What happened to HP ratings on small engines

[schmism]

So im in the farm store the other day waiting in like for like EVER because the people in front of me were morons trying to rain check some crap so i was left to wander around the tillers that were displayed next to the isle.

and thats when i notced they all had a CC number on them.... not a single HP number.

then i get a spam message from NortherTool about some new off brand for power equipment they are launching "powerhorse" or some such and click the link only to find all the listings for power equipment... again only list a CC number.


What the heck because for the past 40 years a HP rateing on the side of an engine was to easy to understand so now they just list a CC size!

ARG!!!!!!

who's stupid idea was this!

/rant

 

[srjones]

Having a bad day?

I suspect it has something to do with the fact the the definition of HP can vary greatly.

Horsepower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Engine displacement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[emmy71]

I noticed that too the other day at tractor supply. I also noticed that all the Briggs and Straton engines had a warning on them "not for use on go-karts, serious injury including paralysis can occur". Well I guess I will have to take the B&S engine off my son's go-kart and replace with a Honda. Or better yet, a 125cc two stroke off a dirt bike. That should be safer.:confused2:

Terry

 

[Jimbrown]

I suspect because the HP numbers you have seen for year are bogus as all get out. I got a 20in mower which claims to be 6 HP ain't no way in heck that thing can make 6 HP well maybe at 12,000 rpm for the 30 seconds before it exploded.

 

[charlz]

Supposedly the new way of listing the engine size by torque is supposed to be more accurate.... but man it is confusing as well.

 

[schmism]

Supposedly the new way of listing the engine size by torque is supposed to be more accurate.... but man it is confusing as well.

i dont see how its any better than the HP number used in the past.

again you dont give me any rpms for which that number is supposed to be accurate. Great its 208cc and 9.00 ft.-lbs. of torque..... at an RPM that is 300rpm above what they have the governor set to.

Perhaps instead of just dropping the HP number overnight, you phase in the new labeling for a couple of years so consumers get an idea of what cc and torque USED to be there 6hp engine etc.

Or better yet, move to the EU system and put a watt label on it. easy to see that this one puts out 4500w and the other one puts out 4400 w

 

[eepete]

It would be nice if both manufactures and consumers where just slightly smarter and instead of trying to characterize an engine with a single number we would use even a simple graph or set of numbers.
Imagine listing the HP or KW or torque at the wheels at say 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and WOT RPM. Of course, engines in different applications would be a different numbers. A chain saw might just be a WOT, but for most tractors from riding mowers to big'ins, gas to diesel, that would give you a much better idea of what you've got.
Of course the world would spend a few decades arguing about which numbers, but if the information was presented as a graph then we really wouldn't need to agree- just publish the graph. Between the graph, displacement of the engine, and knowing the type and use of the engine we would all have a better picture of what the engine could do.

Of course, that might be why we don't have a graph. The job of markeeting is to confuse the buyer into a choice. Facts get in the way .

Pete

 

[MossRoad]

I noticed in the northern tool catalog that came to my house last week most of the engined (including Honda) did not have HP listed. The Kohlers still had HP listed.

 

[reb]

...

Or better yet, move to the EU system and put a watt label on it. easy to see that this one puts out 4500w and the other one puts out 4400 w

There is a direct correlation between watts and horsepower (746 watts = 1 hp). The manufacturers would just exaggerate the watt rating, too., if that became the standard.

I find it funny that horsepower numbers for electric motors are overstated, too. A trolling motor rated at 3 hp would have to draw 187 amps from a 12v battery if it were 100% efficient, more like 230 amps for a real motor. It would take a beefy battery to last very long at that load. Wires large enough to handle that current for any length of time would be impractical. The same marketing hype applies to all the electric tools in your favorite hardware store.

 

[RandyT]

as far as phasing in the torque ratings system briggs started the change over 3 years ago. briggs uses torque on all there small economy engines but still uses hp on the vanguard. HP ratings vary by who uses the engine. Walked into sears a couple years ago and saw a rider with 23 HP on the hood. The kohler engine was a CV22S rated at 22 HP by kohler. The HP rating varied on pushmowers by whatever the OEM wanted to put on the engine. Rumor has it the briggs had a load of 3.75 HP engines in stock and the OEM wanted 4 HP engines so they relabeled them.