Snow blowers

I can collaborate the capacity loss over time.

I always order a spare charger so I have at least 1-2
batteries ready to roll for when it inevitably dies 1/2 way thru the driveway.

At least the common battery types are on Amazon so its easy to replace them every
few years with whatever the current cheap knock off is.
 
Be advised that battery performance (capacity) decreases with decreasing temperatures. I store my gas SBr in my shed which is not heated.
If you can store your SBr in a garage that's attached to your house or bring it there a day before need to use it won't be as cold as the outside ambient you shouldn't see much of an effect. Just to give you an idea capacity will decrease by about 20% at 32F which isn't all that cold.
Just keep your batteries in the house
 
Just keep your batteries in the house
I like the idea of pressing my electric start (110VAC - plug in a cord, start it and unplug the cord) on my gas SBr and away I go. I put in gas prior to there being snow and cold. I buy fresh gas in advance of a weather report predicting snow. I do this when I top off my car prior to a storm. I haven't used my SBr in several years (not enough snow). I assume that the batteries will not degrade too much if not used for several years.

I assume (if its engineered correctly) that the battery compartment in the SBr is insulated, and combined with the heat generated in the battery during use, will mitigate loss of efficiency effects during cold weather. So keeping the batteries in the house and installing them when needed (outside in the cold or in the garage) sounds like a plan.

I have a long driveway and my street is wide so there is a lot (maybe 6 feet) of heavily packed snow deposited by the town's plow. I also clear a path for the old lady who lives next door from the street thru the heavily packed snow, up her driveway, her walkway to her front door (her son doesn't get there until late in the day.)

Not sure if batteries would last long enough to handle all those tasks. A 2.5 gallon can of gas never ran out even in the worst storm of past 25 years I lived in this house.
 
Slight word of caution if using a a gas powered machine with a “rope pull” start-..

Had not used mine for a season or so and attempted to start a while back just to ensure it was running— Pilled the cord hard and it seized up- machine fell over on my leg and ended up with a wound down to the bone on the shin -

Just be careful out there
 
Slight word of caution if using a a gas powered machine with a “rope pull” start-..

Had not used mine for a season or so and attempted to start a while back just to ensure it was running— Pilled the cord hard and it seized up- machine fell over on my leg and ended up with a wound down to the bone on the shin -

Just be careful out there
Although mine has a rope start I hardly ever use it (maybe I'm taking a break and I turn the machine off or maybe I have to put more gas in). Since the machine had been running a single easy pull starts it.
I had a rope start machine that I replaced maybe 20 years ago and it was such a pain to start beginning of season that next next machine was an electric start. Press the button and starts right up. Well worth the extra $
 
I'd like to hear about how guys did with their gas and electric snow blowers in todays storm.

I have a single stage gas powered electric start unit.

Poured in the gas (haven't used it in 2 years or so but did get fresh gas during last fill-up for my car), plugged in 110v cord, set choke, pressed primer bulb and then start. Instantly started up.

Snow was particularly wet and heavy (so heavy my pine trees along property line had branches pulled down to the ground). The unit could not throw the the full width of the auger housing with wet snow. if I tried to throw the full width the throw chute jammed up with wet snow so I had to only take half width at a time.
Also could only take 1/4 width at the end of driveway of the snow the town plowed.

So instead of a half hour job it ended up an hour job.

When done I put some stabilizer in the gas and won't run it dry until after last possible snow (end of March?).

Like to know how the electric units did.
 
I'd like to hear about how guys did with their gas and electric snow blowers in todays storm.

I have a single stage gas powered electric start unit.

Poured in the gas (haven't used it in 2 years or so but did get fresh gas during last fill-up for my car), plugged in 110v cord, set choke, pressed primer bulb and then start. Instantly started up.

Snow was particularly wet and heavy (so heavy my pine trees along property line had branches pulled down to the ground). The unit could not throw the the full width of the auger housing with wet snow. if I tried to throw the full width the throw chute jammed up with wet snow so I had to only take half width at a time.
Also could only take 1/4 width at the end of driveway of the snow the town plowed.

So instead of a half hour job it ended up an hour job.

When done I put some stabilizer in the gas and won't run it dry until after last possible snow (end of March?).

Like to know how the electric units did.
Long island you need something to throw slush.. I brought a 10hp Cub Cadet from MA when I moved her but it's no match for Ariens I replaced it with.
Ariens 2-stage tosses slush across while road
 
Long island you need something to throw slush.. I brought a 10hp Cub Cadet from MA when I moved her but it's no match for Ariens I replaced it with.
Ariens 2-stage tosses slush across while road
For the amount of time I use it per year 'll live with the extra half hour I spent in exchange for an easier to store and less expensive to buy unit.

I was more interested in hearing from the guys who have the electric units.
 
I'd like to hear about how guys did with their gas and electric snow blowers in todays storm.

I have a single stage gas powered electric start unit.

Poured in the gas (haven't used it in 2 years or so but did get fresh gas during last fill-up for my car), plugged in 110v cord, set choke, pressed primer bulb and then start. Instantly started up.

Snow was particularly wet and heavy (so heavy my pine trees along property line had branches pulled down to the ground). The unit could not throw the the full width of the auger housing with wet snow. if I tried to throw the full width the throw chute jammed up with wet snow so I had to only take half width at a time.
Also could only take 1/4 width at the end of driveway of the snow the town plowed.

So instead of a half hour job it ended up an hour job.

When done I put some stabilizer in the gas and won't run it dry until after last possible snow (end of March?).

Like to know how the electric units did.
Wasn't enough snow in the Lake Grove area to be bothered... just shoveled it. It was rather cathartic 40 minutes to move all of it [6 car driveway and about 50 feet of walkways]

As of 6pm tonight still not a single snowplow from the Town or Village has come through the roads. People started driving on it to wear it away around 2pm-ish.
 

billyS

Reign of Terror
I went out around 12:30 just as it was slowing down and shoveled everything, sidewalk, apron, double driveway, front stoops and walkways. Took about an hour and by that time the snow has stopped. Used my legs to save my back, got a good workout in.

I started this thread about 2.5 years ago because I finally had room in the garage to store a snow blower. But honestly you guys scared me off by telling me about all the maintenance I'd have to do and I'm not a handy guy. Luckily we haven't gotten much snow since and I'm still healthy enough to do my own shoveling.
 
I went out around 12:30 just as it was slowing down and shoveled everything, sidewalk, apron, double driveway, front stoops and walkways. Took about an hour and by that time the snow has stopped. Used my legs to save my back, got a good workout in.

I started this thread about 2.5 years ago because I finally had room in the garage to store a snow blower. But honestly you guys scared me off by telling me about all the maintenance I'd have to do and I'm not a handy guy. Luckily we haven't gotten much snow since and I'm still healthy enough to do my own shoveling.
I bought mine 3 years ago , so hasn’t gotten a lot of use, gas power, electric start, and it’s great. Really not much maintenance, just fresh gas and run it dry at end of season. As Genius stated it starts right up every time.
 
I’ve had this Craftsman gas powered machine that has treated me well over the past 25 years- changed the oil and spark plug every year
Unfortunately collecting dust now in the shed as I’ve got some issues preventing me from using matching or shoveling
 
I went out around 12:30 just as it was slowing down and shoveled everything, sidewalk, apron, double driveway, front stoops and walkways. Took about an hour and by that time the snow has stopped. Used my legs to save my back, got a good workout in.

I started this thread about 2.5 years ago because I finally had room in the garage to store a snow blower. But honestly you guys scared me off by telling me about all the maintenance I'd have to do and I'm not a handy guy. Luckily we haven't gotten much snow since and I'm still healthy enough to do my own shoveling.
Purchased a 2 stage gas craftsman snow blower 13 years ago. Aside from adding fuel, oil, fuel stabilizer and replacing this little metal pins 2 or 3 times no maintenance
Hadn't used it in 3 years I think and it started right up today.

Have heard electric does poorly with our wet/frozen on the bottom snow variety. Spend more time moving less snow than with gas versions.
Live on a dead end where 4 of us have bigger gas snow blowers. We typically do our respective properties around same time then help the other neighbors and lastly the street.
Plow came down this afternoon around 530 and was confused by lack of snow.
 
Wasn't enough snow in the Lake Grove area to be bothered... just shoveled it. It was rather cathartic 40 minutes to move all of it [6 car driveway and about 50 feet of walkways]

As of 6pm tonight still not a single snowplow from the Town or Village has come through the roads. People started driving on it to wear it away around 2pm-ish.
I have a double car width driveway and decent length and paved walkways. I measured 7 inches of snow and it was very wet and heavy. I'd rather work out in the gym with weights and machines for the easily 1 hour plus hand shoveling this snow would have required. At the gym I have controlled stress on many different muscles versus the stress on my back shoveling this heavy snow. Even if you are careful its easy to overwork the back. Plus at the gym there is a lot of eye candy to inspire me.

Ps. You can always tell when you are leaving or entering the Village of Farmingdale during heavy snow — especially when you cross the N-S border: you know you are entering the Village when you go from pot hole, snow filled roads to plowed to the blacktop smooth roads and vice versa when you leave the Village.
 
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