5 months ago

CHAPTERS:
0:00 INTRODUCTION
0:25 OPEN BATTERY ACCESS PANEL
0:57 DISCONNECT BATTERY
1:29 REMOVE MAIN BATTERY BOLT
1:59 REMOVE BACK COVER
2:18 REMOVE BATTERY TRAY BOLTS
2:54 DISCONNECT CHARGER LOCKOUT WIRE
3:29 SLIDE OUT BATTERY TRAY
5:06 DISCONNECT TERMINALS AND REMOVE BATTERIES
6:28 VACUUM OUT MOWER AND PREPARE IT FOR REASSEMBLY
7:01 PLACE BATTERY ON TRAY AND CONNECT TERMINALS
7:21 RECONNECT CHARGER LOCKOUT CABLE
7:48 SECURE BATTERY TO TRAY USING LARGE ZIP-TIES
8:03 ZIP-TIE 2X4 SPACER TO TRAY
8:27 SLIDE BATTERY TRAY INTO MOWER HOUSING
8:51 BOLT DOWN BATTERY TRAY
9:07 CHECK VOLTAGE AND CONNECT NEW BATTERY
9:32 CHECK VOLTAGE AT CHARGING PORT
9:45 CONNECT TO BATTERY USING BLUETOOTH APP
10:00 PLUG-IN CHARGER AND BRING BATTERY TO 100%
10:47 UNPLUG MOWER AND TEST THAT ALL IS WORKING
11:51 CLOSE UP THE BACK PANEL AND YOU ARE DONE!
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In this video, we guide you through the process of converting your RYOBI RM480EX 48V riding mower to a single Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, enhancing its performance and efficiency. We demonstrate how to replace the original four lead-acid batteries with a single 48V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery, providing a more reliable and longer-lasting power solution. Follow along to learn the step-by-step process, including disassembly, battery installation, and reassembly, ensuring your mower is ready for the lawn care season ahead. This conversion not only extends the life of your mower but also reduces the weight and complexity of the battery system.

Our Choice of Charger (Ryobi OP48RM)
We went with the stock Ryobi charger despite many very good arguments in the forum against doing so. In the end, we like the durability/mountability of the Ryobi charger over the plastic aftermarket options and there were several people using this charger and are happy with the results. You should do additional research on this topic if you have any doubts. I would recommend searching the group for the discussions relating to the chargers and check out this great summary of those discussions.
https://tinyurl.com/2h3tds37

Battery (DCHouse 48V 100Ah)
We chose to go with the DCHouse battery because of price and positive feedback in the group. It seemed to be a new arrival to this battery form factor and people in the group were speaking highly of its BMS/Bluetooth app. We chose 100 AH because we have a 1.25 acre plot and wanted to have more than enough coverage. A single LiFePO4 battery is definitely the way go over getting four 12v batteries. There are many discussions in the forum explaining why, but in short, it is the latest best practice for doing this conversion and we are very happy we put off doing this and allowed this new consensus to form. Here is a great summary of that topic.
https://tinyurl.com/5bfusm7m

Battery Meter
We chose not to add any gauges (including the one that came with the battery). The Bluetooth app that came with the battery was more than enough for our purposes. At any time I can take out my phone and see a great summary of the health of my battery and since I have plenty of capacity for my size yard, I don’t expect to be running low on charge during use.
https://tinyurl.com/hekbwnh6

Overall Outcome
We love our newly upgraded mower, all of the changes are for the better. The main problem of the battery running low during use are now gone (we squeezed 7 years out of our original stock batteries). In addition, I no longer have to keep it plugged in when not in use. This is a benefit especially in the winter where the mower ended up taking up a good chunk of our garage. The performance is better during the mow, it is slightly faster and never bogs down on hills (and my yard has many). Now I basically charge it to 100% and then use it until it gets down to 20%, charge it over night and then unplug it after the charge is complete.
https://tinyurl.com/4atvep7c

For RM300e see Greg Handley's video here: https://youtu.be/OoZzczmm7_A

--- Materials
* DCHouse 100AH Battery - includes charger: https://amzn.to/3ROzom8 (affiliate)
* DCHouse 100AH Battery - if using Ryobi stock charger: https://amzn.to/4d2749i (affiliate)
* 36" Zip Ties: https://amzn.to/4d575JJ (affiliate)
* Klein Zip-Tie Tightener: https://amzn.to/4iMzIfU (affiliate)
* Two milk crates to hold battery after you pull it out: https://amzn.to/3RKPI7n (affiliate)
* Stock Ryobi OP48RM Charger: https://tinyurl.com/2h3tds37

--- Tools
* Dewalt Impact Driver: https://amzn.to/4iRbMIq (affiliate)
* Socket Adapter: https://amzn.to/4k1LSCL (affiliate)
* 10, 12, 13 MM sockets: https://amzn.to/3YwygqT (affiliate)
* 12MM wrench: https://amzn.to/4k9wO6h (affiliate)
* Phillips Screwdriver: https://amzn.to/4d2zb8t (affiliate)
* T30 Torx for four back screws: https://amzn.to/44kX1tX (affiliate)
* Digital Multi-meter: https://amzn.to/3EFjwiS (affiliate)