Anyone go from gas to electric, then back to gas?

[Richard001]

I'm glad I don't have the same power supplier as you do (but we did have an increase I forgot about). I just checked our most recent bill and the rate is $0.0839 per KWH. That computes to nearly $0.78.

The cost of a gallon of gas would be enough to charge about 5 batteries.

Does that number include the "renewable" surcharge ?

Here is MN. Xcel Energy, AKA NSP, keeps heaping on the renewable surcharges, while at the same time, telling us that solar and wind power is less expensive. BULL

 

[Snobdds]

Intellectuals can do the math until they are blue in the face. All that matters is real world application.

An EGo 56V 7.5Ah battery will almost mow my lawn on one charge.

Previously a Snapper Ninja 21SP mower with B&S engine could almost mow the lawn on 38 oz (1.2 quarts) of gasoline.

56 * 7.5 = 420 Wh, it probably doesn't have that much, but we'll use this number anyway. And considering I stop before the battery is fully discharged.

Will allow 15% charging losses. So
0.420 kWh * $0.010/kWh * 1.15 = $0.483

At $0.10/kWh it costs $0.483 or 4.8¢ to mow the lawn.

At $3.249/gallon the cost is $0.9747, or 20 times what the battery electric got the job done with.

EPA tries to pull a similar game by rating EVs with "MPGe" based on the kWh heat content of gasoline vs kWh from the power grid. An intellectual game, doesn't matter in the real world. In the real world we understand MPG$, the cost per mile for fuel. I've said it many times, the dollar is the only honest metric of resource consumption. Every man demands fair payment for every contribution toward the final product, these payments accumulate and are reflected in the final price whether it is gasoline or electricity.

You would agree the math only works for a small yard like a condo.

Scale it up past what a one battery pack can do and the practicality falls flat on its face.

The battery cost is never factored in. We'll assume the cost of a ICE and electric motor is the same.

One $250 battery would cost 250 mowing's before the break even point is met. Then the battery might be done if not maintained properly.

 

[pwhite42]

I jumped in on the electric blower, chainsaw and weed wacker eagerly, thinking they would replace the Stihl gas pieces I previously run.
Fast forward to today and I am once again back to my Stihl gas blower, Stihl gas weed walkers and never really left my Stihl & makita gas chainsaws.
The electric tools are all 60V DeWalt. Nothing wrong with them. They all work fine, but after running both in a commercial business for 2+ years, I really only use the electric weed wacker periodically for light jobs I know will be done in under 15 minutes.

Not disappointed, just have found gas revs higher & keeps running when far away from the truck for hours on a full tank. Gas chainsaws are screamers and will cut circles around the electric. Electric only really good for quick 10 minute pruning jobs. Gas blower just keeps on running & running.

Anyone else try electric, go back to gas?

 

[pwhite42]

I use both. I have a lot of battery tools for my wife. It depends on the job. For small, quick trimming jobs, I find it easier to use one of my battery saws. I love my Ryobi battery drills. I use them everywhere I can. For drilling into granite I take out the 15 amp Milwaukee rotary hammer.

 

[TimberFarm]

I didn't read the previous 11 pages of posts.
I have 2 Makita 36v chainsaws-14&16". I have a makita 36v pole saw and weedwacker. makita 36v blower. I have my Stihl 20" chainsaw and Poulan pole saw and weedwacker.
The gas polesaw and weedwacker never get used anymore. Infact they haven't even been fired up in over 2 years.
The Stihl is only for bringing down really big trees. Once they are down, I limb them with the Makitas.
My hearing is only getting worse and I really don't like the noise or smell of gas.

 

[kyryder]

So does she have an electric or gas trimmer?

She hasn't had a trim since she was a flapper!

 

[Marinemammal]

I have a battery-powered Dewalt chain saw and a Husky gas saw. The electric saw is not as powerful as the gas saw, but much safer to use during fire season or when climbing, and they are lighter weight for limbing. They have different uses, so I'm not going back to gas--I am going to use the one that matches the job.

I have a gas ATV and a battery-powered ATV. I prefer the battery ATV, but the gas ATV is faster. They are used on a farm. I really appreciate the battery ATV during the summer when there is lots of dry grass, and a gas ATV might start a fire. There are no plans to go back to only gas ATVs.

I also have a battery-powered lawn mower. We don't have much lawn and it gets the job done. There's no pulling on a rope--it always starts when the batteries are charged. The 2 batteries are lead/acid similar to gas ATV starter batteries. I've had to replace them once in the 5 years I've had the mower, and I think that was because they were left charging too long.

 

[Hay Dude]

Electric tractor walk around....https://youtu.be/LG7G7R7p-JI

Interesting. I wouldn’t exactly call the noise it produces as “pleasant”. The growling/whining is pretty prominent and seems hard on the ears.
I kind of like the rumble of the petro engine better.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yes, been there, tried those electric things , tossed them in the corner out of sight. Electric works and ok for the not too serious about work types, however if one wants to get anything done and efficiently, then it is back to the gas models.

This is where I landed. I still have my electric tools, but they are NOT a replacement for continuous or commercial use (like a weed wacker or chain saw). There’s no practical way to keep charging batteries all day, although I do have a DeWalt vehicle charger and multiple 9/12 amp hour batteries, it’s too difficult to keep charging them. Refueling is much faster than recharging.

I think a blower might be a little closer to gas. I find I only use a blower for 10-15 minutes (unless it’s fall and we are blowing leaves for hours). My DeWalt blower broke and I have not replaced it.

I find on the chainsaws, the torque and speed just isn’t there yet. It’s really not even close for continuous work. I bet future breakthroughs close the gap more, but when and how many more previous models will have to be thrown away until parody is achieved between them?

Another noteworthy issue is I am always using my gas tools, so they don’t suffer the consequences of “sitting” and getting stale fuel. I think homeowners who may not use a power tool for weeks may benefit from electric since they tolerate lack of continuous use much better-they don’t “gum up” like gas.

 

[stephenh]

I tiptoed into electric last year with a chainsaw when Costco had some on sale. Turns out I use it as much as the Stihls. It works fine for felling and cutting up trees about 10" diameter or smaller. But I go with 60-70 cc gas saws for the larger trees.

I don't need a string trimmer for much more than cutting down grass/weeds around our solar array, on a steep rocky hillside above the house. I bought a battery-powered trimmer same brand as the saw for this and haven't used the Stihl trimmer since. Electric one is lighter and I find the Stihl maddening to start sometimes.

So I use whatever is simpler at the time. Also, I live in a severe wildfire warning area, during spring and summer and fall no chainsaws, etc.,, some times. In 2022 no gasoline-run saws, blowers, mowers, etc. at all from March to December. Serious stuff for those of us heating with wood, and the initial reason I went with the battery saw so I could keep cutting at least something. Turned out I like it and use it a lot even when the gas bans are not in play and I was able to cut our three cords of firewood just fine by bypassing those larger trees. Our county had a $5,000 fine for those caught using gas-powered tools or even cooking with charcoal grills, etc. Serious stuff.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep those two stroke power tool bans are only ramping up.

Funny thing is my city implemented and I see CalTrans ignore using gas equipment.

I asked a CalTrans engineer and he said State and Federal property generally do not have to abide…

He also said commercial grade backpack battery packs are very expensive… no kidding!

 

[Randy52]

We had a battery golf cart. Turned me on any battery power. Went to gas cart. I use all elctric power tools and gas lawn tools.
the tree huggers can have their electric junk.

 

[JLinOK]

I have both gas and electric push Toro lawnmowers (around 1/2 acre lot). I like them both and use both. I have gone to Worx electric trimmer and Toro blower and chainsaw (electric chainsaw for small jobs is just so much more convenient, particularly on a ladder--I still have gas for big jobs). Also, my wife will only use electric so the free labor is a plus, lol. This is after 3 years.

 

[chim]

Hahaha. We got off in the weeds a little. I don't have anything to add to the discussion directly related to the title. I would like to clarify a couple things that were mentioned:

"Interesting. Let me throw something else into the mix. A gallon of gas around here is $3.89 and a gallon of electricity is about $0.63"

When I said "a gallon of electricity" it probably misled a few. That $0.63 was the product of the aforementioned 9.25 KW X what I thought my rate was. It was an attempt to compare the energy equivalent and a teensy bit of humor. The "gallon of electricity" was the cost of 9.25KWH, NOT 1KWH. However, upon checking my rate is $0.0839 per KWH, so the price without add-ons would have been about 14¢ more, or 77.6075¢


"You are getting screwed. This site says the average residential cost is $0.1753 in Lancaster County, PA."


If I'm getting screwed paying 8.39¢ when the going rate is 17.53¢, I'm happy to let them have their way with me

 

[gp1200x]

Milwaukee and Ryobi power tools...more than enough power for hand tools....my Milwaukee will break your wrist if you are not holding it properly.
Batteries okay for small stuff....even long pole reach branch cutters. They will never replace larger gas engines for a long time...too heavy and short time span compared to the large gas tools. I have had multiple Ryobi batteries go bad over the last 5 years and the large ones are expensive too! Failures are always with the electronic circuits within the batteries. I was given a dual battery powered WORX Leaf Blower as a present....very impressive with a turbo button. Use it constantly now to blow off the driverway. Very lightweight, extremely powerful and the two batteries last longer than I would have thought. Perfect for driveway and garage use but I wouldn't use it on a lawn.

 

[thejayman]

I have used gas chain saws for years. This electric has made the biggest differance in cutting wood. The Sun-Joe electric chain saw. It will out cut any gas motor saw hands down. I have the 044, 028 and a Sears gas saw but this cuts the best, For remote cutting I tow a gas powered generator 4000 watt that will power the 18" and a 14" electric Sun-Joe. I will not go back to gas....

https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Joe-SWJ701E-18-inch-Electric/dp/B003T0FSV4

 

[Hay Dude]

uh-huh

 

[redleg105]

I jumped in on the electric blower, chainsaw and weed wacker eagerly, thinking they would replace the Stihl gas pieces I previously run.
Fast forward to today and I am once again back to my Stihl gas blower, Stihl gas weed walkers and never really left my Stihl & makita gas chainsaws.
The electric tools are all 60V DeWalt. Nothing wrong with them. They all work fine, but after running both in a commercial business for 2+ years, I really only use the electric weed wacker periodically for light jobs I know will be done in under 15 minutes.

Not disappointed, just have found gas revs higher & keeps running when far away from the truck for hours on a full tank. Gas chainsaws are screamers and will cut circles around the electric. Electric only really good for quick 10 minute pruning jobs. Gas blower just keeps on running & running.

Anyone else try electric, go back to gas?

Batteries belong in flashlights an cell phones not in chainsaws, trimmers etc.

 

[Hay Dude]

Batteries belong in flashlights a cell phones not in chainsaws, trimmers etc.

I would add drills, saws, impacts, etc. They are pretty good there, too.
Batteries not quite ready for prime time in chain saws or weed walkers except for short time use limbing not tree felling or lighter grass cutting, not heavy brush clearing.

 

[Snobdds]

I have used gas chain saws for years. This electric has made the biggest differance in cutting wood. The Sun-Joe electric chain saw. It will out cut any gas motor saw hands down. I have the 044, 028 and a Sears gas saw but this cuts the best, For remote cutting I tow a gas powered generator 4000 watt that will power the 18" and a 14" electric Sun-Joe. I will not go back to gas....

https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Joe-SWJ701E-18-inch-Electric/dp/B003T0FSV4

Try and not be so obvious next time.