Battery powered chainsaw

[CloverKnollFarms]

Data. Well I use both side by side. I can cut for nearly an hour on my 40cc Echo. I can cut for maybe 20 minutes with the Greenworks Pro with a single battery. The battery weighs a helluva lot more than those few ounces of fuel. Carrying a can of premix that weighs less than ONE battery, will keep me cutting for hours, whereas that battery will get me 20 minutes into a tree.

There really is no comparison when it comes to weight and runtime with a battery as opposed to the same weight in fuel. None.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’m pleased with my the AP battery saws.

Thanksgiving to Christmas the farm sells about 3300 Christmas Trees.

Each tree is at least one fresh cut and for years that was with Stihl gas saws and 3300 starts is very hard on the 2 gas saws…

Bought the first battery saw and it quickly became the only saw everyone wanted and one charge would last all day… no servicing other than chain oil and adjust tension.

The gas saws had carb issues as well as rope pull cord and spark plugs… plus no more mixing oil and gas.

Every winter storms topple oaks across the trails and I don’t even bring the gas saw out to clear…

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The Stihl battery saws are around $400+ for the saw. One AP300S battery is about $300. So, a $700 investment that requires you to stop and recharge every 30 minutes?
I suppose there are a lot of situations where you may only want to cut for 30 minutes at a time. Our use is just much different. We travel hours with a crew to work 7-8 hour days cutting and clearing. We all volunteer our time, so we try to be as effective as possible, while we are on site.

 

[bdhsfz6]

A small can of gas weighs less than a battery, and that can will last 8 hours or more.

Why is the minor weight difference an issue? I often carry a second battery in my pocket, but wouldn't consider carrying a container of gas that way.

I have a 12V fast charger and recharge a spare battery in my truck. That way, I can cut all day if necessary, using 2 or 3 batteries. All my cordless tools use the same type battery, so there are always a few laying around that are ready to go.

Don't get me wrong, an electric saw won't completely replace my gasser. However, it will do 70% of the work I do around the place, without the hassle of mixing and clearing fuel from the saw.

An electric saw is simply an addition to my tool collection.

 

[ArlyA]

Why is the minor weight difference an issue? I often carry a second battery in my pocket, but wouldn't consider carrying a container of gas that way.

I have a 12V fast charger and recharge a spare battery in my truck. That way, I can cut all day if necessary, using 2 or 3 batteries. All my cordless tools use the same type battery, so there are always a few laying around that are ready to go.

Don't get me wrong, an electric saw won't completely replace my gasser. However, it will do 70% of the work I do around the place, without the hassle of mixing and clearing fuel from the saw.

An electric saw is simply an addition to my tool collection.

That's the same as we found. The battery saw is right tool for many jobs, but not all of them. But not all day for hours of cutting.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

If we could reliably charge near our cutting site, and carry a couple batteries per saw, and have one charger per saw, it would work just fine. As it stands, one sawyer, one saw, one 32oz can of premix and they are good for a days worth of cutting. My pockets aren’t big enough for a battery or a can of fuel.

Even at home, I find myself grabbing my Echo on my property. Because I know I can take a small can of fuel and cut as long as I’d like. If I take the battery saw, I’m going back to the shop 1/4 mile away at times, to place the battery on a charger and wait. Unless I invest in more $200-$300 batteries.

I can almost buy another saw for $300

 

[ArlyA]

Some folks don't seem to comprehend just how much power or fuel takes to run these gas saws all day long. Its a bit. When we carry fuel onto the trail with backpacks, we use these MSR bottles in the 20oz version. Without the safety cap.

 

[WinterDeere]

Data, please. Don't just "probably" make things up.

I did. See post #869 on the prior page. Ignoring relative efficiencies, it's a 110x ratio. We know the battery saw has much higher efficiency than an ICE, but what's the gross ratio? Even if the ICE is only 30% and the battery saw is 90%, that only takes the 110x input efficiency down to 37x output efficiency difference, measured as wood cut per pound of fuel carried.

Why is the minor weight difference an issue? I often carry a second battery in my pocket, but wouldn't consider carrying a container of gas that way.

I don't think it is, if the intended usage is within the capacity of one or two battery packs. The convenience of the battery saw can easily justify the small added weight.

But when you get to the amount of all-day cutting, where you might be consuming a half gallon of fuel, then you need to start counting your battery packs by the dozen. The battery saw loses practicality when you're slinging a long bar thru big oak, something that can easily chew thru 1/2 gallon or more of fuel in a day.

The easy answer is, you should own both! Battery saw for quick limbing jobs and pruning around the house, with the fleet of gassers for when you're going out harvesting, for those of us heating our homes with wood or harvesting for woodworking.

 

[KennyG]

I don't think comparing battery weight to gas weight means anything. An electric saw without the battery is lighter than a gas saw with an empty tank.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I don't think comparing battery weight to gas weight means anything. An electric saw without the battery is lighter than a gas saw with an empty tank.

It matters when you consider refuel weight and bulk. How much liquid fuel do you need to cut 3 hours?

How many 4 pound batteries do you need?

My battery saw weighs more with 30 minutes of runtime (battery installed) then my gas Echo full of fuel.