Topic: Battery powered strimmer recommendations

[Kea]

I have a petrol strimmer but at the moment just can't use it as it's too heavy for my back.
The area i have to strim has got smaller and it's mainly grass so I need some recommendations for a battery strimmer please. How long it needs to charge, power and how long the battery lasts. Please.

[tomatoada]

Glad you brought this up.  I have 2 battery stirmmers.  One is the cheapest from Argos and one is a Boch about £35.    Both bought 3 years ago.   The batteries take about 4-6 hours to charge and last about 1/2 hour.  They are OK for small areas but now I am cultivating all of my plot and plan to have some dividing paths I am going to get a better one.   So will be interested in replies.
The more powerful ones seem to have heavier batteries.   There is one with the battery carried in a bag.   
Another one to consider is the battery push along on wheels type.

[Kea]

Yes I saw the one with battery carried in a bag. It seemed to be almost as heavy as the petrol one but at least the weight is not all in holding the machine in front of you. At the moment if I strimmed for half an hour it would take my back months to recover so half an hour with a battery strimmer would be fine.

[cornykev]

I had one and it was crap, lasts about half hour the first time then less and less each time, there was a thread about two years ago on this, I'm sure a search would bring it up.  :(    ;D ;D ;D

[.]

 Just a thought but are you using a harness or literally holding the strimmer up in front of you ?

[chriscross1966]

You could look at the Ryobi 18V One+ systerm one. I've got a lot of the One+ rangew and as long as you realise they're not contractors tools they're very good. Plus side is there's dozens of other things that fit the same battery... Apart from the obvious drills, jigsaws, sanders circular saw and sabre saw there's a useful tack nailer, a brilliant baby neon worklight, plus some that work well but I don't use as much... the fan is great when you need it though, the dustbuster is handy after indoor woodwork and I've got the chainsaw and the hedge trimmer... both of which chew through batteries but work ok on smaller things (actually that's not being fair to either of them) ... if I was going to get a battery strimmer (and I might soon cos the petrol one I've got is a bit too big in my garden) then it'd be my only choice cos I've already got loads of batteries....

[Kea]

That looks great Chris....if you want all those other things and I don't.
 I see you have to buy the battery pack and charger separately. It does get rave reviews though and I know Ryobi makes a quality product as i have the 30cc Petrol strimmer. If i didn't have the petrol strimmer already I might be more tempted.

[Kea]

Having said that i found this http://www.toolbox.co.uk/ryobi-clt1830lc-one-18v-4747-100458?CAWELAID=488395531

Unfortunately too long a wait.

[Chrispy]

Just a thought but are you using a harness or literally holding the strimmer up in front of you ?

I am thinking this as well.
I find my small light battery strimmer a bigger strain on my back than bigger heavier petrol strimmers I have used.
OK, I don't have a bad back, and don't know what yours is like, but I would be interested in what model of strimmer you have at the moment, and how you use it.


OK, forget that, just had a google at people using strimmers and see most of the weight is at the front for most them, my exsperiance with petrol models was obvioulsy with top of the range well ballanced ones.

[Kea]

i have a ryobi 30cc petrol strimmer and a back and pelvic SI joint problem making rotational movements painful especially with weight. The strimmer doesn't have a harness. Carrying weight on my back is not as much of a problem holding it in front and swinging it around is.

[lincsyokel2]

My experience with battery powered tools is that the batteries have a very limited life - two years tops, and there horrendously expensive to replace, its usually cheaper to buy another new tool.

So i prefer the option of buying mains tools, but i also have an 800W portable petrol generator, cost me £80. I see it as a never ending battery. Not only will it power many different tools, its also useful for other stuff, like running the central heating pump in a power cut and being able to provide light in the middle of nowhere with a 500w garden hologen lamp on a stand. it also power mt barrel pump to enable me to use a hose to water the plot, without breaking the rules  8)

[chriscross1966]

My experience with battery powered tools is that the batteries have a very limited life - two years tops, and there horrendously expensive to replace, its usually cheaper to buy another new tool.

That's the advantage of the Ryobi's.... They look like they're sticking with the basic design (been making them a while, started doing compatible Li-Ion stuff last year.... They'#ve updated almost all the power tools I boght  but they still take the same batteries, some of my batteries are four years old now and still going fine.... make sure you get at least one smart charger to run the batteries through normally

chrisc

[Chrispy]

some of my batteries are four years old now and still going fine.... make sure you get at least one smart charger to run the batteries through normally

Yes, whatever you get, make sure you get/comes with a smart charger.
Batteries die early because they are constantly overcharged, a smart charger will prevent this and also you will be able to charge in an hour or less.

[.]

 Your strimmer should have  a loop, usually somewhere around about the on/off switch moulding , to which you can attach a harness.
 The standard Ryobi supplied shoulder harness isn't much more than a nylon belt with a carabiner but will help prevent fatigue for a while.
 If you have got an attachment loop,and after satisfactory experimentation
( bailing twine and or a trouser belt ?! ) it might worth gambling a few quid
on something like this 
 
   http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/5481252/art/silverline/silverline-universal-stri.html?srcid=369

before investing in a new strimmer.


hth

[pigeonseed]

This is all very interesting, I had no idea there were such things as battery strimmers, and that they were so cheap compared to petrol strimmers.

Yes, whatever you get, make sure you get/comes with a smart charger.
Batteries die early because they are constantly overcharged, a smart charger will prevent this and also you will be able to charge in an hour or less.

And I never knew that either!

it sounds quite hard to get the sort of thing you need Kea. Good luck with the search.

[chriscross1966]

some of my batteries are four years old now and still going fine.... make sure you get at least one smart charger to run the batteries through normally

Yes, whatever you get, make sure you get/comes with a smart charger.
Batteries die early because they are constantly overcharged, a smart charger will prevent this and also you will be able to charge in an hour or less.

Ahh... not quite correct for RYobi AFAIK.... all their One+ chargers are "smart" to that degree, but their smart charger does a deep discharge cycle first.... Nicads need that every now and again.... the car-voltage charger does that as well as it's headline job (charges 18V tools off 12VDC)

chrisc

[Kea]

Anyway if I find the battery one suits me better i can sell my petrol one it's in good condition and probably cover the cost. It would take up less space and stop complaints about the smell of petrol in the garage.