PRODUCT TESTING


One noticeable development in groundcare machinery has been the emergence of a wide range of battery powered professional tools, so we invited five leading manufacturers to supply machines for testing in the diverse environment of Shrewsbury School’s grounds, by kind permission of Grounds Manager Andy Richards and with the help of his team


H


istorically, there has been a perception that battery powered grounds maintenance machinery is more suited to domestic than professional use, but many of


the machines in our test were based on their professional petrol equivalents, and testers found them to be robust and durable. We used them in highly inclement conditions to trial water resistance and even took them for a ride in the back of the UTV as part of the process, which is a good test of any machine’s strength!


When purchasing, manufacturers’ advice is to look for machines specified as professional or commercial series as these are designed to meet the same durability standards as their petrol equivalents, and also have suitable batteries to offer the run times needed for commercial work. Battery powered equipment could offer particular benefits for sensitive environments such as schools, hospitals and hotels, due to the quiet running of electric motors. For example, Andy Richards explains: “It’s quite difficult to schedule work close to school buildings at certain times of year,


as noise has to be avoided at any time that an exam is in progress, which can wipe out entire days. We can’t always start early either, as work is prohibited next to the dormitory blocks before 8am, so quiet running is certainly an advantage for us.” Husqvarna suggests that battery powered implements offer a distinct benefit even with traditionally noisy activities such as using a brushcutter or blower - with noise levels of up to 18db(A) lower than their petrol equivalents.


Other benefits include reduced emissions, especially when operators are working in confined spaces, whilst fewer working parts mean less vibrations, allowing safe work over a longer period.


Battery performance is a topic of interest - whilst many operators need to be able to work for several hours away from base so need long life batteries or multiple battery packs, Andy points out: “Our operators will only perform one task for a couple of hours at a time, so batteries can easily be swapped in the workshop at the changeover, but need to charge up quickly.” STIHL’s Reuben Wilson explains that


Shrewsbury School Grounds Manager, Andy Richards PC June/July 2019 65


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