54 in Ryobi Electric Zero Turn on the Farm - Unboxing and Review

[@joshuafullington6128]

Leave it plugged in. It has battery management and it's designed to remain plugged in. Per owners manual.

[@goddom]

Thanks, you are correct. I wish I could correct the video. The assembly guide says to remove the charger once fully charged, but the other manuals say the opposite.

[@joshuafullington6128]

@@goddom interesting. I bought one and it comes in this week. Not seeing a lot of negative reviews. Hoping it's the real deal like people are saying it is!

[@Foremi]

Plus, its a lead acid battery which really should be fully charged and kept full as much as possible. The only time you want it not full is when in use.

[@Gunshinzero]

@@goddom Might want to pin this comment or update the description with that information.

[@ILuVBrdPr0ducts]

I just bought mine yesterday...I only have 1.7 acres and I went for ur model. Thought process is I could have better battery management with more AH. I also might get more years out of the batteries. The smaller 75Ah only has a 42 inch deck ...so time is always money. Long story short the bigger one will say u much more money in the long run. Great Video

[@altonrowell613]

Ok thanks for the information and video. I just bought me a new mower. Hustler Fas trak 54 inch deck. 22 HP engine, duel fuel tanks, commercial grade hydro transmissions. 7916.00 dollars out the door. My first zero turn mower. I really like it.

[@goddom]

Cool. I am sure it will work out for you well.

[@matthewszczerba4106]

Thank you sir, just ordered mine on sale for $3500, I camt wait to check it out! Never had zero turn, have a 48" John Deere now which does ok but wanted something to electric 😊

[@kentrobertson2902]

Just got ours. Watched the Ryobi unboxing vid which was easy to follow along with. It was a little tricky backing off the crate because like you, I've never driven a zero turn mower. Can't wait to get mowing! Thanks for your video, I'll be sharing it with my neighbor.

[@goddom]

Awesome! Let me know how you like it! Backing off the crate seems to sound WAY worse than it really was. I would be curious to know what you liked or disliked so I can share with my follow up video in a few months.

[@aaronbounds1336]

3:15 - I love those things are major benefits. Something that people often don't value high enough is their time. It's one thing to save a decent amount of money on having to not buy certain things for the mower like gas, and other ware parts like belts and carburetors and oil pumps and so on and so forth but the real kicker, at least for me, is the time it takes out of your day to deal with all of those things. Fewer headaches is a very valuable thing.

[@goddom]

Yeah, as I get older, I feel my time becomes more valuable and so I want something that is easier even if it costs a bit more up front.

[@thomass5169]

Aaron, Your post is spot on. Time getting the job done and time saved not doing maintenance. Purchase a good front end mower lift $238 at Tractor Supply) , a (blade holder, $12 at Tractor Supply) a breaker bar, and you will save even more time on maintenance. The combo makes cleaning and blade changing effortless. Well, almost.

[@wmsterlingwright]

Like that you took a minute to enjoy a sunset. Thanks for the good info on the mower too.

[@goddom]

Yeah, sometimes we live life to fast and don't appreciate the beauty all around us :-) I am glad you appreciated it too! :-)

[@wmsterlingwright]

@@goddom Cheers! I ended up totally taking myself out of the equation and ordered a Worx Landroid robotic mower. Now I can sit and enjoy the sunset while the mower does its thing.

[@TedAndkilde]

That thing looks great Matt, it's particularly cool that it's quiet enough that it doesn't bother the horses. I'm pretty sure that's the most traffic that's ever passed your farm at once :)

[@goddom]

Thanks Ted! Yeah, the main road is closed for construction so we have a TON of traffic going down our street the last couple weeks. Its a real pain. The road is getting torn up, the dust is crazy, and the township or county won't really do anything about it...

[@Cyberdine.Systems.Model-101]

The diesel truck timing was hilarious!

[@goddom]

I was editing the video and was SUPER confused. I am like, "what is happening?!"

[@NextNate03]

What I have seen online about that mower is a mix bag. When the mower and the batteries are brand new, it is awesome. Minis the long charge time. Then about 1 year later, the batteries already needed to be replaced because they lost half of the runtime/capacity. So a 1 to 2+ hour job turns into a 2 day job. That is when they took care of the lead acid batteries properly.

[@goddom]

I have had mine for two seasons now and everything seems to be working just fine.

[@steelbill1834]

Thanks Matthew! This is a helpful video. I have 2 residential acres and my Kawasaki motor on my 2010 Cub Cadet is starting to lose a lot of its zip. Looking forward to a follow-up video from you down the line. For those chaffing at the $5000 price tag, I would say, yes, that's a little high if you don't have a big lawn, but I would say the maintenance and power cost should offset that considerably, and more so if you have a large area to cut.

[@goddom]

Thanks! Yeah, I imagine not only the cost, but the time and headaches of maintenance will make this so much better than a gas equivalent.

[@GoatZilla]

Thank you for the time stamps.

[@goddom]

No problem

[@johnnyfudpucker6187]

cool video thanks for taking the time, it s getting close to time for me a new zero turn, I only have a half acre to mow and like a 42 inch mower, I may buy the smaller one.

[@goddom]

Thank you! Yes, I think the smaller one would work better for your application. If you get one, let me know how you like it!

[@dannykerr7454]

Wow! Great lawn cut! Fast and easy! You have a lot of traffic on your street!

[@goddom]

Yeah, its a handy little cutter. Usually I don't have so much traffic, but there was some road construction on the main road near by and people were detouring down my street. It was not pleasant.

[@gs1100ed]

I would be really nervous being on a mower so close to traffic

[@ThatGuy-cn2qv]

I'm on my 3rd year with the 42" 100Ah model. Love it. The only thing I'm done to it is a bit of air in the front tires. (And plug it in.) Would recommend for sure.

[@goddom]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! So far I like mine as well. A friend was working on his riding mower - replacing the belts, the spindles, the fuel line, the throttle cable, and carb. I was like - yeah, I don't have to do any of that!

[@flhusa1]

don't you miss the oil ,gas,spark plugs , belts , noise ,smell ?

[@bdyt]

How's the build quality? Hold up over time?

[@zaprowsdower3911]

@@bdyt it's crap these people are coping so hard it hilarious

[@reggiewells2215]

Thanks for the video. I have one being delivered in a few days. Well your info was helpful, and it's what I wanted to know exactly. I agree about that tires. Hopefully I can up size them.

[@MichaelRaffertyMusic]

Hi Mat. Thanks for the video. I’m thinking of buying the mower. 8 months since you posted the video I’m wondering how’s the battery charging looking. I heard some say it doesn’t charge above 80% and the blades cut out at 40%? What’s been your experience?

[@goddom]

Hello, the only time I had a problem with charging is when I removed the charger before it was full and it was really hot out (90°f+) and it didn't want to start charging again until it cooled down. I have never had the blades stop at less than 40%. I have run the mower to like 15% on multiple occasions and no issues.

[@bryangrim6021]

Informative video on this mower. Thank you. What is the battery technology? I assume it’s lead acid.

[@bryangrim6021]

NM I see you answered it in the next video lol 👍

[@gs1100ed]

Manual says not to let it get wet, so cleaning is a bit of a challenge. I use a leaf blower to blow the debris off after every use.

[@goddom]

Yeah, I am using a leaf blower now as well. Thanks for the comment.

[@ericcharlton311]

Tire marks when turning 180* is from not keeping both wheels spinning as you make the turn-you can also do a 3 point turn to avoid tearing up your lawn!

[@goddom]

Thank you! Yeah, I try to not get to aggressive with the turns and it seems to be just fine. Thanks again for the tip!

[@kenrykert2503]

Very good review, nice to see one working in the real world! It might change my mind on these battery powered mowers! 👍 P.S. I have an LS tractor also!

[@goddom]

Yep, I know what you mean. Electric has its place, and its not necessarily for everyone. Which LS tractor do you have? I hope its been treating you well!

[@kenrykert2503]

2013 R4041H 600 hrs. It has been great, but had a front wheel bearing failure right at 600 hrs and have been waiting over 7 weeks for parts to come in!

[@goddom]

Oh poop! Yeah, I have a G3038 and had a steering issue. Took a few weeks to figure out and fix. Turned out to be a bent rod so had to rebuild the cylinder since you can't buy the whole cylinder any more.

[@dmckinney83]

@@goddom I have both the 54" ryobi and an ls mt125. I'm not on a farm though.... =/ great video

[@goddom]

@dmckinney83 - Apparently people who own LS tractors also like the 54" Ryobi mower! lol!

[@edw297]

Changing the blade speed to low significantly increases the cut time. It allows you to get close to the specified 3+ acres. But to get the max, you have to make sure that you are driving near max speed as well. After thinking about it, battery life is directly related to how long the blades can spin, the power to move the mower is relatively small compared to the blades. When the blades are on low, they can still cut some pretty tall grass at full speed. I'm cutting residential weekly and the fields probably every other week and I don't really have problems going full speed and low blade speed.

[@goddom]

Have you had issues cleaning the deck? It seems a little inconvenient to me.

[@edw297]

@@goddom The Ryobi 40V blower does a good job of the top. If you are talking about the bottom, you really shouldn't need to clean it, but when you do, if you don't have a ramp to raise the mower, just drop the deck and then you can flip it over. Not something that I'd want to do weekly though.

[@zaprowsdower3911]

@@goddom dude you messed up so bad buying this turd. Lol turn your blades on low if you want 3 acres. How thick is the deck steel lmfao.

[@cccrivas]

Run time in hours,. What is it? Don't care about acres.... Actual hours is what I need to know?

[@54warrior]

What about removing the batteries during the winter months, if the mower is stored in an un-heated garage? Can they be removed easily?

[@goddom]

I haven't done it, but it looks like it would be about a 30-45 minute job. So not horrible. I did mispeak in this video and the batteries are actually lead acid, which I think can handle the cold a lot better - at least based on my experience with equipment I have like my tractor and dump truck.

[@louisgarden3888]

Mathew Eddy you should put some Kavli Finisha or Beast blades on that mower and then watch it mow you will be surprised on how well it really can mow. Something 2look at on KZbin does a review would mind seeing you do one.

[@goddom]

Ohhh thats a good idea, I am going to look into that! Thank you!

[@1Greenwizard]

FYI these are lead acid batteries and can be treated the same, not lithium. They can actually be repaired or replaced if you're having trouble with less effort and money then lithium.

[@goddom]

You are right, I should have done better research. As you mention, if I need to replace the batteries it will be easier and cheaper which is another benefit.

[@so-flamotorsports7491]

At the 1st start up I was like hell yeah that mower got a power stroke lol

[@goddom]

LOL! Yeah, I was so confused when editing the video. I was like "why does it sound like that?!"

[@julienvehent6282]

What's the total width with the chute raised? Would it fit on a 58" wide trailer? Great review. Thank you!

[@goddom]

Hello, its about 53" wide. The crate the mower comes in is 58" wide and the mower is packed with the chute installed and raised up.

[@robh5409]

Great video. Looking forward to the update video.

[@goddom]

Thanks! Yeah, I will definitely be shooting one in the late summer/fall after I have a few cuts under my belt :-)

[@philmanke7642]

Does,'t the charger disconnect from power in when charging is completed.?.?.?. IOW, no re-connect over time as the battery drains off to internal resistance.!.!.

[@gs1100ed]

Too bad it was so dark when you drove it off the pallet. That’s a critical moment that may have helped some folks.

[@goddom]

Yes sorry. I couldn't help myself and wait until it was sunny :-)

[@AuthenticBenny]

Does it for in the bed of a truck

[@goddom]

No, its to wide. I cannot think of a way to put it sideways, and it probably still wouldn't fit.

[@karlschuneman7960]

Lead Acid Batteries, don't use them below 50%. How is it running this year?

[@goddom]

Seems to be runnign good so far. The batteries are deep cycle type I believe, so they should do OK under 50%. Usually I run them to about 30-40% before I am done with my cutting.

[@Mike-.]

Nice

[@goddom]

Thanks

[@setheddy3792]

"luxurious mowing experience" 🤣

[@goddom]

My thoughts exactly!

[@iamsomebody7700]

Highlighting this made me stick around for the rest of the review

[@jamiehanley9046]

They say it's fast charging, how long does it take to charge if you don't mind me asking? I'm debating on getting one of these and also starting up a lawn service company and was just wondering if the charge time was short enough that it might be feasible

[@goddom]

Hello - I think it takes about 4-5hrs to charge from nearly dead. It might work if you are only cutting 1/4 - 1/2 acre lots and charging between jobs. For that application though you may want to look at the Ego, since it has swappable batteries. The upfront cost may be a lot more since you would have to buy a bunch of extra batteries and chargers.

[@gs1100ed]

I would not use it for commercial use. If the batteries go dead during the day, you’re screwed.

[@jebbest1947]

Really like the electric no maintenance idea but I have 2.5 acres , and it’s very bumpy , Would this mower still be a good idea ?

[@goddom]

Hello, hard to tell. By bumpy you mean like lots of small hills or are there ruts and bumps? It might be OK, its hard to tell.

[@erikrunas226]

Dumb question...how many hrs are on your gas lawn tractor? Does Ryobi mention an expected life span for the batteries? How much does it cost to recharge from say 25%?

[@goddom]

Hello - I don't know how many hours are on my old law tractor since it doesn't have an hour meter. It was not a very expensive one - $2700 or something, 46" Ariens. I have been meaning to ask Ryobi a few questions, I will ask about this. As for charge time, its hard to say. I tried once charging it for a few hours at 40%, and it didn't really work well. The manual says to charge over night. I will see if I can figure this out and post it in my next video.

[@erikrunas226]

@@goddom thank you for replying. I mow about 80-90 hrs per year...works out to be about 35-40 times (2.5 hrs per trip).

[@dpm3758]

Matthew, would you know the dimensions of the metal crate that the zero turn came on?

[@goddom]

Its 58" by 67" - I will add to the description.

[@tonyslawncare]

Be sure to give us a update video

[@goddom]

Will! Anything specific you want me to touch on in the next video?

[@tonyslawncare]

@@goddom yes share more info on the batteries how many are there? I looked up a replacement battery looks like about 220 bucks so not bad. More info on the batteries would be awesome 👍

[@goddom]

OK will do! I know there are 4 batteries, but I will do more research and find more information. Thank you for the feedback!

[@timothyoser1500]

Ryboi being Homelite is probably made or was made in Hong Kong. I wonder how long even Home Depot can or will support your purchase considering the Chinese torched the factory 🏭 (figuratively).

[@goddom]

Perhaps the main factory, I wonder where the components are made. I think the batteries, which is what I am most worried about, are from LG or something, so they are probably OK.

[@nickabel8279]

Wondering If its "worth" it to take a gas mower and replace the deck spindles with these motors... No batteries gas provides propulsion and "endless" power to the deck motors. Deck motors get consistent power...

[@goddom]

lol, thats an interesting idea! May have to extend a back just a touch to help fit the motor. The Ego may be a better to adapt since the motors are better sealed from water, has thicker blades and the back is already extended and could fit the motor better.

[@nickabel8279]

@@goddom ego is 56volt. Might be a touch harder regulating it

[@goddom]

True, 56v is a bit weird.

[@WilliamSmith-kc2hn]

Can you control the r.p.m on the blades When you get into a gravel area ?

[@goddom]

There is a slow speed for the blades. That would probably be a good setting over gravel.

[@paulhenry8174]

Are the deck motors waterproof? Seems like it could be an issue sooner rather than later.

[@goddom]

Hello, this is something I plan to answer in my next video. At the moment, I am not washing the mower just in case they are not water proof.

[@mikecarter4572]

Do not wash,or leave out in the rain. Don't recommend cutting wet grass

[@cccrivas]

Yes they are.....

[@cccrivas]

What is the actual run time in HOURS for the battery?

[@goddom]

I think I get about 1hr of run time. I don't pay that much attention to the time I am cutting.

[@philmanke7642]

What type of battery IS IT.!.!... Old, heavy, short life lead-acid, or AGM, or is it a lithium-ion type.!.!...AND, yeah, always work at night with strange or new machinery..!.!.!...

[@goddom]

They are lead acid batteries similar to what goes into a mobility scooter. The charger is supposed to stay connected I found out later. So I leave it plugged in all the time. Similar to someone who puts a trickle charger on their car when they store it for winter.

[@dejavu6475]

Wow I need to pick one of these up, what could be better that maintaining 5 motors instead of 1 gas one.

[@goddom]

Electric motors hardly die

[@tb3780]

First time on zero turn - puts kids in yard right right next to it - what could go wrong?

[@goddom]

Are you speaking of your own experience? I hope everything is OK. It didn't occur to me how dangerous they were until I started to drive the one I just got. Not only for kids around it, but also running into things. They are no joke.

[@evatuckjr9091]

I expect this mower will last several seasons with decent care. kzbin.infoUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend Also, I ran across the problem with it not starting the 2nd time I used it. There is a safety switch which is pushed in by the chute or mulching piece being attached to the deck. I took the cover off and it wouldn't start. Put it back on, no problem. It takes only a minute with 2 easily accessible wingnuts and no tools. This mower starts up first crank each time and it is a joy to use. It also mows in reverse by putting the key to the reverse area after starting and pushing in the triangular button. It will stay in reverse mode until you turn it off. All in all, for my homeowner needs, I really like this mower-and at 70 bucks a cut here in Miami, it's already more than 1/3 paid for itself in a month.

[@stressyporkrind3828]

Why is there no replacement blades for this lawn mower

[@goddom]

I asked about this. You can get them by calling the Ryobi parts hotline. But its a bit of a pain. They said they would be in stores soon. They seem kind of flimsy and so I think it would be good to have some spares on hand.

[@goddom]

Here is the # to call and the part number for the parts 877-634-5704 997464001

[@louisgarden3888]

Try John Kavli Finisha blades Mike from Something 2look at on KZbin reviews these blades just spectacular its like the mower is on steroids.

[@ford6835]

Tell me more in 5 year's one mow just won't cut it for me

[@goddom]

Well year three is in the books we will see...

[@duncanpotter5838]

I just got one of these. I was sure I saw something about mulching with it, but now I can't find any info on that. Would love it if anybody could share any info! Thanks for the vid.

[@goddom]

I don't know much about mulching. I will tell you I was very surprised at how little grass clippings were visible even after heavy cutting. WAY WAY less than my old riding lawn mower. Its like an added benefit of this machine that I wasn't anticipating.

[@duncanpotter5838]

@@goddom Just finished my first mow with it. Not really a good test as it has been dry here and the lawn wasn't high but I noticed the same thing. It was even sucking up some of the old clumps from my JD lawn tractor and spitting them out as fine clippings. Here's hoping!

[@goddom]

Cool! Yeah, so far its been doing the same for every cutting and I let mine get pretty long between cuts because it can rain here and grow like crazy even in a weeks time

[@glennspooner5430]

I think $5000 is a bit much but it has a lot of advantages over the gas rigs for sure. It will be interesting to see how the batteries stand up over time. A year warranty is not very impressive. I think they should come with a 5-year warranty, especially for that price range. When they can give a real warranty and get the price down to at least match the gas units then they should sell like hotcakes. The other thing that needs to be addressed is winter storage and the batteries. It would be good to have this guy do a follow-up video on these issues.

[@zaprowsdower3911]

It has no advantages over gas. They are so screwed with a 5000 dollars. This thing is beyond stupid. The batteries will last for 2 years at best

[@goddom]

Hello Glenn, I plan to have a video when I fire it up this spring (which will be this weekend for me). But I agree, a longer warranty is in order.

[@zzbudzz]

@@zaprowsdower3911 From the brief time i looked at reviews many say the batteries don't last 2 years ...2500 a year to mow the lawn ..no thanks ! My gas cub cadet is still mowing 15 years later !

[@zaprowsdower3911]

@@zzbudzz my cub cadet has been in service 14 years so far with regular greasing , oil changes and a few safety switches replaces an still cut great. Battery just doesn't cut it at all. Plus the whole grid isn't built for all electric. And politicians seem to not care while yeeting us into chaos

[@zzbudzz]

@@zaprowsdower3911 I completely agree. They are driving us into EV and we can't even replace the ageing transformers in our power grid NOW! Are setting us up to massive fail and destroy the power grid on purpose! I heard that a huge Hydro electric plant out west has two very large multimillion dollar transformers that are failing so they only run one at a time switching back in forth!

[@mauricethomas1659]

Do you get a tax credit for a electric mower?

[@goddom]

Not that I could see but per the EPA, one mowers emits the same amount of pollution as 43 new cars driving 12,000 mile per year.... which is pretty crazy.

[@fdelbono]

I’m in love with this lawnmower but it’s 5K so my wallet is not a big fan…

[@goddom]

lol, I understand. I have a friend who wants one as well and his yard is the size of a dinner plate.

[@williammach9127]

Prices are quite high. Maybe in the future when the cost can be justified. It still uses fossil fuel to make the electric for the battery charge.

[@goddom]

Yes, I am an early adopter of this type of application. Usually I wait until things get a bit cheaper, but it made sense for me to do this now instead of wait. The fossil fuels used depends on your area. One nice thing, if you have solar on your house then it becomes free. Not that the cost of fuel for lawn mowers are very expensive, but it could be an added benefit.

[@limitlesschoices]

Makes me want to sell my JD 1023 and get this.

[@longlivedolph1117]

He's brave never driving a zero turn and being that close to the road and all the traffic u can go slower not wide open tho

[@goddom]

You aren't wrong. I actually didn't think about it until after I had started and I also noticed that mowing around obstacles - like low hanging trees and such - is also something that could be potentially lethal. In my next video I will try and remember to warn people.

[@thomass5169]

@@goddom As you likely know by now, that mower has a slow mode, and it is really useful. And safer as you are learning.

[@AdventuresInTheSky]

Not a usb-c charge port? Lame.

[@goddom]

lol, well there are those odd ducks with iPhones who don't know anything about this USB-c you are talking about :-)

[@AdventuresInTheSky]

Haha no kidding, unfortunately. Steve Jobs would’ve killed off lightning to simplify the industry and for consumers, let alone forced HDMI group to use usb-c as well. But real iphoners use usb-c, cause PD quick charging is with usb-c, been using it for years.

[@ECECECECEC]

You may already know…..ego is better.

[@goddom]

I would agree, but its also a lot more. Or it was. When factoring in getting the mower plus the extra batteries. Probably more worthwhile in the long run though since the batteries are easy to replace and also I bet they will last longer than these ones.

[@esmoglo]

Wouldn’t touch one it has a light deck, batteries cost $800-$850 each times 4 if they fail after the 3 year warranty is over ($3200-$3400) to replace, cost higher than gas mowers by allot, need to change overnight so you must plan to cut the lawn, mower cant get too wet. Its not practical.

[@goddom]

I understand, its not for everyone. One thing I could comment is that I believe the batteries are closer to $200 each for replacement.

[@Robiam85]

I'll buy one second hand and install a graphene aluminum ion battery. Not a fan of their lead acid battery hooked up to a brushless motor. That makes no sense at all.

[@goddom]

I am not that knowledge about about graphene batteries and by lead acid isn't good with brushless motors. If that makes more sense, then maybe when its time to replace the batteries in this thing I might go that direction.

[@Robiam85]

@@goddom they are pricey, however, they are lifetime batteries with a life expectancy of 100 years.

[@Skeetah3113]

@@Robiam85 where can I buy them?

[@Bob_Adkins]

Graphene batteries will be marginally better, but won't be on the market for a long time. Meanwhile, a 48v e-bike battery is fairly cheap, reliable, smaller, lighter, and should last much longer than an SLA because they handle banging and vibration better.