With most of the world including Australia, going towards green energy consumption, the demand for greener, environment-friendly technology has increased.
This has given rise to a new era of technology, an era in which machines run on environment-friendly fuel which produces as little carbon footprint as possible.
Read Also: Why Were Chainsaws Invented? The Truth Behind a Great Invention
The same is the case with the chainsaw manufacturing industry and we have seen a rise in the demand for electric chainsaws. Since this technology is fairly new, we haven’t been able to use it to its full potential yet. The newer chainsaws are not as powerful as the older conventional ones and this is why many people are still hesitant in shifting from gas to electrical ones.
Though the latest innovations in technology have solved several issues that as short battery life and cutting power, they still haven’t been able to match the level of gas chainsaws.
Today, our readers will get to know the basic differences between a gas and an electric chainsaw in Australia including how they work. Electric chainsaws are quieter and much cleaner than gas chainsaws, but they cannot compete with the capability of cutting speed and power of the latter.
To decide which one will be more suited to your needs, the first thing that you need to do is find out how both of them work;
How do they work?
1. Gas Chainsaws
Gas chainsaws are available in the market in two types; 2 cycles and 4 cycles. The main difference between the two is that a 2-cycle chainsaw requires you to feed its engine with a mixture of oil with gas and pour it into a single tank whereas a 4-cycle chainsaw requires you to pour oil and gas into two separate tanks which will get mixed up automatically as required.
To get the chainsaw to work, the fuel from the tank passes through a carburetor to get mixed with air. Then this mixture is passed into a cylinder where it gets ignited by a spark plug; the ignition helps drive a piston in rotary motion with the help of a connecting rod. This rotary motion is taken by a drive shaft to a centrifugal clutch.
Finally, this centrifugal clutch drives the chains through the sprockets in a spinning motion around the guide bar with the help of the engine.
2. Electric Chainsaws
Electric chainsaws come in two types; corded and cordless. The only difference between the two is the source of power, other than that, their method of driving the chain is similar. Cordless chainsaws take power through a cord while cordless chainsaws get power from batteries.
Electric chainsaws get power through electric motors. Unlike a gas engine, electric motors don’t have moving parts. In electric motors, an armature is taken into use to convert electrical power into mechanical power also known as torque. This torque is guided through a shaft inside the chainsaw and drives the chain in a spinning motion around the guide bar.
Features:
Now that you know how both of these power tools work, it will be easier to understand their differences. So, let’s see why you should choose one chainsaw over the other;
1. Electric Chainsaws
Electric chainsaws are lightweight and smaller in size which allows them to be handled by a person of any size. They produce very little noise and only produce noise at the start when you pull the trigger. They don’t give off any fumes or smell and require any other type of fuel.
They are mainly used around your yards and homes. They are ideal for cutting up small logs, trimming branches, sprucing trees, and cutting tasks that require little power. Moreover, they are easier to maintain as they don’t need any oiling, no external fuel, or any filters to clean.
They are very easy to use, they can start with the press of a button and can keep on running as long as they are connected by a cord to a power source or have juice left in their batteries.
2. Gas Chainsaws
Gas-powered chainsaws are ideal for heavy-duty work and can handle cutting up any type of material that you want them to. They can have blades of up to 72 inches and can at a lot faster rate than any type of electric chainsaw.
They are mainly used for cutting down entire trees, slicing firewood, trimming and pruning, etc. They are extremely portable and can be taken anywhere. Furthermore, they are not limited by any power cord or battery and will serve you as long as you have fuel to feed them.
Comparison and Contrast:
1. Weight
Electric chainsaws weigh lesser than gas chainsaws and the reason behind this is that gas chainsaws have a lot more parts which are mostly made of metal. On the other hand, electric chainsaws have plastic parts as well as metal ones.
2. Sound
Gas chainsaws produce a lot more noise as well as fuel emissions as compared to electric chainsaws. The reason behind this is that first of all, the burning of fuel creates fumes that need to escape from somewhere; and secondly, the combustion process and driving of the piston is bound to produce a lot of noise.
3. Ease of operation
Electric chainsaws are easier to handle and easier to start as compared to gas chainsaws. Gas chainsaws require you to pull on a cord to get the motor running whereas electric chainsaws only require the push of a button.
4. Price
Corded electric chainsaws are much cheaper compared to gas-powered chainsaws whereas battery-powered electric chainsaws can cost as much as the latter.
5. Portability
In the case of electric chainsaws, corded ones cannot be taken away from a power source whereas battery-powered can be taken away, but they too can only last as long as the batteries don’t juice out. On the other hand, gas-powered chainsaws can be taken anywhere you want as long as you have more gas near you.
6. Blades
Since electric chainsaws cannot deliver a lot of power, they use smaller-sized blades i.e. ones that have a maximum of 18 inches. On the other hand, gas-powered chainsaws can deliver a lot of power and they can even use blades of 72 inches.
7. Power
Gas-powered chainsaws are much stronger than electricity-powered chainsaws. Due to this reason, they are ideal for heavy-duty work such as cutting up entire trees. On the other hand, electricity-powered chainsaws are best for work that requires little power, such as trimming off branches or cutting firewood, etc.
Conclusion:
Now that you know how both these types of chainsaws work and what features they have to offer, you will be better able to decide which one you want for yourself.
In my opinion, a gas-powered chainsaw is much better than an electrical one if you intend on working in a forest or cutting down trees. But, if you are only going to work in your garden or backyard and only need a chainsaw for grooming, then you should go for an electrical one.
