How Is a Robotic Mower's Boundary Wire Installed?
How does a robotic mower work?
A mowing robot navigates using a magnetic field generated by a signal emitted from the charging station. The robot's route is delimited by a boundary wire. The robot mows continuously and randomly within this boundary wire, so it does not mow in "stripes". Random mowing ensures that the robot covers everywhere, leaves no marks and provides a consistent grass height. Unlike robotic mowers guided by a GPS system, the wire is extremely precise.
Professional wire installation
Laying the wire with a wire-laying machine allows the cable to be buried completely. Moreover, doing the work by hand is not an option on a large field. The slits close up again within 1 week.
Installing a robot on a property
The first thing to plan is the location of the charging station. The wire must be straight enough there for the robot to be able to manoeuvre to reach the charging station. There must also be a power supply nearby.
The boundary wire leaves the station in a clockwise direction. The aim is to enclose the entire area to be mowed, but that area is rarely free of obstacles.
What are the obstacles for a robotic mower?
1. "Simple" obstacles
These are obstacles (trees, posts, etc.) that do not require the boundary wire to be laid around them, because the robot can handle them using its sonars and sensors. To do so, the obstacle must be:
a. Wide enough : the robot detects an obstacle more than 10 cm in diameter with its sonars. It will slow down, touch it and manoeuvre around it.
b. Solid enough : when the robot touches the obstacle, it exerts slight pressure. The obstacle must be able to withstand this light pressure.
c. Level with the ground : there must be no exposed roots around the base of a tree on which the robot could get stuck.
The property may contain obstacles that do not meet these criteria: flower beds, water features, trees with exposed roots or a fragile trunk, etc. How do you tell the robot to go around these areas? Different installation options exist to isolate the obstacle depending on the case encountered.
2. Islands
If the element to be isolated is more than 5 m from the boundary wire and less than 5 m in diameter, it can be considered an "island". It must be delimited so that the robot goes around it. The boundary wire runs to the obstacle, goes around it, then is twisted together to return to its original path. Twisting the wire cancels out the magnetic fields, so the robotic mower pays no attention to the twisted wire.
NB: Both the twisted wire and the boundary wire are invisible.
3. Pseudo-islands
If the obstacle to be avoided is less than 5 m from the boundary wire or more than 5 m in diameter, it is considered a "pseudo-island". The procedure for isolating it is then somewhat different: the wire goes around the obstacle and then retraces its steps, keeping a gap of at least 40 cm. This double row of wire tells the robot that it must turn back.
Why call on a professional to lay the boundary wire?
While some robotic mower models do not require professional installation, laying the boundary wire is a delicate task, and only an installation carried out to the highest standards will guarantee optimal operation of the robotic mower. Opting for a professional-quality installation guarantees you:
- A tailor-made study of your property before installation
Is this obstacle considered an island or a pseudo-island? Does this narrow passage allow a robot to get through? How should the different parts of an area be handled? A feasibility study for installing a robot is not a luxury.
- The optimal choice of charging station location
The location of the charging station must be strategic, aside from the purely aesthetic aspect. The robot's efficiency will depend on the time and difficulty it has returning to its charging station. Also, as the robot will manoeuvre a lot near the charging station, it is, for example, strongly advised not to place the station near a water point.
Don't hesitate to contact the Belrobotics team to request a quote and arrange an appointment.