How to Maintain Your Robotic Lawn Mower

A robotic lawn mower represents a substantial investment. Proper maintenance protects your purchase and prevents avoidable, costly repairs down the road.

Benefits of regular robotic mower maintenance include:

• Prolonged battery life expectancy
• Optimized grass cutting efficiency
• Preventative protection against breakdowns
• Extended overall product lifespan
• A reliably flawless, manicured lawn

Consequences of neglected maintenance:

• Premature battery failure
• Subpar grass cutting performance
• Increased risk of avoidable breakdowns
• Shortened product lifespan
• A messy, unkempt lawn

Adhering to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule ensures your robotic mower sustains optimal functioning. We detail easy-to-follow guidelines for weekly, monthly, and annual upkeep procedures.

Safety First

Before conducting any maintenance, you must deactivate your robotic mower by:

1. Pressing the STOP button for 5 seconds until the red indicator light illuminates
2. Selecting “Lock iMow” on the control panel

This prevents the blades from accidentally engaging and causing injury while you work on the device.

Use caution when handling the mower’s underside. The sharpened blades pose a laceration danger. Wear protective gloves when replacing old cutting edges with new ones.

Weekly Maintenance

You should perform the following maintenance on a weekly basis:

Allow the Mower to Cool

After an active mowing session, the mower’s internal components generate heat. Let the device sit idle for 5 minutes so it can cool down before starting any cleaning or inspection. This prevents burns.

Thorough External Cleaning

Supplies needed:

• Damp cloth
• Soft-bristle brush

Over time, grass clippings, dirt, debris, fertilizer granules, and other yard residues accumulate on the exterior. Carefully wipe down the entire outside chassis using a damp cloth. Pay extra attention to the underside and wheel wells where grass buildup tends to occur.

For stubborn debris stuck in crevices, use a soft-bristle brush and gently scrub. Avoid excessive water pressure when rinsing — electronics housed internally can short circuit if significant moisture seeps past seals.

Inspect and Clean the Mowing Deck

Supplies needed:

• Safety goggles
• Work gloves
• Flathead screwdriver
• Socket wrench
• Replacement blades (if necessary)

The mowing deck houses the cutting system — this includes the sharpened blades and skid plate. Thoroughly cleaning this area once a week improves cutting efficiency and prevents imbalanced operation from clumping debris buildup.

Follow these steps:

1. Put on safety goggles and thick work gloves.
2. Carefully flip the robotic mower upside down to access the underside.
3. Remove the 2-3 screws securing the skid plate using a compatible flathead screwdriver or socket wrench. Set hardware aside.
4. Lift the skid plate off, allowing you to view the cutting blades housed beneath on the separate blade disc fixture.
5. Use a soft-bristle brush to gently clear away any packed-on grass clippings, fertilizer pellets, leaves, dirt, etc. coating the blades or visible disc cavity. Avoid brushing too forcefully — the razor-sharp edges dull easily.
6. Visually inspect each blade for abnormal wear, rounded edges, or micro-fractures. While designed to last 1-2 months under normal conditions, degraded cutting performance indicates a needing replacement sooner. If blades appear significantly worn, swap them out with new ones using steps covered later in this guide.
7. Replace the skid plate and reinstall securing screws once clean.

Verify Blade Condition

Even if not visibly deteriorated, most manufacturers recommend replacing robotic mower cutting blades every 2 months. This ensures maximum cutting power and a flawlessly trimmed lawn.

However, assessing blade sharpness weekly helps monitor wear. Follow these quick steps:

1. Put on leather work gloves to protect your hands.
2. Carefully remove the blades by following directions covered later in this guide.
3. Use your gloved fingertip to gently test the blade’s edge — sharp blades feel razor-fine. Blunt, rounded edges indicate diminished cut quality requiring new blades.
4. Reinstall the inspected blades unless worn — in that case, swap them for fresh replacements right away.

Check Docking Station

Your robotic mower relies on consistent, proper electrical contact with the charging dock. Debris buildup on and around the docking pins can impede connectivity — causing failed charging attempts and inactive mowing time.

Once weekly, visually inspect the wall-mounted docking station and use a dry cloth to wipe clean contact points if needed. Use a hand broom to gently clear away any grass clippings or leaves clustered around the station perimeter that may obstruct smooth docking.

Reinstall Access Panels

After finishing external cleaning and deck maintenance, put any removed access panels back in place. Hand-tighten all screws and secure all clamps or safety latches removed when accessing internal components. Double check that all safety guards correctly reinstalled before restarting your robotic mower.

Monthly Maintenance

In addition to weekly upkeep, perform these tasks monthly:

Clean Contact Plates

Supplies needed:

• Fine-grit emery cloth
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Cotton swabs

Your mower recharges through electrical contacts on the charging posts mating with contact plates on its chassis. Over time, oxidation and grime buildup causes resistivity — preventing smooth power transfer.

Every 4 weeks, clean the contact plates:

1. Dip the cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol to lightly moisten it.
2. Use the swab to wipe each contact plate on the robotic mower body, gently scrubbing away any oxidation or debris.
3. Allow contacts to fully air dry for 10 minutes.
4. Next, buff the contact plates using fine–grade emery cloth until their surfaces appear shiny and new. The small abrasions improve future power transmission.

Use Protectant Spray

Repeated exposure to sun, rain, fertilizers, and yard chemicals causes exterior plastic components to degrade overtime — appearing faded, brittle or discolored.

Monthly application of a UV-protectant spray formulated specifically for robotic mowers nourishes the plastic and restores luster. Gently wipe down the chassis after application, avoiding electronic interfaces.

Annual Maintenance

In addition to weekly and monthly care, performing these annually prevents premature breakdowns:

Thorough Chassis Cleaning

Over months of yard work, debris and moisture collects in small spaces around wheels, motors, and internal compartments causing corrosion issues down the road.

Set aside approximately 60-90 minutes each year in early spring for intensive chassis cleaning:

Supplies Needed:

• Safety goggles
• Work gloves
• Articulated grabber tool
• Mineral spirits
• Stripped screw extractor drill bits
• Replacement hardware (as needed)

1. Transport the robotic mower outdoors to an open work area — this prevents chemical fumes from collecting indoors. Turn the device off.

2. Remove the top cowling, access panels, motor shields and deck cover plates exposing the internal mechanics. Label or photograph interconnects pre-disassembly for easier reinstallation later.

3. Use the grabber tool and mineral spirits with cotton rags to carefully clean entire chassis, removing built-up grass and grime — including wheels, struts, motor housings and frame crevices. Avoid direct contact with electronics or wires — moisture damage causes malfunctions.

4. Fully air dry the robotic lawn mower for 90 minutes before reassembly.

During cleaning, spray penetrating lubricant on any seized screws or fasteners at least 30 minutes prior to removal attempts. This prevents stripped heads necessitating drill-out extraction methods or costly part replacements.

Inspect and Replace Cutting Blades

The metal cutting blades endure incredible wear and tear sawing through tough grass, sticks and other debris. Gradual use erosion causes microscopic rounded edges — degrading cutting performance over time.

Annually replacing blades sidesteps lawn damage from dull mowers forcing their way through grass instead of slicing cleanly. Sharper edges create healthier root systems, allowing grass to flourish.

Carefully examine each removed blade — discarded ones with visible fractures that may shear off and damage the mowing deck.

Check Battery Health

Like all rechargeable batteries, your Robotic Mower’s Lithium-Ion power cell loses overall capacity through charge cycles as individual cells weaken. Depending on usage frequency, expect approximately 3-6 years of useful life before diminished run times necessitate replacement.

Annually evaluate battery performance levels using functionality tests in the product owner’s manual. Compare charge cycle durations and work capacity against specifications when new — significant deviations indicate degradation requiring service.

Replacing Cutting Blades

With average robotic mowers logging over 4,000 square feet daily, the metal cutting blades endure intense wear from constantly shearing grass, sticks and other debris. Gradual use erosion causes microscopic rounded edges — degrading cutting performance over time.

Plan to replace your mower blades 2-3 times per year to maintain flawless cut quality and healthy turf. Follow these steps:

Supplies Needed

• Leather work gloves
• New compatible blades
• #2 Phillips screwdriver
• Safety glasses

Disable Safety Features

When performing any maintenance, begin by:

1. Stopping the robotic lawn mower by holding the Power button down for 5+ seconds.
2. Engaging the child safety lock to prevent accidental activation.

Flip Mower Over

With the device powered down:

1. Carefully turn your robotic mower upside down resting on its top cowling. The exposed underside contains the razor-sharp blades — avoid direct contact to prevent severe lacerations.
2. For easier access, remove the deck cover plate if equipped. This exposes the circular blade disc housing the 2-3 cutting edges.

Loosen the Screws

The blades secure to the spun metal blade disc via retaining screws threaded upward through the disc’s underside.

1. Place one hand firmly on the blade disc perimeter to prevent the entire disc from spinning.
2. Insert the #2 Phillips screwdriver into the first retaining screw head recess. These commonly loosen by turning counterclockwise due to the reverse thread pitch.
3. Gradually apply turning force to the screwdriver handle until the screw spins free. Withdraw it from the threaded hole.
4. Repeat steps for the remaining 1-2 blade retention screws until all fully removed.

Extract the Blades

With retaining screws deleted, the blades detach by sliding them outward through pre-cut passes in the blade disc.

1. Wearing leather gloves, carefully pry the first blade free from the disc using your protected fingers or a plastic pry tool. The exposed razor edges pose serious laceration hazards.
2. Repeat the separation process for any remaining blades until all fully removed from the recesses.
3. Discard the worn blades or recycle if facilities exist in your region.

Install New Blades

1. Slide a new replacement cutting blade through the empty recess on the blade disc aligning it correctly. Match the original orientation when possible.
2. Hand thread the corresponding mounting screw by a few turns to temporarily retain the blade. Finger tighten only — excessive torque strips threads.
3. Similarly position the remaining replacement blades in open slots and start retention screws.
4. Once all new blades inserted, grab the Phillips screwdriver and tighten down all screws using moderate, equal force. The blade disc should spin freely with no wobble when completely reassembled.

Reattach Safety Guards

1. Confirm proper reinstallation of all access panels and protective guards before flipping the mower right side up. Exposed spinning blades ejected at high speeds during operation cause serious injuries.
2. Carefully return the robotic mower upright on all 4 wheels ensuring blades no longer exposed.

You successfully installed new cutting blades — restoring your robotic lawn mower to like-new grass shearing performance. Now enjoy weeks of reliable, perfectly trimmed grass ahead.

Best Practices

1. Adhere to these additional tips for keeping your robotic mower performing as expected:
2. Routinely wash the mower body using a garden hose to prevent grass clipping accumulations around the wheels and chassis opening that can obstruct movement or penetrate seals causing internal corrosion.
3. Sharpen robotic lawn mower blades after each use using a 10-12 inch Mill Bastard metal file. Gradually stroke the file across blade edges at a 20° angle using moderate downward pressure to create a razor sharp edge. Wear leather gloves protecting hands from cuts.
4. Check and inflate tires on occasion if equipped with pneumatic wheels. Insufficient pressure causes excess strain on mower drive motors shortening operating life.
5. Store indoors or under a protective cover during harsh weather months. This prevents snow, heavy rain, and ice from accumulating on sensors or seeping into sensitive electronics potentially causing shorts or malfunctions come spring.
6. Recalibrate electronic guide wires annually following owner’s manual instructions ensuring the boundary definition system continues working as intended without missed zones.

Also Read: Lawn Mower Care: DIY Tips for a Healthy Mower

Conclusion

Like any machine, a robotic lawn mower requires proper care and maintenance to sustain long-term functionality. Following this comprehensive preventative maintenance guide helps safeguard your investment in automated yard care equipment.

Performing routine cleaning, component inspection and scheduled parts replacement catches minor issues before cascading into expensive failures down the road. Your properly maintained robotic mower delivers many years of reliable service keeping your lawn photo shoot ready.