Wanted to buy a cordless shovel but chose a cordless snow blower

In winter, when you arrive at the site after a snowfall or a blizzard, for several hours you use a snow shovel to clear the area for parking a car and paths. And in this process you always think - will this occupation be easy when you are over 60? It is unlikely that KamAZ raking snow in old age will be as easy. An option to make the job easier is a petrol snow blower.

But they are bulky, heavy, it is not so easy to start in the cold (you need warm storage). With the development of battery technology, battery technology is becoming more and more interesting. Found two interesting models. The first is a battery shovel, as it was called:

Greenworks G40SS30 40V

Characteristics: a brushless electric motor, which is more reliable, more powerful and more efficient (less losses due to the absence of sparking in the collector). Snow throwing range - up to 6 m. Weight: 7.2 kg. Auger width 30 cm. Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 4 A * h (there is a battery with 2 A * h and 6 A * h), which allows the snow blower to work for up to 40 minutes. The battery can be used for other Greenworks models from the G-MAX 40V line.

The battery is closed with a cover and snow will not fall into it. Works at temperatures up to -20 gr. But you cannot store it in the cold. There is a system for blocking work in the event of foreign objects or ice getting into the auger.

The auger is made of reinforced ABS plastic. Lightweight, durable (does not load the electric motor with inertia when starting) and does not scratch the coatings on the site (paving stones, for example). Snow is ejected forward.

Prices for Greenworks G40SS30 40V:

In the proposals, you can find G40SS30 models without a battery, which are much cheaper. Anyone who has a G-MAX 40V range of gardening equipment will also fit a snow blower. As you can see, the cost of the battery is a significant share in the total cost.

At first I considered this model, but when I looked at the reviews on a snow blower from the Greenworks line, I decided to think and study further. Because for a slightly higher cost, Greenworks has a more convenient snow blower for larger areas:

Snow blower Greenworks GD40

Specifications. Here, too, a brushless motor (DigiPro series) is used. In terms of power, the model is equal to gasoline counterparts in these dimensions. Snow capture width - 51 cm. The auger is also made of ABS plastic. Throws snow up to 6 m. Moreover, the direction and angle of discharge is regulated by a lever located at the handles. You can work at night - there is a bright LED torch on the body. And on other modifications - there are two of them. Battery capacity - 4 A * h (30 minutes of operation at temperatures up to -20 g.).

As you can see from the photos - a snow blower on wheels. Plus the light weight of the snow blower makes it easy to move. And here the G-MAX 40V series batteries are suitable from other models. The battery is closed with a cover and snow will not fall into it. Plus, blocking of work when foreign objects or ice get into the auger. Prices:

The advantages of such a tool over the network and gasoline are understandable. This is mobility, lack of maintenance and unnecessary refueling operations (and before that it must be diluted with oil). I put in the battery, turned it on and you work right away. 30 minutes is enough to clear the paths and a small area.

How do these snow blowers work? Sometimes watching one minute is enough to get some idea of ​​a technique or instrument. Found a good overview and demo of how snow blowers work:

There are a lot of detailed reviews on this technique on youtube.

One of the disadvantages of the Greenworks GD40 is that the snow blower does not work well in positive temperatures. Snow sticks in the discharge channel, clogs it. This is due to the fact that the snow feed is single-stage, directly from the auger.

I concluded that the battery shovel is suitable for paths, steps, in general, a small and narrow snow clearing area. And the GD40 is also for areas from which snow needs to be thrown to the side. The prices are comparable, so Greenworks GD40 is more suitable for me.

In general, the price of a brushless tool is always higher with brushed motors. And this is not only because of the best performance or because of the novelty. Brushless motors require electronic control, a shaft position sensor.

Someone will ask why Greenworks? What kind of advertisement? Greenworks is a leader in cordless garden tools. The prices are not sky-high, and I have never seen such an assortment in one brand anywhere else.

Of the well-known specialists in the field of construction (who I follow), Viktor Borisov ( https://victorborisov.livejournal.com). But he switched from a cordless snow blower to a cordless shovel due to the small area of ​​his site. We can say that I learned about this brand from him. I saw his advice on how to extend the life of Li-Ion batteries: you need to store them at a 50% charge level. Fully charge just before use. Keeping warm, of course.

Who uses this or similar battery technology - write your review in the comments. The opinion will be useful to other readers.

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Photos are taken from open sources, from Yandex. Pictures

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