Friendly Robotics Robomow RL1000 Operating & Safety Manual Download Page 1

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Operating & Safety Manual

RL1000 & Docking Station

www.friendlyrobotics.com

DOC0076A

Summary of Contents for Robomow RL1000

Page 1: ...Operating Safety Manual RL1000 Docking Station www friendlyrobotics com DOC0076A ...

Page 2: ... appliances In addition the following National standard and draft were taken into consideration when testing the machine BS 3456 Part 2 Section 2 42 1997 Safety of household and similar electrical appliances Section 2 42 Battery operated lawnmowers PrEN 50338 1999 Safety of household and similar electrical appliances Particular requirements for pedestrian controlled battery powered electrical lawn...

Page 3: ... know that you will enjoy the extra free time you will have while using Robomow to mow your lawn When set up and used properly Robomow will operate safely on your lawn and provide you with a quality of cut matched by a few mowers of any kind You will be impressed with your lawn s appearance and best of all Robomow did it for you IMPORTANT The following pages contain important safety and operating ...

Page 4: ...e Setup 12 Chapter 2 Preparing the Robomow 29 Chapter 3 Manual Automatic Operation 37 Chapter 4 Setting the Weekly Program 43 Chapter 5 Charging 47 Chapter 6 Settings and Advanced Features 51 Chapter 7 Text Messages and Troubleshooting 59 Chapter 8 Specifications 66 Chapter 9 Maintenance and Storage 67 Chapter 10 Accessories 71 ...

Page 5: ...nual Controller mow only in daylight or in a good artificial light 12 Do not operate Robomow using the manual controller when barefoot or wearing open sandals Always wear substantial footwear and long trousers 13 Avoid operating Robomow on wet grass Do not use it in rain 14 When using manual controller always be sure of your footing on slopes 15 Do not operate the mower on slopes greater than 15 d...

Page 6: ... tight to assure safe condition of this appliance 36 Replace worn or damaged parts for safety 37 Use heavy gloves when inspecting or servicing the blades 38 Use only the original equipment power pack and power supply charger with this mower Incorrect use may result in electric shock overheating or leakage of corrosive liquid from the battery 39 The charger power supply is for indoor use only Do no...

Page 7: ...on 4 Keep children pets and bystanders away from mower 5 Sharp rotating blades Keep hands away and do not attempt to lift mower from this area 6 Sharp rotating blades Keep feet away The Docking Station fence must face towards the interior section of the lawn when installed Failure to do so may result in damage to property or persons 1 2 3 4 5 6 DANGER Sharp rotating blades Keep hands and feet away...

Page 8: ...ndent finger actions in order to engage the mower blades Once engaged the mower blade button must remain depressed to continue blade operation Once released the two step engagement process must be repeated 7 Electronically Controlled Charging System The Robomow is equipped with an on board charge control system This allows you to keep the charger connected at all times even after the battery is fu...

Page 9: ...ed an obstacle that is unable to activate the bumper sensor preventing it from moving or a problem landscape area has caused the mower to get stuck and is preventing it from moving 12 Automatic departure warning alert When the mower is scheduled to depart the Docking Station automatically per a scheduled time a warning buzzer and the operating lamp will activate 5 minutes prior to departure This i...

Page 10: ...round around the lawn perimeter and around obstacles 7 Wire Used to create a virtual wall for your Robomow 8 Perimeter Switch C Cell Batteries Activates the perimeter wire which defines the area in which the Robomow will operate 9 Perimeter Switch Mounting Stake Used for supporting the perimeter switch in the lawn 10 Wire connectors Used for splicing wires as needed 11 Plot connector Used for conn...

Page 11: ...and activates the perimeter wire which defines the area in which the Robomow will operate 14 Docking Fence Used for preventing the Robomow to climb on the Docking Station during operation 15 Docking Stakes x5 Used for securing the Docking Station to the ground 16 Screws x2 Used for assembling the Docking Station Cover to the Base 17 Wire Connector Used for splicing wire as needed 12 13 14 15 16 17...

Page 12: ...ow other areas simply drive the Robomow to the area you want to mow and operate it in the automatic mode as explained in this Manual When this area is completed drive the mower back to the station for re charging Setup in Docking Zone 1 2 Docking Station Placement There is a maximum distance of 50 feet 15 meters from the receptacle to the Docking Station see figure 1 2 Do not use an extension cord...

Page 13: ...mum distance of 6 feet 2 meters is required between the Docking Station fence and any obstacle not excluded with the perimeter wire See figure 1 3 Figure 1 3 Distance From Corners and Obstacles A minimum distance of 8 feet 2 5 meters is required between the Docking Station fence and the perimeter wire See figure 1 4 Figure 1 4 Distance From Perimeter Wire CAUTION Serious Injury Can Occur When plac...

Page 14: ... Place the Docking Station on level ground Do not place the Docking Station on a slopping ground See figure 1 6 The area under and around the Docking Station MUST be flat to insure proper docking of the mower into the Docking Station Ensure both drive wheels are leveled with the Docking Station base Figure 1 6 Placing Docking Station on Level Ground U OK U U Relatively Level OK Sloping improper ...

Page 15: ...st read this chapter Docking Station Perimeter Wire Setup before starting to layout the Perimeter Wire in order to be aware of all setup rules and instructions Starting at the location of the Perimeter Switch or the Docking Station begin pulling the perimeter wire out of the plastic covering as you walk along the area of the lawn you are setting up Be sure to leave enough wire at the beginning whe...

Page 16: ...ten and hold the perimeter wire to the ground below grass level They resemble a small tent stake When properly fastened to the ground the wire and pegs will soon disappear under the growth of new grass The pegs simply hold the wire in place at the ground level to allow for the grass to grow over it Pegs should be driven at distances between one another that will keep the wire down below the grass ...

Page 17: ...al width and in which the Robomow must pass through in order to access and cut other zones an hourglass shape The minimum distance for an effective narrow pass is 5 5 feet 1 7 m between perimeter wires The larger a pass can be made the better access Robomow will have between the zones This will greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the mower See Figure 1 14 For an area that is narrow...

Page 18: ...wire around the obstacle returning back to the same spot of the perimeter There are two keys to setting up the perimeter wire to exclude an obstacle 1 place the wire going to the obstacle from the perimeter and the wire going from the obstacle to the perimeter adjacent to one another This area is between the obstacle and the normal lawn edge where the perimeter wire is set up and 2 follow the dire...

Page 19: ... 2 m to perimeter wire loop out Trees large enough to allow Robomow to bump into do not require a perimeter wire around it Small tree must exclude with perimeter wire Tree too close to perimeter less than 4 feet 1 2m loop out with perimeter wire Minimum distance between obstacle wire and perimeter wire 5 feet 1 5 m Greater than 3 feet 0 9 m The Robomow can freely move across this section but will ...

Page 20: ...ard where one zone is a docking zone The key is to set up the zones that will allow the Robomow to operate with the greatest efficiency even if it is more than one or two zones You will quickly find that mowing the lawn in these zones is an easy process that will allow you greater flexibility in your mowing habits The Robomow gives you the ability to control the operating time for each zone indepe...

Page 21: ...ver it does lift exclude this section from the cutting area 1 11 Completing The Perimeter Wire Setup Docking Zone Once the perimeter wire is completed and pegged to the ground the last step to complete is attaching the perimeter wire ends to the docking board and testing the setup Properly installed perimeters wire will have two loose wire ends located where the perimeter wire set up was started t...

Page 22: ...or attaching the power supply cord The power supply cord has two leads white and black It is required that the white lead be located on the LH screw when viewing the board and the black wire attached to the RH screw As a guide the board is marked Black and White above its respective screw See Figure 1 19 1 13 Docking Station Assembly Align the two tabs on the lower section of the cover with the ma...

Page 23: ...ing Station on the perimeter The shorter distance 12 inches 30 cm is used where the area outside the immediate perimeter of the Docking Station is free of obstacles and is the same relative height as the perimeter edge See Figure 1 24 Figure 1 23 Fence Alignment RoboRuler Short distance Fence facing inside of lawn area Figure 1 24 Using Short Distance of RoboRuler to Place Docking Station Area out...

Page 24: ... 25 Fasten the Docking Station in place using a hammer to drive the five stakes Begin by placing the stakes only part way into the ground as a small adjustment may be required when testing for proper docking See figure 1 26 Figure 1 25 Using Long Distance of RoboRuler to Place Docking Station Figure 1 26 Placement of Stakes RoboRuler Long distance Area outside perimeter has a wall as an obstacle ...

Page 25: ...ocating the Power Supply and Securing the Low Voltage Cable Leading to the Docking Station The power supply is suitable for outdoor use yet it is required placing it in a sheltered place dry location which is well ventilated and not exposed to direct sunlight The power cable must be securely fastened to the ground to prevent a tripping hazard The pegs used for securing the perimeter wire can also ...

Page 26: ...the ground adjacent to one another as you move away from the perimeter and towards the Perimeter Switch location use the same pegs to attach the two wires from the lawn to the Perimeter Switch location At the location of the perimeter switch cut the two loose perimeter wires so they are of equal length removing any excess wire Strip back inch 6 mm of insulation from each wire end Insert the wire e...

Page 27: ...perimeter wire Figure 1 33 The Perimeter Switch has an automatic shutoff feature eliminating the need for you to turn it off after each use It will shut itself off after 5 continuous hours of operation You can expect a good set of alkaline batteries in the Perimeter Switch to last most if not all of a normal cutting season You may manually turn the perimeter switch off by pressing the ON button co...

Page 28: ...irt and plug it into the perimeter wire for each plot See Figure 1 34 Another placement option is to mount the switch onto a vertical surface such as a wall or deck railing There are three small bosses on the back of the switch cover in order to mount it in this way Use 6 or 8 sheet metal screws or equivalent See Figure 1 35 In any event the switch must be mounted vertically in order to maintain i...

Page 29: ...Remove the Power Pack from the Robomow and insert the fuse The fuse can be inserted in either direction See Figure 2 2 Carefully lower the Power Pack into the Robomow The Robomow now will power up wake up The Power Pack is charged at the factory and has plenty of power to perform the initial setup and test run However after the initial set up process is completed the Power Pack needs to be charged...

Page 30: ...the LCD window when making user selections It is also used as a means to reverse back out of the menu options that can be accessed in user options returning you to the main screen 4 GO Start button the main operating button for automatic operation In addition it is used as a button for making or confirming selections made under user options in the LCD window 5 Stop button pressing this button will...

Page 31: ...ace your finger in the indention of the mower at the front left of the Manual Controller and pivot it upwards allowing you to grasp and remove the Manual Controller Figure 2 3 Driving is accomplished by lightly pressing the directional pad with your thumb or index finger in the direction you wish the Robomow to drive See Figure 2 6 Forward and reverse are marked on the housing directly above and b...

Page 32: ... The ground height adjustment is located in the Power Pack compartment of the mower See Figure 2 8 It has two positions upper and lower The small wheels have three upper lower and middle The lower position closest to the bottom of the Power Pack compartment provides the highest level of ground clearance while the upper position farthest from the bottom of the Power Pack compartment provides the lo...

Page 33: ... the Perimeter Switch on to activate the perimeter wire as it must be in operation to perform this process You will now be at the first display as seen in Figure 2 10 Follow the sequence pictured in Figure 2 10 to complete this process During the calibration process the Robomow will begin rotating slowly in a circle pausing from time to time The Robomow can make up to four complete circles during ...

Page 34: ...ess GO Dock Zone MAX Not Set Scroll Set Country Press GO Test Passed Press C Activate Motors Press GO Press GO Dock Zone MAX USA Confirm USA Confirm Press GO Dock Zone MAX LCD Display Action Required Figure 2 10 Calibrating Sequence Press GO Press GO Scroll up or down to find your country Press GO to confirm selection Press GO Press GO Press GO Process will begin and last 1 2 minutes Press C butto...

Page 35: ...n led is blinking on the Docking Station Operation Panel Press the upper scroll arrow on the Manual Controller once for the message Go to dock to display and then press GO Follow the Robomow and confirm that it docks properly into the Docking Station This is done by insuring the two metal contacts on the front of the Robomow make full contact with the metal contact plate located under the cover of...

Page 36: ...g the side of the Robomow while it is following the edge At any point where the mower position is too far to the outer edge of the lawn area note this area and slightly move the wire towards the interior For example if the bumper of the mower is hitting the wall of your home while trying to mow the edge the wire is too close to this edge and needs to be positioned more towards the interior of the ...

Page 37: ... automatically determine the entry point into the lawn from the perimeter wire A Searching entry message is displayed on the Manual Controller while it is searching for the entry point into the lawn The RL1000 is programmed for three different entry points into the lawn at specified distances from the Docking Station It will go to the next entry point with each operation until it begins at locatio...

Page 38: ... the switch on there is a problem with the batteries or the perimeter Look to see which red LED is flashing to determine which is the problem You must correct the problem before the Robomow will operate automatically In a case where you have forgotten to turn on the Perimeter Switch the LCD on the Manual Controller will display No wire signal message Figure 3 0 reminding you to turn the switch on ...

Page 39: ... it reaches the edge it will generally straddle the wire at about the center of the mower It will now begin mowing the edge completing one to two complete passes around the perimeter At the point the Robomow is satisfied the perimeter has been cut it will stop and then rotate towards the inner area of the lawn It will then drive into the lawn and begin what is called the scanning process This is s...

Page 40: ...he message as shown in Figure 3 8 if the mowing time has been selected to any time other than MAX If the Robomow has completed its mowing and it is more than 20 minutes before you arrive to move it the LCD screen will be blank The Robomow will shut itself down into a sleep mode after 20 minutes of inactivity at all times This is an energy saving feature Pressing the GO button or removing the Manua...

Page 41: ...ure to activate the drive motors using the navigator button and use is best obtained by lightly rolling your finger in the direction you wish to drive Continuous pressure is required to drive so once released the mower will cease movement Figure 3 10 Manual driving has a slow and fast speed You can change the speed to the other level at any time by pressing the speed button once while driving Anot...

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Page 43: ...Depart Press GO Robomower on the lawn and Manual Controller in Users hands Robomower in Docking Station and Manual Controller in its holder Docking options Press GO Press once the lower scrolling arrow Press GO Scroll up or down until the Docking options is displayed Time _ _ _ _ _ _ Press GO Press GO Press GO M T W T F S S Press GO Scroll to the day and Press GO Tuesday 00 00 Next digit Scroll to...

Page 44: ...t Scroll to set the time and Press GO for the next digit C is used to go back Manual User Options User Preferences Press GO Weekly program Press GO Press GO Scroll up or down until the Docking options is displayed Set program Press GO Press GO M T W T F S S Press GO Scroll to the day you want to set and Press GO Docking options Press GO Press GO Press GO 4 2 Setting the Weekly Program Remove the M...

Page 45: ...plained in Figure 4 2 until Weekly program is displayed and continue to follow the steps in Figure 4 3 Set Time Press GO WARNING Serious injury can occur If the current date and time are not set correctly or are failed to be set when prompted the times scheduled for automatic departure will not be correct Incorrect departure times can be dangerous if children pets or bystanders are present in the ...

Page 46: ...e b Docked before time due to low battery voltage Robomow did not complete the operation and drove back to the Docking Station due to low battery voltage relevant only when Working time is set D Skipped because there was no contact with Docking Station or there was no charging voltage power break or mower which is placed out of the Docking Station at the scheduled depart time U Skipped due to user...

Page 47: ...l times of non use without concern to over charging over heating or damaging the Power Pack In fact it is the preferred way to maintain your Power Pack always keep it plugged into the charger when not being used The Docking Station and the standard charger power supply included with your Robomow will re charge the Power Pack from the Recharge Battery level in approximately 20 hours depending on co...

Page 48: ...e charging process will begin Lightly pivot the Manual Controller down allowing it to rest gently on the charging cord DO NOT attempt to force the Manual Controller all the way to the flush position The Robomow charger is designed for indoor dry use only Do not charge the Robomow where wet contact is likely The LCD on the Manual Controller will display the text seen in Figure 5 7 and the battery i...

Page 49: ...on the system can also alert the user when something has interrupted the charging operation such as a loss of power to the charger for example The Power Pack should be fully charged before initiating any operation In addition you should have examined the mower before operation to look for problems that may cause excessive energy consumption and thereby less than optimum run time Examples include d...

Page 50: ...ck must be removed for 10 seconds and then re inserted in order to wake up the Robomow However if the mower reaches this level and the charger is not connected soon you risk causing poor performance and service life to the Power Pack Similar alarms will alert you to connect the charger if not connected after a fixed time when operating under fixed run time settings Lastly if the charger is disconn...

Page 51: ...the text display on the LCD to the manual operating menu as seen in Figure 6 1 Pressing GO once will take you to the next screen User Preferences Figure 6 2 Using the Up Down arrow keys will allow you to scroll through the menu items as shown in figure 6 2 The GO button is used as a means to select or confirm different menu options or settings By pressing the GO button it will generally select or ...

Page 52: ...ge Press GO Blades replaced Press GO 6 2 User Preferences Press GO to view the menu of user preferences beginning with Sound Figure 6 3 Using the Up Down arrow keys will allow you to scroll through these menu items Pressing GO will take you to these various preferences Figure 6 3 6 2 1 Sound Allows user to shut off non safety related operating sounds 6 2 2 Wire position Allows user to test the wir...

Page 53: ...ce for edge mowing is approximately 1 5 to 2 rounds around the perimeter This feature allows the user to learn a specific distance in each operating zone in order to cause the mower to cut the edge a specific distance such as one full round It will remain as a learned distance until the edge is re learned or the factory default edge is selected It should be done when the Manual Controller is in th...

Page 54: ...ext 200 hours of operation Blades are easy to replace refer to section 9 2 6 2 10 Anti Theft The anti theft system provides the user a disabling function that will prevent anyone from using or driving the Robomow unless they have the valid code to enter You will be prompted to enter a four digit code of your choice to use as your personal security code Use the scroll arrows in order to change each...

Page 55: ...he last stop cause number Charging voltage Press GO Total time Press GO Bat run time Press GO Temperature Press GO Main Board Press GO Software version Press GO Battery voltage Press GO Last stop cause Press GO Charging temp Press GO Indicates the total number of hours the mower has been in operation Indicates the last battery run time till Recharge battery is displayed Displays the current voltag...

Page 56: ...d Weekly program settings see chapter 4 1 and 4 2 6 4 1 Entry Points Entry points are defined as the points where the mower leaves the Edge and turns into the lawn to mow the inner area In order to ensure better area coverage in mowing the mower has default of three different entry points The Entry points option enables to set different entry points from those set by the factory to your lawn Under...

Page 57: ...GO for next Press GO Mower will start to follow the perimeter Entry 2 of 4 Pres GO to set Follow the mower and Press GO at the point you want to set Entry 3 of 4 Pres GO to set Press GO for other points or leave the mower to complete the edge 11 28 Mo10 30E Press GO 11 28 Mo10 30E Press GO One of the following displays is appeared when the mower is in the Docking Station Press GO Docking options P...

Page 58: ...without a proper code but it is a much simpler code and is intended as a means to prevent operation to those not familiar with or suitable for operating the mower The key sequence to unlock the guard for operation is the same for all mowers press the Up arrow key and then the C key to unlock the controls One minute of inactivity will re lock the keys 6 6 Safety Tests When selected the safety test ...

Page 59: ...s accumulation under the mowing deck rope or similar object wrapped around mowing blade Object jammed under mower preventing blade from rotating CAUTION Remove power pack before lifting the mower Inspect blades for foreign material or debris preventing rotation Clean out accumulated grass clippings using a wooden stick Check P Switch Mower is trying to depart from Docking Station and the perimeter...

Page 60: ...nt Wheel Problem CAUTION DO NOT attempt to disable this safety device in the event you are unable to isolate and correct the problem Contact your service provider for repair before using The Front Wheel has left the ground for more than 8 10 seconds The ground contains large holes or indentions where the front wheel can drop into when passing across Fill these areas with dirt and level off High te...

Page 61: ...rned on Ready Keep Charging The battery is fully charged Keep the charger power supply connected and operating Recharge Battery The maximum operating time has been reached Connect the charger to the mower Replace blades every 200 hours An automatic reminder to replace the blades is displayed every 200 hours Replace the blades and restart the counter of the blades replacement reminder by choosing t...

Page 62: ...ation Cover by unscrewing the screws and check the connection of the power cable black and the wire connector green Confirm the ON light is blinking in the Docking Station when switching on the green ON button Docking Station and or Robomow have burnt signs and or corrosion Periodically clean the Docking Station and the Robomow contacts using only a damp cloth Contact your service provider if the ...

Page 63: ... of 1000 feet 300 m is recommended Areas requiring longer lengths should be broken into separate zones If the Cut Wire indicator flashes once when the Perimeter Switch is activated this confirms a length too long for a single perimeter zone Batteries are completely discharged Install fresh alkaline C cell batteries Batteries installed with wrong polarity position Verify correct placement of batter...

Page 64: ...meter wire setup OR adjacent zone closer than 13 feet 4 m operated simultaneously Refer to the setup rules for wire placement particularly for corners Do not operate adjacent plots simultaneously when closer than 13 feet 4 m Robomow operating lamp flashes once when Power Pack is inserted but no display is seen in the LCD display Power Pack fuse has not been installed Install Power Pack fuse Power ...

Page 65: ...esent RL500 RL550 start edge from the opposite side of the lawn Contact your service provider if this does not correct the situation Robomow does not complete the edge Peculiar geometry of perimeter On RL800 RL850 perform Learn Edge function Operating lamp not flashing when blades are in operation Faulty bulb Replace operating lamp bulb LCD display is in a foreign language The language setting was...

Page 66: ...pter 8 Specifications Side by side comparison Dimensions 89cm l x 66 5cm w x 31 5cm h 35 x 26 x 12 5 Weight 22 6kg 50lb Unit 12 6kg 28lb Power Pack Noise level 85 db A Mowing Width 3 Blades and a total cutting width of 56cm 21 Cuts 1 5cm outside the wheels Mowing Height 6 settings at the front and 2 at the rear High Cut Blade 44 81mm 1 75 3 25 Low Cut Blade 26 63mm 1 2 5 Blade Motor RPM 5800 RPM E...

Page 67: ... mowing deck particularly when mowing wet and damp grass Figure 9 2 Most grass accumulation can be removed using a small wooden stick or similar object Carefully scrape the collected grass debris from under the mowing deck If necessary remove the blades to gain better access to the mowing chambers in order to clean them Do not place the mower upside down damage to the Manual Controller can occur I...

Page 68: ...sive cleaning solutions Never spray with a garden hose or other type of liquid spray hose Figure 9 1 Squeeze tabs pull Squeeze tabs pull To remove blades squeeze locking tabs on each side of blade retainer then pull blade assembly off away from mower When reinstalling the blade line up the mating splines and push until a firm click is heard indicating a proper seating of the blade onto the shaft S...

Page 69: ...rimming around the Docking Station with a powered weed trimmer Damage to the surface or power cord may occur Treat any insect mounds which may appear with a locally recommended insecticide In the event of damage to any part of the power cord stop use of the Docking Station disconnect the power supply and replace the power cord 9 8 Winter Storage Power Pack Fully charge the Power Pack till Ready ke...

Page 70: ...ower cord then first disconnect the power supply from the power receptacle then disconnect the power leads attached to the docking board After disconnecting the power supply leads each end of these two leads must be protected for the winter to prevent oxidation You may place the Friendly Robotics wire nut connector onto each end of this cord for protection in the winter If this or a similar weathe...

Page 71: ...ience of increasing capacity with a second battery Connector Kit Includes two Perimeter Switch connectors for additional zones and three silicon filled wire nuts for repairing or splicing the perimeter wire Fast Charger External Recharges the primary or additional Power Pack outside of the mower in approximately 8 hours for fast service and use Blade Set Keep a spare blade set on hand Sharp blades...

Page 72: ...Friendly Robotics authorized repair facility Repairs necessary due to improper battery care and or improper charging process such as charging in wet conditions electrical supply irregularities or failure to properly prepare the mower or battery prior to any period of non use Repairs necessary due to water damage other than incidental rain exposure repairs due to lighting or other acts of God Instr...

Page 73: ...73 www friendlyrobotics com ...

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Friendly Robotics Robomow RL1000, Operating & Safety Manual

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