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

[hiddentacocatneddih]

I would love electric but they cost too much for too little run time.

even my 72 year old grandma went back to gas after a battery went dead after 2 years.

I wish they were better because the electric weed eater was so light

 

[dstig1]

I don't see it as an either/or question. I have both. They both have advantages. You want to quickly clean off some area? Grab the cordless blower. No filling it with gas, no starting, just pick it up and pull the trigger. Nice. But if I have tough or longer blowing needs (and what guy doesn't? ) then the gas backpack has tons more power and length of use on a tank, so fiddling with gas and starting it is no big deal for that task.

Maybe someday the climate fairies will deliver a battery that can run and deliver similar power to ICE engines, but I suspect that day is a long way off, if ever. They've gotten better but the gulf is still pretty wide when you talk serious use.

 

[Hay Dude]

I don't see it as an either/or question. I have both. They both have advantages. You want to quickly clean off some area? Grab the cordless blower. No filling it with gas, no starting, just pick it up and pull the trigger. Nice. But if I have tough or longer blowing needs (and what guy doesn't? ) then the gas backpack has tons more power and length of use on a tank, so fiddling with gas and starting it is no big deal for that task.

Maybe someday the climate fairies will deliver a battery that can run and deliver similar power to ICE engines, but I suspect that day is a long way off, if ever. They've gotten better but the gulf is still pretty wide when you talk serious use.

Agree with that, too.

What would be GREAT in my opinion is if they would make gas powered equipment with a tiny starter motor eliminating the pull cord. I know some already do, but if they could perfect them with very little extra weight, that would be great.
Just push a button and the ICE saw/blower/weed wacker is running.

Dream on!

 

[ericm979]

I also have both kinds of tools. The battery stuff is great for what it can handle. My wife loves her battery string trimmer and it's surprisingly effective for the limited power its got. She likes how there's no starting it. But for light brush or thick grass I use a big Stihl. The same is true for pole saws, blowers, etc. Electric (mostly battery) tech can only get so much power at an acceptable weight. But the technology is improving fast. You see professionals using battery saws now.

Someone mentioned that there's some operator learning to run battery gear. Maybe but that pales with the knowledge that's needed to run gas equipment. Just starting a two stroke gas engine takes far more knowledge. When to choke, when to go to half choke, throttle or no throttle, and it all changes depending on ambient and engine temp. Then there's mixing fuel, taking the fuel out when storing the unit, cleaning air filters, tuneups, etc. We're all so used to it that it's second nature. But it's actually a huge amount of knowledge that's required and many otherwise intelligent people can't master it.

 

[ultrarunner]

Just like the Model T Ford… it was thought the masses could never master but over 15 million sold.

My neighbor won one as a child in Nevada… traveled to Reno train depot to pick up her car at age 12.

Her father crashed it coming home and went through the barn yelling woo all the time…

No one in the county owned a car at that time…

Technology comes with a learning curve and sometimes jumping in is the fastest teacher…

At 17 she was the only teacher at the one room public school house in Genoa Nevada having graduated there and then one year off at teacher school..,

At 104 still brilliant and experienced horse and buggy era, no electricity, dawn of gas power to battery cell phones and moon landings…

 

[2manyrocks]

So does she have an electric or gas trimmer?

 

[ultrarunner]

Electric trimmer… Black and Decker with the little wall wart charger…

I had to go online to find batteries once but I think those early battery trimmers are all on the junk heap

 

[Rdrcr]

I use electric shop tools and I’m pretty good at proper battery maintenance. And because I don’t have an air hose attached to them, I prefer the electric.

I tried the battery trimmer and that was an utter and complete failure. I’m not doing that again and I’m also not going to use a battery backpack. Cost is too prohibitive. Gas only for me and my jobs.

Mike

 

[bnold]

I have both.

Right tool for right application.
Neither is a replacement for the other.

No different than a battery impact driver being a replacement for a screw driver. It is not.

 

[tfuller]

Main thing is right tool for the job. Some yards or task just won't ever be right for electric. If you are using them close to home where you can put a battery on charge when needed it works but gas would be better if not. I have 6 acres around the house and use an EGO string trimmer it can do everything I need even around my pond but I ussually don't try and do it all at one time. Usually when the battery dies I am ready for break so it works out. The electric pole saw is also a good tool for trimming trees and since I only use it a couple times a year I don't have to worry about whether it will crank when I need it. The electric blowers are good for up keep work but if you let the leaves get out of hand it doesn't stand a chance versus a good backpack gas blower.