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Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > Why there is no HP rating?

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bcjm


Location: Washing DC Area
Joined: Dec 2, 2011
Points: 25

Why there is no HP rating?
Original Message   Dec 12, 2011 3:50 pm
Does anyone know why the new engines does not have HP raing anymore?  It only indicates how many CC.
Replies: 1 - 10 of 13NextNext page of topicsAllView as Outline
Stainless


Joined: Nov 17, 2011
Points: 24

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #1   Dec 12, 2011 3:57 pm
Bill_H


Location: Maine
Joined: Jan 12, 2008
Points: 354

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #2   Dec 12, 2011 8:38 pm
Stainless answered it. For why it really doesn't matter, take a look at this thread: http://www.abbysguide.com/ope/discussions/60460-0-1.html

Who the hell let all the morning people run things?
scopes01


Location: Montreal, CANADA
Joined: Nov 27, 2011
Points: 22

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #3   Dec 12, 2011 9:21 pm

Here is a formula I have found on the net to calculate horsepower...feet/lbs. torque x rpm divided by 5252...this will give you the horsepower for your snowblower...ex: 21feet/lbs. of torque x 3600 rpm divided by 5252 gives me 14.39 horsepower...This is what comes up for my Ariens Pro 28 snowblower with a 420 cc Briggs engine...

Greg13


Joined: Nov 6, 2011
Points: 26

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #4   Dec 13, 2011 7:48 pm
It sounds like they are going the same way the Auto industry went. They used to rate by cu./in & HP, now it's just Liters.
scopes01


Location: Montreal, CANADA
Joined: Nov 27, 2011
Points: 22

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #5   Dec 13, 2011 9:59 pm
The reason why they switched to Litres is simply because of the metric system in Canada and to be compatible with the rest of the World. In the USA it is still the imperial inch system. Cubic Inch is for the Imperial system and Litres or cubic metres for metric. This defines the displacement of the engine. Horsepower is part of the inch system and it still used today in the auto industry combined with other metric values/specifications. It gets kind of complicated for someone who doesn't know both systems...ex: my son goes to a Canadian High School and they are teaching him only the Metric system and no Imperial inch system at all....However, they still speak about Horsepower which is part of the inch system. Instead they should be speaking about Kilowatt power to be more accurate and standard with the Metric system. Actually, they should be teaching both systems as it is used daily in Canada. Especially in the manufacturing world everything is converted to the Inch system before processing. I personnally prefer the Inch system over Metric as it is the system of the Universe and not made by mankind...
New_Yorker


Preach the Gospel always, use words when necessary

Location: Long Island, NY
Joined: Nov 26, 2010
Points: 219

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #6   Dec 13, 2011 10:29 pm
The Marketing and sales people Lie about the Horsepower, and use it to sell whatever they have on hand.  So the actual(usually in Cibic Centimeters CC, for short) Displacement is all you can get which still doesn't tell you how powerful any given engine is.  If Consumer Reports would just accurately and objectively measure and publish the horsepower of the engines on the machines they test, they'd force the manufacturers to publish actual and not fictitious Horsepoer meausrements.   This is just one issue, and why buying power equipment is an exercise in evaluating what the seller doesn't want you to know.  If you get actual accurate HP numbers, then try getting the size of the friction whaeel and drive plate that make the snowblower move.  Good luck finding out that speciafication, or even just how much the machine weighs.  Like I said they don't want you to know . . . . A Lot !
bcjm


Location: Washing DC Area
Joined: Dec 2, 2011
Points: 25

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #7   Dec 14, 2011 9:55 am
Knowing just the Cibic Centimeters is almost useless to me.   A two liters race engine is complete different from a 2 liters engine used on the street.  I never pay too much attention on the actual size but the HP rating when buying a car.  
Greg13


Joined: Nov 6, 2011
Points: 26

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #8   Dec 14, 2011 8:00 pm
The problem with rating by displacement is that it is just the volume of displacement. There are many factors that effect the actual power such as Exhaust, Carb., valve & Ign. timing. Granted there are not too many options available to hop up the power of small engines like there are in the automotive sector so you are pretty much stuck with what you get.
RedOctobyr


Location: Lowell area, MA
Joined: Nov 5, 2011
Points: 282

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #9   Dec 14, 2011 8:24 pm
I'm fine with them rating by torque, but not if they're just going to continue to make up numbers. The upside to listing displacement is that you really can't fudge it. Cylinder diameter is easy to measure, as is stroke. It at least provides one method to compare "theoretical" performance. But it would be nice to show some measure of the engine's actual performance. You could build a 400cc engine that makes 2 hp if you wanted to.

It is funny, though. I think of temperature in F, distances in inches/miles, etc. But I consider engine displacement in cc's/liters, not cubic inches.
Bill_H


Location: Maine
Joined: Jan 12, 2008
Points: 354

Re: Why there is no HP rating?
Reply #10   Dec 14, 2011 9:24 pm
They can't make up torque numbers, and if you think they are, you can measure it yourself. It's the ONLY useful measurement of power for small engines.

Who the hell let all the morning people run things?
Replies: 1 - 10 of 13NextNext page of topicsAllView as Outline
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