• usualsuspect191
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    8
    ·
    7 months ago

    I get the sentiment of being anti 2-stroke leaf blower (at least for personal use. Electric isn’t feasible for industry/city use quite yet). I don’t get why this comic is anti all leaf blowers though?

      • stom@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        7 months ago

        Cost.

        Switching to electric means buying multiple batteries and replacing all of your kit and outfitting the vehicles with the capability to charge those batteries during the day (because charging takes time and isn’t as quick as just filling up a tank of gas).

        Sticking with the existing gas ones costs nothing.

        Yes there are potentially long-term cost savings and yes it would reduce noise pollution but if anyone thinks these kinds of purchasing decisions are made on the basis of what would be sensible in the long term, they need to get out and live in the real world a little. Sad but true.

      • usualsuspect191
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        7 months ago

        Feasible for home use absolutely.

        Municipalities/contractors need to be able to run them all or most of the day, and you’d need a way to charge the batteries and/or a giant stack of them to keep going. Fossil fuels are pretty energy dense so you can just have a jerry can to refuel and keep on going.

          • usualsuspect191
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            7 months ago

            I think they can last about an hour these days (the backpack ones anyway) but if you’re anywhere away from a charging source then you’d need so many spare charged batteries to compete with a few litres of fuel. Again, not talking about home use; most people probably don’t even need cordless and can just run an extension cord to an electric hand-held blower.

            Battery technology is getting better all the time though so hopefully soon as old machines wear out they can be replaced by electric alternatives.

    • cymbal_king@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      7 months ago

      Battery powered leaf blowers are absolutely feasible. Battery tech has come along way and it takes less time to swap out a battery than fill a gas tank.

      • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        7 months ago

        even if it is just as loud, it’s likely a much higher pitch noise, so as a result travels a lot less than a 2 stroke engine does. I swear i’m getting hearing damage from even being inside my home with the windows open from those 2 stroke blowers, it’s insane

      • usualsuspect191
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        7 months ago

        ? I know they’re called leaf blowers, but they’re just blowers. They let you use them for stuff other than leaves.

        Specifically springtime? Here they’re used to blow all the little rocks and debris off of landscaped areas that accumulated over the winter so they can be swept up.

        That said, they get used all year round… They’re a must have for any municipal/contactor snow removal. Shovels are not only way more work/slower for a light bit of snow, the blowers can take the snow off clean meaning no ice melt required (and you want to use that stuff sparingly for the sake of your concrete and the environment).

    • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      7 months ago

      industry use i suppose, but what the fuck are you using leaf blowers for in industry? Yall have had squirrel cage blowers since forever. Dude even F2? I think? Uses electric leaf blowers lmao.