By Sandy Cason
As spring sprouts into action, so does lawn care season. If you are looking for new gear to use around your home, consider electric powered equipment – advancements made might surprise you.
Electric lawn equipment has seen big improvements in recent years leading to improved batteries, energy efficient motors and competitive costs. Manufacturers are combining all of these aspects to offer impressive equipment. How about an all-electric riding mower with a 38-inch deck that will mow 2.5 acres per charge? Yeah, that is a real thing!
Manufacturers are finding ways to help you switch to all electric and the benefits are diverse. For example, an all-electric riding mower is not only great for the environment, it keeps your maintenance budget to a minimum with no belts, spark plugs, filters or gas to purchase.
Do a little math and you will find that in a few years, that mower might be the better option.
All of the other common lawn care equipment can be found with all-electric options too. Hedge trimmers, blowers and push mowers: All battery powered and no cords to lug around.
You can find trimmers that have strong torque that use brushless motors for variable speed control. You won’t have to mix fuel, deal with leaks or worry if they will restart after it gets hot. Run out of juice? Plug in a new battery and go. Look for manufacturers that use lithium-ion batteries as they will provide the power you need and can be charged quickly.
The way to maximize hand-held electric equipment is to buy from a single brand. That way the batteries will be interchangeable. Once you make the transition, the difference is that you will keep a backup battery charged in your truck as you zip along that fence line instead of a can of gas.
SANDY CASON is director of member services and corporate relations at Whitewater Valley REMC in Liberty, Indiana.
TECH TIP
How brushless motors improve efficiency
Brushless motors reduce noise and heat because there is no friction between the rotor and stator as found in brushed motors. These factors improve efficiency resulting in longer battery life.
