Step 1: Check Compatibility
Before purchasing anything, verify your mower is compatible with the OpenMower project. Use this flowchart to check compatibility:
Compatible Mowers List?"} Compatible(["Compatible
Proceed with standard install"]) CheckEncoders{"Does the mower have
Wheel Encoders?"} Incompatible(["Incompatible
Ask on Discord for confirmation"]) CheckBattery{"Check Battery Voltage
(Series count 5S - 8S)"} CheckSpace{"Enough space for
Universal Mainboard?"} UniversalMainboard(["Universal Mainboard
Hardware looks good"]) AskDiscord(["Unknown Compatibility
Ask on Discord"]) %% Classes classDef decision fill:#FFF,stroke:#666,stroke-width:2px,color:#333; %% Assign class to decision nodes class CheckList,CheckEncoders,CheckBattery,CheckSpace decision; %% Styles style Start fill:#93c0f0,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#333 style Compatible fill:#256d33,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fcfcfc style UniversalMainboard fill:#256d33,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fcfcfc style Incompatible fill:#a63a41,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fcfcfc style AskDiscord fill:#e19e20,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:#fcfcfc %% Logic Connections Start --> CheckList CheckList -- Yes --> Compatible CheckList -- No --> CheckEncoders CheckEncoders -- No --> Incompatible CheckEncoders -- Yes --> CheckBattery %% Voltage Calculation: %% 5S (5 * 3.6V = 18V) to 8S (8 * 4.2V = 33.6V) CheckBattery -- "Yes: 18.5V - 29.6V" --> CheckSpace CheckBattery -- "No: < 18.5V or > 29.6V" --> AskDiscord CheckSpace -- Yes --> UniversalMainboard CheckSpace -- No --> AskDiscord
Battery Voltage Explained
The voltage range 18.5V - 29.6V corresponds to 5S-8S lithium battery packs based on nominal cell voltage (3.7V per cell):
- 5S: 5 × 3.7V = 18.5V nominal
- 8S: 8 × 3.7V = 29.6V nominal
Check your mower’s battery label or manual to determine the series count.
Officially Supported Mowers
Yard Force
Check out the Git Repo Here: https://github.com/xtech/hw-openmower-yardforce
The project got started on a YardForce Classic 500(B), and there are photo guides in this documentation on how to disassemble and reassemble it. From a user’s perspective, the YardForce Classic 500(B) is the “best supported” mower.
However, there are more mowers from the YardForce brand that are compatible:
In theory, every YardForce model with the Core + Outer Frame Chassis (SA, SC, LUV, N and NX Line) that has a production year of 2019+ has compatible electronics to replace the stock mainboard with an OpenMower one.
The main reason is that the OpenMower mainboard does not fit in their chassis.
SABO / John Deere
There is a dedicated mainboard for SABO MOWit 500F (Series-I & II) and John Deere Tango E5 (Series-I & II) mowers.
Check out the Git Repo Here: https://github.com/xtech/hw-openmower-sabo
This Carrierboard is compatible with the following mower models:
- SABO MOWit 500F (Series-I & II)
- John Deere Tango E5 (Series-I & II)
| Series-I Carrierboard (v0.2) | Series-II Carrierboard (v0.2) |
|---|---|
 |  |
| Series-I (v0.1) @ John Deere Tango E5 | Series-II (v0.1) @ Sabo MOWiT 500F |
 |  |
These mowers are well supported. Even the display controller was replaced by a fully functional, modern user interface!
Universal Board
The universal board contains all features needed for an Open Mower build (e.g., three BLDC/DC motor controllers, a LiPo charger on board, connectors for GPS, emergency sensors, etc.). It has screw terminals for easy connections and can be broken into smaller modules if it doesn’t fit as a whole board.
Check out the Git Repo Here: https://github.com/xtech/hw-openmower-universal
Other Compatible Brands
The following mower brands are known to have compatible hardware with the Universal mainboard. If you want to check your specific model, ask on Discord. The probability is high that it will work:
- Husqvarna: Most Husqvarna mowers
- Gardena: Most Gardena mowers
- Fuxtec / Redback: Fuxtec and Redback mowers
Custom Hardware
If you have a custom chassis, there is a good chance you can get it to work with the Universal board. Ask on Discord for guidance on your specific setup.