Time to convert from small engine to battery tools?

[JK22]

You are right Eddie. There is always a concern for future support. That's why I went with Stihl. I have loads of Dewalt 18v tools but they did not make a pole saw or chain saw at the time. And now that they have I do not think it takes the 18v battery. I am guessing Makita will typically use a different battery also when they fully get into it. My little makita saw takes the 18v battery so in addition to the cost of the saw i now have a battery and charger. So i have close to 350 in that little chain saw so I am glad i use it a lot.
So far, about 3 years the stihl batteries have held up great. But they better for the price.
I have that kobalt blower that has worked well for a few years but I am not expanding my line in that direction for exactly the reason you mention.

18v battery on lawn equipment would have terrible run time. Dewalt uses the Flexvolt 20v/60v system on their lawn tools.

 

[Professor Marvel]

Yep i am sure that is right. So no reason for me to go with dewalt for that. At least some of the makita chainsaws take 2 18 volt batteries so you are potentially on board for makita if you ever feel like trying them out

 

[bunyip]

We bought a battery brush cutter (weed whacker) but it just couldn't cope with the tough reed like grass that we get in our gutters so we went to an easy start stihl petrol so SWMBO can start it herself, I think it is the FS45S and we put on the plastic blades to cut this horrible stuff, she also has a Ryobi battery chainsaw that she loves.

 

[Professor Marvel]

I think the stihl battery weedwacker is plenty powerful enough but I don't weed wack. I put a saw blade on it and it drops 4 inch trees pretty well. If anybody has used the stihl battery weed whacker maybe they could let the OP know how it does. Bunyip which brand did you get that was insufficient?
also I don't know what stuff like SWMBO means.
Also I assume you mean ditches when you say gutters. My gutters are on my roof. Hey just kidding about that one.

 

[aczlan]

I was wondering the same thing myself...what's a typical run time on a battery tool like a string trimmer? Presently, all I have in that type of tool is the HF Lynx pole saw...battery seems to last quite a while on a charge, but it's only running intermittently unlike a string trimmer/weed wacker which would be running longer periods of time.

I can see how a small (14" or so) battery chain saw would be very nice to have in my work truck as long as they're up to the task. Not something I need a lot, certainly not enough to dick around with having gas with me, but when you need one you need one.

We have one of the Kobalt 80 volt weed eaters which can use Quick Change attachments. It will keep up with our Stihl FS 110 for about one tank of gas on a battery charge when trimming fence lines.
I put a pole saw attachment on it last year (a Ryobi that I got cheap at a yard sale) and was able to limb out a 60ish foot tall maple tree, cutting off anything that was 4" or smaller to drag off to the brush pile. I got it all cut off in one battery and I think it still had about two bars left on it.
We also have an Oregon 14" electric chainsaw and have been happy with that for smaller oddball work, but the 16" Stihl gas saw that my father in law has will outlast the electric saw.

Aaron Z

 

[dragoneggs]

I have a fair amount of grass on a hill that I cannot mow in fact much of it I can barely stand and move around on. As such, I let it get pretty long between mowings.

I’m going to start with two AP 300 batteries and the best/fastest charger. Hope that is enough run time.

 

[dragoneggs]

Really don’t want to invest in a backpack setup as all the other tool run times I think are livable for me. Blower concerns me a bit but I don’t have too much area I do at one time.

 

[Professor Marvel]

2 ap300s should be plenty. if not they have plenty more at the store. if you get the backpack setup you are complicating everything you do. instead of just grabbing your equipment and going you have to hook up and wear the battery backpack stuff. you might as well go back to gas at that point. Blower time will likely be a disappointment. they use a lot of battery

 

[Wagtail]

I have a fair amount of grass on a hill that I cannot mow in fact much of it I can barely stand and move around on. As such, I let it get pretty long between mowings.

I’m going to start with two AP 300 batteries and the best/fastest charger. Hope that is enough run time.

Crikey! I just Googled an AP 300 battery (took me to the Aussie Stihl site) A$269.00 each!

The specs say that it's a 6Ah, plus a lot of other whiz-bang numbers. The Ah is what I'm mostly interested in, after the brand-name/reputation. Darn near everything that I see advertised, that is battery powered, is sold as a 'skin'. The battery (the price of which rises with the Ah rating) is ubiquitous to these 'skins'... but only to that brand-name?

For example, would a Makita hammer-drill's 18V 6Ah battery fit a Ryobi? If you're going to purchase new battery powered tools do you have to buy a fleet from the same manufacturer IOT have the interchangeability of a power source?

Otherwise you end up with several different batteries (and chargers) for several different tools.

 

[Professor Marvel]

You are correct
There is very little interchangeability between brands
And on top of that brand x might have made equipment running on 18 volts for 5 years but their new stuff suddenly uses new 20 volt batteries or an 18 volt battery that is slightly different and wont fit
Crikey is right

 

[aczlan]

You are correct
There is very little interchangeability between brands
And on top of that brand x might have made equipment running on 18 volts for 5 years but their new stuff suddenly uses new 20 volt batteries or an 18 volt battery that is slightly different and wont fit
Crikey is right

And 20v vs 18v is just changing from measuring the voltage right after charging to measuring resting voltage of a fully charged battery...

Aaron Z

 

[Botaskinner]

@Oaktree,
After my 8 YO Toro trimmer seized a piston, replacement cylinder jug, piston and rings approached 100 bucks, so it looked like time to try electric power.
I bought the HF Lynx 40V trimmer.
I have 1/3 acre, about half is grass.
The good...
Battery life is adequate for about 1/2 hr of trimming. I trim until the battery dies, mow during the recharge, then finish trimming what is left over, if needed, after the recharge.
The motor sits over the string spool, so it is well balanced, about 1/2 the weight of the Toro.
Recharge time is 30 to 40 minutes.
The not so good...
It doesn't have the raw power of the Toro, but I expected that.
It takes .055 line, not as robust as I'd like but it works pretty well. Use the blue HF line sold separately. The line that comes with it is kind of wimpy.
The brass grommet the string passes thru lasted about 5 hours of run time. I'm on the hunt for a replacement eyelet and tool, should be a minor problem.
The auto advance doesn't work as advertised, but its a cinch to hand feed the line. There's
A little button on the side of the spool you press to hand feed the line. No big deal since, well, it is electric and lightweight..

Overall despite the limitations, It's enough of an improvement to say I dont miss the gasser.
My shoulder and bad back are thanking me.

HF should sell a second battery and beef up the grommet.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

We switched from gas powered drills for drilling wood poles that have to be climbed and have no truck access about 3 years ago to using the Millwaukee 18 volt Fuel tools and we have never looked back, it was the best move that we have ever made and we have continually been swapping to their other tools such as pole saw, impacts, sawzall's etc, IMHO they make some quality stuff and if it will hold up under a bunch of lineman it has to be good.

 

[bcp]

I wonder what the story is behind the standardization of flashlight, etc. battery sizes, and how could this be applied to power tool batteries?

Bruce

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have the Oregon stuff and love it but not as a replacement for gassers. Well, maybe the trimmer. Nice not to have the noise and walk between trees without it running.

I have a Makita handheld 4 stroke blower that I love and my Lady friend "usually" can get it started. It's funny because sometimes she can't and in frustration hands it to me, I pull on it once. it starts, and hand it back, Here.

 

[Diggin It]

Everybody knows that batteries have a limited run/charge lifecycle. I'm wondering how those that have converted will feel when they have to start buying replacement batteries in a year or two, or three.

 

[rangerfredbob]

@Oaktree,
After my 8 YO Toro trimmer seized a piston, replacement cylinder jug, piston and rings approached 100 bucks, so it looked like time to try electric power.
I bought the HF Lynx 40V trimmer.
I have 1/3 acre, about half is grass.
The good...
Battery life is adequate for about 1/2 hr of trimming. I trim until the battery dies, mow during the recharge, then finish trimming what is left over, if needed, after the recharge.
The motor sits over the string spool, so it is well balanced, about 1/2 the weight of the Toro.
Recharge time is 30 to 40 minutes.
The not so good...
It doesn't have the raw power of the Toro, but I expected that.
It takes .055 line, not as robust as I'd like but it works pretty well. Use the blue HF line sold separately. The line that comes with it is kind of wimpy.
The brass grommet the string passes thru lasted about 5 hours of run time. I'm on the hunt for a replacement eyelet and tool, should be a minor problem.
The auto advance doesn't work as advertised, but its a cinch to hand feed the line. There's
A little button on the side of the spool you press to hand feed the line. No big deal since, well, it is electric and lightweight..

Overall despite the limitations, It's enough of an improvement to say I dont miss the gasser.
My shoulder and bad back are thanking me.

HF should sell a second battery and beef up the grommet.

I recently bought the blower and pole saw, they do sell spare batteries for I think $60 but now that I have those and somehow I got two batteries with the pole saw so I have 3 batteries , thinking of getting at least the chainsaw to have around for when I'm doing something quick...

 

[Botaskinner]

Yeah, I just noticed batteries are now available. A bit stiff for the price but maybe prices could drop over time.

 

[Diggin It]

My only battery stuff so far is the Ryobi One+ stuff, drills, saws and one line trimmer. I've had to have a few batteries replaced under warranty and have bought a couple of extras. But at least they don't cost as much as some of the others.

 

[JK22]

Everybody knows that batteries have a limited run/charge lifecycle. I'm wondering how those that have converted will feel when they have to start buying replacement batteries in a year or two, or three.

True... and as the larger batteries get more capacity they are also getting much much more expensive also. Best way to preserve your batteries is to keep them warm. Letting them freeze in the garage is the worst thing you can do for their longevity.