Carburetors

[lip277]

Originally Posted by ZBB

Our property isn't "really small". Smaller than your's, but the lawn mower we bought last year has enough to mow the front and back yards on one charge... The weed whacker and leaf blowing are also done -- they use the same battery pack, and edging usually takes just over one battery, and the leaf blower doesn't run out when I swap the battery over to it to finish up. We also have a hedge trimmer that uses the same batteries, which are almost 4 years old and are holding up...

My electric leaf blower (battery) runs out of juice about 2/3 of the way through blowing out my shop. That happens with both via my own Ryobi as well as a borrowed Dewalt. Electric is great for small stuff - but not if you don't have more than a multitude of batteries (and the time to charge them) or just a fairly small job.

That's ok for me though - I use the electric leaf blower as I don't want the 2 stroke gas fumes/exhaust inside when I am blowing out the shop. If I have a regular outside job to do - my gas powered Stihl blower is great.

I have a whole set of Ryobi cordless tools. They are old... and had the (I think) NiMH batteries??? Replaced the batteries with Lithium and that is great. Old tools, new batteries. Granted - If I were a pro and were using my drill for hours and hours - then I'd need a whole bank of batteries (just like my contractor friend who uses cordless tools - and has about $1,500 in just batteries - lol)

As far as gas and storage goes though - I store about 50 gallons of gas on my property. I keep it in 5 gallon jugs. It is all ethanol free 92 octane (premium) fuel. I also use Stabil (old style - not the ethanol flavored stuff).
For my generators, I shut off the valve and run it dry each time I finish with them. I do the same with my walk behind mower. The other items - I don't as there is not a gas valve for them.
But - all told - I have had very good luck with all my equipment. Both now and in the last 30 years... I also use synthetic motor oil and change it (more or less) annually. Plugs and filters - maybe every three years (or when I get around to looking at them).

The boat - I do not use it that much. I also use ethanol free fuel in it with Stabil (as above). I store the boat now in the shop (inside and heated) so, don't winterize it like I used to. I did have the carb cleaned out a few years ago - never had a problem until one time I think the years caught up with it as I had the motor stall out on the lake about 6 or 7 years ago. It would run, but just above idle.

That's about it. For me - electric is great... if you keep in mind the power density of batteries and the time it takes to recharge.

[John V]

Originally Posted by Alan

I have a battery powered EGO LB5300 my son bought me as a gift (see link below) and it is really powerful.

I don't use it for leaves, I use it to dry off my car after a wash and my son uses it to blow the snow off his car.

I would recommend it at least for the use I am using it.



https://www.acehardware.com/departme...1&gclsrc=3p.ds

The problem is that blower, plus two reasonable size batteries, comes out to more than $1,000. For that much I'll deal with moving an extension cord around and / or deal with the nuisance of 2-stroke engines.

[FC]

Originally Posted by John V

The problem is that blower, plus two reasonable size batteries, comes out to more than $1,000. For that much I'll deal with moving an extension cord around and / or deal with the nuisance of 2-stroke engines.

I have a Toro handheld (wired) electric that I use to clean my garage and woodworking tools when I am finished with them. I have plenty of Makita 18V batteries, but their blower accessory is wimpy and pricey for what it is (single battery) or heavy and expensive (dual battery).

The Toro rocks and its cheap. And while lowish flow, puts out great speed to blow out dust from tools.

But for yard work, the CFM (volume) of the backpack blower @ 236MPH is kick-ass.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by John V

The problem is that blower, plus two reasonable size batteries, comes out to more than $1,000. For that much I'll deal with moving an extension cord around and / or deal with the nuisance of 2-stroke engines.

Oh shit ... I didn't realize that was only the leaf blower, my son told me it was expensive and he got it with one battery for me originally (no idea how much he spent), 2 weeks ago he purchased a second battery which he charged to me (gotta love kids) ... I don't think it cost nearly $1k for everything ... I hope you're wrong because if not I'm going to kill him.

[John V]

Depends on the size of the battery. The cheapest one I saw was around 300 but it didn't have much capacity.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by John V

Alan, they make pretty light snowblowers.

I used mine again today and really don’t like it, what are the lighter ones ?

Mine is called a Platinum 30 SHO ...

https://www.ariens.com/en-us/power-e...latinum-30-sho

[GimpyMcFarlan]

At 278lbs our Cub Cadet is not much lighter than your Ariens. 😬

[John V]

Originally Posted by Alan

I used mine again today and really don’t like it, what are the lighter ones ?

Mine is called a Platinum 30 SHO ...

https://www.ariens.com/en-us/power-e...latinum-30-sho

The small single-stage Toros are like 100lbs.

I put my MTD on the scales today and it's right at 350. I don't have any issues moving it around.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by John V

I would LOVE an electric snowblower. I don't know of any that would do the job reasonably well, even for the small amount of snow we get here.

Something I've meant to ask multiple times and always forgotten to...Who/how does your driveway get cleared?

[John V]

Originally Posted by clyde

Something I've meant to ask multiple times and always forgotten to...Who/how does your driveway get cleared?

The shared portion (i.e. the long straight shot from Burntwoods to the back property) gets plowed by the guy who runs a tree business out of the property at the end (past our circle).

I snowblow the circle and the part up to the upper garage.