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

[Grumpycat]

Well, sort of. Been using an EGo 56V 21SP since 2016. Got to the point I can not walk 20 minutes behind. Bought a Country Clipper 42" zero-turn with 18HP Kawasaki engine.

Still have EGO blower, trimmer, hedge trimmer, and chainsaw.

 

[Grumpycat]

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

I mowed lawn for 7 years with the same EGo battery.

 

[1428v]

You keep on stressing that it "emits no fumes" while that might be correct for when you are actually using it, but its fumes come from the power plants making the electricity to charge those batteries, and all the mining and processing needed to make those batteries. Yes, I like my battery powered equipment but its not due to a mistaken belief they are eco friendlier.

I think this is not so simple. You omit all the extraction, processing, and transportation of fossil fuels from this equation, and don’t factor in what power on the grid is from solar, wind, etc., which will vary a lot depending on where you are.

That said, I can’t imagine it makes a lot of difference either way with the kinds of small tools we’re talking about. I think most people on this discussion thread are coming from the perspective of which kind of tool works well for which kinds of jobs, not environmental impact.

 

[Goodwinch]

I'm pretty much with the liquid stuff yet. However, my Milwaukee impact wrench made me stor my pneumatics. I weigh a(round)
200, and I thought for a moment I was in for a ride when I first pulled the trigger. The torque was incredible.

 

[Om37]

I bought a electric chainsaw a few years ago. I have a back injury and thought the electric would be better. I used the thing twice and went back to a small gas chainsaw. I offered the electric to my son who lives in a town. He tired it and decided he didn't want it either.

 

[tom_k]

I have a question. I've noticed all these post most everyone still uses gas equipment in some form. Question is would t it be cheaper to take the money spent on electric and just buy gas??

Maybe so. But then, you need to consider all cost factors not just the up-front cost of the electric tool vs. the fuel cost. The comparisons may give different answers depending on the tools and the users. To buy my electric ZTR, I figure I spent double compared to the cost of a gas-powered ZTR of similar build quality. I doubt the fuel cost savings will ever equal that up-front price premium. For my electric weed wacker, I don't think there was much if any up-front price premium versus a comparable gasser.

 

[OzarkChris]

I have both and use both but for totally different applications. I find that battery drills/drivers work better, most of the time, on the things I need fastened together - lag bolts or the like I pull the corded 1/2 out. Chainsaws: I have a corded one I use specifically for firewood used in a small wood stove - just won't take my standard size piece. We don't use that one very often so it's very easy to saw my standard length in half with it. Tried battery chainsaw, was not impressed.

Weedwackers, blowers, etc: Inlaws moved close to us a couple of years ago from San Diego California. San Diego passed an ordnance banning gas trimmers & blowers for non-commercial use so they bought battery powered ones - my house is bigger than their lot there. I tried the battery trimmer (I do not use blowers here) and had a real rough time trying to just trim around the dog run fence - went through 3 fully charged batteries. Haven't picked it up since.

There is one thing I have that's battery powered that I find much better than the equivalent gas item. Can you guess? It's typically 12V. Nothing? OK, the one battery powered item that I feel works better than its gas counter part is my trolling motor. I have no want or desire to change it out for a gas or corded electric!

 

[Gene H]

I grab the 18v chainsaw and string trimmer first. I prefer using them any time to the old gas equipment. Its a more pleant experience, IMO.
That said, there are times when its more heavy duty work to do that I will revert to gas equipment.

 

[Old Jarhead 03]

As many have indicated, some things are OK for electric, for others gas is mandatory. For some both. Husqvarna chain saw for real work, but a 7" 18 volt for trimming. Hand shears and battery powered for pruning. Gas walk behind brush mower...etc.

 

[Snobdds]

I was wondering one day how much battery power would I need to equal a gallon of gas.

One of the simpler way to calculate this is using Brake Specific Fuel Consumption which is typically around
.5 lbs/hp/hr for gasoline.

6.2 lbs per gallon. So 6.2/.5 gives 12.4 horsepower-hours per gallon.

One hp is of course 746 watts. 12.4 horsepower-hours times 746 watt/hp gives 9250 watt/hrs.
Or 9250 watt/hrs per gallon of gasoline.

A 4ah battery has 240wh of capacity.

https://support.dewalt.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017617497-What-are-the-specifications-for-the-FLEXVOLT-batteries-

So...9,250/240 = 38.5. This means it would take 38.5 of the 4ah batteries to equal a gallon of gas. Damn.

That math does not compute on any scale of work.

Yes it does on some hand tools, but for something that takes longer than 15 minutes of use...gas is still better.