Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Interested to see how well this will work. I wonder what battery replacement costs will be?

http://www.wisesales.com/ariens_916003.html

Product Name AMP 24 Stage Type Two Stage Powered By 48V Brushless DC Motor Starting System Key On, PTO On Clearing Width 24" (61 cm) Housing Height 20" (50.8 cm) Throwing Distance 3' - 40' Chute Turning Radius 205º Chute Rotation 2.5x Ice Drill Chute Construction Steel Deflector Control Remote Tire Size 13" x 4" (33 x 10.2 cm) Axle System Pin Lock Batteries 48V / 30A-Hr Drive Type Disc-o-matic Speeds 6 FWD, 2 REV Gear Case Aluminum Impeller Profile Steel 3-Blade Impeller Diameter 12" (30.5 cm) Auger Diameter 11" (27.9 cm) Auger Type Steel Serrated Skid Shoes Reversible Energized by two 48-Volt AGM Valve Regulated battery packs that last up to 200 charges. Unplug charger, turn key and you are ready to start throwing snow. Specially designed steel chute discharges snow accurately up to 40 feet. User-friendly controls for simple and convenient maneuverability. Largest in-class freeze-resistant 12-inch 3-blade high speed impeller ensures superior performance. Features a battery level indicator that gives the operator an early warning by flashing approximately 10 minutes before battery is discharged.

No fuel to stabilize,no winterizing,no need to understand anything about chokes,governors,carburetor floats,no oil changes, no hot mufflers to concern yourself with when young kids are around and no noise. If I was a young married living in a town house with a young family and wasn't emotionally involved with snow machines I would at least be curious. Not to mention the growing # of seniors who are  snow blower enthusiasts but are  no longer able to maintain their own machines. 

I wonder if the electrics take advantage of a drive system like that in a hydrostatic trans or are they the traditional disk drive?

For an urban dweller this might just be the ticket!!  

I'm not buying one but it's not aimed at me!!!

The market will decide.

Marc

PS-I prefer 24" machines  because they will fit between two cars in the usual suburban garage. I can also get a ratio of 4hp. per foot of bucket width which is more or less considered ideal without having to go to a "big block" engine. My objection to the larger displacement units is that they can be a bear to pull start for those of limited strength ( read that as the wife!).

Marc 

New video of unit by Snowblowersdirect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOa5dHfFXbA

In use video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foc7nblz4_o

Battery powered devices carry their own brand of environmental impact and in my view are disappointingly wasteful. 

Right now, I have a box in my basement with four perfectly working cordless drills that are virtually useless because the eight batteries that came with them cannot take a charge.   Replacement batteries cost as much or more than a new drill, batteries and charger.   Each drill came with two NiCad batteries which would last maybe two years if I was lucky.    

This method of manufacturing a product that requires batteries that are prohibitively expensive really rubs me the wrong way.   I don't see anything green about a product that is rendered useless because the power source that drives them costs nearly as much as a complete new item.   It irks me to no end to discard perfectly working devices. 

Almost every gasoline/diesel powered device I own or have owned is still working after decades of use.   But there, in the basement is a box full of battery powered devices, each only a couple years old and capable of years more service that will end up being recycled or trashed because batteries are either no longer available or too expensive.  

There's NO WAY I'll be buying any large battery powered OPE or anything else battery powered for that matter, until manufacturers produce a battery that will work for ten years and be reasonably priced when needed to be be replaced.            

iLikeOrange wrote:

It will be a big hit with the "green" enviromentalist's. Great for people who need a 2 stage and have to keep the machine inside there home. No gas or oil fumes to deal with, Nevermind they dont have to worry about stabilzer or draining the gas. Dont get me wrong I would never buy one but they may have a place in the market.

What would impress me is someone building one out of 2 cheap standard auto batteries that charges off a standard fifty amp charger car charger. ( Trouts- go check your spares, get Borat for plans) --Friiy

What would impress me is someone building one out of 2 cheap standard auto batteries that charges off a standard fifty amp charger car charger. ( Trouts- go check your spares, get Borat for plans) --Friiy

What a waste. Probably OK charge-wise if you have a small driveway in town, but that "up to one hour" means what? One hour of smooth light snow like they show in the video? You'll really bog down that 4HP motor on EOD and that will greatly reduce your usage. Then you have to wait 6 hours before you can use it again.

The battery could probably be replaced by 4  motorcycle sized batteries with a little fab work, that should cut the cost of replacing them if you can do that yourself. I don'tthink you can fit 4 auto-sized batteries on that. Still must be very heavy.

6 hour recharge at a 10 (? just guessing) amp draw would be 7.2 kW. Not cheap. And despite what the greenies say, electricity DOES pollute. Almost half the US supply is from coal-fired plants (I don't have stats for CA).

I see a niche market in places that don't get a lot of snow. But let another year like this past one happen and they'll all be looking to upgrade.

Perfect Florida snow blower.  Or maybe SoCal.  

I 'm thinking now about a 220 volt  electric,   I wonder what gauge  the power cord would have to be  for 75 feet?

No batteries and quiet...   I' ll have to see how much Romax I have lying around and check the Harbor Freight Catalog.

-Friiy