Battery Powered Lawn Equipment

[AzOr]

I actually kinda like the trimmer head on my Ego electric. You cut 18' of line, string it halfway through the head (9' on either side), then twist the head to feed it back in. The entire process takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes.

Good to know. I have that trimmer but it’s so new I haven’t had to change line.
So far I’m impressed with ego’s stuff. A little spendy but nice.
I’ve hade their blower for 3 years and use it at least three times per week.

 

[S-Met]

I actually kinda like the trimmer head on my Ego electric. You cut 18' of line, string it halfway through the head (9' on either side), then twist the head to feed it back in. The entire process takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes.

My 40v ryobi has a a similar setup. Comes with a hand crank. Can reload in about 90 seconds.

 

[jcav]

I tried various string trimmer heads, including the one with the plastic "blades". The one below, which is cheap on amazon and Home Depot, is by far the best. I took a whole spool of string (and a beer) and cut the whole spool into the necessary lengths. That will probably last me a lifetime.

Replacing string is so easy. I HATED the string "feeder" heads that come with trimmers, gawd.


View attachment 640195

Hey Andrew, I went through them all too and I ended up with the same one you posted. Works great and keeps going without ripping off the string if you hit something! I also make my own replacements with a spool of line. I have a little over and acre of land and I also cut my mom's house (who also has a little more than an acre) and it's great not having to mess with the line all the time.

John

 

[Miller4]

We just got some new stihl battery equipment at work today, haven’t gotten to try them out yet, but interested in how they do compared to the gas equipment. I think they will definitely have their place in the lineup though.

 

[applescrap]

They're all a pita. The C3 advances line by letting off and on the trigger. It mostly works, but like the bump and feeds, sometimes the line gets bound on the spool.

The type like above are okay(ish) if the machine can handle heavy line, at least .095. Even then, if you do a lot of whacking or you whack it hard it means you have stop and reload a lot. IME anyway.

Opposite here, but I remember that when growing up. The ryobi let's a little out when started. I thought, yeah sure, Mf,ers want to make everyone buy string. But in actual fact as long as it's on you only add when you want by turning it off. And has worked flawlessly since I got it. So I have been cheap and tried rewinding many many times and finally was like, just pay the little extra and get the wound. So got the spools, one goes, and another on. This light weight pos is awesome, I still wildly reccomend. I take no care of it, never clean it, and toss it in with other tools when done. Same battery still, pretty cool. I got my 60 dollars back.

 

[Tartan1]

I've have owned a "Core" 20.5V-6aH string trimmer with interchangeable blower attachment for about 5 years now. Been very happy with the battery life out of it so far. Trimming alone I can get about 4-5 hours on a charge. When using the blower attachment it cuts the battery runtime down to about 2-3 hours on highest setting. Not sure if this brand is still around as I was looking at getting the hedge trim attachment at some point. This thing has been a tank so far.

 

[bracconiere]

if you do a lot of whacking or you whack it hard

LOL

 

[Miller4]

Finally got a chance to do a quick test run on the new stihl equipment.

Pros
-lightweight
-no startup, just squeeze trigger and go
-the backpack takes all the weight off the tool so it is even lighter in hand
-can just leave the pack on and swap tools very fast.
-very quiet, biggest plus I see for working around the public
-plenty powerful, edged a bunch of sidewalks and blew them off no problem whatsoever.
-feels kind of like I’m a ghostbuster, could be a pro or a con.

Cons
-Price!
These are great and I’ll use them a lot at work, but unless they were priced closer to a gas tool I wouldn’t buy it for my personal use. The tool cost is about the same, but then the batteries add up fast, the smallest is $200 and the largest backpack model is $1000.
-can’t speak to battery life yet until I get to test them for a full day.

Overall I like them and will be happy to use them especially when working close to the public.

 

[beermanpete]

Hoover Dam has all the power I need. Buy an extension cord.

 

[Miller4]

Hoover Dam has all the power I need. Buy an extension cord.

I’m going to need a loooooooooong extension cord.

 

[NGD]

Finally got a chance to do a quick test run on the new stihl equipment.

Pros
-lightweight
-no startup, just squeeze trigger and go
-the backpack takes all the weight off the tool so it is even lighter in hand
-can just leave the pack on and swap tools very fast.
-very quiet, biggest plus I see for working around the public
-plenty powerful, edged a bunch of sidewalks and blew them off no problem whatsoever.
-feels kind of like I’m a ghostbuster, could be a pro or a con.

Cons
-Price!
These are great and I’ll use them a lot at work, but unless they were priced closer to a gas tool I wouldn’t buy it for my personal use. The tool cost is about the same, but then the batteries add up fast, the smallest is $200 and the largest backpack model is $1000.
-can’t speak to battery life yet until I get to test them for a full day.

Overall I like them and will be happy to use them especially when working close to the public.View attachment 640769 View attachment 640770

The posted run times on Stihls website is fairly impressive. One thing I may have missed is what type of motor are these running? Brushed or brushless?

 

[Miller4]

Brushless

 

[bracconiere]

hopefully the backpack doesn't catch fire while you're wearing it....lol

 

[bracconiere]

Hoover Dam has all the power I need. Buy an extension cord.

and here i remember being a kid coming back to san diego, from san fran...looking at san onofre.

edit: when you really need long lasting electric power...nuclear! i'd like to see @Miller4 with that strapped to his back!

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Started with some Kobalt stuff. It was just okay IMO. The beginning of the season and the sales that came with it prompted me to go EGO. I got the trimmer/blower 2.5 ah set on sale and then the 7.0 ah self-propelled mower with a bit of a discount. I'm kicking myself for not doing that years ago. The trimmer shreds, the blower's turbo functions is amazing, and the self propelled feature still works without the blade spinning (suck on that, gas!). Of course it sounds like a Power Wheels on the way back to the shed, but that doesn't make it that much less amazing.

Pro tip: When patronizing the big orange place for a sizable purchase, visit the pro desk or customer service first - ask for a discount. A lot of the times they will have a 10% off coupon (you may have to use your card). Sometimes they'll take even more off. At minimum you should get 5%.

 

[Kent88]

A buddy of mine told me how nice his 80v greenworks trimmer worked, so I went ahead and got one for myself. It's overkill for my little yard.

I've got some problem trees that need to come down, but the tree removal folks want a ton because the one in the backyard is tough to get at, really tall, and over power lines and my roof. I bought the pole saw that takes that battery and I've tested it out a few times on some safer branches. Works pretty good so far.

So today I plan to head up on my roof and see what I can reach. Hopefully I can take down enough branches to make it pay for itself.

 

[day_trippr]

Please don't end up on your local news channels

 

[Kent88]

I had second thoughts after I actually got up on the roof. I think I'll hire a professional. Not worth dying over.

 

[day_trippr]

Probably for the best.
I'm not a fan of roofs + power lines + long electrically conductive tools even on my best days

Cheers!

 

[Inkleg]

I had second thoughts after I actually got up on the roof. I think I'll hire a professional. Not worth dying over.

While trimming a tree about 25 years ago I came REAL close to falling 20 feet to the ground. Decided that day to leave that job to the professionals from then on.

 

[Kent88]

I was also thinking I would be able to take it up on a ladder or maybe back a truck over somewhere close to where I wanted to make a cut. Then I remembered that one needs a quick, unobstructed path to safety when big branches are falling.

I'm keeping my feet firmly on the ground when I use that saw.

But I've found a few more branches that were safe to cut down. I'm still pretty impressed with this saw.

 

[applescrap]

My neighbor rented a lift. Still looked like it sucked, and it was scary. I think he uses carefully placed ladders too. Better safe than sorry for sure.

I finally got the dustbuster replacement yesterday. 28 dollars and so glad to have it back. Shares battery with weed wacker. They had saws and vacuums, nail guns and drills it's pretty cool.

 

[Zuljin]

So I went with a Stihl FSA 56 and AK10 lithium battery for the weed whacker. That was the package deal at the local power equipment shop. $199.99. Stihl has a solid reputation for strength and durability.

It's winter, but it's been mild and my trimming in the back is way behind. I've been using it to reestablish bed borders and trim some areas down low. It's doing great. This thing takes up to 0.080 line. That's gas whacker size. The head is bump feed. Run time, under heavy use, is only 14-16 minutes. I may go back for the AK20 or AK30 battery. We'll see how it does when it's just bi-weekly maintenance trimming. I've two small spools of 0.065 line to try. May run a little longer with smaller line when doing lighter work.

I have a Ryobi battery trimmer. It has a lot of power and I like that I can swap out attachments on it to replace other equipment as they die (e.g. hedge trimmer). I have a corded electric lawn mower that works great but dealing with the cord is a PITA especially because I do not have an outlet on the front side of the house. When it dies I am definitely replacing it with a battery powered unit.

Craftsman used to be a great brand but, like B&D, it has been outsourced as a name to far inferior manufacturers.

My hedge trimmer is an electric (corded) B&D bought used from Goodwill. There are only 4 small bushes I need that kind of trimmer for. Works fine for them.

Yeah, everything still gas here, chainsaws, trimmers, tiller, power washer, 46" triple-bin riding mower, etc.
An acre+ of lawn plus a crapton of planting beds and a veggie garden and a lot of big ass trees are just way out of electric's wheel house...

Cheers!

My chainsaw is an electric (corded) Craftsman. For what I do with, don't miss gas at all. Plenty power. I had a cheap Remington before that I bought when my gas Poulan (residential grade) died in the middle of processing a large dead tree. I smoked that poor little Remington. It was never intended for that.

 

[Kent88]

My questionable lawn equipment purchases continue.

I actually took down enough branches with my pole saw that when I had the tree removal guy over this spring he reduced his price by more than the value of the saw. But I now have no reason to have a saw. No trees!

A friend of mine was so impressed by what I said about my pole saw he bought a regular chainsaw in the 80v greenworks line (same line as what I have), and he is getting a lot of use out of it and is really happy with his purchase.

I even went ahead and and bought the tiller/cultivator from that line. I think it will work best as a cultivator, but it isn't like I'm going to be tilling new ground every spring. I tried it out in an overgrown / neglected raised bed and it worked fine.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

But gas haz moar powah!

I know. Ive used the four stroke type with handlebars. Anyway.

I've a Craftsman C3 weedwhacker. It's okay. 19.2 volt lithium ion. Handles routine trimming just fine. It'll do heavier work, but that wears down the battery pretty quick. I'm also on my second battery in 3 or 4 years and I think it's waning.

What do y'all use and how is it?

Kobalt battery weed eater and a Kobalt bush trimmer.
Love it. On it's 3rd year. Quiet, lighter and faster RPM than gas. I only have to charge it maybe 4 or 5 times per summer.

 

[Zuljin]

The Stihl is doing the job with the small battery pack, so long as I stay on the yard. If there's a lot of heavy work in the back, it won't make it to the front. Normally it does. The smaller .065 line gives me maybe a few minutes run time over the 0.08 and lasts just as long on the spool. .065 it is then. I'll buy another AK10 battery. If this thing lasts through the year, I'll be replacing all my gas and corded equipment with Stihl as the old stuff breaks.

 

[BruceH]

Kobalt battery weed eater and a Kobalt bush trimmer.
Love it. On it's 3rd year. Quiet, lighter and faster RPM than gas. I only have to charge it maybe 4 or 5 times per summer.

Had a Kobalt string trimmer. Worked great for the first season. Then it wouldn't work, Lowes wouldn't work with me.

Ended up tearing apart my 25 year old Homelite gas trimmer. Replaced the rings, gave it a scotchbrite hone on the cylinder walls, and it works again. A ring had broken and scarred the piston and wall. New rings seal it up enough to run.

I still want to get some cordless but have no idea where to spend my money.

 

[AzOr]

So... went to start my gas mower today and couldn’t get that thing to turn over. Took apart a bunch of stuff. I had previously replaced the carb.
Anyways, after an hour fidgeting with it and both hands reeking of gas, I said screw it. Went and bought an Ego cordless mower since I already own a trimmer and blower by them.

I got the basic one and couldn’t be happier. The thing isplenty powerful and super quiet. I don’t have to screw with carburetors any more. And nomore stinky gas. I have a smallish yard so the one charge was plenty.

 

[NGD]

So... went to start my gas mower today and couldn’t get that thing to turn over. Took apart a bunch of stuff. I had previously replaced the carb.
Anyways, after an hour fidgeting with it and both hands reeking of gas, I said screw it. Went and bought an Ego cordless mower since I already own a trimmer and blower by them.

I got the basic one and couldn’t be happier. The thing isplenty powerful and super quiet. I don’t have to screw with carburetors any more. And nomore stinky gas. I have a smallish yard so the one charge was plenty.

Been eyeballing one. Just a heads up. In searching around for a larger battery for my EGO blower I came across several complaints of dead batteries after a 8-12 months. Considering the 7.5ah batteries are $350 I’ve held off.

Something tells me its users running them flat, fast charging the same battery for multiple cycles til the job is done then leaving it discharged until next time.

Also EGO appears to be pulling back from several markets here on the west coast. Home Depot online and Grainger appear to have either discontinued or are running stock down. Hope thats not the case though. My blower works great and one less carb to fiddle with in the spring.

 

[Dland]

I'm all in with the Sthil AP-300 series battery equipment. Crew and customer satisfaction, as well as convenience make the investment worth it. While a ways from replacing all the gas powered 2 cycle stuff, and a very long way from replacing the big mowers, they fill a niche and we use them more and more. So far I have 2 chain saws, a rock saw, three blowers, two hedge trimmers, a pole saw and and a string trimmer, as well as a 21 inch mower for enclosed garden lawns. The chargers are fast, and with a few extra batteries, running out of power has yet to become a problem.