Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Storing Your Lawn Mower for Winter

As the winter season sets in and the lawns stop growing, it might be very tempting to park your robotic lawn mower out in the garage and just forget about it until spring. Poor winter storage can greatly lessen the life and performance of your robot lawnmower. Whether you have a state-of-the-art automatic mower like an Orion X7 or an L22 series, the few precautionary steps that you can take now will save you from costly repairs and downtime next season. In this guide, we will point out the top 5 mistakes to avoid when storing your robotic lawn mower for winter and explain how to keep it in perfect condition.

1. Not Cleaning Your Mower Thoroughly

One of the most overlooked but important things when preparing your robotic mower for winter is giving it an in-depth clean. In the course of the mowing season, grass clippings, dirt, and dust accumulate in the blades, wheels, and undercarriage. If this mess is left unaddressed, it can block dampness, leading to oxidation and mold growth on various parts of the mower's mechanic and electronic components.

How to properly clean your mower:
Turn off and unplug the mower: This is a precautionary measure to ensure safety before cleaning the mower.
Remove large debris: Clean the blades, wheels, and underside with a brush or cloth; avoid using sharp objects that might damage parts.
Low-pressure water cleaning: Gently rinse off the robot lawnmower with low-pressure water, making sure not to force water into sensitive areas.
Dry thoroughly: Wipe down all parts to remove moisture and store the mower completely dry.

What to avoid:
Never use a high-pressure washer, as it may force water into electrical components, thus malfunctioning. It is one of the frequently made mistakes that result in higher repair costs​.

2. Not Charging the Battery in Full

Your robot lawnmower relies on a lithium-ion battery, which requires special care during extended storage periods. A common mistake is leaving the battery partially discharged or drained when storing the mower for winter. Over time, this can lead to battery degradation and reduce its capacity, meaning shorter runtimes in the future.

Proper battery storage tips:
Charge the battery to 100% before storing the mower. A fully charged battery is less likely to suffer from over-discharge during idle months.
Store in the right temperature: Keep the mower in a location where the temperature stays between 5°C and 40°C (41°F–104°F). The extreme cold or heat will damage the battery.
Avoid repeated charging: Once the battery is fully charged, disconnect it to prevent unnecessary charging cycles.
By ensuring the battery is stored properly, you’ll extend its lifespan and ensure your automatic mower is ready to operate when spring arrives​.

3. Leaving the Mower in Outdoor Conditions

Leaving your robotic lawn mower or its charging station outside during the winter is a critical mistake. Winter weather brings moisture, snow, and freezing temperatures, which can cause irreversible damage to both mechanical and electronic components.

Where to store your mower:
Indoors: It should be stored in a dry, protected area, like a shed, garage, or basement.
Avoid upside-down outdoor storage: Never store your automatic mower upside down outdoors; this exposes the underside to water damage that can affect blades and internal mechanisms.
Charging station care: Disconnect and store the charging station indoors. Leaving it outside could cause corrosion, electrical shorts, or cable damage.
Good storage will protect your investment. Properly store and condition your mower for those long months so it starts on time, every time come spring.

4. Ignoring Blade Maintenance

The blades are the heart of your robot lawnmower. Dull, damaged, or loose, they do not only reduce the efficiency of the mower but may strain the motor to wear down early. Poor maintenance of the blades before winter storage will definitely result in delay times once you restart the mower come spring.

How to Maintain the Blades:
Inspect for wear, chips, or other damages on the blades. In case of worn-out or damaged blades, replace them with appropriate parts with the use of proper screws. Properly secure the blades to avoid accidents or malfunction when the machine is in use.
Safety tip: Changes or handling of blades should always be made with a pair of protective gloves to avoid injury. Proper blade care ensures your automatic mower runs smoothly and cuts cleanly for the next mowing season​.

5. Forgetting Software Updates and Pre-Storage Testing

Modern robotic lawn mowers operate via highly advanced software to accurately map lawns, improve the mowing schedule, and function efficiently. A common mistake here is skipping the updating process of the software and never testing the mower's system for storage.

Steps to follow:
Update the firmware: Before storing your mower, keep in mind updating the latest software. The updates offered by manufacturers like Sunseeker often enhance the running condition of the mower, get bugs fixed, and add new features to it.
Check that all systems go: Inspect for final time-charging station, the blades, Wi-Fi connectivity, and sensors-for anything that seems off.
Clear up all errors: Don't be surprised by those in the spring; rather fix any errors or problem/error codes that arise before it gets stored.

Conclusion:

Proper winter storage of your robotic lawn mower is necessary for the assurance of efficiency in performance year after year. By avoiding these top 5 mistakes—neglecting cleaning, improper battery care, outdoor exposure, blade maintenance, and software updates—you will be able to protect your investment and extend the life of your automatic mower.

Take the time to clean, inspect, and update your mower before putting it away for the winter. By spring, your robot lawnmower will be ready to give you flawless, hands-free lawn care you have grown to rely on. Share this guide with fellow lawn care enthusiasts and make sure everyone's mower gets the care it needs this winter!