How to lay the boundary wire in an Automower® installation
The boundary wire is placed along the edges of the lawn to define the cutting area so that the robotic lawn mower can navigate around your garden. Sensors in the product register when the robotic lawn mower is approaching the boundary wire and makes it select another direction.
Plan and prepare
It is important to plan the Automower® installation carefully. We recommend that you create a sketch of the work area that includes all obstacles and challenges in your garden. This makes it easier to see the ideal position for the charging station, the boundary wire and the guide wire.
Get inspiration from our installation examples to help plan your Automower® installation.
Explore where to place the charging station in your garden. For more information, see Where to best place the charging station.
You should also plan the spot where you will connect the guide wire to the boundary wire in advance and leave a 10 cm (5 in) loop at this point when laying the boundary wire. This will make it much easier to connect the guide wire and the boundary wire.
It is recommended to mow the lawn before laying the wire to avoid the wire being lifted by the grass.
Install the wire
Start and complete the installation of the boundary wire behind the charging station. Leave 50 cm (2 ft) of extra wire for connecting to the charging station.
Lay the boundary wire around the entire work area.
On its way towards the charging station, the boundary wire can be laid completely outside of the charging station (see option 1 in the figure below). If the charging station needs to be located outside the work area, it is also possible to lay the wire under the charging station plate (see option 2 in the figure). However, the majority of the charging station must not be placed outside of the work area, as this can make it difficult for the robotic lawn mower to find the charging station. Note: For Automower® Aspire™ R4: Instead of option 2, use option 3, where the wires go straight out to the side and around the charging station instead.
Do not lay the wire at sharp angles (above 45°).
Ensure that the wire is placed at the right distance from obstacles and create islands, passages and secondary areas as necessary.
To secure the wire to the ground, you can either use pegs or bury the wire:
- If you install the wire on the ground with pegs, it will be completely overgrown after a few months. Pegs can be placed on level areas of lawn at a distance of about 70 cm (2 ft 6 in). Make sure that the wire is tightly secured to the ground to prevent the mower from getting stuck. If an uneven lawn means that the wire is hanging in the air, you will need to use extra pegs. If not, there is a risk that the mower will cut the wire.
- If you decide to bury the wire, you can make a slit in the lawn using a spade. Place the boundary wire or the guide wire 1–20 cm (3/8–8 in) into the ground. This option is recommended if your lawn is uneven, or if you want to hide the wire.
Once you have laid the boundary wire around the entire work area, connect both ends of the boundary wire to the charging station.
Distance from the boundary wire to objects
As the mower always passes the wire before it stops, the wire must be laid at different distances depending on obstacles. To ensure that the wire is placed at the right distance from an obstacle, use the included Automower® ruler. It has three printed distances: a short, mid and longer distance. Exact distances vary depending on the model. See your operator's manual for the exact distances for your model.
General recommendations
- Place the boundary wire 35 cm (14 in) from an obstacle that is over 5 cm (2 in) high.
- Place the boundary wire 30 cm (12 in) from an obstacle that is 1–5 cm (3/8–2 in) high.
- Place the boundary wire 10 cm (4 in) from an obstacle that is under 1 cm (3/8 in) high.
- You should use the longest distance in front of hard objects such as fences and walls, otherwise the mower will collide with the hard object at every turn.
- The mid distance is sufficient for flower beds and softer bushes, as there is no risk of collision. If the distance is smaller, the mower may pass over the edge and get stuck. Using the longer distance, the mower will leave uncut grass close to the edge.
- We recommend using the shortest distance on the ruler near paved paths that are level with the lawn. The mower will use part of the path to turn, leaving no uncut grass.
- Use the mid distance on gravel paths, where there is a risk that the mower will get stuck.
- You can allow the mower to pass over hard-surfaced paths.
- There should be a barrier of at least 15 cm (6 in) around swimming pools or ponds for safety reasons.
These distances can be used for guidance. To optimise the mowing results, you can adjust the boundary wire once you have learnt how your mower cuts your lawn.
Islands
If there are areas in your lawn where you do not want your mower to enter, such as flower beds or rockeries, you will need to create so-called islands using the boundary wire.
Passages
Passages are used to connect two parts of the work area that the mower can travel between. With a guide wire installed through the passage, the minimum distance between the boundary wires is 60 cm (24 in). If the work area has a passage with no guide wire installed, the minimum distance between the boundary wires is 2 m (6 ft 6 in).
Secondary areas
Create a secondary area if the work area has two areas that are not connected with a passage. The work area with the charging station is the main area.