California to ban gas powered lawn equipment?

[rjd970]

After going through about 1 gas weed eater every couple of seasons I moved on to battery operated and haven't looked back. My current one has been good for going on it's 4th season.

Still can't bring myself to change my gas powered mower.

 

[Mick]

After going through about 1 gas weed eater every couple of seasons I moved on to battery operated and haven't looked back. My current one has been good for going on it's 4th season.

Still can't bring myself to change my gas powered mower.

 

[NorthDallas40]

After going through about 1 gas weed eater every couple of seasons I moved on to battery operated and haven't looked back. My current one has been good for going on it's 4th season.

Still can't bring myself to change my gas powered mower.

On a 2 stroke lawn tool as long as you run pure gas in it and use fuel stabilizer regularly it should be no big deal. If it is most often it’s a gummed up carb from gas left in it over time. I keep a spare $10 walbro carb for my lawn tool power head around (single power head with multiple attachments) and just pop it on if it gets hard to start. Change the plug every couple of seasons and no issues. And as far as “hard to start” my power head uses an electric start Chuck to an external electric attachment. I haven’t pulled a weed eater power cord in 5 years .

Pure gas vs ethanol blend is a big deal on 2 cycle engines. Remember the fuel is the lubricant as well as the combustion mixture. If you have a 4 stroke lawn tool this issue gets diminished greatly.

 

[rjd970]

On a 2 stroke lawn tool as long as you run pure gas in it and use fuel stabilizer regularly it should be no big deal. If it is most often it’s a gummed up carb from gas left in it over time. I keep a spare $10 walbro carb for my lawn tool power head around (single power head with multiple attachments) and just pop it on if it gets hard to start. Change the plug every couple of seasons and no issues. And as far as “hard to start” my power head uses an electric start Chuck to an external electric attachment. I haven’t pulled a weed eater power cord in 5 years .

Pure gas vs ethanol blend is a big deal on 2 cycle engines. Remember the fuel is the lubricant as well as the combustion mixture. If you have a 4 stroke lawn tool this issue gets diminished greatly.

Ehh, that would probably help. Nevertheless, Now I get my whole lawn done on 1.5 fully charged batteries and it starts every time with just a push of the trigger. It’s too easy.

 

[C-south]

Maybe. But I think Europe will head to all electric autos before the US will.

Better build some more coal fired power plants to meet the demand for power.

 

[BennesseeVols]

On a 2 stroke lawn tool as long as you run pure gas in it and use fuel stabilizer regularly it should be no big deal. If it is most often it’s a gummed up carb from gas left in it over time. I keep a spare $10 walbro carb for my lawn tool power head around (single power head with multiple attachments) and just pop it on if it gets hard to start. Change the plug every couple of seasons and no issues. And as far as “hard to start” my power head uses an electric start Chuck to an external electric attachment. I haven’t pulled a weed eater power cord in 5 years .

Pure gas vs ethanol blend is a big deal on 2 cycle engines. Remember the fuel is the lubricant as well as the combustion mixture. If you have a 4 stroke lawn tool this issue gets diminished greatly.

Yep, you have to run ethanol free gas in your lawn equipment or you'll have trouble. If you can't find it at your local gas stations go to a marina or gas station near a lake. Anything that sits without being run regularly will get gummed up if you're using gas with ethanol in it.

 

[Orangeburst]

Yep, you have to run ethanol free gas in your lawn equipment or you'll have trouble. If you can't find it at your local gas stations go to a marina or gas station near a lake. Anything that sits without being run regularly will get gummed up if you're using gas with ethanol in it.

I have always just run the mower and leaf blower out of fuel at the end of the season. No worry about fuel stabilizers. Just now thinking about it not sure if the carb bowl empties completely.

 

[TNVOLNAVY]

I'm open to electric powered tools/transportation but I want it driven by free enterprise. I'm ok with some government subsidies but not like that crap the last administration pulled with their failed green energy scams. I did read an opinion piece recently in which the author said that the combustion engine had been taken as far as it could go. California is moving toward a fossil fuel free model so let them be the guinea pig. Just don't come along later and falsely claim something is a success and then force it on the rest of the country (ex. those crappy gas cans). Just because something works in crowded cities does not make it viable in rural areas and by the way, once California is totally dependent on electricity, the government has total control over power consumption and that is scary.

 

[FLVOL_79]

Thats gonna put a lot of "californians" out of business..

Here in Georgia without a gas powered lawnmower it would take my lawn people days to cut and edge just the 1 acre front lawn I have. God knows how long to get the back done.

 

[KB5252]

In the past 2 years I’ve bought a battery powered trimmer, blower, and hedge trimmer (all Stihl) for my wife since she finds the gas powered tools hard to start. I still use the gas powered tools. My biggest dislikes for the battery powered stuff is cost of batteries, battery run time and reduced power. I do like the lighter weight. I believe the CA proposal will be a huge increase in costs for both homeowners and lawn services but then again CA gives no fricks on the cost impact. I hope they have a huge graveyard for batteries just like their graveyards for recyclables that China quit taking.

And those dirty batteries and the political it takes to create them will end up being of no benefit to the environment. This is what happens when God ideas are taken too far by people who don't care about the real consequences so much as they do about the "appearance" of doing something to help the environment.

 

[GVF]

You post once again showing how little you really know on the topics you screech about. In this case the reach of the petroleum industry into products that permeate our everyday lives. Gasoline powered vehicles could disappear tomorrow and the petroleum industry would keep chugging right along. However gasoline powered vehicles aren’t going anywhere when you consider the growing markets outside of Western Europe and North America.

Edit: whoops wrong quote didn’t mean to quote you @Coug here is the one I was aiming for.

Yep. It's amazing the ignorance of the masses in all this BS we are fed. The amount of petroleum and natural metals and resources used to produce these eco-friendly items is astounding. The batteries, the plastics, the electricity to charge them, and on and on. It's equally less damaging to use what we have.

 

[VolStrom]

I wonder what the state of California is going to do with the CARB bureaucracy department they created? Teach them to code would be my answer.
Personally after doing the 50 pull dance with my weed eater and chainsaw I bought lithium powered of both. I don't have a big yard and a lithium model works great for what I need. Now if I was cutting firewood for the season no way, but for yard maintenance that's the only way to go.

 

[GVF]

Sit down, same as a fat girl.

Too dangerous. Better leave her standing.

 

[GVF]

After going through about 1 gas weed eater every couple of seasons I moved on to battery operated and haven't looked back. My current one has been good for going on it's 4th season.

Still can't bring myself to change my gas powered mower.

I have a lot to mow. but, not very much to trim. An electric weed eater is on my list. I can see value in that purchase for my needs. What kind did you get?

 

[GVF]

I wonder what the state of California is going to do with the CARB bureaucracy department they created? Teach them to code would be my answer.
Personally after doing the 50 pull dance with my weed eater and chainsaw I bought lithium powered of both. I don't have a big yard and a lithium model works great for what I need. Now if I was cutting firewood for the season no way, but for yard maintenance that's the only way to go.

Is that electric chainsaw worth anything. What can it cut. I don't have a need to cut for firewood. But, have a lot of privet brush overgrowing some areas it might be useful as a grab and go cutting tool.

 

[VolStrom]

Is that electric chainsaw worth anything. What can it cut. I don't have a need to cut for firewood. But, have a lot of privet brush overgrowing some areas it might be useful as a grab and go cutting tool.

It works great for limbs up to about 6-8". I love mine, the battery will poop out after 20-30 minutes but I seldom need it that long. I bought a Ryobi with a 40 volt battery at Home Depot for something like $150 on sale. If I wanted to cut more than brush for very long I'd get a second battery. It only has something like a 14" bar so it's not gonna cut much anyway.

 

[rjd970]

I have a lot to mow. but, not very much to trim. An electric weed eater is on my list. I can see value in that purchase for my needs. What kind did you get?

20V Power Share 12" Cordless String Trimmer & Edger - WG162 | WORX

I've been very happy with it. I got an extra battery so I could finish the yard without waiting for a recharge. It's been 3 years and I haven't had to replace anything but the string. Being able to turn the column and use the wheel for trimming along the sidewalk makes a big difference to me. You may be able to find it cheaper on Amazon.

I'm in the same boat, I have a lot to mow so I still use a gas mower.

 

[GVF]

20V Power Share 12" Cordless String Trimmer & Edger - WG162 | WORX

I've been very happy with it. I got an extra battery so I could finish the yard without waiting for a recharge. It's been 3 years and I haven't had to replace anything but the string. Being able to turn the column and use the wheel for trimming along the sidewalk makes a big difference to me. You may be able to find it cheaper on Amazon.

I'm in the same boat, I have a lot to mow so I still use a gas mower.

We have a Worx at the bowling center. It does pretty good. I didn't think of it. The blower, however, will chew up the batteries. Curious how these Makita systems work, besides the high price tag.

 

[VolStrom]

We have a Worx at the bowling center. It does pretty good. I didn't think of it. The blower, however, will chew up the batteries. Curious how these Makita systems work, besides the high price tag.

If you want cheap move on down the road skippy.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

I've got my yard guys over here right now using powerful gas leaf blowers to clean up my yard from all those leaves (leaf) from falling from this last year's fall. I went out to talk w/one of the head guys & he said he has one of the most powerful leaf blowers in the business. I'm so happy I don't live in California & do all this crap w/rakes.

 

[NorthDallas40]

I’m telling ya guys buy the two cycles with the external starter chuck! They’re awesome!

Prime and set full choke
Engage starter with no throttle
Spin till it burps
Set half choke and hold WOT
Spin till it starts

Easy peasy and works like a champ! And like I said it’s a detachable powerhead so it’s only one motor to maintain. They’re freaking awesome.

Troy Bilt, Toro, Craftsman abd I think some others all use this standard chuck interface. Here is my starter.

JumpStart™ Lithium-Ion Engine Starter by Troy-Bilt

 

[1972 Grad]

20V Power Share 12" Cordless String Trimmer & Edger - WG162 | WORX

I've been very happy with it. I got an extra battery so I could finish the yard without waiting for a recharge. It's been 3 years and I haven't had to replace anything but the string. Being able to turn the column and use the wheel for trimming along the sidewalk makes a big difference to me. You may be able to find it cheaper on Amazon.

I'm in the same boat, I have a lot to mow so I still use a gas mower.

I have one of those, and a small blower to blow off the porches and garage. I use the gas Stihl for heavy duty work.

 

[NorthDallas40]

I have one of those, and a small blower to blow off the porches and garage. I use the gas Stihl for heavy duty work.

I do have an Ego electric blower and shrub trimmer. Keep a battery on the charger and one in each tool so I’ve always got juice. For those two items I think it makes sense. For the weed eater and the edger I use gas as again I think it makes sense on those two items. I’ve got a one acre lot so the weed whacker and edger see pretty high usage times.

I do have the blower and shrub trimmer attachments for the two cycle power head. Just don’t use them anymore since I got the Ego

 

[Orangeburst]

I’m telling ya guys buy the two cycles with the external starter chuck! They’re awesome!

Prime and set full choke
Engage starter with no throttle
Spin till it burps
Set half choke and hold WOT
Spin till it starts

Easy peasy and works like a champ! And like I said it’s a detachable powerhead so it’s only one motor to maintain. They’re freaking awesome.

Troy Bilt, Toro, Craftsman abd I think some others all use this standard chuck interface. Here is my starter.

JumpStart™ Lithium-Ion Engine Starter by Troy-Bilt

I used to have a Yamaha WR400 dirt bike 4-stroker with a 12.5:1 compression ratio. Had this ridiculous starting procedure where you had to get the piston TDC before kicking and even a successful kick was tough. If you were off it would kick back and about break your legs so always wore my boots. Doing that on the side of a hill in the woods would wear me out.

 

[NorthDallas40]

I used to have a Yamaha WR400 dirt bike 4-stroker with a 12.5:1 compression ratio. Had this ridiculous starting procedure where you had to get the piston TDC before kicking and even a successful kick was tough. If you were off it would kick back and about break your legs so always wore my boots. Doing that on the side of a hill in the woods would wear me out.

Wow wasn’t aware of that PITA crossover behavior. 4 stroke dirt bikes have come a long way if I buy another one it will be a KTM 4 stroke with the auto clutch.

Also I’d argue that starting process I posted was pretty generic for any piece of two stroke lawn equipment just replace “yank that damn pull cord” with “engage the electric starter”