Front Mounted Electric Mower Deck on Electric John Deere 214

[@MaddMax458]

That's a super cool conversion. Really love it, you did a great job, Sir.

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thank You!

[@garyalensr]

Wow!!! This is absolutely amazing. You Sir did a Fantastic job building this. This is by far the coolest electric conversion I've seen. I'd love to have the ability and means to be able to create such an amazing tractor. Great job again!!

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thank You!

[@tjehlenfeldt3682]

This is one of the coolest things I’ve seen. I have an old 214 that’s wore out. It was my grandfathers. I used it up until a month ago when it just kinda gave up. I would love to have this done to mine.

[@roybertalotto6355]

Your grand dad would love it...

[@badvibes1337]

this is amazing, i have a John Deere LT160 that ive swapped a Kawasaki FH491V onto and i would love to have some kind of front mounted deck like this.

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thank you! Not to difficult to make the front trailer lift. Buy a $200 welder and have at it. Search my other youtube videos for videos on the welder I used to build it....kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGOuon98iL6XrsU

[@badgerdad777]

Very nice. I'm having issues with my lift on my Elec-Trak and I have an actuator like that from off my dads lift chair. I never thought about it working for it but I bet it would.

[@toolinhand]

That looks great! Someone could mistake that for factory built!

[@aaronchristianson]

Cool conversion. I have a john deere 1025r tractor with front end loader and bush hog, and a JD D105 riding mower. I'm thinking about buying a new deck for the D105 rider and converting the old deck to an electric drive, bucket mounted, mower deck for trimming branches (sorta like the lane shark).

[@roybertalotto6355]

Sounds like a fun project. Be sure to update us as you proceed!

[@BriskBadgeR]

Bravo! a work of art.

[@owentimo]

WOW!!!!! Well done. Executed perfectly. Love how you keep it original looking too. Bravo.

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thank you

[@sooneraviator]

Brilliant brother! Job well done on all counts

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thank You

[@jlengjams]

Thanks for sharing. Am planning a build like this. Do you know the amp draw from the 3 deck motors?

[@devinlinehan7048]

Great work, the real advantage of electric is the efficiency. It would be interesting to compare the energy consumed by this rig compared to a gas 214 for the same job. I bet the gas takes 5X the energy.

[@roybertalotto6355]

Would be interesting to calculate this...

[@charlesswaim1598]

Looks awesome! I have a JD 425 that I've been thinking of converting.... thinking I'll still let the transaxle drive everything as I also have deck, plow, loader and eventually pto and 3 point

[@roybertalotto6355]

Ultimately I would like to convert a 400 series John Deere. But they are impossible to find with a blown motor for a reasonable price.

[@bretharrawood3783]

That's super cool especially the deck being driven by electric motors... wondering how long of a run time you get out of that set up....and if a person just wanted to make a electric drive deck by itself for a ditch bank mower what that would take?.....any info would be appreciated

[@Fentertainment]

@roybertalotto Did you happen to make any covers for the deck motors so grass or other debris doesn't get into them?

[@roybertalotto6355]

No, I didn't. Actually, I have a small yard and using a tractor to cut the lawn takes more time than using my Honda walk behind. I built the front mounted mower deck more as a fun project that actually being used on my property.

[@Fentertainment]

@@roybertalotto6355 Ten4

[@mechanicalmonster2115]

Awesome build!

[@yellowgreen5229]

Some good ideas. Thx

[@magnum164]

I have seen your conversion before. Working on Converting a JD212 and eventually 4 other Antiques including Wheel Horse models. Have had them for years, one of the things that perplexes me is the direct drive of the blades to the motor. Generally the Deck Blade provides the timing/slack in case of impact to prevent shearing the shaft. I mow in an area where hitting a hidden tree branch is not uncommon. Any issue with your direct drive setup? Ever hit something hard enough to cause concern? My thoughts for now is to drive 3 blades still by the belt with one motor (not off drive motor) just for extra safety.

[@roybertalotto6355]

I do not use a mower deck running off the electric motor. I was concerned abouty the issue of striking something. I built a front mounted mower deck with three 40v electric motors. It is shown on my web site rvbprecision.com/machine-tools-welding/fronty-mounted-electric-mower-deck-for-electric-garden-tractor.html

[@magnum164]

@@roybertalotto6355 I guess I don't see the difference, however I have since determined I can mount the motors to the blades and still provide shear pin type design incase of striking something.

[@roybertalotto6355]

@@magnum164 The motors I used are from electric lawn mowers so I'm hoping that this issue was taken into consideration by their engineers

[@magnum164]

@@roybertalotto6355 Actually I am a electro/mechanical designer so they generally do not have protection which is why I asked. The motor will bend the shaft, break bearings and the solution is to simply replace the motor, they are disposable. I have several I have been given by people where the shafts are bent. Some do have shear pins, but that is the more expensive brands. (unless they improved in the last few years as I have just started looking again). So that is why I designed A blade slip for the mount. Rogh hit and you only replace sheared plastic piece.But you have to have over-rev setup on the motors or they go full throttle.

[@tonyhekopiano5892]

Brilliant

[@plasmaguy5]

Awesome Job

[@gmasterdude]

Excellent.

[@kirksway1]

I love it!!

[@EweKnowWho]

Hi Roy! You sure do some beautiful work! Could you share some tips on sourcing electric motors for a similar project? Where did you buy the ones you used on your deck? Thanks! Rob

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thanks for the kind words! The best place I find for these 40v lawnmower motors is CraigsList or Ebay.....And I look for complete mowers. Folks get rid of them for free or just a couple $$ because the batteries fail and the rep0lacement batteries are very expensive. Remove the motors and the controllers and scrap the rest. When I built this mower deck I really lucked out and found three brand new replacement motors on Ebay for $45 each....Hope this helps!

[@EweKnowWho]

@@roybertalotto6355 thanks so much, Roy. Keep up the good work!

[@87atxskater]

Very cool, looks like an expensive build though.

[@roybertalotto6355]

Mostly scrap stuff and items bought off Ebay......Mostly just time!

[@soandso12345]

This is brilliant! Masterfully done. Where did you source motors, controller, and BMS from? I have a Wheelhorse with burnt wiring harness set aside for a similar conversion…

[@roybertalotto6355]

Everything came from eBay or Amazon

[@sambaaxe]

Very well done! I have an ugly old JD GT245 that I would love to convert to battery as well. It looks like you are using normal deep cycle solar batteries, is that right? How many hours can you run your setup? I am considering using Lithium Iron Phosphates to build my mower up. Do you have any photos or videos of your build and conversion process?

[@roybertalotto6355]

Go to my web site. It is all there www.rvbprecision.com

[@Apriltomsky]

Great job! How much would you sell it for?

[@roybertalotto6355]

Thinking about selling it in the fall and building a bigger tractor. Would want $3000

[@DIYGuy85]

Do those motors create enough lift to bag grass clipping?

[@roybertalotto6355]

Yes, they have huge lift and discharge.

[@robbyrucker140]

Wow!! You du man!!

[@smoothmusicstudio6715]

Nice

[@sooneraviator]

What are your sources for motors?

[@roybertalotto6355]

Amazon. Source is on my web site www.rvbprecision.com

[@roybertalotto6355]

Sorry, I meant Ebay

[@Nighthawkrun]

I went to your site and tried to post, I don't have a website

[@Nighthawkrun]

I have a 210 I would love to convert, I can't afford it probably, I am retired, just to ride around on also.

[@roybertalotto6355]

There are lots of KZbin videos on doing thios on a budget using starter motors or used fork lift motors.

[@alarry31]

How did you build the mount for the front

[@roybertalotto6355]

I just fabricated it as I went. No real plan.

[@chuckgreen355]

nice!!!!

[@ninefingers5480]

I wasn't familiar with those motors. My robotic mower uses several small motors with small blades to reduce torque at the tips. With new tech this isn't as much a concern.

[@markmitchuson6900]

what happens if the blades hit an object?

[@roybertalotto6355]

I would hope they would spin on the shaft bolt or break it off..

[@damienparker3541]

Wow, so great! Would be a good candidate for an lfp upgrade once your deepcycles are degraded

[@roybertalotto6355]

Actually, the weight of AGM batteries is a plus...Weight = traction with tractors.

[@damienparker3541]

@@roybertalotto6355 yeah, I didn't think of that I was more thinking of run time and cycle life

[@roybertalotto6355]

@@damienparker3541 so far, after a year of use, I've never even got close to running the batteries to 50%. Using it for hours around the yard the batteries are no lower than 70%. But cutting grass with the three motor mowing deck, will run batteries to near 50% in my small yard. About 45 minutes of constant mowing.

[@davesmith1585]

🤮

[@lucashinch]

Brilliant