Battery powered chainsaw recommendations? (2017)

[RalphVa]

The wife used the Stihl this morning before our Youtube worship.

She reports that it cuts better than the Kobalt.

Has a really unique way of setting the tension on the chain. There's a good Youtube on it. Just Google MSA 120 chain replacement. A concentric wheel is attached to the inside end of the bar. It's turned to adjust the chain tension.

Do not like the bar oil indicator. There's only a tiny window that mainly will only show when the oil is low. It does not have the full reservoir viewer like the Kobalt has. Sorta like the little window to the hydraulic reservoir on the 2025R. On that one, you need two people to be able to use it.

Will be interesting to see how battery usage is. Hope she left it in the saw. I can plug it into the charger and see what quadrant charge it is all. It shows 4 quadrants. Bet each charge will last much longer than on the brushed Kobalt.

Ralph

 

[ultrarunner]

Always good to have user experience updates.

I do find having battery powered garden equipment means I get more done.

Not that it is quicker but that I am more apt to pickup the blower or trimmer for a 5 minute task.

The AP battery life is impressive...

New to this style I thought I had done something wrong the first time out of the gate.

The saw was working well and just stopped... I mean stopped.

My experience with my old cordless drills is they slow down as the battery weakens.

With the Stihl battery it works or it doesn't depending on charge.

The fast charger is fast...

It will be interesting to see how many years I get from the batteries as I don't cycle them daily... more like monthly?

 

[RalphVa]

She used most of the one battery in 2 hours. Very little oil used though. Think the chamber may be good for 3 or 4 battery's worth.

These newer lithium batteries just quit. Rarely slow down, but if you use one long enough, you'll detect a very slight slowing before they quit.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Now she says the Stihl is A LOT faster than the Kobalt. Says it just zips through those many red cedar branches. She was out this afternoon for near 2 1/2 hours and never ran the 2nd battery down. Brushless is very good. Probably didn't need to buy the 2nd battery.

Ralph

 

[ultrarunner]

I thought that too about a second battery and then went back and bought it...

Nice to know you can keep going.

It's great when what you buy performs

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

I'll chime in about the Stihl MSA 140 with extra battery that I just purchased. Been through about 6 battery cycles of usage. Believe the costs was worth it. I had weeping willow that needed to go, used gas saw for trunk work and the battery for the branches. Great trim saw !!!.
BIL had huge Oak blow over earlier this year, been using this saw to clear out the branches. He had a Works 40V and the stihl put that to shame in feel and performance. Cuts like butter on 3-4 " branches.
Do have to clean the chain guard, lot of chips get stuck and build up and have to take cover off. Easy to remove except the handle is hard to get out while wearing gloves. Used about 6 Oz of bar oil.
I have a 100W solar set up with inverter that charges the batteries in about hour, got over hour run time trimming the willow (cut and move branches to pile). Saw extra battery, chain and qt oil just south of $400.

Dave

 

[Grumpycat]

These newer lithium batteries just quit. Rarely slow down, but if you use one long enough, you'll detect a very slight slowing before they quit.

Lithium batteries require a low charge cutoff to prevent you from running them all the way down to dead. If you manage to run one all the way down the way you might with NiCAD or NiMH then the lithium battery will be destroyed.

As a result the battery controller shuts the tool off, suddenly, before damage occurs.

 

[ultrarunner]

Good to know... I still have nicads that I always ran down to dead putting them in my flashlight before charging.

 

[RalphVa]

The wife finally ran a battery down today. Seems they run for about 2 1/2 hours on the battery. We've run lithiums dead many many times. Sometimes, if tried to charge when still warm, they won't go. Just let them sit and cool.

This thing absolutely sips oil.

She says it zips right through hard red cedar limbs. A 12" saw like this will usually cut up to around 16" or so if you can get at both sides. Very little need for a larger saw. If needed, hire it down.

I've my eyes on Stihl grass whip, blower and mower and use the same AK battery. Be only 2 batteries then vs. 4 and 3 chargers we have for these services. Had all Stihl years ago after striking out with McCullough, et.al. Had to give it all away 8 years ago. Good riddance to gasoline mess.

Ralph

 

[Jstpssng]

The advantage of the longer bar isn't always the cutting length, it's not having to bend over as far. I have an 18 inch bar on my (gas) Echo, and can walk right down a tree limbing it. With a shorter bar I would be constantly stooped over. Even my Poulan has an 18" bar, yet I wouldn't even attempt to cut a tree down with it.