Do you use your petrol tools in the rain?

[Trailoftears]

I'd not fret too much about the rain tbh.A decent Honda based mower has the sp.plug well-recessed so when hot will laff in the face of rain (unlike kakky briggs engines which leave the sp.plugs obscenely exposed).As to hedges when wet-rake/bash them over with a lawn rake to force them to shed rain pre-cutting.A decent stihl b/cutter wont even notice rain-well-sealed sp.plug,also the wet cools the gearhead.If you must leave them out,say over lunch-up end a bucket over your hedgetrimmer/brushcutter engine.As to your mower,place the grassbox o er the engine over lunch/work gaps-better still,just drape a tarp over the m/c.

[pleasant]

On the flip side of the op's question, this week we have had 6 cordless mowers in for non starting that when put away after last cut last year were working fine.

 

Been stored in shed in garden with battery attached and terminals corroded. A good clean and re charge and a bill for 40 quid normall 'educates' customers that they need to bring their batteries in during prolonged cold....or excessively hot periods.....however when customers cant even be bothered to clean undrneath their mowers...remembering to cosset a battery is way down their priority lists

[Trailoftears]

I'd not fret too much about the rain tbh.A decent Honda based mower has the sp.plug well-recessed so when hot will laff in the face of rain (unlike kakky briggs engines which leave the sp.plugs obscenely exposed).As to hedges when wet-rake/bash them over with a lawn rake to force them to shed rain pre-cutting.A decent stihl b/cutter wont even notice rain-well-sealed sp.plug,also the wet cools the gearhead.If you must leave them out,say over lunch-up end a bucket over your hedgetrimmer/brushcutter engine.As to your mower,place the grassbox o er the engine over lunch/work gaps-better still,just drape a tarp over the m/c.

[Trailoftears]

Battery powered tools are a whole different ball game imo.In spite of owning many makita battery-powered o.p.e.which I believe are rated as 'shower proof',As soon as it drizzles,I immediately suffer a panic attack/get them straight back in the car due to not only the mech cost,but also the horror of lion battery costs too!Not an issue that those that evangelise the brave new World of  battery tools tend to dwell on frankly.But given the purchase costs-you'd do well to factor it into your purchase decisions. 

[Bolt]

7 minutes ago, Trailoftears said:

Battery powered tools are a whole different ball game imo.In spite of owning many makita battery-powered o.p.e.which I believe are rated as 'shower proof',As soon as it drizzles,I immediately suffer a panic attack/get them straight back in the car due to not only the mech cost,but also the horror of lion battery costs too!Not an issue that those that evangelise the brave new World of  battery tools tend to dwell on frankly.But given the purchase costs-you'd do well to factor it into your purchase decisions. 

I’ve used Husq battery stuff in the rain without the slightest hesitation.  
Not much point having outdoor equipment if you can’t use it outdoors.

[Trailoftears]

7 minutes ago, Bolt said:

I’ve used Husq battery stuff in the rain without the slightest hesitation.  
Not much point having outdoor equipment if you can’t use it outdoors.

I can only refer you to pleasants earlier reply.Battery tools are basically electric tools, heavily vented due to potential overheat issues.I'm glad they work for you.Personally,I would feel no confidence in exposing electric motors exposed to heavy rainfall in hostile environments.To put it another way,leaving aside plugs/socket connection issues.Would I go out with an electric motor in a huge downpour-say a drill,or impact driver?Not a chance tbh.But again,glad it works for you.

[pleasant]

Can I just clarify. The issues I am referring to in my earlier post regarding battery mowers are where a connected battery to the machine has been stored in damp/cold conditions...not from water exposure during use. We all know what happens if you leave leaking old batteries in a torch for example- the terminals are oxidated and corroded. Well, this is what we see on terminals in battery stuff that is shed stored during times of prolonged, damp periods. Winter for example. This 'verdigris' corrosion to the terminals that has built up over winter, insulates the battery from the motor and need removing prior to use. Also extremes of temperature is not good for the life of batteries. Temp ranges are normally listed in the owners manuals, but no one reads those.

[carlos]

21 hours ago, Trailoftears said:

I can only refer you to pleasants earlier reply.Battery tools are basically electric tools, heavily vented due to potential overheat issues.I'm glad they work for you.Personally,I would feel no confidence in exposing electric motors exposed to heavy rainfall in hostile environments.To put it another way,leaving aside plugs/socket connection issues.Would I go out with an electric motor in a huge downpour-say a drill,or impact driver?Not a chance tbh.But again,glad it works for you.

i think you are getting mixed up between battery garden tools and battery diy tools,

battery garden tools are designed to work outside in the wet ( well the ones i have used have been fine).

as to the op question , yes petrol garden  tools are fine in the rain

[headgroundsman]

On 28/03/2023 at 08:57, pleasant said:

.....just dont blame the mower for not filling the grassbag right up and clogging and throwing uncollected grass out the side of the deck when you cut in anything other than dry grass and weather.

 

If cut grass sticks to your boots when you walk on the lawn then it will stick to the surfaces of the mower when cutting. The votrex effect of a blade to lift the grass prior to cutting it also compromised due to grass being wet and heavy. Had many people complain about their machines not being efficient collectors, then when you actually get to the root of the problem they've either used it whilst raining or after several days of rain and the grass is still wet through.in effect all the mower has become is a petrol driven kenwood juicer.

My mower cuts and picks up gtass perfectly well when the grass is wet and it is much easier to clean the underneath after cutting wet grass than when it has cut lush dry grass that has produced a hard cake 

[Trailoftears]

I may be wrong on this issue but gradually easing into makita o.p.e tools which are rated afaik as showeroroof-xpt standard.Personally they go under cover/into the car during lunchtime/ thundery downpours etc.Cant honestly comment on other makes in fairness.I do note all other trades equally panic on new builds in wet weather conditions re: drills/impact drivers/circular saws etc,whether xpt rated or not.