Lawnmower switches?

[spamlet]

I have been given quite a powerful Flymo and would like to use it without forking out ten times what it's actually worth from the manufacturer to buy a 'dead man's switch' for it.

Don't know what happened to the original.

I was expecting these 'see em on everything' switches would be available in the shops as pattern items, but, after a couple of years keeping an eye out, I've not seen anyone selling them.

Anyone know if there are pattern replacements or 'universals' anywhere?

Cheers,

S

[spamlet]

That was quick Stephen!

I have eyed up the skips at the local tip but that puts me in a dilemma, as I may well (in all likelihood will) be getting yet another mower that I can also fix and won't want to destroy one to cure the other. I hate chucking out stuff that still works but for a little tweak... (Which is how I came to have a shed full of pushbikes even though I'll probably never be fit enough to ride them again!)

I'll just have to learn to be a consumer I suppose!

Cheers,

S

[Frank Erskine]

I bet if you have a look at the innards of the existing you should be able to bodge a standard microswitch or something similar to do the same job, possibly better than the original. Think "engineer" rather than "consumer"... :-)

[Stephen Howard]

Have you tried your local tip? My local one nearly always has a Flymo or two..alongside the Dyson cleaners. Going price should be about a fiver.

Regards,

[Stephen Howard]

Aye, I know what you mean - I have a 'collection' of around half a dozen mowers at the moment...only one of which I know definitely works, and one other that probably/hopefully works. The rest are 'too good to throw away', all bar the Tecumseh engined jobby with the plastic chassis ( poxy thing ).

Regards,

[Dave Liquorice]

I was thinking the same but pay close attention to the switch ratings and the motor power you don't want a "dead mans handle" switch getting its contacts welded together...

[Cicero]

================================== Might be something here:

[Andrew Gabriel]

Last couple of mowers I've bought over last ~10 years, the "dead mans handle" is not simply an on-off switch, but also caused emergency braking of the blades. I've never looked to see how that was done, but that function died after a couple of years on both mowers, and the blades now spin down slowly as they dissipate their momentum gradually. Both these are induction motor mowers (but most electric mowers are universal motor mowers). The brake may have been something mechanical. On a universal motor, it's much easier; you just short out the motor to stop it.

[spamlet]

Thanks chaps: but I have no innards to play with on this occasion. The mower 'handle' is devoid of the entire switch assembly (possibly someone else must have pinched it for yet another mower!).

Handy tip though.

S

[spamlet]

Hi Cicero, It looks as though the suppliers have increased since last I checked, and espares now has a range of components, and 'kits' for repairing the switchbox, but I can't see (though there is a lot to browse through) any whole switchbox assemblies.

Changing tactic, and just using google to search for 'lawnmower +switch', gets one into espares 'by the back door as it were', and comes up with a 6A

250V switch, and a lever, which I may be able to create something of, if I can't lay my hands on a complete item.

Most of the other links end up back at espares; and a little way down the list comes the very pricey Bartram, who were the only suppliers last time I looked.

Odd really, as I would have expected to see every garden centre with oodles of cheap generic replacements, all hanging up and ready to go. I suppose its because these days, a garden is just another fashion item to spend money on, and when the slightest thing goes wrong with a piece of kit, its just an excuse to buy the latest.

Thanks for the tip,

S

[Dave Liquorice]

"Garden Centres" are fashion based, what you need to find is a Garden Machinery Centre or an Agricultural Supplier that deals with small garden stuff as well.

The other factor apart from fashion is that most people wouldn't have a clue where to start in repairing something unless it can be done with a nothing more complicated than a roll of sticky tape. Mind you with a bit of ingenuity I bet you could fashion a dead mans handle switch from insulation tape and a couple of wires...

[Bob Eager]

I had a smaller Flymo where the switch had broken. I posted the model number on here (a while ago, this was) and someone posted me a replacement off a mower he'd scrapped. It came complete with a piece of swan-off handle as that was the quickest way for him to remove it!