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Commercial Mowers
Posted on February 1, 2012 by Mr.Green 17 comments Leave a comment

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Allscapes Approach to In-ground Lighting The w ell-light has a light and ballast module suspended inside an outer housing, forming a w ell. The main benefit of this design approach is the ability of the fixture to exhaust heat, and thus run cooler. How ever, the exhaust apertures that allow the heat to escape also allow w ater and other materials to enter the w ell. It is imperative w hen using w ell lights to provide excellent drainage and keep the w ell and exhaust apertures clear of debris. If the ballast and light modules stand in w ater for prolonged periods of time, problems can occur. If landscape materials block the exhausts, then over-heating can occur.ALLSCAPE moved aw ay from the w ell-light approach over a decade ago due to the problems mentioned above, and the need for preventive landscape maintenance w hich is outside its control. ALLSCAPEfully embraced the in-ground design approach in the 1996 w ith the release of the SL-33, its composite single housing fixture. In-ground light fixtures do not allow w ater and heat to flow through the w ell, but seal it at the top and bottom. The main advantage of this design approach is that few er parts are required to be w atertight, such as the entry point at the ground surface and the electrical entry point at the bottom or side of the fixture. The in-ground design approach also allow s for single piece composite, aluminum, stainless, or bronze housings, w hich again minimize the sealing surfaces. In-ground fixtures are less susceptible to poor drainage and debris build-up issues, but are not immune. The picture below show s the SL-43 a modern in-ground light fixture design w ith separately seal junction, ballast, and lamp compartments. The majority of North American manufacturers of in-ground light fixtures now provide composite technology housings. They have been available for over tw enty years, use proven aerospace grade materials, and are the preferred material for landscape and pedestrian installations. Rhinolite the composite material used by ALLSCAPE is manufactured w ith a mixture of glass fiber, thermosetting resins, and other proprietary ingredients to provide maximum product strength, rigidity, and durability. The key benefit of the material is the protection it provides in corrosive and chemical environments, w here high alkalinity, acidity, salt, lime, and similar substances are present. Examples of corrosive environments are landscape areas using recycled w ater and fertilizers, and lime in concrete. Rhinolite is also used in pool and w ater filtration units w hich contain high levels of chlorine, and in many commerical and marine applications. Other benefits of composite material is its ability to be molded into complex shapes and hold molded-in brass inserts w hich are incredibily strong. This eliminates the need for secondary drilling and tapping operatons and makes the production parts very consistent. The composite material also has excellent dielectric properties affording additional protection against electric shock. With a continuous operating temperature of 150?, and built in protection against ultraviolet radiation, Rhinolite is the most feature rich material used in in-ground technology today. Cast aluminum housings are still provided by some manufacturers, but w ithout additional protection are susceptible to severe degradation from chemicals found in today's recycled w ater and fertilizers. Brass or bronze housings are used sometimes in the landscape setting but are much more expensive and very heavy. Cast metal housings also suffer from porosity and the need for secondary drilling and tapping operations making them inherently less consistent. Aluminum housing must use brass inserts to prevent galvanic action w ith stainless steel screw s. Several manufacturers use draw n stainless steel housings that suffer from the need for secondary drilling and tapping, or pressed insert and the resultant reduced consistency. Metal housings may provide some advantages thermally; they offer no electrical isolation and must be appropriately grounded. Several manufactures now offer above-ground fixtures, pioneered by ALLSCAPE, that minimize and even eliminate issues caused by standing w ater and debris. The above-ground fixture or semi-in-ground fixture are inground fixtures protruding from a few inches up to several feet above grade level, usually w ith an external sleeve. The added benefit of this approach is the ability to position the light fixture at the same height as (or above) the surrounding foliage. This allow s the fixture to properly function even after several years of plant grow th. Aboveground fixtures are becoming more popular and should be considered w hen ground vegetation surrounds the object to be illuminated. ALLSCAPE's SL-34 is show n in the picture below placed in the entryw ay median of a gated community in Southern California. Notice how the height allow s the fixture to function, even after the Bird of Paradise plants have fully grow n. Things to Consider. Careful choice of fixture location is critical to a successful installation and understanding how the fixture w ill interact w ith the surrounding environment is the key. One should avoid locations w here w ater can stand. If this is not possible, make sure that there is adequate drainage below and around the fixture. If the fixture is to be installed in locations near ground cover either elevate the fixture using an above-ground sleeve, or make sure there is adequate clearance around the fixture. Understand how the light from the fixture interacts w ith the object to be illuminated. Make sure the in-ground fixture is setback from the object to be illuminated correctly. For example, spot (narrow beam) optics may require the fixture to be placed one or tw o feet aw ay from the object to be illuminated. Placing a narrow spot further aw ay may result in no light hitting the object. If it is not possible to locate the fixture correctly due to existing root systems or foundations, evaluate using flood optics or a tilt mechanism. The picture below of a church in Mexico illustrates how fixtures placed appropriately can enhance a building at night. If people can w alk on the fixture make sure you are aw are of the temperatures on the fixture lens. High w attage lamps can easily generate enough heat to burn skin. ALLSCAPE offers dual lens units w ith the designation HPBB that considerably reduce the surface lens temperature. ALLSCAPE is also one of the few manufacturers w ho fully document its test method for measuring the lens temperatures. Care should be taken w hen comparing the lens temperatures reported by different manufacturers as the measurement points and ambient temperatures used to normalize the results may be different. North American companies usually use 25? w hereas some European companies use 15?. Choosing a carefully designed in-ground fixture is key. Alw ays make sure that the fixture is ETL or UL listed for w et location in North America and CE listed in Europe. If possible make sure that the fixture has an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of 67, w hich is dust tight and w ater-proof (Protected against the effects of immersion betw een 15cm and 1m). Use lamp sources that have a long life. Metal halides and fluorescents have 10,000 hours or more. LED's can have even more. Minimizing the need for lamp replacement greatly reduces problems over the life of the installation. It also makes good environmental sense to avoid incandescent lamps w ith short life spans. Try to minimize post installation maintenance as much as possible. Fixtures w ith sealed ballast compartments and anti-w icking devices betw een the junction box and ballast compartment should be used. In-ground fixtures w ith small amounts of moisture inside them w ill often run w ithout problems if the ballast is kept dry. Anti-w icking eliminates the siphoning of w ater through stranded cables due to pressure changes in the fixture. Note that many European manufacturers do not provide any anti-w icking capability. This is in part due to the method of electrical entry, i.e. a cord w ith cord grip, compared to the requirements of conduit and a separate junction box in North America. Die cast bronze lens rings w ith captive screw s and high temperature injection molded silicone gaskets ease the installation process. The bronze w ill not degrade in the landscape and its strength allow s high torque tightening of the lens-sealing surface. Captive screw s are mandatory, as missing or incorrectly replaced screw s often do not provide sufficient compression to keep w ater out of the fixture. In North America alw ays use w ater-proof w ire nuts to make electrical connections in the junction box. The more experienced North American manufacturers supply them as standard w ith the fixtures. Professional grade in-ground fixtures do not require covers to protect them from law n mow ers or other maintenance devices. Using external grates or louvers can be useful to reduce glare, but be careful as these devices can also collect local debris and mask the light output. Internal glare shields are preferred and commonly available. A typical internal glare shield offered by ALLSCAPE is show n in the picture below . It caps the lamp and shields pedestrians from direct light w ithout blocking the direct light from the lamp arc tube to the surrounding reflector. One additional advantage of the ALLSCAPE internal glare shield design is double open chimney w hich allow s hot air to escape, eliminating the chance of the lamp overheating. Many in-ground fixtures now provide drive over capability as standard or available as an option. Be careful w hen evaluating the lens w eight claims of different manufacturers as some use GVW (Gross Vehicular Weight) and others maximum w eight. Both w eights are somew hat ambiguous w ithout more information. ALLSCAPE reports GVW to allow direct comparison w ith other products. It also provides the maximum pounds per square inch that can be applied to the lens w hich is the best w ay to report the information. Although it is impossible to stop a determined vandal, specify tamper-proof screw s in high-risk areas. Use a rock guard to protect the surface lens from being easily damaged, but be careful not to create a trip hazard at the same time. The follow ing example installation illustrates the use of in-ground and above-ground light fixtures to provide a dramatic entrance to a gated community. The prestigious, tw enty-four-hour gate-guarded community of Ritz Pointe, is situated in the Monarch Beach area of Dana point in Southern California. It has tw o entrances both are lined w ith palm trees on each side of the entrance and exit lanes, and in the median strip. The original tree-strapped bullet lights came w ith the usual problems degrading the visual appearance during the day, not anchoring the trees to the ground w ith light at night, and most of all not providing adequate ambient light to ensure a secure environment. The task handed to ALLSCAPE by the landscape architect w as to upgrade the lighting of the entry points to provide enough light for security, w ith fixtures that could not be seen. The obvious choice w as in-ground fixtures. Three different types w ere used. The Royal palms lining the sides of the roadw ay w ere illuminated w ith 50W metal halide medium floods. The palms are about thirty feet tall and the leaves w ill spread w ith age. They w ere mounted as close to the tree as possible in a pea-gravel sleeve to provide excellent drainage and a foliage and maintenance (w eed w hacker) barrier. The Royal palms in the median are surrounded w ith Bird of Paradise plants that can grow several feet tall. Here 50W metal halide floods w ere again used, but w ere installed in a direct-burial sleeve to raise the height of fixture to the top of the plants. This allow ed the light to function w ithout being enveloped in foliage. About the author: Ian R. Ibbitson, Vice President and General Manager of ALLSCAPE has over tw enty years experience in the lighting, entertainment and electronics industries. Dr. Ibbitson joined ALLSCAPE a Philips group brand in 1995 and is currently in charge of several commercial outdoor lighting divisions, including Quality Lighting, and Metrolux. Dr. Ibbitson has a BSc. in electrical/electronic engineering and a PhD in computer aided design from the University of Sunderland in England. Source: http://w w w .articlesbase.com/ask-an-expert-articles/allscapes-approach-to-inground-lighting-451334.html

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17 Responses to Commercial Mowers

Josh D February 1, 2012 at 12:49 pm Why do companies use commercial w alk behind mow ers? Why do most landscapers use commercial w alk behind mow ers w hen the cost of a brand new garden or yard tractor is so much less? I w as looking to start up a buisness and I found that a 8 10 year old w alk behind commercial mow er (32-48 inches) is the same price as a brand new tractor? Anybody w ith law n mow ing buisness experiance an answ er w ould be appreciated. Thanks! nvradullmow mnt February 26, 2012 at 2:33 am
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Since its been mentioned a in a few other posts- lets do a little comparison from a few years ago. A John Deere STX 38 had the same engine, same transmission, and same differential as the commercial w alk behind from John Deere, how ever the components inside w here NOT the same. So if you used a homeow ner rider to do the same as a commercial w alker, the rider w ould w ear out faster because it w asnt built to take the abuse, the frame w asnt strong enough either. The commercial w alk behind w ill last a LONG time if you take care of it (grease it /change blades daily, change oil, filters, plugs, etc on a routine basis, it w ill last quite a few years over a residential rider. BTW- you WILL look more professional w hen you are making great stripes over the yard and it looks like a professional baseball field w hen your done. Anonymous February 1, 2012 at 2:32 pm how expensive are the grass catchers or mulchers that commercial law n mow ers can use on side? have seen the w alk behind mow ers w ith a grass catcher or mulcher on the side..and w as w ondering if had to empty it and w hat good it w as for? how w orth the money? and how much money it is? Anonymous February 18, 2012 at 2:40 pm
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I dont really know , ours w as supplied w ith our mow er, w e have never bothered to use it but it just came w ith. Anonymous February 5, 2012 at 3:41 pm Quality commercial law n mow ers? I started a law ncare business this season w ith only a self propel mow er. I w ant to expand next season and go for tw ice as many clients. Ive been looking at lots of commercial w alk behinds. Im on a budget so for now im going used. But theres some many to go w ith. What are some quality commercial mow ers that are pow erful and dependable? Billy Ray Valentine February 10, 2012 at 1:58 pm
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Toro is one of the leaders in the professional sports field and golf course industries. They also make a fine line of commercial, self propelled w alk behind mow ers. I used Toro mow ers exclusively w hile maintaining a championship golf course a few years back. I also used them for my ow n landscape business as w ell. The commercial mow ers are tough and can take the rigors of continual mow ing on a daily basis. They also have good bagging pow er, even w hen the turf is tall or w et. Honda also makes fine mow ers, but I have alw ays liked the Toro machinery myself http://w w w .w isesales.com/ToroCommercialMow ers.html http://w w w .hondapow erequipment.com/products/models.aspx?page=models&section=P2LM&category=hrc Billy Ray Brad S February 6, 2012 at 3:18 pm light/dark stripes from commercial mow ers? What causes the light/dark stripes in yards after commercial mow ers cut? and w hy do you not get the same affect w ith a regular push mow er only smaller?? meanolmaw February 23, 2012 at 1:19 pm http://lifeandlaw ns.com/2008/05/18/how -to-mow -stripes-in-your-law n-like-a-golf-course-fairw ay/ http://groundskeeper.mlblogs.com/archives/2006/06/how _to_mow _stri.html theres heavy steel rollers pushing dow n the grass they cheat!.LOL!. Baseball outfields are also cut w ith similar-type mow ers, but heavy steal rollers are also used to further press dow n the turf, thus creating extremely defined lines and designs. AL COHOLIC February 8, 2012 at 9:34 am Getting ready to buy a w alk behind commercial mow er. What brand? I need some input about commercial w alk behind hydro mow ers. Im contemplating the Quick 36 or the Quick 44 made by Better Outdoor Products but im not sure yet. Any opinion helpful but personal expierence is w hat I need. The Better Outdour products come w ith a 16 hp Kaw asaki kai motor. buildermeister February 15, 2012 at 3:02 pm Where can I find parts for John Deere, Toro, and Gravely commercial mow ers? I have older mow ers. Any help? Todd B February 23, 2012 at 6:37 am For these mow ers a dealer can help a lot. For each of the companies, use the dealer locator. http://dealerlocator.deere.com http://w w w .toro.com http://w w w .gravely.com The dealer can help you, as they should have info on the older models, or at least point you in the right direction. golfnfire February 16, 2012 at 6:13 am w hen did john deere stop using yellow crank decks on their commercial w alk behind mow ers? w hat year did they go to green decks? Josh D February 17, 2012 at 8:48 am Law n Tractors vs Commercial Walk Behind Mow ers? Why do most landscapers use commercial w alk behind mow ers w hen the cost of a brand new garden or yard tractor is so much less? I w as looking to start up a buisness and I found that a 8 10 year old w alk nehind commercial w alk behind mow er (36-48 inches) is the same price as a brand new tractor? Anybody w ith law n mow ing buisness experiance an answ er w ould be appreciated. Thanks! Cosmo February 20, 2012 at 9:01 am Commercial law n mow ers are built for just that. Mow ing, and a lot of it. They are designed to mow the largest area , for as little time as necessary and transported to the next job. They are also to be used everyday. Garden tractors are designed to be used once a w eek, and designed for other uses as w ell. Attempting to use a garden tractor for commercial use w ill w ork, for a w hile but the tractor w ill need replaced after the first season or tw o. Most commercial w ill mow more grass in a month than most homeow ners w ill mow in three years. AL COHOLIC February 17, 2012 at 12:26 pm Belt or hydrostatic drive commercial mow ers? Just w ondering w hich is more reliable. The hydrostatic drive or the belt driven commercial w alk behind mow ers? just w hat w e think February 24, 2012 at 11:46 pm hydrostatic but w ay more expensive midw estgroundclearing February 25, 2012 at 9:49 pm How do commercial field mow ers find w ork?
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