Battery powered chainsaw

[CloverKnollFarms]

I don’t doubt the electric has more power… endurance matters to some folks though. And lack of that requires constant 120vac access. I’d suspect a guy needing that 82v saw, isn’t in his back yard cutting.

I feel like there is a big sweet spot for saws in terms of weight and performance, and the battery saws have a hard time fitting into it

 

[WinterDeere]

I have great hope for electric saws in the future. Nothing would be better than to replace gas & oil with a really fast charged battery in the trucks cab. Need to get the weight down, too. Maybe when electric trucks, with their vast electric reserves are available, this will happen?

As long as we're bound to Li-Ion tech, the weight vs. runtime issue will remain similar. Only a change to a new higher energy density chemical or solid state battery tech will allow that barrier to fall.

With easy access to a recharge source, you could run smaller and lighter batteries, and just swap them more frequently. For my scenario, and surely for yours, this is not a great solution. But for some, it's likely a good option.

I am sure someday we'll have better tech than Li-Ion, but you've already seen the penalty for the high energy density that tech allows, way more battery fires than older (Ni-MH or Ni-cad) batteries ever experienced. It's probable that any push to even higher energy densities will come with even more such problems.

 

[xyz123]

Those echo 2500 that is like the gas version 2511 in size and weight with batt installed is a commercial cutters dream for quite zones.

They already using the bigger husky and stihl ones in quite zones for years now.

DCS-2500T 12" Battery Powered Top Handle Chainsaw | ECHO

Battery convenience, ECHO power. Learn more about the DCS-2500T and other chainsaws today at ECHO.

www.echo-usa.com

DCS-2500, Chain Saw | ECHO

Battery powered, professional rear handle chain saw. - DCS-2500, Chain Saw by ECHO

www.echotools.com

 

[Hay Dude]

As long as we're bound to Li-Ion tech, the weight vs. runtime issue will remain similar. Only a change to a new higher energy density chemical or solid state battery tech will allow that barrier to fall.

With easy access to a recharge source, you could run smaller and lighter batteries, and just swap them more frequently. For my scenario, and surely for yours, this is not a great solution. But for some, it's likely a good option.

I am sure someday we'll have better tech than Li-Ion, but you've already seen the penalty for the high energy density that tech allows, way more battery fires than older (Ni-MH or Ni-cad) batteries ever experienced. It's probable that any push to even higher energy densities will come with even more such problems.

Maybe they’ll invent a “blue tooth” saw

 

[4570Man]

I have great hope for electric saws in the future. Nothing would be better than to replace gas & oil with a really fast charged battery in the trucks cab. Need to get the weight down, too. Maybe when electric trucks, with their vast electric reserves are available, this will happen?

I don’t. Lithium batteries have been around since the late 60s. They aren’t exactly new technology. So far nothing else is even close to a workable prototype. Batteries are drastically lacking in energy storage compared to gasoline. The greenies like to pretend we’re just around the corner from a revolutionary breakthrough but I don’t see any evidence that’s true. Lithium batteries also cost a lot. Like several hundred dollars compared to probably 50 cents equivalent of gasoline and they’re already prone to bursting into flames. Probably more so than the gasoline.

 

[alpha&omega]

We own a Christmas tree farm - 480 acres. I have always used gas, but when Milwaukee came out with their battery operated I gave it a try. Man oh man! Easy to use, quick, power out of the box. The only problem is the weight and the need to buy the bigger M18 batteries (either the 8 or the 12, I’d say the 12 is the only way to go for that type of equipment). They are one of the heaviest and most expensive of the M18’s, but it’s worth it for run time.

 

[Hay Dude]

I don’t. Lithium batteries have been around since the late 60s. They aren’t exactly new technology. So far nothing else is even close to a workable prototype. Batteries are drastically lacking in energy storage compared to gasoline. The greenies like to pretend we’re just around the corner from a revolutionary breakthrough but I don’t see any evidence that’s true. Lithium batteries also cost a lot. Like several hundred dollars compared to probably 50 cents equivalent of gasoline and they’re already prone to bursting into flames. Probably more so than the gasoline.

Ye have little faith in the future of new technology

 

[LouNY]

I'm still satisfied with my Harbor Freight Atlas 80 Volt saw. It's good for several cuts and great for opening up tree's that block the driveway. I just section them to a size I can push out of the way with the tractor. For bucking up more then one tree it wouldn't be the saw of choice but for storm rough cleanup and a quick job it's good,

 

[ultrarunner]

We own a Christmas tree farm - 480 acres. I have always used gas, but when Milwaukee came out with their battery operated I gave it a try. Man oh man! Easy to use, quick, power out of the box. The only problem is the weight and the need to buy the bigger M18 batteries (either the 8 or the 12, I’d say the 12 is the only way to go for that type of equipment). They are one of the heaviest and most expensive of the M18’s, but it’s worth it for run time.

Combined we have 95 acres of Christmas Trees in the family and switched to Stihl AP battery saws about 6 years ago starting with one and now have 4.

The gas saws rarely come out and the seasonal gas saw issues are no more and nighttime Christmas season operation no longer a noise issue…

So far no battery issues and the newer AP batteries have more capacity and interchange.

 

[WinterDeere]

Lithium batteries have been around since the late 60s.

What lithium-ion battery existed in the late 1960's? The first commercially-available Lithium Ion battery was released by Sony in 1991. Even the underlying science behind them didn't start until the late 1970's, and the first working lab models mostly happened in the 1980's.

So far nothing else is even close to a workable prototype.

Lithium Sulfer packs about 4x the energy per pound of Lithium Ion, and prototypes have indeed been built and tested. This is likely the next technology to see full-scale production. Lithium Air, sodium-ion, and solid state (versus liquid Li-Ion) batteries are all at various prototype stages.

Batteries are drastically lacking in energy storage compared to gasoline.

Yes, per pound or kg, gasoline is way ahead. Something like 12 kW/kg versus 500 W/kg. Even after considering the low efficiency of a gasoline engine, you're netting something like 8x better energy per pound from gasoline.

The greenies like to pretend we’re just around the corner from a revolutionary breakthrough but I don’t see any evidence that’s true.

It's not just the greenies. I suspect most buying battery saws are more interested in the convenience factor, than any environmental factor.

Lithium batteries also cost a lot. Like several hundred dollars compared to probably 50 cents equivalent of gasoline and they’re already prone to bursting into flames. Probably more so than the gasoline.

Not sure I follow you, here. Gasoline can't be re-used, but Li-Ion batteries are happy through many thousands of recharge cycles. Seems like a useless comparison. You'd do better to look at TCO of the equipment, all factors considered.