[Lithium-equipment]Was thinking "I gotta get a polesaw, petrol is too-heavy" but I also want more li

[Cerberus]

So I just salvaged a $600 Echo ppt-266(prior version of the 2620, basically same thing), dry-weight 18lbs before B&C, oil in reservoir at the cutter (or fuel-in-tank), with ~12' total length extended. I added (probably) 3-->5lbs in my rebuild (it was snapped-in-half when I took possession), and yesterday when I did my 1st session...well let's just say it's the reason I'm not working today/potentially even tomorrow, back is *torn up* from trying to control that thing (and I'd thought my forward-handle, and improved shoulder-strapping, would've made it a breeze!!) Well, for rainy days (majority of days in FL summers), at least I can use it here&there when I can't use a lith unit ;D


So --- *****which branding******???? For 20v powertools, I'm in-love w/ the Ryobi ecosystem, they've got everything I want and I'm still on my original two batteries (P102's, their lowest-mAh battery pucks) from nearly 2yrs ago and no noticeable decline yet.... What started as "I need a lithium polesaw sooner than later, and I'm definitely going lithium when my 25cc top-handle dies.....my Husqy blower is in great shape but it'll go eventually and at this point I consider <30cc powerheads as basically obsolete and surpassed in a power//weight paradigm by lithium. Even Echo is just putting-out a lithium 40V they say will compete/match their 2511t.

I don't mind expensive batteries (like Ryobi's, relatively-speaking!) if they're made of good cells (ryobi definitely uses great 18650's in their battery-pucks), and a reasonable value (ryobi's aren't cheap, but again it's worth it as they are primo batteries) BUT, from my experience w/ handhelds/20V tools, I've realized it's not about any 1 tool but 'the eco-system', especially the batteries themselves. One thing I don't care about is recharge time, I'm concerned w/ which batteries can keep a polesaw going the longest, or a blower going longest, w/o power-drop and at a fair price (ie expensive is fine IF people are using them daily and at 2/3rds year see no decline, that is a very good batt.puck!!)

Would appreciate any&all suggestions, order of purchases is likely to be:
- polesaw (soon, need a lightweight unit of this great tool!!)
- top-handle for limbing / that can move a 12" well (let's say "it can move a 14" adequately", that's my way of "then it can handle 12inch just fine!" lol!), comparable to a 25-30cc powerhead, and
- a blower, comparable to a 25-30cc powerhead, for when mine goes (should be a while, though seeing Reg Coates' video of in-home use does have me itching to buy one )

Would REALLY love a 60V ecosystem....gotta say I'm disappointed there's only (2) 80V polesaws available, neither from big-brands, and that 60V isn't norm hell the best Husqvarna unit is like $500 and supposed to be as-good as their 25cc polesaw(2620 or 266's) but still a 40V unit. Don't get me wrong, I know 40V **can** do it but 60V is optimal here / will be where things 'settle' IMO, in a decade most sub-30cc engine-types will be mostly 60V units w/ weaker/inferior 40V options still kicking-around

Thanks a ton for input, I know Ryobi's 40V blower is very satisfactory and their polesaw seems legit, if they had a top-handle I'd be with them no doubt for my lith stuff (love home depot's return-friendliness!) but they don't, would REALLY love to find a 60V platform and did notice Shindaiwa(Echo/Metabo) now has a strimmer that's a 60V unit.....am expecting echo/shindw batteries will swap(of course) so was psyched to see that even though I wouldn't accept a free strimmer(or mower or edger), Shindaiwa is still "starting the 60V platform" for their gear and -- prediction right here, expect I will reference this in 1--->15 months when it happens lol, but w/ Echo keeping the 355t so un-touched (it's a perfect saw, but still no lil tweaks?), and there being ZERO competition for lithium top-handles for *big* bars(16" bars, lithium that can properly replace a 35cc powerhead), like none on the market....Echo has let their masterpiece 355t sit, am betting hard they're going to introduce the 1st "16-->18inch friendy" lithum *top-handle* units, the 25cc-comparables abound already but nobody's made a 35cc-comparable and echo is over-due, watch they are likely to be 1st to market here

Again thanks for any input, would take a fledgling 60V lineup but right now that seems impossible...am loving Ryobi's polesaw, have used&liked the blower..Husq is outstanding, as is echo/shindaiwa, but can *only* speak to Ryobi battery/hardware quality.

 

[Nutball]

Patience, someday there will be stupid cheap knockoff E tools from china.

And this electric stuff is still relatively new, they are still a good ways away from the best that I believe is yet to come, but they are close.

I have always wanted to try a battery pole saw, it is a pain operating a gas pruner above your head especially when trying to make somewhat precise cuts.

 

[Philbert]

Gotta look at the whole battery 'platform' before investing in these, as the batteries are half the cost.

I have an Oregon 40V pole pruner. Redback has a 120V battery one. Lowe's Kobalt brand is made by Greenworks. EGO is another well regarded battery OPE brand.

Patience, someday there will be stupid cheap knockoff E tools from china.

Already is a lot of it. You can buy HF versions, but then you have HF versions. With HF batteries.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Here is a review I did several years ago. Their batteries are up to 6Amp-hours now, and they also offer a 'multi-tool' version, that runs other accessories.

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/oregon-40-volt-pole-saw.248941/

Philbert

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

Well, I decided to go with Harbor Freight 80v for a chainsaw and then on some stuff, such as the blower to be used on my sawmill, to go with the 40v version (uses the 80v battery).

As far as I can tell, most of the stuff (Kolbalt, etc.) is made by Greenworks. Their 82v stuff is really the 80v line they sell elsewhere, they are measuring peak charge which is 81.## VDC on 80v batteries. When these 80v tools get down to two bars, they are actually at 74-76v or 34-36v on each battery circuit. Ones such as the Atlas 80v are functionally useless at 2 bars.

Going by the videos on YT, the only electric top handle saw worth owning that might drive a 12" bar okay is the Stihl. BUT, people end up breaking the 1/4" micro chain.

Many of the cheaper chainsaws (Ryobi) do not have chain breaks. I can not think of a more dangerous thing to use in a tree and I had a climber that use to work for me almost cut his arm completely off with a gas chainsaw, by not following MY rules, on his side job using my equipment without my permission ...

At this point in the cordless top handle chainsaw game, I would buy according to just the top handle saw. If you can stand to throw down $750 for a top handle saw, two batteries, and charger then the Stihl is probably the weiner. Then if you like Ryobi keep with that tool line.

The Lowe's - Kolbalt line offers the best (5 year) warranty and my neighbour already had to use his on his 40v charger (loves his pole saw as it is light at the head - he really uses it a lot) and I already returned an Atlas 80v battery that nuked. You can never do a repair to the SMT board inside the 80v Atlas battery because it has a white epoxy over all the good parts. I thought it was to protect it, but, I think it doubles as a way to not easily repair or read the chips.

The 18v Plus 1 system has a nice selection of tools, so, I would keep with that if you happy and just buy the top handle saw outside the eco-system. You could always go with the Stihl, but, they are very expensive compared with other tools. BUT, you do get what you pay for, as always.

I never regretting buying any Stihl product from my dealer.

 

[Nutball]

I hear the Husqvarna top handle is pretty strong too.

 

[Cerberus]

The 18v Plus 1 system has a nice selection of tools, so, I would keep with that if you happy and just buy the top handle saw outside the eco-system. You could always go with the Stihl, but, they are very expensive compared with other tools. BUT, you do get what you pay for, as always.

To be clear I intend to stay w/ the One+ ryobi 18V but that's not what I'm looking for/asking for here, I consider that a fine lineup for handtools but certainly not petrol-replacements, which is what I'm looking at (at this point it seems sub-30cc powerheads are unnecessary, have seen blowers/top-handles/polesaws powered by lithium that can certainly hang with any 25cc powerhead)

Honestly Stihl is a brand I avoid/own nothing from (had a 194t but returned it), them releasing a saw that's inferior to what it replaced (the 200 to 201 swap), and selling it at that price when the 355t is a superior saw, kills their credibility in my eyes and that's to say nothing of the myriad anecdotes I've found of general-reliability reports that peg stihl squarely beneath echo (and husqvarna) I watch a good deal of youtubes and gotta say I disagree w/ your sentiment that "only the stihl" seems worthy, have you watched Reg Coates' videos? He almost-exclusively does tall conifers and he's been using his lithium husqy for a while now (swapping to 35cc for lower trunk-wood, but nobody's making a lithium saw for trunkwood yet)

Would be interested in elaboration on that "at 2 bars it is functioanlly useless" statement, for some of these lineups I see things like "power stays the same until shut-off" but know that with my lithium gear it gets weak for a short period before dying, would certainly want to know my saw was operating at a consistent level lol, you can hear it with petrol but would be scary to be mid-cut on something and wanna speed-up through it but find the saw is only pushing 2/3rd capacity

I hear the Husqvarna top handle is pretty strong too.

your avatar, so purdy

Reg Coates, my favorite youtuber, uses this to great effect in fact they make a backpack-battery I'd seen him wear in some vids but not in any recent ones...to be fair I haven't caught-up on youtubes for over a month now though

Glad you posted as I'd completely forgot that echo's either released, or about-to release, a "2511t-comparable" lithium unit, very interested because it's amazing they've gotten that power into a 5lbs package (and that form-factor!), hard to imagine a 40V comparing but to be fair the 18/20V lineups all got far stronger/more-efficient per-Volt as they were on market longer, would be cool to see echo releasing a 40v 2511-comp and a 60(80?)V 355-comparable If I saw 60V from Echo I would wait on them, seeing a 60V weedwhip from shindaiwa was reassuring but that's obviously far from 'a promise' that echo's going to release it....must be a bit of a tense 'first-mover' situation among the big brands as lithium replaces petrol, would love seeing echo grab market-share by coming in strong and w/ a 60V lineup they certainly could..

 

[Philbert]

Used my 120V Redback today, cleaning up storm damage. Passed it around for several others to try. They really liked the simple operation, and the light weight, compared to the STIHL HT131 2-cycle one they usually run.



Philbert