26 March 2015, 00:00
Whether hedge trimmers, blowers, clearance cutters, chain saws, loppers, pole pruners, sweepers or lawnmowers: the range of battery-powered devices for industrial and municipal use is becoming ever more comprehensive. This is demonstrated by the numerous innovations presented live at demopark + demogolf 2015. One battery charging per work day The advantages of cordless maintenance equipment are obvious. While with petrolpowered devices the professional users are often exposed to considerable noise, harmful vibrations and waste gases, lithium-ion battery-powered devices do longer emit any waste gases. They are quiet in operation, produce significantly fewer vibrations and can be started via the press of a button. The generally lower weight of battery-powered devices in comparison to petrol-powered models also accommodates the user when it comes to user-friendliness. Thanks to increasingly efficient batteries that are also offered by some manufacturers as back-pack versions with increased capacities, correspondingly long running times can be implemented depending on the device type. With some devices, just one charging of the battery can even cover a complete working day. In addition, the charging costs of the lithium-ion batteries are considerably lower than fuel costs for operating petrol-powered devices. From an economic perspective, this therefore means rapid amortisation of the battery-powered devices. Even after the charging cycles indicated by most manufacturers, which are between 800 and 1,200 on average, these devices are still fully usable, although with an approximately 20% lower capacity. Highest degree of effectiveness thanks to brushless engine technology Electric drives have a higher degree of effectiveness compared to combustion engines. Moreover, most manufacturers of professional battery-powered devices use brushless engines. In traditional direct current engines, sliding contacts made of carbon brushes act as commutators between the fixed permanent magnets and the rotating electromagnets. With brushless electric engines, the permanent magnets are integrated into the rotor; here, commutation is controlled electronically.
Thus, brushless electric engines in battery-powered devices achieve degrees of effectiveness of well over 80%. Their lifespan thus increases and the battery charge can be utilised more economically. The lithium-ion cells used are generally sealed and can thus also be used in rain. Cooling fins protect the cells from overheating and maintain their output at a constant level.