Anyone have an electric snowblower? (Boston, Somerville: college, calculating, disposal)

[mmyk72]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

This guy really must love his electric blower to keep at it like this


https://youtu.be/oXvBquPHRIQ

Not to be smug, but this doesn’t look very efficient and would take hours to clear that driveway. I’d rather be done ASAP in the winter and trade that off with an hour or so to change the oil at the end of the season.

Driveway that long there's no hope but to get a gas blower. I have a plug-in electric and it's barely enough to handle a driveway 2 car length long when snow is at 1ft and heavy.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

This guy really must love his electric blower to keep at it like this


https://youtu.be/oXvBquPHRIQ

Not to be smug, but this doesn’t look very efficient and would take hours to clear that driveway. I’d rather be done ASAP in the winter and trade that off with an hour or so to change the oil at the end of the season.

That guy is clearly insane or insanely cheap. He's using the smaller, less powerful, single stage Ego. If he lives somewhere that gets that much snow that frequently (in the video he got 6" one day and 12" the next I believe), he should have the SNT2400 which is two stage, has a larger/taller bucket and is more powerful.

The SNT2400 is what my friend has or rather had. He decided to return it. He used it a couple of times this winter and said it had plenty of power. His issue was battery life. He was concerned that the two batteries it came with (used simultaneously) wouldn't last to do his whole driveway and walkway or at least would barely make it. He considered buying a second set or he said Ego is coming out shortly with a larger battery and he considered buying those. However, the batteries have a 3-5 year life expectancy and the new larger batteries would be about $1,100. So, while you're saving money and time on servicing the machine the cost of replacing the batteries at the end of their life will wipe out any savings and actually make maintaining the electric snowblower more expensive. So, he got an Ariens deluxe instead.

[BostonMike7]

What is the perceived required service of a gas powered machine that folks are so eager to avoid?

I’ve had my machine 3 years now (plus another blower befire this one) and year end maintainance takes me maybe 1 hr tops. For the oil change, I usually tilt the machine, open the drain plug over a pan and then walk away. A couple days later I’ll come back, close the drain and top it off with oil. I’ll spend a few mins greasing some of the zerk fittings, lube some other points, wipe the machine down and I’m done. I usually drain the gas or run the machine down to til it stalls, and that’s it. Maybe a spark plug in a few years, and maybe a belt.

My previous machine was 10+ years old and I never touched a belt. Now, I can handle engine repairs myself, but my neighbor had a mobile snowblower repair service swing by his house earlier this season. The guy carted the machine to his box truck with lift gate and serviced it on site.

I’m not against electric tech at all. I want to see the tech mature, but I just don’t think we are there yet with regards to snowblowers for any more than a light dusting. It just doesn’t seem like a good trade off to spend extra time outside struggling on a cold winter day, just to avoid a couple hours of service on a warmer day of your choosing.

[wolfgang239]

The maintenance aspect is much more of a consideration than you think, at least from what I've seen. Unfortunately most people are either unwilling or incapable of performing routine maintenance on things like cars, snowblowers, etc. They either run out of or don't change the oil, don't add fuel stabilizer, clean it off, don't keep a few shear pins on hand etc. They just call xyz power equipment every year or two and get hosed instead of dealing with it.

[BostonMike7]

Your probably right in that regard. For me, changing oil on a small machine is as easy as making a sandwich. For others, it might be something they’ve never done nor have any idea how to attempt it. Guess I never thought of it that way.

[Lampert]

Isn't just disposing of the oil super annoying? I have 4 tires I need to take to a recycling center that have been sitting in my garage for over a year already.

[BostonMike7]

Not for me. I DIY my own oil changes on my 3 vehicles so I always have oil. I pour it all back into the 5 gallon containers it comes in and then if I ever need to go to autozone for something, I just drop it off while I’m there. I work on cars as a hobby, so I’m always doing something involving oil.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by Lampert

Isn't just disposing of the oil super annoying? I have 4 tires I need to take to a recycling center that have been sitting in my garage for over a year already.

No, any auto parts retailer selling oil also ‘recycles’ it. When I buy more oil, I bring back the used stuff. Simple.

However, tires are more of a disposal hassle which is why you see them ditched in the woods, Lowell canal, etc.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by Lampert

Isn't just disposing of the oil super annoying? I have 4 tires I need to take to a recycling center that have been sitting in my garage for over a year already.

Go by any tire shop and ask them how much to dispose of the tires. I’m guessing $5 each. Or find a Portagee looking to make a planter.

[BostonMike7]

$3-5 is what I’ve been charged to dispose of a tire. Just take them to any tire shop and they should take them. I’ve had no issue.

I’ve even had shops dismount a tire of a rim and dispose of the tire without any fee other than the $3 disposal fee.

I tend to frequent Schlott Tire in tewksbury. A little hike for me but I like the service. Manager behind the counter has been there for years. It might be a year between my visits there for something but he always remembers me.

With regards to oil, if a retailer sells oil, they are supposed to recycle it as well. I usually just go to auto parts stores as they usually just point to the tank in the corner and let you dump it, or let you leave the filled 5 gal jug. If you go to Walmart they have a tank but it’s a PITA to actually get someone to take you to it. Some gas stations have tanks as well. Home Depot sells oil so they are supposed to have a tank but I’ve never tried to find out how to return used oil to a HD. Auto parts stores are by far the least hassle. Always free as well