Step 1: Check Compatibility
Check if your robotic mower can be converted to an Open Mower.
Before purchasing anything, verify your mower is compatible with the OpenMower project. Use this flowchart to check compatibility:
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flowchart TD
%% Nodes
Start([Start])
CheckList{"Is the mower in the
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
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.
Supported mower models
The compatible mowers guide lists YardForce, SABO, and John Deere models, with carrier board photos and requirements for universal-board conversions. Check your exact model and board revision before proceeding.
Last modified September 9, 2026: fix: give pages one main heading and consistent section levels (30c5c3a8)