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I am really considering a battery powered Husqvarna 520 iHD70  anyone have one ?

I am just struggling to justify the cost of a  battery powered machine compared to petrol . I'll probably need 2 to 3 batteries and at least a charger or two . the cost is considerably more than a petrol with two batteries. In the long run would it eventually save money before the battery went bust ? I probably  use a litre of petrol a day ( £1.30 approx ) hedgetrimming, to charge a battery around 4p it is a saving on the running cost,  I am not sure how much fuel I use in the hedgetrimmers over a year but i reckon it will take many years for get the money earned back from the batteries .  No serivice cost with the battery motors ,  I can't say i've had many problems with petrol engine service wise but for the odd carb clean.  So are battery machines cheaper than petrol in the long run?

How is the reliability of a brushless electric motor ? can parts be replaced like a petrol machine or is it a thrown in the bin like most home electrical stuff ?  I  keep most of my petrol machines for years my last hedgetrimmer last me 10year+ and it was bought 2nd hand , my long reach hedgetrimmer bought from new is 14 year old and still going strong. Will the battery gear live up to my high expections on longevity.

 

I see a lot of forum members highly recommended battery power can I ask why ? I do like the idea of nosie reduction, 2 stroke fumes I suppose but its not something that ever really bothered me . 

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  • Hi with the good brands the batteries themselves will outlast the machines quite a few times over. There is something a bit disposable about some of the kit but if treated properly it will do you proud. And some of them quite easy to fix if required. Also when costing out the petrol difference remember to factor in the 2 stroke oil as well. There are definitely savings to be had in the medium to long term. You hit a point where they are costing virtually nothing to run. But my main reason for using battery is that they are easier work and less stressful generally. And extremely reliable in my experience. Even if they cost more to run than petrol I would still prefer them. As that just feels too nasty to use once you have been spoiled by the battery gear. Not tried the Husqvarna battery range so cannot comment on its performance or longevity compared to other brands

  • I would say that cost saving isn't the main reason to move to battery, just another reason.

  • I agree with the previous replies.  I love battery kit for all the noise,  vibration,  fumes and butting fuel reasons. I personally run the Stihl kit. It's not been without faults or problems but i know the husky stuff isn't either.  I have the pleasure of using husky battery stuff too which gives me an insight to comparing the 2.   The Stihl is simple.  X1 saftey button to press and squeeze the trigger. IInstant start. The husky kit: press and hold the on button for several seconds, satfety button , squeeze the trigger and it starts after what seems like an eternity but probably less than a second. If you don't use the power again after releasing the trigger for about 10 seconds it turns off. Start again back at the begginig! Iratating beyond belief.  We also had trouble on the hedge trimmer with the  front handle sagety switch.

    I come from an arb/ foredtry background and i am a die hard husky fan....but I am less than impressed by their battery kit to the point that I won't use it if i can use something else.

    Battery is the way to go. The kit is getting there. Try before you buy would be my advice😉

    • PRO

      Once you use battery its hard not to like and the cost becomes irrelevant and i use several brands even when i match a budget brand to the correct task it performs well , never had a single problem . 

      I still need a petrol blower not sure if there is a decent cordless blower out there yet . 

      One garden i have had the pleasure of working in for years is like a slalom course of topiary and boundary hedges and lawns . 

      I needed three different dedicated petrol hedge trimmers to tackle the habit and species to achieve the right finish and within a certain time slot . 

      I use cordless on 90 % of the shrubs and some hedges but it does take me longer , i have a keen eye for detail and the finish is totally acceptable it has to be , the comparison is miniscule but i feel petrol left a better finish owing to being able to feather the trigger easier and you have the sound of the engine to guide you but i am being a total nerd perhaps with a statement like that and i was a bit silly not wearing ear defenders . 

      Two hedges in the garden would wreck a cordless for sure , propably a cordless out there to do the job but to cut these two hedges once a year  would not justify me buying that particular machine when i have a perfectly adequate petrol machine . 

      The lawns i use petrol for the main lawn but cordless for the smaller lawns and its a joy to use i can lift it with one hand onto the little lawns whereas before i needed a lift from a willing pair of hands or planks to get a petrol mower on there . 

      Very happy with my old petrol mower but if it dies i will buy a cordless equivilent for sure . 

      Not used my petrol chainsaw since buying a cordless one either , quickly becoming converted .

       

    • I can see why the husky can be frustrating, are these hedgetrimmers or chainsaw that you've been using ? I do personally lean towards husky over stihl and others .  The Stihl HSA86 is the other one I've been looking at, it does looks a tad flimsy/plasticky, I am not  intersted in the large one Stihl hsa 94  can't be doing with plug in wires / backpacks etc it does look an ideal machine other than that. 

      • On the husky side we've got a chainsaw and a hedge trimmer. Not sure of the models but more on the domestic ebbs of things in my opinion.  Like i said,  not a fan of either. 

        As for stihl kit I've got an msa220c chainsaw,  bga100 blower, kma130r kombi and a hedge trimmer...it's corded which makes me rib it's the 94t. It's a brilliant machine and really well put together. I don't use it much tbh because i prefer using the kombi with a long reach. Better positioning really.  As for the cord being a problem... for the most part it's not. I do use a gtm elephants harness and the cord can be a possum when up a ladder. For those jobs i would like to get a kma135r. For the jobs i use the 94t on having less weight in the hand by having the battery either on your back or belt is welcome but again i think of rather is the gtm with a long reach. 

        On a side note has anyone other than me had reliability issues with the stihl battery kit? 

  • Thanks for the info, I'll still be running a 1 or 2 petrol hedge trimmers,  I am looking for one for a more of a finer cut. Found out today one of my largest gardens with the most hedge cutting in has sold their house . Not that it affect buying a new hedgetrimmer I still need a fine cut one it kind of makes the petrol hedgetrimmer not quite as important as it were yesterday. I may get the job back you never know unless they are going to bring their gardener with them. 

     

    Is they any other brands I should be looking at ? keep hearing about one beginning with P ?? can remember the name though.  My local dealer is Stihl & Husqvarna dealer its just a pain trying to look at things in person with Covid , I am not sure if shop have opened yet. 

     

    • Pellenc i have them very happy parts can be issue but that more to do with brexit and covid i think. Yes they cost more than other batteries but give 4year warranty. Can get full day strimming with alpha 520 normal fortnight lawns. 3 settings 1 is fine for most 2 for longer grass not needed 3 yet. Someone asked about a blower and again i get full day from my 1500 back pack. 40p to charge so think it will cover price of machine within warranty time. Cant go back to petrol now health reasons far out weigh financial cost. Dont have mowers yet as not heard great reviews about them

  • To answer your original question – yes.

    I moved over to battery kit [hedge cutter/long reach hedge cutter and strimmer] about 20 months ago and wish I had done it sooner.

    All my kit is Stihl and is very good indeed.

    It is only the initial cost of moving over that is expensive as you have to buy the batteries and charger. Once you have these items then the cost of the individual bare tool is generally cheaper than the petrol equivalent.

    Vastly reduced fuel costs, no more fuel evaporation on hot days, no more failing to start with dozens of pull cord activations and most importantly, no more two stroke fumes being inhaled.

    The Stihl kit is so readily available and parts are cheap and easy to get quickly.

    The brand you make reference to is Pelenc. They are very high end and very, very expensive.

  • PRO

    Hi Andrew - the one with the P is Pellenc.

    So 5 years ago I bought the FSA 56 strimmer, it is still going strong as is its battery, we have added another one of those, the wee mower (for those really small lawns) the standard and long reach hedge trimmer - all using the domestic battery. The long reach hedge trimmer was serviced this year as it had started making a wierd noise, it came back from service (about £50) and is fine. We have 3 batteries, 2 are the smallest, and 1 the largest capacity... an inverter in the van and have disciplined ourselves to keep them charged. If we need them charged at the client's premises that works off the inverter too.

    We have just bought and havent used the HSA 94 T, in choosing this we looked at the Peillenc, the spec of the HSA was far superior.

    They are quiet, ( you can start earlier, or work later), they are lighter... easier to handle. They have a hard life in the back of the van and despite being plastic, and mixing it with heavy lawn mowers etc, we have never had anything break or crack. I just would not go back to 2 stroke.

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