Electric Snow Blower

NorthCyd

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How big is your yard? Trees that will need leaves mulched? How tall is your grass when you mow? Neighbor purchased an ego that I mow his yard with. Started out where I could mow it and have 2 bars left. Now a year later, I can’t even use the self propelled option, I have to push it and the red light is flashing when I finish. Last fall I could only get 2/3rds of his yard done as I mulched his leaves. I’ll be lucky to get half done this year. Give me my new Toro electric start 8.25 hp gas mower any day!! Way more torque too especially on tall grass and mulching leaves. Can’t imagine the battery power it takes to clean a wet heavy snow with an electric snow blower.
Is he storing the battery in a temperature controlled environment? Storage in a shed or garage without temperature control will kill the lifespan of batteries quickly. I have had one of my ego batteries for over 8 years now and I would guess it's still at 70 to 80% capacity. You may tell him to look into the warranty on it if it's losing capacity that fast.
 

NickTheGreat

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I've replaced all my secondary yard tools with electric (Dewalt). I do still have a gas leaf blower (need the CFM in the fall) and a gas chainsaw. But I also have electric versions of those tools for lighter duty applications.

My mower is only 8 years old, and a Honda, so I think it has a lot of life left in it. So in 15 years, I will be researching the mini-nuclear reactor version of mowers. :jimlad:
 
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bozclone

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My poulan leaf blower and stihl weed eater will probably be replaced with electric by next spring.
Getting rid of my gas Stihl blower and weed eater took away a lot of hassle. The weed eater was a real pain most of the time. The battery powered tools make trimming and cleaning up so much easier. I now have three batteries to share between the tools, so battery life isn’t an issue.
 
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mramseyISU

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My poulan leaf blower and stihl weed eater will probably be replaced with electric by next spring.
You'll love the battery weed eater. The blower is great but they're power hogs. I can weed eat and edge my sidewalks/patio/driveway on one battery with no problem. My leaf blower works good for walking around and blowing off concrete and my mower when I'm done with it but when the leaves start dropping in the fall I don't have enough batteries to keep ahead. I've got about 23 Ah worth of Milwaukee batteries with 2 chargers running and I still spend time waiting on batteries to charge up when I'm doing fall clean-up. I really want to get one of those big 12 Ah batteries but haven't been able to talk myself into pulling the trigger on one of those monsters.
 

CyCoug

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I bought a corded Sun Joe snow blower for about $80 on clearance on woot.com.

The cord is a pain. But I only need to use it a few times a year, so I put up with it vs spending $500+ on a cordless model.
 

t-noah

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I've replaced all my secondary yard tools with electric (Dewalt). I do still have a gas leaf blower (need the CFM in the fall) and a gas chainsaw. But I also have electric versions of those tools for lighter duty applications.

My mower is only 8 years old, and a Honda, so I think it has a lot of life left in it. So in 15 years, I will be researching the mini-nuclear reactor version of mowers. :jimlad:
In 15 years they will have a microchip-sized, lifelong battery. It will easily handle all your power tools, including a 90cc equivalent chainsaw with a 30 inch bar. Can you imagine how light that would be?

You will even be able to put it in your 26kWatt generator to power your house, if needed.

Of course everyone will have a golf ball-sized battery backup by then, to power your house or car. :)
 
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t-noah

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I have never purchased a snow blower before and am looking to for this winter season. I am not very mechanically inclined and have been looking at electric models. Have any of you purchased an electric model and how does it work. We have a typical driveway with a 2 car garage. No major inclines or any obstacles. No sidewalk to take care of either. My body is no longer able to shovel the snow as I have in the past and that is why we are looking at buying.
Did you wind up going electric / battery?

I briefly looked into the electric chainsaws (battery). I probably would have pulled the trigger on a Husky 18" backup saw, if not for the battery weight. It winds up being heavier than a gas powered saw.

All the advantages of electric are still negated by the weight of a decent battery, at least with something you have to carry. Something with wheels (you don't have to carry), a battery machine makes more sense.

I will check back in a couple of years. Battery weight is a key factor. Longevity too (they are expensive).
 

Clonehomer

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In 15 years they will have a microchip-sized, lifelong battery. It will easily handle all your power tools, including a 90cc equivalent chainsaw with a 30 inch bar. Can you imagine how light that would be?

You will even be able to put it in your 26kWatt generator to power your house, if needed.

Of course everyone will have a golf ball-sized battery backup by then, to power your house or car. :)

And we’ll all have cancer from the miniature nuclear reactors you speak of.
 

t-noah

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I bought a corded Sun Joe snow blower for about $80 on clearance on woot.com.

The cord is a pain. But I only need to use it a few times a year, so I put up with it vs spending $500+ on a cordless model.
Makes sense.

I'm a big knot person, love to learn about knots, best ways to wrap cords, hoses, etc. So, I like wrapping cords the old fashioned way.

But, I'm wondering if you had a corded electric (anything almost), if it wouldn't be worth it investing in one of those retractable electric cord holders? Might keep the cord away from you a little better.

Of course, with a snow blower, the cord would be all wet and snowy, and it would likely clog the retractable device.
 

cyinne

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I am looking to get a battery EGO single stage snowblower. Looking at the models is a steel or rubber impeller a better to have?
 

Mr Janny

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I am looking to get a battery EGO single stage snowblower. Looking at the models is a steel or rubber impeller a better to have?
I had a rig like that with a rubber impeller. No issues with rubber. My issue was that the entire device could not handle more than about 2 inches of snow. And loose snow at that. Any kind of resistance and it would just stop. I'm sure not all electrics are like that, but mine was incredibly frustrating.
 
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wxman1

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I had a rig like that with a rubber impeller. No issues with rubber. My issue was that the entire device could not handle more than about 2 inches of snow. And loose snow at that. Any kind of resistance and it would just stop. I'm sure not all electrics are like that, but mine was incredibly frustrating.
The two stage Ego I have is a beast.
 
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soccercy

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I had a rig like that with a rubber impeller. No issues with rubber. My issue was that the entire device could not handle more than about 2 inches of snow. And loose snow at that. Any kind of resistance and it would just stop. I'm sure not all electrics are like that, but mine was incredibly frustrating.
I bought a one stage Ego last year, and returned it the same day because of this. It just pushed snow, couldn't handle anything. Just bought a 2 stage Ego, buying on faith that this one will work much better as I won't be able to return it by the time we use it.

That was our last gas replacement, everything else, lawnmower, blower, chainsaw, weedeater are all EGO already and we love them all.
 

Mr Janny

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I bought a one stage Ego last year, and returned it the same day because of this. It just pushed snow, couldn't handle anything. Just bought a 2 stage Ego, buying on faith that this one will work much better as I won't be able to return it by the time we use it.

That was our last gas replacement, everything else, lawnmower, blower, chainsaw, weedeater are all EGO already and we love them all.
I kept mine around, because it's small, and does handle the light stuff pretty well, but I bought a two stage gas monster. Also, I don't mind letting my 10 year old run it while I use the bigger one.
 

danielyp29

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I bought a one stage Ego in January the night before (of?) the huge snow storm with the rubber auger and have been happy with it. It was able to handle some wet stuff at the end of the drive way too, which was a big upgrade from the shovel. I would have loved a two stage one, but I walked out the last electric snow blower in store that was pre-assembled since it was on display so I wasn't going to complain that I didn't have to shovel during the blizzard.