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Thread: Electric mower and chainsaw- happy camper (and mower)

  1. #1
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    Electric mower and chainsaw- happy camper (and mower)

    My 30+-year-old rover mower has been misbehaving for the last couple of years so i decided to look at getting a new mower. The thought occurred to me that I could maybe get one of the newfangled battery lawnmowers plus get a chainsaw to run off the same battery for camping trips, save carrying a tin of two-stroke fuel which is a total pain. I was figuring they would both be seeing only light duty, as I have a 3-cyl diesel Kubota mower that does most of my lawn and I do just a few small areas around the house with the hand mower so there are no clippings to walk into the house, as there's no catcher on the big mower.
    After looking at a couple of different options and viewing some internet reviews, I ended up buying the eGO 56-volt 40cm lawnmower which comes with a 4 amp-hour battery, plus their chainsaw with 16" bar as a 'skin'. There was a deal going for the month (July) where if you bought two of their products, they sent you a free 2.5 amp hour battery also. The dealer threw in 3 extra chains.

    I am now convinced that petrol powered mowers and chainsaws are obsolete.

    I was very pleased with the mower first time I used it but that was late July and the grass was pretty thin.
    I had some logs about 20" diameter that I had not yet finished cutting up for firewood after felling. I took the new toy (or so I thought) saw up the back and got through those things at least as easily as I would have with my trusty Husky saw that has cut every piece of firewood we have burned in the last 15 years. What I thought was going to be a secondary saw suitable for docking small branches, turns out to be a serious saw suitable for any job on my property and then some. We went on a brief outback trip in August and took the new saw, no stinking tin of two-stroke to worry about- just a container of bar oil, and it kept us in firewood with ease, not to mention a minimum of noise. It's actually hard to see the Husky getting much of a run now.
    When we got home, the bonus 2.5 amp-hour battery was waiting at the post office. There was a definite pre-spring growth spurt in the lawn so I decided to experiment and see if the smaller battery would get the mower through my small lawns, total about 200 square meters from memory. When I had got through the usual hand-mowing area, I decided to keep going until the 2.5 amp-hour battery gave up. It gave up after about the same area again, on an area of lawn that I usually do with the Kubota. I had to lift the deck two notches as the kubota deck is set pretty high, this lawn has never had a grass catcher on it plus the grass was over 6" long in some areas. The power is probably about the same as the 4-stroke Rover had.

    So, two batteries and a charger I can run off my inverter, powerful motors that run quietly and need no stinky fuel and no pulling on starter cords, I can't see why I would ever buy a tool with a two-stroke engine again. Only real issue I can see with these things is someone could get seriously hurt treating the chainsaw with less respect than they would with something that's screaming at 120 decibels.

  2. #2
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    Im hearing you , who wants to cart stinky 2 stroke around.

    I bought a Victa 80v mower 2 years ago , hands down best mower I've ever had , and power ,
    same battery fits my weed whacker . Charge one whilst I use the other.

    Im just sorry I didn't buy their 80V chainsaw whilst I could. All I can find now are their 40V models.


    Doh, I just googled , the 80V chainsaw was recalled due to kickback brake issue,
    well they sure as hell would not be getting mine back if I'd have bought one.

  3. #3
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    couple of years back I bought my dad a 54v(or maybe 56v .. can't remember exactly) AEG whipper snipper. Fantastic beast!
    Dad loved it, he reckons more powerful than the 2 stoke Mitsubishi powered whatever brand monster he used to have.
    Only difference in terms of usage was that dad got about 1 hr of use on his nearly 2 ac block, all sloping and too much fallen timber to do by ride on.
    But at 80+ the 1 hr was about all he could manage per shift anyhow, and as he said, usually did 30min sessions.
    What he couldn't do was pull start even the most domesticated of edge trimmers .. hence why I got him the electric.

    He's now off the property, and has handed it back to me, but I have no need for it whatsoever for my 20sq mt turf area.

    I've thought to sell the AEG cutter off, but then I'm thinking, beign electric it can basically sit for the next 80 years without any degradation whatsoever .. unlike a ICE powered version!
    So it's staying now.
    I may look into replacing my 4stroke mower if I can find an AEG battery powered mower for reasonable $s.
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

  4. #4
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    [QUOTE=AK83;2839418]

    I've thought to sell the AEG cutter off, but then I'm thinking, beign electric it can basically sit for the next 80 years without any degradation whatsoever .. unlike a ICE powered version!
    QUOTE]

    But....... after 80 years the battery would be dead, the manufacturer would have long stopped making replacement battery packs and re-populating the pack would be more expensive than a new whipper snipper so you'd probably throw it away.

    I have a couple of older cordless drills that use NiCad battery packs and the batteries (after about 10 years) are at the end of their lives. I know battery technology has moved on but the drills are OK and have a feature not found on drills now. Re-populating the packs is about $60, NOS battery packs are about the same so it's now either throw away the drills (there are 2 of them ) or take a punt with some Chinese copies of the batteries.

    I can see all the advantages of electric tools but built in obsolescence is my concern (and cost).

    I guess an ICE powered whipper snipper has the same built in obsolescence if something breaks, spare parts after 5-10 years will not be available.
    My whipper snipper I'm using at the moment ( I have a few) is an ancient Ryobi purchased for $5 that looked like it had sat in a shed for 10years. I replaced the fuel lines which had gone brittle ($4 via China) and it starts & runs fine and will be used later today. I didn't even check the spark plug.

    When I can't pull start and if the kids have finally left home (so there's no one else to pull start it for me) I guess I'll go electric and by then the built in obsolescence won't worry me.......


    Colin
    '56 Series 1 with homemade welder
    '65 Series IIa Dormobile
    '70 SIIa GS
    '76 SIII 88" (Isuzu C240)
    '81 SIII FFR
    '95 Defender Tanami
    '58 Series II (sold)
    Motorcycles :-
    Vincent Rapide, Panther M100, Norton BIG4, Electra & Navigator, Matchless G80C

  5. #5
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    [QUOTE=gromit;2839506]
    Quote Originally Posted by AK83 View Post

    I've thought to sell the AEG cutter off, but then I'm thinking, beign electric it can basically sit for the next 80 years without any degradation whatsoever .. unlike a ICE powered version!
    QUOTE]

    But....... after 80 years the battery would be dead, the manufacturer would have long stopped making replacement battery packs and re-populating the pack would be more expensive than a new whipper snipper so you'd probably throw it away.

    .....
    Yeah, of course, but that's all pre planned.
    They use the std 18650 type cells(2100mAh rating), so as long as that cell type is still available, easy fix.

    And that's really my only misgiving for such systems so far.
    If in normal usage, the battery lasts about 4-5yrs, the cost of a replacement battery probably works out to be higher than the 4 year running cost of an ICE 'tool'(ie. mower/chainsaw/brush cutter).

    Those AEG batteries cost approx $400(currently), but the one thing I really liked about the AEG battery compared all other batteries I've had dealings with is that they make them very easy to pull apart. All screw system no annoying clip together shell that's impossible to separate without cracking, and no gluing.
    I've only opened it up for now, not taken the battery grid out, as I don't to muck anything up. When battery dies, I'll then weigh up the cost of replace/rebuild.
    Cells are arranged in a 'sandwhich grid' setup, between two boards, which I assume is pulled out like a cartridge, the two boards separated which releases the batteries. They don't appear to be soldered, just captive between the two boards.
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

  6. #6
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    Having recently bought the AEG 18V drill set, I'm really impressed with how far these units have come over the years. I've had others, many years ago which have long since given up, and didn't do well when in use anyway.

    So with a stuffed back now, I'm seriously looking at the chainsaw option myself. My current chainsaw which is very large, is getting beyond my limitations for usability , and with the upcoming planned trip, I'm not really wanting to cart it/fuel around on the pretense we "may" need it occasionally for getting us through some bush tracks. But I will need something for firewood, albeit I'm not sure how the Nat Parks will except "any" saw being on board in certain areas. (A whole nother discussion on its own I'm sure).

    I'm pretty sure that between the car/winch/elec-saw and a bit of ingenuity, I'll be more than capable of getting us through something big should the need arise.

    Just got to find the right one, seeing as the larger battery pack means a whole new unit to the set up that I now have,,means I don't actually need to go through AEG to keep everything inline so to speak. Ahh, of course, then I'll need to fit the inverter too

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chops View Post
    Having recently bought the AEG 18V drill set, I'm really impressed with how far these units have come over the years. I've had others, many years ago which have long since given up, and didn't do well when in use anyway.

    So with a stuffed back now, I'm seriously looking at the chainsaw option myself. My current chainsaw which is very large, is getting beyond my limitations for usability , and with the upcoming planned trip, I'm not really wanting to cart it/fuel around on the pretense we "may" need it occasionally for getting us through some bush tracks. But I will need something for firewood, albeit I'm not sure how the Nat Parks will except "any" saw being on board in certain areas. (A whole nother discussion on its own I'm sure).

    I'm pretty sure that between the car/winch/elec-saw and a bit of ingenuity, I'll be more than capable of getting us through something big should the need arise.

    Just got to find the right one, seeing as the larger battery pack means a whole new unit to the set up that I now have,,means I don't actually need to go through AEG to keep everything inline so to speak. Ahh, of course, then I'll need to fit the inverter too
    There are 12V Chargers for some manufacturers of 18V as we use them for work. Be interesting to see if there is a 12V charger for the 36V series. I’m not keen to install an inverter.

    I have a perfecting good petrol chainsaw and struggle with the idea of ditching it based on cordless getting better. I store mine either on the spare wheel or roof rack as there is zero chance of it traveling inside the car.

  8. #8
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    I got Ryobi's 12v charger for the One+ system. Got their 18v chainsaw, for camping. Got a few of their tools, to keep it as much 'inline' with each other .. or so to speak .. as possible.
    12v charger works very well.
    Charges the 2.0Ah batteries quickly too. About 45mins from when I feel the tool going gutless(as opposed to totally dead).
    With the chainsaw tho, I and or brother have never had to use the charger when camping.
    Brother's camping setup is for about 4-5 days, chainsaw for firewood only, as as minimal as possible.
    So for 4 nights firewood supply 2x 5.0Ah batteries on this 18v chainsaw appears to be plenty. The One + chainsaw was chosen for both it's common battery to mine(and his) tools, but more importantly it's smaller size(for camping).
    Needs more time to cut timber of course, we expected that .. but for a leisure situation time is not an issue.
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

  9. #9
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    [QUOTE=AK83;2839539]
    Quote Originally Posted by gromit View Post


    Those AEG batteries cost approx $400(currently), but the one thing I really liked about the AEG battery compared all other batteries I've had dealings with is that they make them very easy to pull apart. All screw system no annoying clip together shell that's impossible to separate without cracking, and no gluing.I've only opened it up for now, not taken the battery grid out, as I don't to muck anything up. When battery dies, I'll then weigh up the cost of replace/rebuild.
    Wow.....$400. That would buy a lot of fuel & oil.
    I'm on an acre and I recon I mix up 5 litres of 2-stroke maybe once per year.

    I know where I can get the packs re-populated, the company has the st/st straps and a spot welder. The fact that you might be able to replace individual cells yourself would make it a cheaper rebuild option.

    I think I'd stick with ICE for the time being.........


    Colin
    '56 Series 1 with homemade welder
    '65 Series IIa Dormobile
    '70 SIIa GS
    '76 SIII 88" (Isuzu C240)
    '81 SIII FFR
    '95 Defender Tanami
    '58 Series II (sold)
    Motorcycles :-
    Vincent Rapide, Panther M100, Norton BIG4, Electra & Navigator, Matchless G80C

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by gromit View Post
    ...

    Wow.....$400. That would buy a lot of fuel & oil.
    I'm on an acre and I recon I mix up 5 litres of 2-stroke maybe once per year.

    I know where I can get the packs re-populated, the company has the st/st straps and a spot welder. The fact that you might be able to replace individual cells yourself would make it a cheaper rebuild option.

    I think I'd stick with ICE for the time being.........


    Colin
    Yeah! $400 buys a lot of petrol/oil/tuneups.

    I think for me tho, it's the convenience/ease factor.
    If battery charged, just plug in and go scenario as opposed to the typical ICE workflow of .. pull(nothing!) pull(nothing!) pull(nothing) .. till you realise that the carby may need a slight tweak, the air filter is probably blocked, spark plug probably black and wet .. and there's wasted 2 hrs trying to figure out why the blasted thing won't start.
    I have the battery now, so all I'd need is the $400 mower(AEG in my case as that's what I'm tied too), so in 20mins I've loaded the battery and cut my knee high lawn. I may have mentioned that I'm fairly lazy about gardening stuff .. haven't cut my lawn for 6+ months

    But when it comes to camping tho, the battery chainsaw is pretty much unbeatable as an overall comparison to a 2 stroke version. I reckon the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

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