Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Electric Chainsaws

Electric Chain saws are often disregarded by people when they are deciding what type of saw they should buy. They do have their disadvantages but they also have some great advantages over gas powered chain saws. If your plans include trimming small trees and bucking up small amounts firewood then electric chain saws may be something to look at. Many electric chain saws have 15 amp motors which is comparable power to the 30cc range gas powered saws. Make sure to compare motor amperage when shopping for chain saws. Just like gas saws there are plenty of professional and homeowner models to chose from.

No Fuel to worry about
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Mixing fuel and oil can be troublesome if you have never done it before. Gas powered chain saws are almost always two stroke type engines and require a very accurate fuel/ oil ratio to run. Having too much or too little oil in the fuel can be very damaging to a gas powered engine. Obviously we get around this problem with an electric saw.

No toxic fumes to worry about

This is great benefit not only for the environment but for your health too. Gas powered saws have better emission standards now days but will never match electric saws for clean air emissions.

Trimming high branches

There are electric chain saws on the market that are outfitted with a long pole for reaching branches while the operator stays safely on the ground.

Disadvantages

Electric chain saws usually require an extension cord so the range is limited to the length of cord you have and it's amperage capacity . It's very important to reference this in the owners manual. The saw should always be plugged into an approved G.F.I. electrical outlet. There are some cordless chain saws on the market suitable for light duty jobs.
Most electric saws don't have complete anti vibration handles like a lot of the gas saws do. However they don't usually create as much vibration. Gloved hands are a must.

Users need to follow all safety guidelines including wearing proper safety equipment. Electric chain saws are every bit as dangerous as gas powered saws if not used properly.