a video on YouTube where it shows how many decibels it is so you could see what the numbers are and compare it to common sounds.


You make a good point. I just finished cutting with my Fiskars and it does seem loud when the neighborhood is asleep.

After what I just went through cutting this increasingly thick Bermuda (I lost 2lbs in sweat this morning) I came in, took a shower, and immediately ordered an Electra 55.

Thanks for the reply!


----------



## hsvtoolfool

Kamauxx said:


> The YouTube videos I've seen all seem to demonstrate it being too loud for morning use to me.


Don't worry, you won't disturb your neighbors unless they live in tents. It's much quieter than gas mowers.

Most noise comes from how close you set the blade-to-bedknife gap. When I rough scalp, I use a large blade/bedknife gap so there's no contact and it's almost dead silent. For normal mowing, I set the blade with folded printer paper, and it's still a quite whisper. You do hear some noise while cutting, but it's far from loud. If you set the gap so that there's bedknife contact, then you get a constant roaring sound even without cutting. But I don't think that's very good for blade or bedknife lifespan.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

Is there a way to replace just the bedknife without buying a whole new cartridge? My bedknife is bent after a rock incident. If there was a way to take it off, it could maybe be hammered flat or something.


----------



## Bermuda_Newbie

Nevermind. I just found it on their site. So glad I don't have to buy a new reel although I am looking forward to the newer harder reels. The one it came with is incredibly soft.


----------



## JerseyGreens

I'm thinking this is a good spot to pose this question (fingers crossed).

I am in the middle of a 100% KBG Reno - using BlueBank which can be cut super low. I'm coming from years of a NE Mix Lawn, mostly TTTF - HOC around 4inches.

This will be my first time getting into low cutting. I bought a Scotts 7 blade reel mower to get me through the first few cuts but am realizing that with spoon-feeding I might be out there every other day...

What do you guys feel about me buying the Swardman Electra (they have a shipping coming in mid-october) off the cuff - without me even knowing if I like reel mowing (or not)...Hint: I'm probably going to like it!

Thanks!


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## Diane

Hi, thinking of purchasing and wondering: does anyone have an Electra and not cut Reel low? I don't love the reel low look, I like a thicker 2-2.5" HOC. I read online the Electra goes to 2". Does anyone cut at 2" here? If so, would like to hear about how it works. 
Also, does anyone have an issue of cutting when the grass gets too long and the mower "skips" some grass like the manual reels?


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## Bermuda_Newbie

@Diane I have a new bumpy lawn that I was unable to level this year and the grass has gotten sort of out of control. I've tried cutting it down to 2" but it has skipped a lot of grass. This is not because of the electra but because my grass was crazy long and I have the 10 blade because I was cutting very very low at my old house. There is a kit you can but from them for when you go on vacation and your lawn gets too long to cut. I plan to try this and see how it goes. They aren't very expensive. My lawn looks best around 3/4" to 1" because of the bumpiness but I think if you had a flat lawn and used the 6 blade it could work. I'll let you know if you want once I buy that kit how it works. I think an issue you might have is if you are maintaining at 2" and it gets slightly taller it might not work great. But with that kit it might work.


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## Diane

@Bermuda_Newbie 
Thanks for such a great reply. How long do you think it got when you tried cutting it down? 
I really wanted to think that it would do ok cutting taller grass. I love The cut a reel mowers gives. 
From reading your answer I realized that more blades might equal better for less height? 
I wonder about this because my Scott's 7 blade misses a lot of grass when it's cutting down taller grass. I'm sure a 5 blade would also, but I wonder if I should've have gotten a 5 vs 7.


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## JerseyGreens

Diane said:


> @Bermuda_Newbie
> Thanks for such a great reply. How long do you think it got when you tried cutting it down?
> I really wanted to think that it would do ok cutting taller grass. I love The cut a reel mowers gives.
> From reading your answer I realized that more blades might equal better for less height?
> I wonder about this because my Scott's 7 blade misses a lot of grass when it's cutting down taller grass. I'm sure a 5 blade would also, but I wonder if I should've have gotten a 5 vs 7.


May I ask why you want a reel mower for cutting around 2 inches or so? You will be much better suited with a rotary. If you like the idea of battery powered then Ego makes a pretty solid Li-Ion powered rotary mower.

If you are dead set on getting a fairly costly reel mower - here is something I did with my Allett to get a much higher HOC on my young, baby grass.

It's a high wheel kit that comes with all of their machines. I added 6 washers so I could use the high wheel kit with the rake shown in the picture which helps the grass stand up before getting clipped by the reel action.


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## Diane

@JerseyGreens 
That is super cool. 
I don't know why, I just always liked a little plush look and not a baseball field. But maybe I'll convert one day. I watched so many videos of the Swardman and love the clean cut. Is it a contradiction to use a reel mower on taller grass?


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## JerseyGreens

Diane said:


> @JerseyGreens
> That is super cool.
> I don't know why, I just always liked a little plush look and not a baseball field. But maybe I'll convert one day. I watched so many videos of the Swardman and love the clean cut. Is it a contradiction to use a reel mower on taller grass?


I wouldn't say contradiction but more of a...costly endeavor.

The cost of the machine, keeping the reel sharpened, potential maintenance on belts, etc...it can be a lot.


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## Bermuda_Newbie

@Diane I'm super embarrassed to say in certain spots it was 5 inches. Had to bring down the high spots with our rotary scissors. More blades are better for a very short lawn. I was maintaining below .5" when I bought the 10 blade. I'm having an easier time using my 5 blade caltrimmer at the moment until I can afford the 6 blade reel for the swardman and level my lawn. It's on a hill so for me, the bumpiness adds to the difficulty. I do love the swardman but it's best on a flat surface and for mowing low. I don't know if you'd see the benefit of such an expensive mower on tall grass like that but I'm going to try it myself for a bit until my landscaping progresses.

The reason your push mower was skipping blades was most likely lack of RPM and not due to it being 5 vs 7 blades. I started with a fiskars and had bad washboarding because you just can't push it fast enough through the thick turf.


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## FATC1TY

Diane said:


> Hi, thinking of purchasing and wondering: does anyone have an Electra and not cut Reel low? I don't love the reel low look, I like a thicker 2-2.5" HOC. I read online the Electra goes to 2". Does anyone cut at 2" here? If so, would like to hear about how it works.
> Also, does anyone have an issue of cutting when the grass gets too long and the mower "skips" some grass like the manual reels?


I would skip any reel mower if you don't wish to go low. Waste of money to buy if you want it that tall. You gain nothing other than a cleaner cut, and all the issues that could come with maintaining and cutting with a powered reel.


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## Diane

@FATC1TY 
Thanks for the advice. What height would you consider the highest I could cut using a reel mower that would be considered something that made sense?


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## Diane

@Bermuda_Newbie 
Thanks for explaining. So the swardman doesnt suck and stand up the grass like a rotary, right?


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## Bermuda_Newbie

@Diane a reel mower cuts the tip of the grass blade like scissors. It doesn't suck it up with a vacuum like a rotary. That's why if it gets too long, it just pushes the blades over. It gives the best cut though if you are willing to go through the trouble to do it. It really depends on what your lawn goals are. If you want a really nice stand of Bermuda, you're looking at leveling and fertilizing and learning lots about turf management. If you are just looking for a normal backyard and don't care if it looks like a golf course, a rotary is fine. There's plenty of people on here that mow warm season grass with a rotary. Some do it because their yard is just too big for a reel. What makes you want to get a reel mower? What are your lawn goals? If you want to try a reel before making the cost commitment of a Swardman, you could definitely go used and get a caltrimmer or mcclane and see how you like it.


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## bernstem

I have a Swardman Edwin and a Honda HRX. The Edwin should cut pretty much the same as the Electra. I have a very level lawn and can cut to ~1 inch with the rotary. Below that there is no comparison to the Swardman's cut quality and ease of use. The Honda requires constant attention to prevent scalping and other cut quality issues even at 1 inch. From ~1-1.5 inches the reel has a slight edge in cut quality. I have not cut above 1.5 inches with the reel, but the Honda requires very little attention to prevent scalping and other issues at heights over 1.5 inches.


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## Austinite

I love both machines, but in my experience, and this could be just my experience only, the reel on the Electra seems to bend out of whack. Basically what happens is the reel cuts higher on one side than the other. Almost like it's bent out of shape. The only thing that fixes it is taking the knife off and putting it back on (No, just tightening does not work, has to come off and back on for some odd reason). This usually lasts 3 to 4 mows on 1000 sq ft. per run.

The Edwin on the other hand has never done this. The only draw back on the Edwin is that if your blade isn't super sharp, it will need to be tightened heavily to cut paper, and the reel will spin/stop constantly until its super sharp again so you can loosen the blade off the knife a bit after backlapping. Electra spins the reel no matter what. These are super minor issues for me but food for thought.


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## FATC1TY

Diane said:


> @FATC1TY
> Thanks for the advice. What height would you consider the highest I could cut using a reel mower that would be considered something that made sense?


I'd figure anything over an inch would be a waste for a reel. You lose all the benefits of a reel and will start to see a diminished cut that could be done with a rotary.

If you like it taller, no reason to buy a reel at all.


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## Austinite

I have to respectfully disagree with higher cuts being a waste. 1.5 and even 1.75 looks incredible when done with a reel compared to a rotary cut. Personally feel there are more benefits to a reel than a low cut.


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## Diane

@Austinite 
I like the sound of that. Have you personally cut at that height? I wonder if you may have a photo of what that looked like. 
@Bermuda_Newbie 
That's a good question. My goal is not to have a golf course, but I am a perfectionist (not insane) and I really want that clean cut. I hate when the rotary leaves the tips all shriveled. If it won't cut well and will leave tall grass uncut and the lawn won't look uniform, then there would be no point because I want it to look neat and tidy.


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## Austinite

Diane said:


> @Austinite
> I like the sound of that. Have you personally cut at that height? I wonder if you may have a photo of what that looked like.


Yes I've cut at that height. You don't have to worry about blades being pushed away from the reel, that only happens if your mower height is adjusted too low. For example, if you try to cut 2 inch grass and your mower is set at 1 inch, yes, you will have problems. Swardman can go really high for a reel mower and works great.

I will try to find pictures. :thumbup:


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## JerseyGreens

From my experience when trying to cut high grass with a reel mower the front roller pushes the grass down and it doesn't get a clean cut from the reel.

That's the reason why many here will cut it down with a rotary and then reel if they go on vacation or let it overgrow, etc.

Reel mowers undeniably give the cleanest cut and if that's what you are looking for then get one just remember there are serious trials and tribulations before you achieve your goals.


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## timmybluegrass

@Diane, to each their own, but if your lawn is only 400 square feet, it seems like a Swardman would be serious overkill. You could buy any number of manual reel mowers - if you want to mow higher, the Scotts Classic goes up to 3" - and get great results. You'll probably have to double cut everything to get it looking perfect but, honestly, that shouldn't take very long on such a small yard. I double cut my lawn - which is six or seven times bigger than yours - with a manual reel mower in twenty minutes when working at moderate to leisurely pace. I've done it in under 10 when hustling.

Does a lawn cut at 2" with a Swardman look better than a lawn double cut at 2" with a manual? I can't say for sure but I think you'd be happy with the results either way.


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## g-man

^+1


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## Bermuda_Newbie

@Diane The Fiskars Stay Sharp is super easy to push and does a pretty good job around the height that you want. I enjoyed using mine a lot. Sometimes, I still miss it.


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## Diane

@timmybluegrass @g-man 
My current grass is 400 sq ft but I'm not talking about that. New property building on is over an acre. Obviously a swardman would be ridiculous for such a little space. I currently have a Scott's and it works just fine for our current use.


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## Diane

timmybluegrass said:


> .
> 
> Does a lawn cut at 2" with a Swardman look better than a lawn double cut at 2" with a manual? I can't say for sure but I think you'd be happy with the results either way.


This is exactly my question. Are the results too similar to notice or the swardman is much more superior at 2". That's why I was asking if anyone cute around this height from experience.


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## Diane

Austinite said:


> Diane said:
> 
> 
> 
> @Austinite
> I like the sound of that. Have you personally cut at that height? I wonder if you may have a photo of what that looked like.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I've cut at that height. You don't have to worry about blades being pushed away from the reel, that only happens if your mower height is adjusted too low. For example, if you try to cut 2 inch grass and your mower is set at 1 inch, yes, you will have problems. Swardman can go really high for a reel mower and works great.
> 
> I will try to find pictures. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Super. Looking forward to your pics!


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## Wfrobinette

Austinite said:


> I have to respectfully disagree with higher cuts being a waste. 1.5 and even 1.75 looks incredible when done with a reel compared to a rotary cut. Personally feel there are more benefits to a reel than a low cut.


+1


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## timmybluegrass

Diane said:


> @timmybluegrass @g-man
> My current grass is 400 sq ft but I'm not talking about that. New property building on is over an acre. Obviously a swardman would be ridiculous for such a little space. I currently have a Scott's and it works just fine for our current use.


My apologies, I must have missed the part about the new property. Congratulations on that!


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