Paradise Robotics Forum
Robotic Lawnmowers => Lawnbott => Topic started by: pellep on July 15, 2010, 08:36:02 AM
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Hi guys-
I recently moved and my yard configuration has changed. There is a area surround by flower/tree beds that bot cannot access on its own. I ran a wire loop to the area with the intent of manually placing the lawnbott in the area when mowing is needed.
In the manual, there is a "manual" mode in the programming menu for closed areas such as this, but when I cycle through my menu, its not there.
I assume if I put the robot in the loop now, it will just follow the perimeter wire in circles looking for the base when its work time is completed.
Anyone have success with "closed areas"
Thanks,
Paul
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Bummer, why not make a path that the Bot could follow on it's way back. With a little tweaking of the wires at both ends it should work. If a path is doable I'll post my idea.
You would carry it to the enclosed area, it mows, and when finished follows the path back.
I have a 3200 so I don't know about the menu on a 3500, sorry.
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toolbelt, but if it can make it back to the charger on the path, why wouldn't it be able to make it to the area on the path? The wires only need to be 3 inches apart, isn't it?
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I tried a few times and failed to get mine to follow a path through a number of trees and flower beds to another area to mow. If you have a straight shot it should be easy. If you are really careful and can make sure it won't try any obstacle avoidance, slipping tires or too many turns where it might switch wires it should be possible I just wasn't patient enough. I had though once to put a nice footpath perhaps with pavers or such through the area and let the bot go that way but never tried it.
I had to make a number of twists and turns and the bott would get lost trying to go to the area bouncing between the wires. Carrying it out and letting it run and try and return on it's own it would die in the path. Unfortunately I just gave up and mowed it by hand.
I'd be interested if you figure something out because you know I wouldn't mind not having to mow that area too. Unfortunately too many people drive and park in my lawn to not have to mow some of it by hand but the less the better ;D
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Great news for you, you don't have to do anything in the menu since you have wired the area. All you do is put your robot down in the center, turn it on and press start. Stand a few feet away immediately because it will spin 360 degrees and then start mowing.
If the area was not wired, then you would have to turn the border off in the menu.
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Great news for you, you don't have to do anything in the menu since you have wired the area. All you do is put your robot down in the center, turn it on and press start. Stand a few feet away immediately because it will spin 360 degrees and then start mowing.
If the area was not wired, then you would have to turn the border off in the menu.
I agree- it mows fine doing as you described. The problem occurs when its time to go back to the charger - it just circles the perimeter looking for the base that it can't get to.
The manual shows the option for an external work cycle where the bot just stops instead of searching for the base. Could it have been removed in a firmware update and not updated in the manual?
Thanks
Paul
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Bummer, why not make a path that the Bot could follow on it's way back. With a little tweaking of the wires at both ends it should work. If a path is doable I'll post my idea.
You would carry it to the enclosed area, it mows, and when finished follows the path back.
I have a 3200 so I don't know about the menu on a 3500, sorry.
My problem is the area consists of fence surrounding the grass, with flower/shrub beds surrounding the fence. So the only way in or out would be to use some type of "robogate" (not really cost effective). I wouldn't be able to set it to just bump off the fence (without wire) or it would just mow down my shrubs (I tried :) )
Thanks for your opinions
Paul
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Is the fenced in area used to keep something in or out? Could you put in a little tunnel under the fence? I had thought about that for one little section I had but never tried it.
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Two path solution.
(http://i31.tinypic.com/xp7fgj.jpg)
Build two paths leading from the fence to the enclosed area. They do NOT have to be next to each other.
They can be winding etc, just smooth enough that the Bot doesn't get stuck. I think they would look neat going through your trees and flower beds. Make them out of compacted crushed Granite. Make sure you insert the wire before you compact.
You would program the enclosed area as a separate area so that it would plan on going directly to it.
Install something like this Gate http://paradiserobotics.com/forum/index.php?topic=12.0 in your fence. You could build it out of wood/chicken wire/whatever. Just make it strong enough so that the kids can't destroy it. If you're worried about other dogs getting in your yard put a second one on the other side. Not too many dogs exist that will craw through 4 feet of tunnel. You could add a flapper that would only flap one way.
Re-layout the wire so that it makes a loop before heading through the tunnel. That will stop it from getting hung up while mowing the Main area. Immediately after the loop insert an island/bush/flower-bed loop that is only one foot wide but runs to the next gate. At that point put a triangle point on it so that the end points towards the returning wire from the enclosed area.
There should be a 3 inch gap so the Bot on returning from the enclosed area does not pick it up.
http://paradiserobotics.com/forum/index.php?topic=11.0
Note:
When mowing the Main area it will still go to the enclosed area when it's time to return if it hits the wire that is prior to the first gate.
In the enclosed area loop requires the same layout.
However, if you're using the One Gate layout just drive a stake into the ground to block it from a direct hit that would let it run between the two wires.
Hope that helps toolbelt
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Yup, now that I have decided to keep my LB3200 (actually, the wife made the decision for me, as I'm not allowed to "dump" that kind of money into another robot mower) :(
I'll be following up on the links above and will probably cut my fence up pretty soon. Originally, I thought I was going to do the double "gate" method, but am now sold on a single gate for ease of installation and cost of parts.
I'll keep you guys posted on my progress.
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If you don't separate the wires and the area is small, you can press charge, have it circle one time to trim the edges and then carry it back to the charger. If the area is large and you want it to mow a whole cycle, then you are right, it will just circle until the battery goes dead.
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If you don't separate the wires and the area is small, you can press charge, have it circle one time to trim the edges and then carry it back to the charger. If the area is large and you want it to mow a whole cycle, then you are right, it will just circle until the battery goes dead.
So was the "manual" programming mode removed from the firmware? Its listed in the instruction manual as a programming option.
Paul
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I found this some time ago. Thought this robot gate might solve your problem
http://www.robolawn.com/robogate.cfm?cfid=4311995&cftoken=61284078
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Didn't someone say that robot gate manufacture never got off the ground?
I wonder if a normal doggie gate that opens when the dog comes close would work. You could glue the thingie that the dog wears to the shell of the robot, maybe inside under the headlamp lens. A little chopping and channeling may be required on the door mechanism.
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I don't know if the project ever released or not. When it was getting close, I was informed that it might be using substandard parts (aka, cheap parts from China) for the price tag.
As for the dog gate you are referring to, could you please provide a link? It seems it would defeat the purpose of a fenced in yard and I couldn't seem to find anything trying to google it, but I am very interested.
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Two links for doors or gates that would work
http://www.hitecpet.com/powerpetdoors.html
http://www.robolawn.com/robogate.cfm?cfid=4311995&cftoken=61284078
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Shep874 I only see the one link to the one that automatically moves up/down, and then the robogate again, but definately looks like a good option to me if I put that fence up one day in my place.
There is also another type which just unlocks the swinging gate when the special key comes nearby. Might be more reliable and parts more easily adaptable to a custom gate that goes with the surroundings better.
http://www.discount-pet-superstore.com/dog_doors/electronic_dog_door.htm (http://www.discount-pet-superstore.com/dog_doors/electronic_dog_door.htm)
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So was the "manual" programming mode removed from the firmware? Its listed in the instruction manual as a programming option.
I am not sure what you are referring to in the manual. Tell me the page number and I will look it up. It is possible to set the menu to "border off" and you can mow in a fenced area without the wire. It will be brutal on your bump sensors and will cause wear and tear on your fence, too. It seems better to use the wire, even if you will drop the mower in the area manually; can't see why you wouldn't.
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evblazer: That looks like the perfect solution. With a $99 price tag, it's affordable.. from what I can tell, it looks like it is using some kind of piano hinge at the top and the video I saw on youtube, it lifts up a little bit to allow the door to swing. It should be fairly simple to modify it as it looks like all the major components are located in the top of the housing.
The only negative would be weatherizing it. As it is designed to be on the inside of the house, I'm sure it isn't weather proof.. but how hard could that be, right?
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Here is another page of the same door that gives some dimensions. That is what I was referring to. I'm sure there are others.
http://www.petdoors.com/power-pet-automatic-pet-doors.html
I wonder if the wind would be a big factor with the $99 door. If not that actually would be the way to go. You probably could cut the bottom section off so it sat right on the ground.
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Well, it may take a little more "engineering" than that, as from the video I saw of it on youtube, it's the bottom that actually holds the door closed. When it raises up about 1/4 inch out of the bottom groove, it can swing freely. Then, it lowers back down into the groove. But, I don't see why you couldn't create a bottom like this:
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\ /
With just enough lip on each side to hold the flap shut, but not get in the way of the bot. It's also very nice that it uses 4 D batteries.. though again, I don't know how they would hold up to the weather.
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You could keep the batteries or a DC transformer inside the house and just run a wire out to the gate. Looks like all you would have to do to the unit would be to make everything wider. Then build a ramp so the bot could go up and over the bottom part. Ramp shouldn't be more than a inch or two to clear it. Lift the grass and put some extra dirt under it....
I still think the tunnel is the way to go. Hang a bunch of plastic straps down from the tunnel ceiling and it would look like it was solid to animals.
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How about starting a topic on automatic fence gates?
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Heh.. I kinda already did.
http://paradiserobotics.com/forum/index.php?topic=12.0
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So was the "manual" programming mode removed from the firmware? Its listed in the instruction manual as a programming option.
I am not sure what you are referring to in the manual. Tell me the page number and I will look it up. It is possible to set the menu to "border off" and you can mow in a fenced area without the wire. It will be brutal on your bump sensors and will cause wear and tear on your fence, too. It seems better to use the wire, even if you will drop the mower in the area manually; can't see why you wouldn't.
On page 43 in the manual, it describes a menu line called "Work Mode". From that menu, you can choose "Automatic", "External", or "Without Perimeter".
The "External" option would work perfectly for me - I would place the mover in the enclosed area and when the work cycle ended, it would just stop rather than circle the perimeter wire endlessly looking for the charger.
Any idea if this option was in a older firmware, or maybe a new one?
Thank for all the suggestions
Paul
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I believe there have been some changes to the software and to the manual. Now the menu item is called Border and you select "No" each time you want to turn the border off. You have to select it every time. If the enclosed area has a physical barrier around it, you can run a loop of wire into it (12" apart) and the robot will follow the wire when the battery gets low or when the work time is completed.
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Heh.. I kinda already did.
http://paradiserobotics.com/forum/index.php?topic=12.0
Friendly request for someone who has the time: Can someone volunteer to cut and past the new posts about the auto fence gate into the older topic above? That way all of this great information will not be lost in the wrong topic. Then please continue the conversation there. Thanks!