electric CC riding mower?! when did that happen?

[rrschmitt]

The RER Cadets had some assembly required by the dealer when unpacking from the shipping crate. Filling the battery with acid, attaching the seat, steering wheel and rear hitch were required. I think the Mower decks on the Cadet 60's came installed from Memphis but the later models with the side discharge had to be installed by the dealer.

 

[PACub100]

for those more experienced with the old 95 electric, what's the reason behind the key switch having a 'start' position? Being electric wouldn't that not be necessary?

I don't know but my guess would be simply that's what they used on similar gas models and the "start" would be nonfunctional.

 

[mfrade]

for those more experienced with the old 95 electric, what's the reason behind the key switch having a 'start' position? Being electric wouldn't that not be necessary?

More than likely they used a "latching relay" circuit. So any safety switches and/or the OFF switch can stop the circuit independently .

 

[pdbuck]

My Neighbor has a GE riding electric mower, he told me one time that it was 50 to 60 yrs old or older. It is a massive machine. it is built a lot stouter than the ones showing up in these post.

 

[kmcconaughey]

I don't know but my guess would be simply that's what they used on similar gas models and the "start" would be nonfunctional.

That was my first thought, but the regular gas riders just had a key switch, the mower deck was a mechanical lever.

I think that Mike has it correct.

 

[kmcconaughey]

My Neighbor has a GE riding electric mower, he told me one time that it was 50 to 60 yrs old or older. It is a massive machine. it is built a lot stouter than the ones showing up in these post.

One of these?

An add from a May 1971 National Geographic:

 

[PACub100]

One of these?

An add from a May 1971 National Geographic:

View attachment 143376

View attachment 143377

Geesh Kraig, you really are an endless supply of info...

Now being 1971, these would have been lead batteries, correct?
I wouldn't believe it be NiCad yet. I was thinking those didn't start powering tools and the like until mid to late 80's...

 

[kharvey]

My landlord when we were first married had one of the GE Electrac mowers. His wife mowed about 3 acres every week with it. It was all batteries under the hood and seat. but it was a lot quieter than a Cub Cadet.

 

[justinpittman]

That GE looks nice with that front mower deck.

I'd think a bunch of lead acid batteries would also double as weights, like for that snowthrower attachment.

There's a nice write-up with pics of a guy over on BuiltItSolar.com restoring one of these GEs. Evidently the E15 model is a 6 pack of lead acids. (I'm not affiliated with BuiltItSolar but read their stuff for my RV solar setup).

https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Vehicles/E15ElecTrak/Main.htm

 

[pdbuck]

Yes, that's the one. I have been trying to buy it for 25 yrs, but he will not come off it.

 

[tkhoffman]

My neighbor had the GE, just sold it. It was a restoration project and high hopes to fit in with his solar panel/green farm. It wasn't practical. Batteries would not last. The snowblower really drained them fast.

 

[David Middleton]

I am a mechanical technician who survived the crossover from electro-mechanical printing presses (not the Gutenberg model) into the electronic age of presses today. The difference is a very real hurdle for technicians, and mower techs are less likely to want to tolerate the training required in my mind. Tech training will probably remain the sticking point.

I think I grew up and started wrenching on cars at the perfect time. Fuel injection had just become fully adopted but there were plenty of used carbureted cars and even one with points. I was the right age to accept EFI while learning all the basics on the old iron. I'm comfortable with both systems and I even know how to work with the crazy 70's 600 miles of vacuum line emissions garbage. At this point you throw it out but I know how it works and what it's supposed to do...

I think the same thing happens with the new mowers. Lots of old heads will not want to change. But you get the right guy at the right age and time and he'll work in both worlds equally well. After a while none of the new guys want to work on the old stuff. How many mechanics today could rebuild a carb and setup points ignition?

I personally don't get it for the bigger machines. I guess there's a rump for every seat and they probably had to do it to be "cool" but I can't see how it makes sense for a large property. I accept modern technology but I think at heart I'm one of the last troglodytes out there. Sad to hear the workmanship isn't up to the task. I wonder if they could have made the motors with an internal spline then use an adapter of sorts that's a fusible link. Hit something too hard and the adapter breaks and the motor lives. Just like shear pins on a snow blower.

 

[John Wyrick]

I agree with Jim and David. I was an Automotive and Industrial Technology teacher before I joined the dark side of school administration. Trained in the late 70's and taught in the transition time of the 80's. I am retiring from 41 years in education next week and my two mechanical hobbies are the IH Cub world and classic Mustangs. I have a 65 convertible that I restored years ago and used to complete one every couple of years. When I read Mustang forums or Facebook groups, people don't know how to do what we used to teach and learn first. Points, timing, drum brakes etc. Someone will post a picture of a timing light and ask the group what this tool is used for! However, I am happy that younger folks take an interest in the old iron, regardless what it is. It does frustrate me that some are really smart aleck with these "newbies" who just want to learn. Social media is becoming a huge problem in our world. School administration is really dealing with all the issues of social media and students are constantly on their phones... I am glad that chapter is almost done! I really have enjoyed this group and the services and virtual camaraderie. Makes me happy!

 

[Jacqueline Jones]

I've done some research on these new electric Cubs, and unfortunately they have (or at least had, perhaps they have since been fixed) some fatal flaws. There were 3 notable ones:

The first was, the motors for the deck blades had a major weakness. The shafts inside the motors were made of a cheap alloy, and upon hitting a single rock many discovered that the shaft snaps right in half. You have to replace the whole motor as a unit (~$400 each) to repair it, and as it seems the replacements had the same low quality shaft.

The second was, electrical issues. People have encountered a lot of seemingly unexplainable issues with the electrical system in the machine that realistically they shouldn't have to deal with. It probably isn't too great to go sit on your brand new electric Cub, turn the key and find that it will not do anything because the computer says 'electrical fault'.

The third ties in with the second. So you call dealers to try and fix your machine with an 'electrical fault'. Only you find, after calling numerous dealerships, that not a single technician knows how to repair these machines. Or, you've already taken it to a dealer and it has been sitting there for 2 months because they can't figure out how to fix it.

General consensus is, they released the mower too soon, didn't do enough testing, and also didn't do enough training so that service technicians actually know how to repair them.

My issue is the red triangle light won't go out and probably because of that it won't run at all. I have contacted every federal and state agency I could including the better Business bureau about all these problems like the ones that you listed above plus I read where one lady said her battery caught on fire! We really need to file a class action suit against Cub Cadet. I'm left cutting half an acre on bad legs with a 20 inch push mower SMH!!

 

[Jacqueline Jones]

I am a mechanical technician who survived the crossover from electro-mechanical printing presses (not the Gutenberg model) into the electronic age of presses today. The difference is a very real hurdle for technicians, and mower techs are less likely to want to tolerate the training required in my mind. Tech training will probably remain the sticking point.

I've done some research on these new electric Cubs, and unfortunately they have (or at least had, perhaps they have since been fixed) some fatal flaws. There were 3 notable ones:

The first was, the motors for the deck blades had a major weakness. The shafts inside the motors were made of a cheap alloy, and upon hitting a single rock many discovered that the shaft snaps right in half. You have to replace the whole motor as a unit (~$400 each) to repair it, and as it seems the replacements had the same low quality shaft.

The second was, electrical issues. People have encountered a lot of seemingly unexplainable issues with the electrical system in the machine that realistically they shouldn't have to deal with. It probably isn't too great to go sit on your brand new electric Cub, turn the key and find that it will not do anything because the computer says 'electrical fault'.

The third ties in with the second. So you call dealers to try and fix your machine with an 'electrical fault'. Only you find, after calling numerous dealerships, that not a single technician knows how to repair these machines. Or, you've already taken it to a dealer and it has been sitting there for 2 months because they can't figure out how to fix it.

General consensus is, they released the mower too soon, didn't do enough testing, and also didn't do enough training so that service technicians actually know how to repair them.

I found a certified check down in Richmond Hill georgia. He ran diagnostic on it but it says there's nothing wrong with the machine. But its deader than a doorknob SMH

 

[-CӞ]

i had never seen one until now… thought it was a joke at first glance:

makes me think of the Electrac