Brill ASM 380 electric reel lawnmower information

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Brill ASM 380 reel mower summary

The Brill ASM 380 is a German made electric reel mower that weighs approximately 29 pounds. It has five blades, and it has a cutting range of 14 mm up to 45 mm. In inches, that's about .7" to 1.9". It mows a 38 cm wide path, which is about 15 1/2 inches. The Brill has a silent cut design, which means that the blades to not make contact with the cutter bar when the blades spin. This reduces friction, and also makes the blades go significantly longer before they need any kind of sharpening.

The mower is powered by a 24V rechargeable NiCad battery that turns the blades. You still have to push the mower yourself, but it only weighs 29 pounds. The PowerAccu battery is 24V 2Ah (Amp hour) and the motor is powered by that battery so we can assume it draws approximately 2 Amps. The blades turn at approximately 510 RPM at full speed.

You can also push the mower like a manual reel mower and cut with it that way. So if your battery ran out or something, you could still finish up the lawn.

This mower is not designed to mow large areas, and should not be purchased to mow more than 3,000 square feet of grass. Battery life is approximately 30 to 40 minutes of cutting, and the battery is designed to allow 1,000 recharges. Replacement batteries are available for $89.

Assembling a Brill ASM electric reel mower

Watch the assembly video. (Windows Media Player, 891K file)

Assembling the Brill electric reel mower is incredibly simple. There are no tools required except for a Philips screwdriver to attach the electric starter box, and the whole takes about 15 minutes max. The reel mower body is already assembled. You just have to attach the handle and the electric starter box. As you can see from the photo at the top of the page, the handle comes in three pieces. The bottom part pops onto two metal attachments on the mower body. The upper two parts of the handle attach to each other, using wing nuts.


Box that the reel mower comes in.


What it looks like when you open the reel lawnmower box.


All the pieces. Only a Phillips screwdriver required for assembly!


Where the handle attaches to the reel lawnmower body. It just pops right on with no tools.


Once you have attached the bottom part of the handle to the reel mower, you can attach the middle part of the handle. No tools. Just use the wingnuts included.


After the middle part, then you attach the top the same way.


The little electric box with the button that turns on the electric motor is the only part of the whole thing that requires any tools. It only requires a screwdriver.


What it looks like from the front after you attach it to the handle.


Plastic clips hold the cord in place along the reel mower handle.


The battery fits snugly onto the top of the reel mower body.


All done.

Changing the cutting height for the Brill ASM 380

Watch the video. (Windows Media Player, 855 kb file)

This is also incredibly easy. To adjust the Brill ASM 380 electric reel lawn mower cutting height, you'll find an orange knob on each side of the mower body. You'll also find a measuring unit on each side that measures from 15 mm to 45 mm. Simply loosen the orange knob on each side, move the height where you want it so that it matches on both sides, and tighten the orange knobs back down.

Adjusting the blades on the Brill

So wait a second! What's the difference between adjusting the blades and changing the cutting height? The cutting height adjustment changes how high the grass is cut. The blade adjustment adjusts how the reel turns inside the mower, keeping the blades cutting properly when the reel turns. The Brill reel mower comes with the blades pre-adjusted, so you won't need to mess with it initially.

The Brill owner's manual also comes with a little strip of metal and a really complicated explanation of how to adjust the blades. That method works, but it's a complicated German way. I'm going to tell you the easy American way to do the same thing!

After using the Brill for a couple of years, you might notice that it doesn't seem to cut as well as it used to. You'll then look down at the blades and see that the blades have a flat edge that isn't sharp at all and you'll think, "Gosh, the blades must need sharpening." But you are wrong, wrong, wrong! When the mower is brand new, the blades have that very same flat edge. They are not supposed to be sharp like a knife. Look at your new mower when you get it and notice this! I even included a picture.

So how do you fix it then, if it doesn't need sharpening? Simple! You adjust the reel. Flip the mower upside down, and you'll see that there are two silver spring loaded bolts that hold the cutter bar in place on the bottom of the mower. Now, go find an adjustable wrench. Next, you'll want to just barely tighten the bolts on each side. Keep tightening until when you spin the reel, the blades knock against the cutter bar. At this point, just barely, barely loosen the bolts until there is no more knocking.

Your mower is now perfectly adjusted again, and you're ready to mow for several more seasons! Wasn't that easy? I told you it didn't need sharpening!

Cool features of the Brill ASM 380

Watch the video. (Windows Media Player, 1 meg file)

Brill reel lawn mowers have several cool feature that set them apart from most other reel mower models. They have a powder coat paint job. You can read about the advantages of powder coating versus plain old paint here.

Brill reel mowers have sealed bearings. That means you don't have to mess with constantly oiling them, etc.

Brill reel mowers have flame hardened, welded steel blades. This flamed hardened steel, combined with the non-contact silent cut design, means that you pretty much never have to sharpen the blades. You just have to adjust them now and then.

The Brill ASM 380 comes with a 24V NiCad battery that can be used with several different attachments in addition to the mower itself. These include an electric broom, a branch cutter, a hedge trimmer, a bush trimmer and a string trimmer. If you get all the attachments and the mower, you might want to buy an extra battery so that you can mow the lawn with one battery charge and then have a second fresh battery to finish up all the trimming work.

Brill ASM 380 electric reel mower battery technical data

Battery: 20 x 1.2 V NiCd battery
Voltage / Capacity: 24V / 2.0 Ah
Weight: 1.4 kg
Number of possible charges: approximately 1,000

The Accu battery comes uncharged for technical reasons. So it has to be charged before you use it the first time. You must always use the charger that comes with the battery, because it is specifically designed to provide the optimal charge.

The battery must be stored in a dry, elevated, frost free, secure location away from children. Avoid direct sunlight. Make sure the surface and contacts are clean and dry. When dirty, clean them with a soft, dry rag. Never use running water.

If you don't use the battery for long periods of time, please charge it completely before storing. Since a gradual discharge will occur, you will need to recharge the battery completely again before initial use after a long period of storage.

Where to buy the Brill ASM 380 electric reel mower

Buy reel mowers here.

Other information about using push reel lawn mowers

Don't forget to read the general guide to using a reel mower on the front page of the site.



All of the information from this page is Copyright 2004. I spent a lot of time and effort writing this, using the knowledge I have gained from years of experience with reel mowers. You are welcome to link directly to this page or to other pages on the site, but do not steal my work. I search all the time, so I will find it if you do.