Battery powered chainsaw

[Hay Dude]

I think he means batteries will need replacing after hundreds of charges (they wear-out)
But let’s keep it real: ICE chainsaw Pistons & cylinders need replacing, too.

I’m not sold on today’s versions of battery chainsaws, but I am optimistic for what the future holds for battery powered saws.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

If I have to spend the day cutting trees gas is the choice. Recently a tree fell across our driveway and I used both gas & battery, especially when one gets pinched! I hope gas & diesel will be around for a long long time.
I just looked up corded (120 VAC) chainsaws.
I have two here and they're very light and handy of course near a power source.
Recently I've been considering a battery riding mower like a 60" zero turn. I see ones that claim 5 acres on a charge.
I need that to add to my 4 other mowers!

 

[4570Man]

Lithium batteries used during moon landings? When? Lithium batteries don’t really work in cold temperatures, so would need substantial additional heat energy in space. I’m quite certain they weren’t used in the Apollo missions to the moon, if that’s what you’re referring to.

How do you calculate several thousand dollars of batteries needed to do the work of one gas saw? You realize one battery can be charging while you’re using another, right?

If you’re bucking firewood rounds one after the next the run time of those batteries is literally a few minutes and they cost like $300 each. I didn’t look up the charge time but I don’t see how you could get by with any less than 3 batteries and 2 chargers. That’s for 1 saw operator and with access to electricity. Bring 2-3 saw operators and take away the electricity and the battery logistics is stretched to ridiculous levels. One 5 gallon can of gas keeps a whole crew working the whole day. Your cold temperature comment brings another problem. What season do most people cut firewood in?

 

[DarkBlack]

If you’re bucking firewood rounds one after the next the run time of those batteries is literally a few minutes and they cost like $300 each. I didn’t look up the charge time but I don’t see how you could get by with any less than 3 batteries and 2 chargers. That’s for 1 saw operator and with access to electricity. Bring 2-3 saw operators and take away the electricity and the battery logistics is stretched to ridiculous levels. One 5 gallon can of gas keeps a whole crew working the whole day. Your cold temperature comment brings another problem. What season do most people cut firewood in?

You just painted the best case situation for a gas saw, and the worst case for a battery saw. Do you not see that?
One possible situation out of a thousand.

What’s your actual experience using electric chainsaws?

 

[WinterDeere]

The military had lithium batteries in Vietnam and I’m pretty sure nasa used them in moon landing as well.

Stan Wittingham built the first lithium-ion battery prototype in the late 1970's, ten years too late for vietnam or Apollo 11. And his design wasn't manufacturable or safe... that took another 10 - 15 years.

There were non-rechargable lithium battery technologies before lithium ion, we've all had lithium watch batteries for example, but that's a different animal.

The batteries are reusable but the cost is still a factor. A gas saw can work all day for $10-15 of gas where the battery saw would need several thousand dollars of batteries to do the same job.

"Several thousand dollars"? I've never shopped electric saws, but I just checked the Greenworks site, and they seem to charge $60 - $130 for most of their chainsaw batteries. Re-charge time is faster than typical discharge time, so seems one spare battery in addition to the one that comes with the purchase of a saw, is going to suit those with access to power just fine.

Even if the battery had a lifespan of only 1000 recharges, it works out to pennies per refill, versus more than a dollar for a third of a gallon of fuel mix. I think that over the lifespan of the product, battery is going to win on cost.

That said, replacement cost on any of my gas saws is presently at $1000 - $1800. The insignificant cost of the fuel isn't even a factor in my purchase decision.

Even if you had access to electricity to recharge you’d probably still need at least 3 batteries at the cost of several hundred dollars each.

What popular chainsaw batteries cost "several hundred dollars each"?!?

 

[4570Man]

The battery on the 82v saw compared in this thread against the 500i cost over $300. I have no idea how long it takes to charge but i know my 8ah dewalt and Milwaukee batteries take a while to charge and that one is considerably bigger. I’m not arguing the claim that a battery chainsaw is useful. For the average homeowner that doesn’t heat with firewood it’s probably fine. I’m arguing the idea that we’re anywhere close to ready to toss the 500i and ban combustion saws.

 

[jyoutz]

The battery on the 82v saw compared in this thread against the 500i cost over $300. I have no idea how long it takes to charge but i know my 8ah dewalt and Milwaukee batteries take a while to charge and that one is considerably bigger. I’m not arguing the claim that a battery chainsaw is useful. For the average homeowner that doesn’t heat with firewood it’s probably fine. I’m arguing the idea that we’re anywhere close to ready to toss the 500i and ban combustion saws.

Battery saws are really nice for pruning and cleanup around home. I would never go to woods to put up firewood with one.

 

[Hay Dude]

If you’re bucking firewood rounds one after the next the run time of those batteries is literally a few minutes and they cost like $300 each. I didn’t look up the charge time but I don’t see how you could get by with any less than 3 batteries and 2 chargers. That’s for 1 saw operator and with access to electricity. Bring 2-3 saw operators and take away the electricity and the battery logistics is stretched to ridiculous levels. One 5 gallon can of gas keeps a whole crew working the whole day. Your cold temperature comment brings another problem. What season do most people cut firewood in?

That’s all true as of today, but the advances they’ve made in the last 5-10 years are pretty good.
All that said, I have zero electric chain saws.
They just aren’t there yet, but it’s probably coming.

 

[WinterDeere]

I’m arguing the idea that we’re anywhere close to ready to toss the 500i and ban combustion saws.

Agreed. The 500i is the present culmination of 60+ years of chainsaw development, it'll be awhile before any battery saw is a true replacement for a saw like that.

But that saw is also way outside the price range or target customer for most battery saws. For many of the tasks that most homeowners or firewood cutters do, I think the battery saws can be a pretty good fit.

And like Hay Dude said, I see the number of applications in which the advantages of a battery saw might outnumber a gasser only increasing, in the years to come.

One interesting thing to ponder is that California is always the first to do things like outlawing 2-stroke engines, while I'd bet most of the 500i's sold in the US are probably going to pro cutters in the PNW. Are they going to shoot themselves in the foot again, before the tech is ready for such applications?

 

[4570Man]

Agreed. The 500i is the present culmination of 60+ years of chainsaw development, it'll be awhile before any battery saw is a true replacement for a saw like that.

But that saw is also way outside the price range or target customer for most battery saws. For many of the tasks that most homeowners or firewood cutters do, I think the battery saws can be a pretty good fit.

And like Hay Dude said, I see the number of applications in which the advantages of a battery saw might outnumber a gasser only increasing, in the years to come.

One interesting thing to ponder is that California is always the first to do things like outlawing 2-stroke engines, while I'd bet most of the 500i's sold in the US are probably going to pro cutters in the PNW. Are they going to shoot themselves in the foot again, before the tech is ready for such applications?

Even if we lowered the standards to a 261 at 1/3rd the cost is there a battery saw that could buck an entire tree in the same timeframe? The battery saw also has the weigh and cost similar otherwise you might as well bring the 500i back.