Petrol strimmer

[jellied]

For the allotment before the rasied beds vanish.

I was kindly given a battery powered bosch strimmer some years ago, I got a new battery but it seems after a winter of neglect it doesn't last more than 5 minutes. Annoying as I've just bought some new blades.

I could get a new battery for around £45 I recall, but I'm tempted to get a petrol powered one, it's only for cutting the couch grass and odd weed so doesn't need to be that powerful.

Any suggestions? Makes/models to look for/avoid? No more than £100 really.

[jellied]

[landimad]

Fester,

I think this may help you with your decision.

http://www.reviewcentre.com/products553.html

[Robert_Brenchley]

I had a battery one a few years ago. It wasn't much good, didn't last, and I wouldn't consider it again unless they develop batteries about ten times more powerful than the current generation.

[matt987106]

personally

this is what i would do

pop along to your local back street garage, they will have a pile of old car batteries out the back ( they will not hold charge to start a car )

look where the battery pack goes and look for the connections the + & - points

buy some wire and croc clips

wrap wire around the terminak points on the strimmer, on the other end of the wire connect the croc clips, have the wire as long as you can

charge the old car battery at home

take battery and strimmer up allotment

cut grass etc etc

job done, its nice a green, you are not buying a new strimmer and your using a old car battery

[lincsyokel2]

i spent £80 on a 1200 watt petrol generator, and bought a cheap electric strimmer. I can use any electric device less than 1 Kw now, including electric drill, inspection lamps, and hedge trimmer.

1001 uses, this generator.

[katynewbie]

I bought a Ryobi petrol strimmer for £85 a couple of years ago and have used and abused it 'orribly. It starts after a few splutters every year (even tho I left petrol in it all over the winter once  :-[) and has coped with everything I have done to it. Cannot recommend it highly enough. I tried a little rechargeable one once and thought it was a waste of time, not robust enough for real angry couch grass etc IMHO.

[Vortex]

The little Ryobi's have gone up a little, however screwfix have a 26cc Ryobi Expant-It compatible strimmer on offer for £99 including a hedge trimmer attachment.

[jellied]

Thanks everyone - looks like the Ryobi is coming out on top.

I'm sure they will come with instructions - but do you simply put car-petrol in them or something special?

[euronerd]

Another vote for Ryobi - mine's just starting its 12th season

[katynewbie]

They run on a standard two stroke mix of petrol and oil, instructions are all there for you, not complicated at all

[Vortex]

There are 2 densities of 2-stroke oil so you need to ensure you use the correct dilution for the type of 2-stroke oil you have. Under diluting the denser oil just gums up the works, makes it difficult to start, and causes the engine to smoke and lose power; but it'll recover as soon as you start using the correct mix.
I'll leave you to guess what happens if you over dilute the less dense oil.