The Ongoing Super Mega Weather Thread v3

[curves2000]

My use case for fuel powered tools is a little more multi-residential, not really commercial use but more than a regular driveway. I still know in the long run it's cheaper overall for high quality, gas powered products. This is a key factor for me. Buying top quality always ends up being cheaper overall in the longer run cause you replace a lot less often and just repair and maintain (reparability) is key but that applies to everything.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by curves2000

My use case for fuel powered tools is a little more multi-residential, not really commercial use but more than a regular driveway. I still know in the long run it's cheaper overall for high quality, gas powered products. This is a key factor for me. Buying top quality always ends up being cheaper overall in the longer run cause you replace a lot less often and just repair and maintain (reparability) is key but that applies to everything.

You are kind of moving the goal posts now. Your original post said that under modest use batteries will fail and they aren’t good. It’s just not true now a days and we shouldn’t lead people to believe that. I have a yard on the larger size and a ryobi mower that’s now I think 10 years old. I’ve seen no battery decline, thing never even gets under half a battery charge per mow even when it’s heavy and I use self propelled. Haven’t spent a dime on the thing aside from blade sharpening.

Now maybe for multi use you start to feel different although again with newer stuff, you grab an extra battery or two and you are done with Jerry cans, and filters, and tune ups, and it always, always starts. Still you are probably right for a heavier use case but the gap is narrowing.

[woob]

Curves moving the goalposts??

But yeah modern battery powered mowers etc are more than sufficient for MOST home use scenarios. And people who own them are generally smart enough to know the battery and charger shouldn’t sit in a freezing cold garage.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Whynotnow

You are kind of moving the goal posts now. Your original post said that under modest use batteries will fail and they aren’t good. It’s just not true now a days and we shouldn’t lead people to believe that. I have a yard on the larger size and a ryobi mower that’s now I think 10 years old. I’ve seen no battery decline, thing never even gets under half a battery charge per mow even when it’s heavy and I use self propelled. Haven’t spent a dime on the thing aside from blade sharpening.

Now maybe for multi use you start to feel different although again with newer stuff, you grab an extra battery or two and you are done with Jerry cans, and filters, and tune ups, and it always, always starts. Still you are probably right for a heavier use case but the gap is narrowing.

That's the other factor. No more buying gas, mixing in the oil and all that junk. Just pop the battery in, get the chore over with and go about your day. If you have a lot of space to clear, buy the extra battery once.

[Fuzz]

Electric is also a lot lighter. I put my electric snowblower away for the summer on a shelf above the car. No way would I lift a gas one up there. I can lift it up the small steps to my deck with no problem, so I can do my deck with it. It would be a big wrestling job to get gas one up there. I got it about 7 years ago so I went corded due to a long driveway. But I keep eyeing up the battery ones. Zero interest looking at gas.


And who wants to pour gas from a jerry can in -20 and risk getting it on their winter clothes, gloves etc? Figure out why it's not starting this time? I'll be happy when my gas mower bites the dust and I can replace it. Don't need that mess and noise.

[PepsiFree]

I go corded for most of these things because I have enough outdoor outlets and they come in cheaper than battery powered (with the tradeoff being an annoying cord) but electric beats out gas powered in every way.

They’re cheaper in the short term and long term, more reliable, lighter, and just overall easier to use. Nothing wrong with continuing to use gas powered if you still have it and it’s working fine, but going electric is a real “ah ha” moment. You pretty quickly realize how much time, money, and energy you were wasting keeping the gas thing going.

[SportsJunky]

Plus, I don't have to worry about the silly teenagers in my home having to fill the mower, trimmer, blower with gasoline. Nothing simpler for them than charging and changing a battery.

[topfiverecords]

Upon reading the last couple pages I think the issue is curves is using a battery powered mower to clear snow.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by curves2000

People will leave the machine in the garage in -20 weather, go to start it when they need it and find out the battery is dead and needs charging.

If you take the battery/batteries out between uses and keep in a heated area it will never do that.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Upon reading the last couple pages I think the issue is curves

fixed

[MacDaddy77]

We moved and are now on a snow route. Anyone have feedback on battery snow blowers capability to chew through the crud left behind when the city "clears" the snow? I'm thinking of getting one so I can blow the area near the sidewalk on the road that gets piled up but it gets chunky hard and icy.

I'm looking at either the Snow Joe 80V 2 stage or the ryobi 2 stage.

I'm thinking battery so I can clear snow early in the mornings without waking people up before going to work.

[Fuzz]

Gonna need an excavator, not a snow blower.

[MacDaddy77]

Your not wrong but also the people next door are older and husband isn't in good shape, we have a 3 car garage and sidewalk and their driveway and sidewalk I've been clearing. It's a lot of snow.

Thinking if I can get to it the same day they clear it I can keep it clean

[Fuzz]

I'm not sure there is an electric that could get through it, even when recently plowed. I think you have to go gas if that is an important part of your clearing. My plug in electric is about as powerful as you can get on a 15A circuit, and it will struggle with the super heavy wet snow at 5cm. The driest lightest snow it can take care of up to 30-40cm or so, but typical mid moisture snowfalls here it is good for 15-20cms. But if I've blasted stuff into a pile and I want to move that pile(similar to a loose windrow), it just doesn't have much oomph once it's compressed a bit. I can take small bites. But I also don't have any ice chunks that get dug up. And that's corded. Battery is going to be weaker. In, uh... short, I don't think an electric can clear the average plowed windrow.

[DownInFlames]

Tools are so bourgeois. I have people for such tasks.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

We moved and are now on a snow route. Anyone have feedback on battery snow blowers capability to chew through the crud left behind when the city "clears" the snow? I'm thinking of getting one so I can blow the area near the sidewalk on the road that gets piled up but it gets chunky hard and icy.

I'm looking at either the Snow Joe 80V 2 stage or the ryobi 2 stage.

I'm thinking battery so I can clear snow early in the mornings without waking people up before going to work.

You want a two-stage system for sure, and probably a gas one. I haven't used a single-stage electric, but the auger on the big gas units is what will help you get through that ice and snow when they come around and plow. Even that is a big ask, though.

[Ironhorse]

Unfortunately you need to diligently stay on top of the windrows that the plows push up and dig them out the day they happen (usually by shovel, the little electric can't handle the heavy stuff, some two stage gas ones will), otherwise they freeze up and you're in for a world of hurt.

[Knut]

Is it just me or does it seem to snow the Most on Mondays and Fridays the last few years

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Knut

Is it just me or does it seem to snow the Most on Mondays and Fridays the last few years

Seems to always snow on days I have an appointment that takes me to the other side of the city.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Seems to always snow on days I have an appointment that takes me to the other side of the city.

I think he was making a cocaine reference, knowing knut.

My cardio appointments were always on snow days and my blood pressure is high when I arrive and it's because I almost died three times on the way into the dump lougheed hospital and there is no parking and I am seething by the time I get there.