Ryobi 48v Battery Swap - Components and modify charging port

[@patnelson4289]

Very helpful. Your presentation is clear, with good detail but without fluff. I appreciated the Harbour Freight DMM, I respect the frugal. Looking forward to the other videos.

[@jmorris644]

I want to thank you for these instructions. I am in MN and winter is almost upon us so I installed the batteries but held off on the mete as boring out the hold would have been a tough job. After watching the information available on the charger I may not even put the meter in at all.

[@robertveldman1901]

Good for you! In hind sight, I may not have done the gage either. But it made for an interesting video. I learned a lot from my battery swap, and the comments and feedback from others.

[@robertveldman1901]

MN? I expect that you'll have temperatures colder than me in lower MI. Did you have any concerns about freezing the LiFePo4 batteries? Or did you get batteries with internal heaters?

[@jmorris644]

They do not have internal heaters. But I do have a heated garage that I keep at 50F during the winter. @@robertveldman1901

[@aaronw6706]

Fellow Minnesotan here. How did it go? What model mower do you have? Did you use the same batteries as this video?

[@jmorris644]

@@aaronw6706 My model is Rm480e. Yes, I think I used the same model batteries. Bought them from Walmart. They had the best price at the time. For the charging cable, instead of disassembling the connector, I just broke off the little pins in the receive on the mower. I also decided to not put the new gauge in the old one's space. I put it in the plastic fender. It works great. Overall, I am so glad that I did this.

[@jmorris644]

The batteries are the same width but are a bit longer. One thing I was able to figure out was if you remove the front holding spacer and dramatically reduced the depth of the rear spacer (even taking out the 2nd nut inside of the spacer), then the H bracket that holds the batteries down will fit and the long bolt that holds it in will work.

[@robertveldman1901]

I found the new Chins batteries to be virtually the same size in all dimensions. It doesn't matter, as long as you got them to fit... but refer to my "remove batteries" video at 20:00 : kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpXScnubhq-lb80

[@bryceb1234]

Awesome video, Rob! Do yourself a favor and get a better Multimeter! :)

[@robertveldman1901]

HaHa! I have a couple old yellow meters from Harbor Freight. I assume you saw one of those. They won't die! I have ordered a couple new cheepies with auto-off.

[@indyalx]

I just upgraded mine to LiFePo4 batteries, was a tight fit for the batteries I chose, but they are in and secure. I chose to use a charger inverter with an anderson connector for charging so I could use the mower as a self propelled "electric" generator.

[@robertveldman1901]

Interesting. So, you can back-feed your house? Or run some tools/appliances?

[@indyalx]

@@robertveldman1901 Run tools / appliances, could technically backfeed house but I don't want to get into that mess. just run an extension to important things e.g. CPAP, Fridge, Freezer etc. I basically just cut an extension cord in half and ran the plug side into the charger inverter as the "Utility" feed in. And the socket side as the "output" and some battery cables with an Anderson connector for the charging of the batteries.

[@KeithSimmons-ld3wm]

Found the answer below. Thanks again!

[@robertveldman1901]

Thanks for visiting, and Good Luck!

[@v.m.7228]

Hi Rob, I hear if the voltage of LiFePO4 battery is too low or not fully charged when installed, it will enter over-discharge protection. Will the charger you show re-activate to start charging? Thanks

[@KhiangSeow]

Thanks for the great video. I am embarking on the journey of converting from SLA to LiFePO4 batteries using your videos as a guide. Did you solve the issue of the missing blinking light in the charging port? I thought you had a video of it and can't find it any more. If I remember right it has something to do with jumping the blue wire to the 3rd pin. Thanks!

[@robertveldman1901]

I did have a "green light" video, but I took it down after a few people left a message that they burned up their charging port. I wasn't sure what had happened to them, until I helped a friend convert his Ryobi to LiFePo4, and I burned up his charge port. As far as I can tell, Ryobi used at least two different charge ports. Remove the charge port (4x T30 screws) and pull the port out. If the back side of your port has 3 silver phillips screws, I think you can safely use the green light jumper mod. If it is "rubber coated/sealed", I wouldn't do it. I hope to update my video soon.

[@KhiangSeow]

@@robertveldman1901 Thanks for the quick reply. The 3rd pin is a signal pin, right? should that be connected to ground (brown) then instead of clue (positive)? Will wait for your update then. Thanks again. By the way, if I am going to use BMS with Bluetooth, is there any advantage to changing the meter then? Trying to simplify the swap and keep everything as is except for the port modification. I'm thinking of modifying the handle of the charging handle instead of the port itself.

[@robertveldman1901]

@@KhiangSeow grounding the 3rd pin is a possibility, but I wouldn't take a chance. If you get BlueTooth batteries, I would skip the gage. The gage can always be installed later.

[@KhiangSeow]

@@robertveldman1901 I should have been clear. I mean connecting the 3rd pin to the negative (brown) wire of the charger. You had it going to the blue wire right?

[@robertveldman1901]

@@KhiangSeow I believe the brown wire in the plug is the 48v positive. The blue wire is ground. I am jumpered to the brown 48v. This hack is not recommended until you check which port you have. I have no idea what might happen if you jumper to the ground.

[@jmorris644]

Question: in your video you seem to have added the text to use the switched V+ from the old meter to power the new one. Did you run a wire from the old meter V+ to the V+ in or directly to the new meter somwhere?

[@robertveldman1901]

Correct. At about 4:36 in this video I included a text comment that I did NOT power the new volt meter "shunt" directly from the battery pack. That would have caused the the battery meter to always be powered on. While this would not draw a lot of power over a week or two, it would draw power all winter. So, instead, I powered the shunt/gage from the +48v power at one of the wires at the old gage connector. This is detailed in the install video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWqwi5SgpLuJi7M at about 22:00 and 25:00.

[@jmorris644]

@@robertveldman1901 I was going to include a picture but instead of trying to bore out the metal plate for the new meter I too found a spot in the right fender just behind the control panel to put the meter. Much easier to drill a hole out of the plastic rather than the metal.

[@robertveldman1901]

@@jmorris644 I guess great minds think alike. I ended up remounting my old gage in the same location (I think) as you did. See this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4fcZICPa8aUl7c

[@tim_rbns]

Hi Rob, thank you for the great video. One question for you-the documentation on the Chins batteries says the standard charge current is 20A, but the charger, as you pointed out, only outputs 13A at 48V. Given that difference, could the charger damage the batteries or vice versa?

[@robertveldman1901]

I'm pretty sure that you can always charge at a lower amperage. I think I read that low amp charging will maximize the "full" charge level. I think. Anyway, I've been charging my batteries using the lowest setting (5a) all summer. Maybe someone with more lithium knowledge will comment.

[@singedcarry]

In the simplest terms; fast charging bad. Slow charging good. Charging these a little slower is going to be a boom for your battery longevity.

[@robertveldman1901]

@@singedcarry I had a notice that you sent me a message a couple weeks ago, asking why we need a new gage. I believe the old gage will not be accurate for % of charge. The discharge curves are waaay different for Lead Acid and Lithium.

[@v.m.7228]

Great info thanks. Let me summarize as This what I plan to do: Remove (4) old stock batteries, replace with (4) 12V 100AH Lithium batteries and connect them the same way as previously wired stock (good so far?). Then cut out tabs in existing charging port. Plug in new charger like in this video. The new meter is not necessary so is that it? Any hidden things that I missed? Thanks!

[@robertveldman1901]

That is correct.

[@cchang7074]

Any reason why you chose to go with 4 12V batteries instead of 1 48V battery?

[@robertveldman1901]

Nope. I wanted to make the swap as simple as possible, and I thought that 4 for 4 was the way to go. I'm happy with the results: no special clamps, straps, cables, etc. And if anything goes wrong with one battery, I can replace just one. But, in hindsight, I would certainly consider a single 48v battery. It especially makes sense to have a single BMS instead of four. So far, so good!

[@KeithSimmons-ld3wm]

Thanks for the great series of videos on the Ryobi Battery swap for this mower! Getting ready to due this conversion. Is there any advantage in using a single 48v 100ah battery rather than 4 12v 100ah batteries in series?

[@robertveldman1901]

Sorry I think I missed your question. And I'm not a battery expert.... The main advantage is the the batteries are the same size as the old ones; no modifications to the tray or the hold down/clamp. A large single battery will at the very least, need some alternate hold down, and maybe a new or rerouted cable? My guess. If you get a bad cell, you'll only replace one battery. The main advantage of a single large battery is there would be a single BMS (battery monitor system) to keep the cells "balanced".

[@VideoPir]

I'm new to this kind of project so the idea of batteries not being "balanced" is concerning enough for me to go with a single battery setup. Wish me luck. Thanks for the great video.

[@robertveldman1901]

@@VideoPir I hear you. I learned way more than I wanted, and still don't know enough. The main reason I went with four was to simplify the swap. If you go with a single 48v battery, the long center bolt won't be able to be used. You'll need to figure out how to clamp the battery down to the tray, and to the frame. Just saying... After one year, it appears that I have one battery that is always lower than the other 3. Don't understand it. Needs a video. As long as I can easily mow my whole yard, I not too worried. Yet

[@scottbarrett7333]

​@@VideoPir did you go with the single battery setup? How did it go? Did you purchase the Chins brand? Any wiring modifications needed for the single battery setup? I just purchased a single Chins 48v 100ah battery with Bluetooth and charger. Thanks for any tips you can give.

[@jjdemay]

Hi Rob, I have the 75ah version and am installing the 100ah batteries. A person reviewing on Amazon also did this successfully. I am confused on how you connected the yellow then green wire to the gage? Can you provide more detail on that? Also, your friend’s charger port that smoked, do you know any distinguishers between the two port types besides for the 2 or 3 screws?

[@robertveldman1901]

I helped Jesse change his batteries from 75ah. We needed to remove or alter spacers in the battery tray. But other than that, using 100ah batteries was fairly easy. It's not "starting" with the key, and he needs to unplug and replug the battery to get it going. He is looking at a pre-charger module that may fix that issue. I think you are referring to the fact that I originally connected the gage power to the B+ with a yellow wire? This would supply continuous power to the gage, even with the key off. So, I changed to connecting to the power green wire of the original gage. This way the gage would only be powered with the key on. Others have left the new gage connected to the battery, as the power consumption is so low. Don't forget that the charging port only got smoked by modifying the charger "plug". Don't change the plug, and you should be OK. You can see the differences between the two charger ports in my video to mod an EZGO port: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJXNYZhtrb5mrLc At 4:30, you can the two different styles of ports. The EZGO port has the 3x phillips screws. The Ryobi "burned" port is a completely different style and is molded over with some type of plastic or rubber (no screws).

[@MarcVincenti-m2s]

Could you swap plug ends from the chargers rather than breaking tabs?

[@robertveldman1901]

I think you could. breaking the tabs is pretty easy. One of my goals was to sell my original charger... of course, no Ryobi guy needs it.

[@johncoffman7387]

Hi Rob, I've done this conversion. All but the gage anyways. Your videos were a huge help and I used the products you used. With that being said. After doing this swap the mower refuses to start. Every once in a while, one out of three times, when I go to switch the mower on I will get an audible click then nothing else. I can turn the key on and off with no sounds or anything changing. The gage wont display anything either. Its only when I plug the charger into the mower (and the charger has to be plugged into a power supply) do I hear another audible click and then I can immediately unplug the mower and go about my business as usual. Do you, or anybody else on here have any ideas as to what may be causing my problem? I'm thinking the relay might be damaged but I'm unsure how to test it. Any help would be much appreciated.

[@robertveldman1901]

I've been hearing about some people having this problem, and so is a friend of mine. He bought a precharge kit from a KZbin/Facebook guy that we are going to install next week. So I should have an update in a few days. Here's his video, and read the description and comments for clues. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH-oeJuenZiXg9E

[@johncoffman7387]

@@robertveldman1901 Thanks for the reply Rob. Not sure how you made out with this. I was doing some testing on the mower when this did and didn't happen. It looks like the culprit is the DC Converter. I was getting 12v on both sides of the relay when testing to ground but nothing when testing across the 2 terminals as i should have been getting. This condition was only present when the mower wouldnt function properly. When conditions are good and mower is functioning correctly, I'll get 12v across the 2 terminals. I'm not sure what this does to lock the mower out without plugging the charger in as i haven't dug in that far yet but. I have a new DC Converter on the way. I will let you know if this helps resolve the problem entirely.

[@johncoffman7387]

@@robertveldman1901 Hi Rob. How did your friend make out with his precharge kit? Im still having this same problem.

[@alfredsmith-vm2lf]

What size screw driver is needed for Removel of the charging port

[@robertveldman1901]

To remove the charging port you need a T30 (Torx) for the 4 screws. To disassemble the charging plug, you need a Phillips screwdriver for the 3? screws.

[@scottbarrett7333]

I had one of these chargers for a LifePO4 battery for my boat and after 6 months the mode button stopped working. It was stuck in lead acid mode which made it worthless to me. Any problems with this charger for anyone?

[@robertveldman1901]

I just checked mine, and it's still charging, and the mode button cycles well. one year

[@rickflood]

Unhappy with Ryobi at this point. Have the regular 38" rider. Batteries lost capacity to charge. Attempting to replace lead/acid with Lithium. New charger plug engineering different, no option to replace port as it is unavailable. I may attempt breaking the tabs in the port. We all paid more money for these electric mowers...it sure is a shame that we have to rig them to keep working.

[@robertveldman1901]

You're just one of many disappointed with Ryobi. If you got the same charger as I, this video shows you how to modify the port. The plug doesn't need to be modified. If you need a port, there are Ryobi ports available (that need the modification). I actually have an extra port. And I did a video to modify an EZ-GO port, which is what I currently use. But it is heavily modified! And you may also need a pre-charge circuit to get it "started" after the swap. Good luck and keep researching. There are so many who have swapped to Lithium, the answer to any problem with the swap is out there.

[@rickflood]

@robertveldman1901 Thanks for video and reply. What do you mean by needing an extra circuit?

[@robertveldman1901]

@@rickflood Some people who have converted to Lithium have a no-start issue. It looks like a "pre-charge" or "soft start" circuit will fix that problem. See this guy's channel for more information: www.youtube.com/@Ryobi48vElectricMowers

[@rickflood]

@@robertveldman1901 Hi Robert, thanks for your video. I modified the socket, no issues. Charged the new lithium batteries. First time in 2 years the voltage meter showed all bars. Started right off. I have the same charger as you do and it is not charging. I have it set to 48 v and 18 amp but it says "off", clicks, battery picture shows up then clicks off and this repeats. Did you experience this? Now if you don't have time to answer...that's ok.

[@robertveldman1901]

@@rickflood I haven't had that problem or heard of that problem. If the battery is fully charged, my charger shows FUL.

[@skullrx3444]

so with just these three items you were able to from the lead acid trouble free? i am looking to convert mine as the amps are gone in two of my lead acids

[@robertveldman1901]

Correct. The conversion was good and pretty simple. I have mowed my yard about 10 times since the conversion. In hindsight, I'm not sure I would bother changing the gage... just swap the batteries and get a new charger. That would make the conversion even easier.

[@skullrx3444]

@@robertveldman1901 thanks for the reply. the plain and easy way that is issue free works for me since it s a mower and not a daily driven car or truck

[@jrherita]

@@robertveldman1901is there a downside to just reusing the original gauge vs. the one you bought?

[@robertveldman1901]

@@jrherita Not really any downside. The new gage lets you monitor the amps used and voltage level. The battery % is a little awkward to calibrate. If I did it again, I'd probably not replace the gage. Also, you can always swap the gage out later, if you want.

[@jrherita]

Thank you very much for the info and videos!@@robertveldman1901

[@ai4px]

What's the peak current draw of this mower?

[@robertveldman1901]

I don't think I've seen a documented peak amp on this mower. I'll try to remember to check it when I do first mow this season (2024)

[@driftlessheights6177]

The link to amazon for the charger is broken. I found a charger with the same name on Walmart but the plug only has 2 pins. Can someone send me a new link for the charger? Thanks!

[@robertveldman1901]

Ouch! it is broken. I did find a possible replacement at Amazon for $155. I can't be positive, but it sure looks like mine. Make sure you select the 3-pin option. Make sure you read the instructions, and don't use the "repair" function on Lithium. www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZY6N951/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B0BZY6N951&pd_rd_w=NKmWi&content-id=amzn1.sym.386c274b-4bfe-4421-9052-a1a56db557ab&pf_rd_p=386c274b-4bfe-4421-9052-a1a56db557ab&pf_rd_r=AH86NNP02WKSVZ7AQARX&pd_rd_wg=tCfYe&pd_rd_r=2ec605bf-0175-487d-a976-a5463f720e7b&s=electronics&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

[@dnpnsrosales3]

would this work on the 12 volt 50 ah ryobi?

[@robertveldman1901]

I assume you're talking about the 48v 30in Ryobi mower, with 4x 12v batteries? I believe there have been a few other videos on converting your mower from lead acid to Lifepo4. Your 50ah batteries will be smaller in physical size, so you may have to find the equivalent sized batteries. It looks like the charging port is the same as mine, so you can use the same Lifepo4 charger as I. Based on my experience and other viewer comments, you wouldn't have to change the gage... and of course, the gage could be updated later. This battery, for example, looks pretty close in size... you'd have to double check: www.amazon.com/LiFePO4-Battery-Built-Rechargeable-Replacing/dp/B09PBB9FHS?th=1

[@garykroegman9351]

Do you leave the charger on 5A/5A?

[@garykroegman9351]

Or does changing it hurt anything?

[@robertveldman1901]

Yes, usually. 5A/5A is the only setting I usually use. A full charge will allow me to mow my lawn 2.5 times, so I can usually get my yard work done within one charge/one day, and let it recharge overnight. I wouldn't be afraid to use 13A/15A. But, don't use the "repair" function. That is for lead acid only.

[@garykroegman9351]

Thank you! Using your videos and links, I swapped my batteries out! Such a great upgrade and I appreciate the thoroughness of your videos and replies. On my lower The existing gauge still works, but I do have the one from AliExpress on the way to swap in case there are issues.

[@robertveldman1901]

@@garykroegman9351 Thank you! I appreciate your comment. Others have done the swap without the gage change, very well. In hindsight. the gage change is not necessary. I just got carried away. It's nice to just hop on and go, and not have to worry.

[@mjeff321]

@@robertveldman1901 Does the smart charger automatically shut off when a full charge is detected from all 4 batteries in the mower?

[@Millionaire_Caleb]

I swapped all of mine out checked and double checked all connections and I’m getting no display and no power. That said I realize now that I bought the wrong charger end from your link so praying the batteries are just dead

[@robertveldman1901]

Sorry to hear that. My batteries were delivered with a pretty good charge on them. If you have a handheld volt meter, you should check the voltage at the main plug. Make sure that connection is fully plugged together; it can be a little tough to push together. Where are you located?

[@Millionaire_Caleb]

@@robertveldman1901I live in Joplin, MO

[@robertveldman1901]

@@Millionaire_Caleb Sorry... That's a bit too far for me to swing by from MI.

[@Millionaire_Caleb]

@@robertveldman1901 yeah I’d say so. I appreciate you more than you know I’ll keep ya posted on the progress

[@robertveldman1901]

I did come across this video from Greg(?). Read all the comments. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH-oeJuenZiXg9E He builds and sells a "pre-charge" circuit, to manage the "inrush current". Apparently, the initial inrush of current from batteries can cause the mower to "trip". It looks like the pre-charge will dampen that inrush.

[@jameslovell4977]

If the batteries have a built-in BMS why couldn't you just use the Ryobi charger?

[@robertveldman1901]

You know... I'm not sure. Everyone says you need a "Lithium" charger, so I got one. From the Chins Battery Manual, it says the over voltage disconnect voltage is 14.6v. I suspect the BMS will stop accepting amps when this voltage is exceeded. There are instructions to "reconnect" the BMS.

[@alp3781]

I don't think the tech is fully there yet. Not worth it for me. One day, I would say, yes to buy one. Good luck to you.

[@robertveldman1901]

I actually agree with you, especially when my 42" Ryobi normally costs $5000. That is crazy. I bought mine for significantly less. Ryobi should never have marketed Lead Acid battery mowers. For some strange reason, Lithium costs appear to be coming down, so Lithium versions MAY some day be affordable.

[@ezeemart138]

Do not buy any of these electric stuff i drove a car for a year im stuck with same ryobi mower not even 2 years battery dead. Dont waste your money.

[@alp3781]

@@ezeemart138 When I walk into Home Depot and I see a sign on a Ryobi Tractor, I think, saying....Sale 4,999.00, I am laughing my buns off.

[@onestop2446]

I appreciate your video alot i ordered same set of batteries and charger the meter will come after a while is it possible i just hooked everything else and keep using the old meter or does it make any difference. How im going to know otherwise the batteries are charged or not without gauge.@@robertveldman1901

[@indyalx]

@@robertveldman1901 I went lithium because the price difference per battery was like $200. Which is a value that is worth it since the battery can run longer, last longer and weights a lot less making maintenance easier.

[@vikramsharma7600]

Rob, thanks for the great video. Followed your instructions step by step. For some reason I still can’t get the ignition to turn on. Do you have a contact number you can share for a quick chat? Charger reads 53.7V. I’m in CLE

[@robertveldman1901]

email me at [e-mail]

[@vikramsharma7600]

Emailed you

[@robertveldman1901]

@@vikramsharma7600 Good talking to you. I would think that you are having a similar problem as many of the newer Ryobi 48v have. Many have been successful using a precharge circuit on the solenoid. There is a guy who sells them on FaceBook. (I am not on FaceBook) Here are a couple links to installing his two precharge circuits. His FaceBook link is somewhere in the comments. Let me know how it goes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/morceJKthpitnas kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH-oeJuenZiXg9E

[@onestop2446]

Hi Isnt we need 400AH meter since we combine the batteries 100 AH x 4 . or still we going to use or just the volt meters and AMPS dont.

[@robertveldman1901]

I'm not an electrical expert, but the gage is rated at 100a; not to be confused with Ah. I don't believe the mower ever uses more than about 60a. So, the 100a gage is fine. The batteries in our mower are linked in series (end-to-end), so we get 12v x 4 = 48v for 100Ah. If they were wired in parallel (side-by-side), you would get only 12v for 100Ah x 4 = 400Ah.

[@onestop2446]

Thank you for reply. I appreciate your step by step instructions very helpful. However after you had Charging port light working. Now does it goes Solid on Full charge ?@@robertveldman1901

[@robertveldman1901]

@@onestop2446 I'm pretty sure that the light had always turned on when it was plugged it. It was never a full charge indicator. Of course, I can't verify that anymore!

[@onestop2446]

Right Right, So do you leave charge on all the time how we should charge now with this new smart charge i use to leave the old charger plugged in all the time. @@robertveldman1901