gas or electric weed whacher for a one acre yard? (lawn, grass)
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"is it practical to get three or four cables and string into a 300' electric cable?" NO. (caps intentional)
Voltage drop is the reason...calculator. You can counter the voltage drop by increasing the wire guage, but the cost increases as well...as does the frustration of coiling and storing 300' of extension cords !
When I had acreage to weed whack, I had a wheeled weed whacker, like this....DR Trimmer....not cheap, but way easier to use.
LOL Yes I had an electric last year and just strung outdoor extension cords. It was a piece of crap, though and died. Like many before it. I've since gotten a commercial grade trimmer that is gas. NOT because gas is better, but because I'm tired of machinery not lasting.
Having written than, It MAY be unsafe and unwise to use extension cords. Even though Kinkytoes did this, do NOT as she did...In some cases using extension cords may cause fires or other hazards. Make sure that it is allowed by the manufacturer. If not, then just go with gas ( sorry mother earth) because you won't have a distance limitation.
As Mr. Rational said, it is the area that needs whacked, not the total area.
Personally, I think if you need to cut down an area of ~200 sq. ft or more, you need to consider gas. Even just the perimeter of an acre (much less plots of weeds) will make gas worth the "trouble".
Linked electrical cords are very poor idea and battery powered trimmers are fine only for very small areas (and even then you may go through several "charges" to get a small job done.
Get your trimmer at a small shop that specializes in garden maintenance tools (lawn mowers, brush hogs, trimmers, etc.) and has a service department. That way if you have any problems, you can go right in and get your trimmer serviced. Just do a search for "<Stihl/Husqvarna/Other> dealer in my area"
For me, electric is better. I don't disagree with the pros for gas - but no one has mentioned that a gas trimmer is heavier than an electric one, and for me, this is the crucial deciding factor.
I am whole heartily recommending a Combi Unit from Stihl. This was best investment ever and runs for 12 yrs by now. Slowly I acquired every attachment they have for it so I can do anything I need to with them.
That said, I own an acre property with about 25000 sf of grass and 600 ft of hedge. I would not go anything else but powerful gas motor, as power is, like in cars, never enough. Sure, they are a bit tricky to start cold days, but otherwise, are superb to any electrical.
I use gas for a yard that size......no problems with a high quality trimmer that is at least 10 years old.
If I had to replace it, I would learn about battery operated, but have had experience with battery operated tools going dead after a couple of years. New batteries are VERY costly, so I would be cautious.
I finally ditched my gas trimmer and blower last year out of pure frustration of having to figure out why the damn thing wouldn't start while I was sweating my tail off in the 100 degree heat. Plus, I grew tired of smelling like the exhaust, the garage smelling like gas, and the noise. Replaced both with battery powered and bought a couple of extra batteries. Now, I have a Black & Decker battery weed trimmer and a Black & Decker battery powered blower. Used the snot out of them, and they've been great! Each battery came with it's own charger. I have a power strip in the garage that charges them whenever they're not it use. Just pop the battery off the gadget (they're all interchangeable between gadgets), toss on the charger and leave it until I need it.
I have a large patio, 4 large mulch beds, and a retaining wall that runs the entire length of the house in the front. All need to be trimmed every week. I have 3 batteries for two gadgets, and have not had a problem getting it all done, including blowing off the street when done mowing.
Battery technology has come a long way. I don't plan on going back to gas anytime soon. True, the replacement batteries can get pricey, but there are tons of non-brand name replacements that work just as well for less than 1/2 the cost (some work even better than the brand names).
After hitting my knuckles one too many times trying to start a flooded/overheated blower last August, it all went in the garbage, and happy ever since! For backup, I do have an electric blower (250mph) for the heavy lifting, but only needed it twice during leaf cleanup last fall.
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I've since gotten a commercial grade trimmer that is gas. NOT because gas is better, but because I'm tired of machinery not lasting.
