Time to convert from small engine to battery tools?

[Professor Marvel]

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.

3rd year on my battery stuff that was worth keeping and no replacement needed yet. Some other stuff wasn't worth keeping so i threw it out. Stihl, Makita and Kobalt 80v work well so far

 

[bunyip]

Also I assume you mean ditches when you say gutters. My gutters are on my roof. Hey just kidding about that one.

SWMBO she who must be obeyed....
Gutters, ditches, channels, storm drains, the one at the front of home is about 6' deep x 9' wide and fills when we get heavy rain, claims a car sometimes.
line cutter was ryobi, probably good for a small lawn but not much else, the stihl 3 blade head works well and the plastic blades are sharp and heavy.
Battery packs can be repacked with good quality batteries, we have several companies who do this and they are cheaper than OEM.
I have also seen a variety of after market batteries on ebay but haven't tried them.

 

[RalphVa]

I had to do so because I cannot have a running engine near my ICD. We have B&D 18v chain saws and a Kobalt 40v one. The Kobalt is better and good. Had both a B&D and Kobalt grass whip but destroyed my B&D one by running over it with the tractor. Also have a Kobalt 40v lawn mower, 18", not too powerful but nice for being able to easily push it around in tight spots.

Ralph

 

[newbury]

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.

My BIL has a 20V B&D that he carries in his truck ALL the time. Very handy for wood up to about 8".
I bought a DeWalt Flexvolt Trimmer w/ a 3AH @ 60V battery, wears me out. And the Echo 215511 Pro Maxi-Cut Head (3 swinging plastic blades) swapped in easy.

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

I kinda settled on DeWalt, they have an adapter for their 18V NiCd and their new "Flexvolt: batteries fit in MOST of their old 20v Max tools.

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.

My DeWalt batteries are warranted for 5 years. I've had some for 6 years and only one has failed and that was just recently.

The capability to use my tools without regard to running extension cords or generators greatly enhanced my tool mobility. It has also led to different methods of storing and using tools. I keep a leaf blower by the door, battery means no extension cord, easy use. One of my chainsaws "lives" under the kitchen table, no smell, no mess, ready to go. Using a weedwacker used to mean either fueling a 2 stroke or hauling out a long heavy extension cord. Now if I'm not brush cutting it's just grab n'go.

Overall I've got about $3K of DeWalt 20V/Flexvolt tools and batteries. But now I've got most of the ones that I use often. And I bought their DeWalt 1800 Watt Portable Power Station and Charger. This let's me plug in a regular 120V tool and run it fine. Thus I don't need the jig saw, the metal trimmer, the hedge trimmer etc. I just use my regular ones and carry the power station. I'd like to find an adapter to use it as a jump starter.

I'm wondering how many 60V batteries it will take to replace the engine in my M4700.

 

[bunyip]

I'm wondering how many 60V batteries it will take to replace the engine in my M4700.

None, Just wait for the new Tesla tractor:thumbsup:
(They will probably release one now)

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I was at HD today and noted that they had a Ryobi 40V battery powered riding lawn mower. My lawns are not big enough for a rider but my EGO 40V pusher works real well and my wife loves it. A chore I was able to pass off to her. The stable is expanding with Ryobi and EGO. 40V 18" chain saw is a real tool.

Ryobi has really expanded their line of lawn/garden tools. They also now have a 6 AHR 8 volt battery, $128. having a lot of their 18V told now will have to watch for a sale on those batteries, I have several 4s and a couple 2s. The 6 place charger keeps them all charged.

ron

 

[oosik]

My only lawn care tools are still gassers. Riding mower & Stihl FS 350. When I do use these two tools - it can be a multiple day project. The battery powered replacements just aren't large enough. I use my JD100, riding mower, like a lot of you guys use your brush hog. I do have battery powered drills for use right around the tool shed.

When I go out on the property - it's my Honda generator, extension cord, corded drill, worm drive saw, Hole Hog drill, jig saw, etc. I still use my two Stihl gas chain saws for maintaining my pines & pine stands.

I HAVE gone to a much smaller Stihl chain saw - MS190. I don't get so darn tired and risk a serious situation. My bigger Stihl - 280 - has been relegated to cutting up dead and fallen trees. It's just too heavy for long bouts of thinning stands of young trees.

I know that I may eventually move to cordless tools - but not yet.

 

[Mendonsy]

I have several Ryobi 18v tools including drills, a weed wacker, and a pole saw. The old Ni-Cd batteries get weak after about 5-6 years, but the LI batteries seem to hold up well. The run time is good enough for my use, but I can see cases where spare batteries would be required. The batteries seem to charge at about the same rate as they discharge so one spare battery is probably enough.
The problem with battery tools is that the replacement batteries cost about the same as a new tool. That is much like the H-P and Epson printers where it is cheaper to replace the printer than it is to buy the replacement ink cartridges. I did find a Chinese vendor on flea-bay selling the 4.0 ah 18v LI batteries for $55 a pair so I bought one set to try out. So far they seem to be OK.

 

[bunyip]

I have used my Milwaukee 18v Fuel for punching a 3/4" auger through 8-10" posts when hanging gates, hasn't missed a beat, they are a brute.
Got a 5 piece kit with 2 x 5ah batteries, drill, impact driver, sabre saw, circ saw, angle grinder, all get a good workout.

 

[ultrarunner]

No complaints with the AP series... the 200 saw performed well so bought a second... the 6 Stihl Gas Saws rarely get used at the tree farm now.

Looking to expand but sticker shock is keeping me in check.

Also some of the Stihl Dealers don't carry much battery or don't think much of them.

One reason I'm moving this direction is I am tired of carburetor fuel related problems...

I would already have added a few more AP items but MSRP is the only pricing I have found.

Let me know how you do in Washington. J and I treated me well when I bought my gas Stihl... I was actually surprised as a walk in.

 

[ustmd]

None, Just wait for the new Tesla tractor:thumbsup:
(They will probably release one now)

Have you seen their Semi:

Semi | Tesla

 

[Wagtail]

One reason I'm moving this direction is I am tired of carburetor fuel related problems...

Oh yeah, I forgot that in many US States that you can't avoid ethanol blended petrol. It's not a problem (so far) here in Aus... also, our ethanol is sugarcane based as opposed to your corn based.

Anyway, time & science marches on... I'll wait a few more years for things to settle down and 'standardise' before I invest in multiple "skins" with a common, universal battery pile. I'm reminded of the price of a computer's 1 meg of RAM over the years.

 

[SirMaxwell]

I have a handheld leaf blower, string trimmer, small rototiller, and a hedger. All small gas engine Stihl products. My wife doesn't mind doing some tilling or hedging but she can't start any of the engines. I have already pretty much converted all of my handheld power tools to Dewalt 20v system and find I rarely use my corded small tools anymore, so...

Is it time to make the expensive plunge into a battery line up of a blower, hedger, string trimmer, chain saw, pole pruner, etc.? I suppose I could sell off my gassers to ease the pain. And then no more mixing gas except for my outboard motor! Looking at Stihl's AP series tools. Love to hear comments that have Stihl AP tools!

I felt the same, mostly to up the wife factor. Now she, or any of the kids, can just grab and go. So for all but the bigger projects, we use our Makita Battery Tools. Now mind you, the new Makita Brushless tools have been designed to use the original 18V Packs (btw all packs from 18-20 are the same voltage, just a matter of manufacturer naming 18/18.6/19.2/20). In the new Makita, the old batteries can be used, it just uses 2 packs to make a 36V tool. I, and the wife, love these tools. Chainsaw, blower, string/blade trimmer. Will get a hedger soon, likely a Compound Slde Miter as well. Add this to the drills, hammer drills, etc.

 

[bunyip]

I'm reminded of the price of a computer's 1 meg of RAM over the years.

I still have a 250mb thumbdrive that I paid almost $100 for when they first hit the market, my first Mac was 520kb with an external 800kb drive and a tractordrive dot matrix printer, cost me about $5k in the mid 80's, no HD just two 3.5 floppy discs, my upgrade was a 20mb Mac with colour.

 

[ultrarunner]

Oh yeah, I forgot that in many US States that you can't avoid ethanol blended petrol. It's not a problem (so far) here in Aus... also, our ethanol is sugarcane based as opposed to your corn based.

Anyway, time & science marches on... I'll wait a few more years for things to settle down and 'standardise' before I invest in multiple "skins" with a common, universal battery pile. I'm reminded of the price of a computer's 1 meg of RAM over the years.

I spent a couple of months wages in 1980 to buy an Apple //e computer with LQ Daisy Wheel Printer and two Disk Drives... Still have and has not crashed once... nearly 40 years old... I will never get rid of it because of what it cost... still have the original boxes and packing too in the attic...

 

[rangerfredbob]

You have to think about batteries differently than you used to, NiCd batteries are fairly bullet proof until they aren't... then they came out with NiMh batteries that had twice the capacity for the same size but the batteries were less stable and would reverse voltage willy nilly if you looked at them wrong and aren't as idiot proof or shelf stable (been bit before...). Then they went to Lithium of varying chemistry which has been a complete game changer. Back in about 2006 I got into RC airplanes and stuff, about 2008 I got my first electric airplane and still have parts of it but what I do have is the batteries I bought from Hong Kong back in 2008 for as cheap as you could get back then, I have had one battery pack go bad that I got back then, sure most of them are puffing but all have been crashed and all still hold around 90% of what they used to (I have a charger that counts how many mAh it puts in). Sure I'e gotten in and out of flying a lot but I have completely given up on proper storage etiquette on my lithium batteries, they seem to be very forgiving. I try not to store them dead but that's about it.

I do have a dead battery from a Millawake M18 that won't work anymore, but I got the drill from my boss that dropped it in his Koi pond and couldn't get it to work...

 

[dragoneggs]

My only lawn care tools are still gassers. Riding mower & Stihl FS 350. When I do use these two tools - it can be a multiple day project. The battery powered replacements just aren't large enough. I use my JD100, riding mower, like a lot of you guys use your brush hog. I do have battery powered drills for use right around the tool shed.

When I go out on the property - it's my Honda generator, extension cord, corded drill, worm drive saw, Hole Hog drill, jig saw, etc. I still use my two Stihl gas chain saws for maintaining my pines & pine stands.

I HAVE gone to a much smaller Stihl chain saw - MS190. I don't get so darn tired and risk a serious situation. My bigger Stihl - 280 - has been relegated to cutting up dead and fallen trees. It's just too heavy for long bouts of thinning stands of young trees.

I know that I may eventually move to cordless tools - but not yet.

oosik, you are right behind me! I just might be ahead of the curve.

P.S. What happened to your avatar? I liked the family crest thing. I got a lot of Viking in my blood.

Oh yeah, I forgot that in many US States that you can't avoid ethanol blended petrol. It's not a problem (so far) here in Aus... also, our ethanol is sugarcane based as opposed to your corn based.

Anyway, time & science marches on... I'll wait a few more years for things to settle down and 'standardise' before I invest in multiple "skins" with a common, universal battery pile. I'm reminded of the price of a computer's 1 meg of RAM over the years.

Yes, I have to drive a bit and pan a trip for ethanol free gas and off road diesel.

I still have a 250mb thumbdrive that I paid almost $100 for when they first hit the market, my first Mac was 520kb with an external 800kb drive and a tractordrive dot matrix printer, cost me about $5k in the mid 80's, no HD just two 3.5 floppy discs, my upgrade was a 20mb Mac with colour.

I can surely empathize! But I like to be ahead of the curve... enjoying the benefits of technology. Let's not talk about costs and business cases! :ashamed:

 

[Gary Fowler]

Most of my uses other than drill motors consist of more work than a battery powered tool can produce even with 2 or more batteries. A battery replacement usually cost more than the original tool.
I recently bought a new leaf blower from Troybuilt that came with an attachment that I put in a battery powered drill. It connects to the engine at the rear and a quick push of the trigger on the drill and the gas engine fires up, no cord pulling needed.
It would be great to put those on all the engine driven things.

 

[ultrarunner]

I had some batteries rebuilt for my Bosch... they did a good job.

But, the prices varied a lot... I was not going to do it but found a rebuilder as I was heading out of town and stopped... he promised he would not short change me with inferior or lower capacity... did the rebuilds himself so I left two... no complaints and that was years ago.

As for my Stihl conversion... I have struck out at every avenue...

One of the guys that worked a lot for my brother had said where he now works they get Stihl discounts... so I gave him my list last week...

He called today and said no can do... the Deals are only for large purchases by Government Entities... he works for the City now...

 

[JK22]

Oh yeah, I forgot that in many US States that you can't avoid ethanol blended petrol. It's not a problem (so far) here in Aus... also, our ethanol is sugarcane based as opposed to your corn based.

Anyway, time & science marches on... I'll wait a few more years for things to settle down and 'standardise' before I invest in multiple "skins" with a common, universal battery pile. I'm reminded of the price of a computer's 1 meg of RAM over the years.

I buy the premixed, ethanol free cans from the big box store for all my 2 strokes. ATVs on the other hand I’m always having carb problems, even with Stabil. You can find the occasional ethanol free gas stations occasionally here in the US, but they are definitely few and far between.