Ransomes Jacobsen unveiled a refreshed version of the popular Jacobsen Eclipse walking greens mowers, the Eclipse2, at BTME in Harrogate. Building on the legendary quality-of-cut and control of the original Eclipse, it allows course managers to customise and control mower settings to varying course conditions.
Retaining the electric motors for traction and cutting reel drive, they are available in three cutting widths 45.7 cm (18”), 55.9 cm (22”) and 66 cm (26”), all with an optional petrol engine or drop-in battery pack. The 45.7 cm (18”) and 55.9 cm (22”) can be specified with fixed or floating head cutting reels with 11 or 15 blades. The wider 66 cm (26”) version has a 7-blade fixed cutting reel, giving a total of 18 models to choose from.
The patented true floating head allows the lowest heights of cut without scalping, even on the most undulating greens, and a wide array of frequency of cut (FOC) settings combine to produce a smooth and consistent playing surface. The Eclipse2 features a true automotive differential, which provides superior tracking by driving the traction drum from one point, making it easier to track straight across the green. Other mowers may have two belts or chains, which require adjustment to track straight.
The Eclipse2 delivers industry leading productivity with a maximum mow speed up to 6.1 km/h (3.8) mph while maintaining the tightest frequency of clip. The mowing speed can be set by the course manager or technician through a PIN-protected menu on the Eclipse2’s InCommand control system. The transport speed has been increased to 8 km/h (5 mph), making it quicker to move between greens and counter-balance springs in the handle ensure that the cutting reel sits ‘true on the turf’ when the operator grasps the handle. The Eclipse2 has the highest productivity of any walking greens mower on the market.
On the hybrid version, with a Honda petrol engine powering a 48-volt generator, the engine has now been mounted through 180 degrees giving a better balance to the machine and also making starting easier, presenting the pull cord directly in front of the operator. The mounting slots for the generator and battery pack have been extended giving greater flexibility to increase or decrease the weight on the front roller. This allows the course manager to determine the aggressiveness of the cutting unit on the fixed head version and helps ease of turning on the floating head model. This is a feature exclusive to Eclipse walking greens mowers.
Ease of maintenance has been improved with adjusters more accessible without removing covers and by making covers easier to remove, when needed. Other maintenance features include no clutches to adjust and onboard backlapping.
From an operator’s standpoint, the Eclipse2 features the lightest weight handle, a repositioned pull start and a new kickstand. The LCD screen size has been increased to make it easier to read and the kickstand has been improved to provide easier operation. These features will help reduce operator fatigue and result in a better quality-of-cut.
Ransomes Jacobsen www.ransomesjacobsen.com