Help me compare snowblower batteries, please
 

Single-stage snowblowers: EGO 56V versus Toro 60V. Note that some snowblowers might come with two batteries but only use one at a time. Others use two at a time.

EGO: Two 5-amp batteries, used simultaneously
https://www.lowes.com/pd/EGO-POWER-5...ies/5001960681

Toro: One 7.5-amp battery
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Pow...9901/309982207

Can someone compare power and run time for these two setups? With two batteries in the EGO, would I be getting more power or more run time, compared to one battery? Are two 5-amp batteries used simultaneously equivalent to one 10-amp? And hence more powerful than one 7.5-amp?

(brk-lnt, I reread your previous post relating amp hours to volts. I think my question here is different.)

Thanks for your help!

I do not have either of those however I do have a ryobi 40V single stage snowblower. It worked great for me last winter. It would run for about 40 minutes on a 6 AH battery.

The EGO should technically run longer.

Is there a difference in power between the two battery setups?

If other factors are reasonably close, I would try to stick with one battery platform. This could save significant $ and/or reduce risk of running out of power. Are the EGO snowblower batteries compatible with your lawnmower, and vice versa?

Technically 60v is more powerful.

No way I'd buy a double-battery platform if a remotely comparable single is available.

And, as Flying said, absolutely get the same platform as your Ego.

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The EGO is the two batteries.

Blech.

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It doesn't need both batteries... as it is 56V.
It has the two lower Ah so having them both increase the runtime before a recharge.

The lower Ah batteries weigh less than a single... which can be nice when you don't need all that extra runtime for a smaller tool.

Why?? The EGO can run on one battery or two. If one fails prematurely, you still have one left (referring to longevity, not run time). And as John said, a 5 Ah battery is more flexible than a heavier battery. And of course, you can be using one battery while the other one is charging.

In any case, the damage has been done: I just came home with the EGO single-stager snowblower, to go with the EGO lawnmower. I compared the specs for the EGO and the Toro, and the EGO was superior in almost every category.

If the power and duration of one battery is sufficient, then I'd be ok with it. I assumed it needed both.

But if it needs two batteries to complete whatever work is necessary in a session, and the single battery option would also be sufficient, then I'd totally go single.

The moment you double batteries, you double charging time and replacement costs, both potentially negating the value of electric.

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Except that Toro states that the "average" is 56 volts, making it the same as the EGO.

Ah, another place where EGO excels: they have a dual rapid charger that charges both batteries at the same time. Two 5 Ah batteries charge in 30-45 minutes. The Toro charger takes 2.5 hours to charge one 5 Ah battery and 3 hours for one 3 Ah.

I see your point, but you could also say that the moment you have a 7.5 or 10 Ah battery, you're forced to buy smaller batteries for other tools. I'm trying to determine whether a 5 Ah battery is too heavy for a string trimmer.

Depends. The single 60V 7.5Ah has to be compared to the 56V 5Ah in price and versatility.
Versatility it the value of a platform.

That is why I stated technically.

Back with the discussion about DeWalt, you may have noticed I used ''20V/60V'' to reference their platform. They are really just 18V/56V packages. Dewalt USA noted that on first ''pull'' the batteries would discharge the higher voltage... but they can not sustain that output.

They use it as a marketing tool. So technically 60V would be more powerful than a 56V. Usually being overkill for what is necessary. So you may notice that the mower will ''power up'' and power down''. It has a torque sensor in it that determine the need for higher and lower output.

Just like the gasoline powered mowers... it usually isn't the motors that wear out. The motors in the electric were changed to brushless to extend battery life. The torque sensor does the same thing.

Something tells me an electric snow-blower is way too WIMPY to move the big heavy wet New Hampshire snow that's pushed off the town road by the town plow truck.

Take a gander through Craigslist for a relatively light weight, 185-lb, Troy-Bilt 2410, 24" two stage snow-blower for the real deal in GASOLINE powered small snow-blower that is plenty big enough to do a two-to-three car driveway, and walkways.

And, Lakeport Power Equipment on Mechanic St in Lakeport, Laconia ...... a one-man home business .... on facebook ... is the place to go to get it repaired or a new friction plate or anything. July & August are the best months for snow-blower repairs because you don't know if it is fixed good until December ....... ha-ha-ha ..... :laugh: ...... whoa, just kidding.

Wet snow... if it isn't moved in a timely fashion... would not be removed by a gasoline powered snowthrower - I have a metal roof, all the snow that slides off is wet and compacted.

As for the battery... it has greater torque than gasoline; that is why the YouTube comparisons are made between the two.

My Ariens Pro moves everything...including flora AND fauna.

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Well, I have an Ariens... and it doesn't touch wet snow that dropped over ten feet onto the pavement and compacted like cement - especially if it has the chance to set up overnight.

Even shovels have a problem... hence I installed deck grates. They use the weight of the snow against itself.

Sacrilege.

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Troy-built 3 stage
 

I have a Troy-built 3 stage snowblower that does a great job of breaking up the frozen snow banks and throwing that snow. The only thing it won't do is slush. Then it's bring out the big blue scoop and use it as a physical conditioning exercise; back, arms, and cardio.:eek:

Dave

Obviously, it's machine-dependent, and I look forward to Sailin's hands-on report. But having said that...I'm pretty sure the ability to move heavy snow is largely based on torque, and electric motors are far better than gas at delivering these bursts of power. This is why $50K Teslas are quicker than Porsches and the Ford Lightning pickup truck has 50% more towing capacity than an F-150. EVs are performance beasts.

The 3rd Stage may be the secret.
2-stage doesn't seem to process it as well, and the thrower rides up over the bank leaving a compacted layer next to the asphalt.

Steel grates on the deck means that can be worked easily with a cheap plastic edged shovel... I push it off the deck and thrower sends it.

She purchased a single stage... it is a bit different.
It should work very well as compared to other single stage throwers... maybe not as well as a corded due to the lower voltage.

There are two-stage electric snowblowers. In this video scroll to 47 seconds to see exactly what you're referring to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckoiJaeR5ew

I bought a single-stage electric with awareness of its drawbacks and thought through ways around those. One is to go out two or more times during a storm (every 6"-8"), which is easier with a lightweight electric snowblower. Another trick that I use is to clear the snow from your property side of the road for about 20 feet so that the plow doesn't have much to push into your driveway. This works great!

I didn't have good luck with my gas single-stage. I expect the electric snowblower to be much easier to start and operate. Ease of operation offsets the lower power in my opinion. A strong gas engine isn't much use if it won't start. A lot of property owners don't have the skill or patience to deal with a temperamental gas engine. In fact I read that most people never change the oil in their gas lawnmower.

For about $300, you can buy a Craigslist, used Troy-Bilt 2410 two stage snowblower that is in very good usable condition.

What helps it to keep from clogging with slushy wet snow is to apply Vaseline jelly to the insides of the black vinyl snow chute, on a warm day, like in the summer, so the Vaseline gets absorbed into the black hard vinyl material.

This makes a big difference so the slush does not get stuck and clogged.

In the winter time, spraying everything, augers and chute with Canola fry pan, cooking spray is good, too.

A new Troy-Bilt 2410 now costs $899, as of last winter, and there's always a few 2410 machines on Craigslist for $300.
If it needs a repair beyond your ability, suggest you take it to Lakeport Power Equipment, Laconia ..... in facebook.

So, what is the price for this totally super-duper electric Ego 2 SNT2400 two-stage, super high torque snowblower ..... battery & charger NOT included ..... Amazon price ... new-$1399 ...... yes, $1399 ..... Holy Mackerel! ..... yikes ....$1399 without a battery & charger vs $300-used on Craigslist for a good, usable, gasoline powered Troy-Bilt 2410 with maybe five years working life left in it. .... :eek2:

With a used $300 Troy-Bilt you will be praying for big deep heavy snow!

Ha, I strongly recommend against buying a used snowblower on Craigslist. That's how I ended up with a dud. The seller made an appointment to pick up the nonworking machine and refund my money, didn't show up, sold his house, and disappeared. Even the Merrimack police couldn't find him, and they said he had a lengthy record of arrests for scamming.

Which is why I bought an EGO single-stage for less than half that price. :)

Cant possibly say enough about how much I LOVE my Honda snowthrower.

Its is one of the best gasoline yard devices I have ever owned!

That said I could probably buy 2 of any other brand for what the Honda sells for. But for that you get a battery start (no cord to plug in) flawless operation, and true high performance snow snow throwing!

Best of luck with the electric, I suspect it will end up a battery eater and the whole rig in the dump in 5 years, whereas any quality gas snow thrower will make 10 years without any effort and really good ones will go 20 years.

But maybe you dont need long service, just some other characteristic that you would only get from a battery??? I think a totally novice operator could be one such item,,, I'm sure there are others.

But if you are at all comfortable running a gasoline snowthrower and want a long term investment in a truly high quality product, you should look at the Honda.

ATB

Maybe just go to Lowes...
https://www.lowes.com/pd/EGO-24IN-2-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
Use your Lowes Card and get 5% off.

That way you have extra batteries and charger to also handle the summer tools without all the need to buy them as a kit.

A lot of the Ego electric snowblower reviews capture what you've said here, which is that you need to finagle the job to get the batteries to make it through. Specifically, doing half the job at a time or twice as often or taking half swaths or using low and high power selectively to conserve as best as possible.

I'll be interested to see how your machine performs, but I'm weirded out by the idea of buying something that you immediately have to "figure out" rather than just going out and doing the job...and that's when the batteries are at their absolute maximum performance.

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Half the job because she is using a single stage...
The same thing you have to do with a gasoline powered version.

I would ( and already have) buy a good gas snowblower. Moving snow takes a lot of power. My ariens goes through heavy wet plowed up snow like butter. The neighbors other brands, not so much. In fact they all own ariens now. More horsepower is better.

As far as wet snow, you need to clean it up asap if it is going to be below freezing after the storm. If it will be warm ( above freezing) you have some time, but the colder it gets, the less time you have to move it before it freezes into a big block. That said, it takes more energy to move heavier, wet snow.

Electric motors are much more powerful that gasoline.
The two stage corded and battery electric snowthrowers are being tested in conditions that are far greater than we normally experience.

The problem between the two types... single stage and multi-stage... is the snowfall factor.
A multi-stage does not work well with lower snowfall amounts... it can not move fast enough to pack the impeller for it to throw any distance.
The single stage can handle the lower snowfall amounts easily, but can not handle the deeper, but rarer, snowfall events.

Her use of the single stage to do the area multiple times overcomes the obstacle of having a machine that will only handle the rare events.

With my Ariens, I have to shovel the lower snowfall amounts.

We know it works based on capital theory... capital will flow to the ''better mousetrap''. Since we are deep into this changeover, that is why you are seeing the Big Boxes focus more on that area... as sales-per-square foot is a primary management tool in retail functions.

https://www.snowblowersatjacks.com/p.../ariens/916003

I disagree about multi stage and low limits
 

I disagree with multi-stage units not being able to work whl with lower snowfall amounts.
My Troy-built has six speeds forward and two in reverse. With only an inch of two of light snow, I can use a highest speed such as fourth or fifth gear. Increasing the speed allows the augers to do their work. Typically, I will use my blue scoop for just an inch or two. It works as well as the Troy-Bilt, except where a snow plow went by the end of the driveway.

Dave

Many people do not want to move at a forced pace.

Troy-Bilt is MTD... which is now Black & Decker.

For about $35 I got an excellent quality 24" cover from Ebay that says "Ariens - King of Snow", for my 24" Troy-Bilt 2410 ..... AND ...... with this cover, this $300 second hand Troy-Bilt appears to be an Ariens ........ and like no kidding here ..... it now performs just like an Ariens ...... 'cause of the cover! ...... :laugh:

The Snowblower Song ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PKu3_GOxoE ..... found it in facebook ..... from Lakeport Power Equipment, Laconia

Does it snow in Maine? ...... (:rolleye2:) ....... ok, everybody ..... give it up! ..... a big round of applause for The Snowblower Song by Flooded Cellar ...... somewhere in MAINE!

Take your pick (this applies to just about anything that takes physical effort): Exert (a) more effort over less time, or (b) less effort over more time. I prefer (b) so I really don't mind going out twice during a storm. The snowblower also prefers (b): it's more effective with lower amounts of snow.

There's nothing to figure out. Clear snow for 30 to 45 minutes, put batteries on charger for 30 to 45 minutes, go back out later if needed, and congratulate yourself for not adding more carbon to the atmosphere. While you're taking your gas snowblower to the shop to get the carburetor cleaned, changing the spark plug, and going to get gas, I'll be just dropping the battery in the hatch and getting going.

However, this is not all about user convenience. To those who love their gas snowblower/lawnmower/car, etc. I say, we all have a duty to transition to electricity as soon as possible for the sake of the planet. I understand that electric tools and cars do not yet have fully developed technology and are expensive, but I feel that the technology and price are good enough that it's time to start making the switch. We can do this over time to lessen the financial impact. Buying electric tools and cars contributes to supporting research and development to improve performance and reliability and bring the price down. You know this is going to happen eventually; it's just a question of when we each decide to get on board.

John, do you think a 5Ah battery would be too heavy for a string trimmer? It weighs 4.9 lbs. The 2.5Ah weight 2.77 lbs. 4.9 lbs seems like a lot of weight to be holding, though I do have a harness.

You're right, and I accept this because it means a lighter, simpler, cheaper machine that will be a pleasure to use.

A prefer (c) less effort over less time. The right balanced ICE snowblower is push-start one-and-done so no need to go back out when it's turned to rain or gotten slushy or frozen.

Clearly, I'm not (totally) on board with electric tools yet, but the question of "when" is a good one. I don't know enough, but the questions I have: 1. Electricity still requires a percentage of fossil fuels—I'd like to know what that is. 2. What fuels do the machines that produce the batteries use? 3. What's the recyclability of the batteries? 4. What's the issue with mining impacts for the (rare) metals? 5. What's the long-term impact of the machine itself?

For example, Jeep Wranglers and Ariens snowblowers don't go to waste and are made to last forever—will electric vehicles be in the field after 10 years? 15?

I do really like my Greenworks whacker, but that uses one battery for my whole yard with a tad to spare. If I had to cut the job in half or even rely on multiple batteries, it would be far less interesting.

PS I'm starting to research a whacker/blower combo for camp, so this is mostly part of that process!

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Well let us know when you find the best solution given what's on the market today. Ideal =

1. Lightweight
2. Affordable
3. Reliable
4. Least carbon emissions for manufacture and operation
5. Most powerful
6. Cheapest replacement batteries
7. Batteries readily available

Any one else have concerns about keeping these battery operated snowblower in a cold garage waiting to be used. Cold does reduce the efficiency of a battery. What of the melting snow or snow buildup during its use? Would have to view a season or two of use in a NH winter before I would consider moving away from my gas model. By the way, current snowblower has seen 17 NH winters and still going strong


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The batteries and charger would not be ''stored in the garage'' over the winter.

And no one is suggesting that you throw away something that works or that you can fix.
The suggestion is that once it gets to a point that it does not work, and repair for value is not in the cards, you will need to buy a replacement.

That replacement isn't likely to be gasoline regardless of your personal desire.

Lol, I thanked you, when I meant to quote you. The technology for snowblowers is nowhere near close enough to be useful to everyone. It's nice that you can get your snowblowing done in 35 minutes. My yard takes at least an hour with dry light snow, double to triple that with heavy wet snow. And that is with a 13hp 36 inch gas blower.

You need to think a little harder before you make statements like the one you did above.

It may never get there.
Industry focuses resources and engineering on a center segment of products and offers products outside that segment at an accelerated margin.

Even Ariens was focused on the 24", but it undersized the voltage and used batteries that couldn't handle the task.

But it seems to be going after the market in other areas... https://www.ariens.com/en-eu/power-e...owers/zenith-e

Very well said, John. At some point I think gasoline yard machines and cars will be outlawed.

(1) We who are using gas machines, cars, and boats today have contributed directly or indirectly to the climate crisis. I'm a baby boomer. My generation was part of the massive increase in industrialization and manufacturing, often to produce unnecessary products, that resulted in the crisis. My generation built and owns houses that are four times larger than needed and require a huge amount of oil to heat. My generation decided it needed ever larger vehicles that burn gasoline. This is not about what we actually need to survive and be content, it's about greed.

(2) Since we created the problem, we're responsible for trying to fix it. What some here are saying is, "I won't make any sacrifices or be inconvenienced. I need power, even if it puts more carbon in the atmosphere."

That's wrong thinking. It's obvious that we're all going to have to give up something, make some sacrifices, and lose some of the ease of life we used to have. If we don't do that, our children and grandchildren are going to suffer immensely. And they're going to look back and say, our parents and grandparents did this because they wanted to keep living the way they always lived, even when they knew it was hurting the planet.

(3) The fact that you have a huge area to clear with a gas snowblower points to the necessity of redesigning how we live: smaller houses, shorter driveways, lawns that don't need to be watered, smaller vehicles, grocery stores closer to residential neighborhoods, etc. The solution is not just to manufacture and buy efficient electric machines, it's to downsize our lifestyle back down to the level of what people actually require for survival and a reasonable level of contentment that has a minimal impact on the environment.

Come to think of it, the Lakes Region may be a poster region for the need to downsize how we're living. Prove me wrong and I'll be happy.

Though I appreciate the greater good sentiments, I think industry's impact—especially in countries where manufacturing is central to their economies—absolutely eclipses human impact.

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You're right, but again, we have contributed to the impact of industries. We elect the politicians who regulate them, we buy and use their products, we work for them, and we fail to contribute to activism seeking to reduce the impact of industries. Industries ARE humans.

Fair enough, but I love me some electronics...just not for my snowblower!

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So you are suggesting that the industries would exist without humans?
Without human demand for the products?

For the record, I doubt they will outlaw gasoline... technology just changes the equation. We can still light our homes with kerosene lamps... but why?
I could still use an array of incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs... but why?

The change over of small motors to battery is more to do with smog than carbon dioxide.
Industry caters to areas that sell the most of its product... they engineer for that market.
It why a snowthrower manufacture is not wondering what product improvements a homeowner in Miami wants.

Most high density residential consumers have smaller driveways... that is why the industry focuses on machines around 24" to 30" wide. They sell most of their machines to the Big Box stores... and the Big Box stores note that 24" to 30" two stage are the largest sellers in our area. With more machines being sold in southern NH than in central or northern due to population density.

No, I'm suggesting that unless we legitimately address industry—regulations, incentives, etc.—what we do singularly will be meaningless.

Consumer demand isn't going anywhere, but if there's value for both the company and consumer, then we can make the shift.

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The shared value is our continued existence. It's a question of sensitizing corporations and consumers to this shared value.

Here's your marshmallow test, Think: can you forego comfort and convenience now to receive a greater reward 50 or 100 years from now? That's difficult, because it's asking people to forego something they want now in favor of a benefit they may never personally see. To buy into this, you need a greater allegiance than many people have---species and planet allegiance. And we are not wired to overcome delay discounting.

There is a natural tipping point.