Overview: Husqvarna 540i XP battery powered chainsaw

Final yr I used to be given a battery powered chainsaw by Husqvarna to attempt for a no obligation evaluation. It’s the Husqvarna 540i XP mannequin and having solely used petrol powered chainsaws beforehand, I used to be to make use of one of many newest battery powered machines. I’ve been trialling it for over six months in quite a lot of conditions for shoppers and on our personal farm to place it by way of its paces.

What I used the chainsaw for

I’ve used the Husqvarna 540i XP primarily for coppicing and pollarding bushes (the place the tree then regrows), eradicating diseased bushes and eradicating some bigger branches. This has been throughout quite a lot of species together with oak, willow, pine, birch, ash, elm and hazel. The scale of the bushes has different from small all the way in which to bigger 30cm diameter conifers. Most have been pretty giant with trunk diameters of 15 – 25cm. That is the scale of tree it’s meant for, not for terribly giant bushes.

A normal phrase of warning about chainsaws

As a result of lots of my readers are gardeners, upfront I wish to add a critical observe about normal security when utilizing a chainsaw as a result of it goes with out saying, within the unsuitable arms they’re one of the harmful items of apparatus to you and others. Not solely are chainsaws harmful however the bushes being lower can fall in unpredictable methods, I’ve had useless branches fall on my head a lot of occasions making me grateful for the protecting helmet. Most accidents occur by individuals who haven’t been educated or who ignore the coaching steering. Earlier than I even thought-about utilizing a chainsaw, I went on per week lengthy course with full licensed examination to discover ways to keep chainsaws and lower bushes correctly. Personally I’d solely suggest utilizing a chainsaw after passing one in every of these exams. I all the time use the chainsaw in full private protecting gear (PPE) which incorporates at the least chainsaw trousers, gloves, boots, ear safety, face safety and a helmet.

Reducing energy

I’ve been trialling the Husqvarna 540i XP chainsaw with a 16 inch bar (40cm) utilizing a semi-chisel chain. Our course tutor advisable semi-chisel as being barely safer as a result of it’s much less more likely to kick-back, the noticed bouncing backward.

The Husqvarna 540i XP has a excessive chain velocity and I discovered it to be very highly effective, chopping by way of all wooden sorts with no downside in any respect. In truth, it’s fairly wonderful, it appeared to chop extra cleanly than petrol powered chainsaws I’d beforehand used. A draw back to excessive chain velocity is that it might probably make the noticed barely extra harmful than a decrease chain velocity, so you must modify your PPE to account for that.

Total, I used to be very impressed with the chopping energy, chopping by way of all kinds of wooden with a pull that meant minimal effort for me and made jobs very fast. The chopping energy is constant regardless of the battery energy is on, it doesn’t regularly fade – the noticed will merely cease when energy runs out.

Battery life

I discovered that I may use the Husqvarna 540i XP for about an hour on one cost with numerous stopping and beginning between cuts, so maybe about 40 minutes complete run time. As I’m a gardener and never a forester, this size of time was completely high quality for me. Bodily, it’s about as a lot as I may do earlier than needing a break anyway as a result of though the chopping is simple, lifting all the lower wooden round could be heavy work.

The battery takes about as a lot time to recharge, so you could possibly all the time have two batteries to increase your chopping time and alternate, or recharge one over lunch or one thing. For anybody wanting to make use of the chainsaw for longer in locations with out mains energy, there are bigger skilled back-mounted battery packs accessible. The battery can be utilized on different Husqvarna merchandise.

Weight

The chainsaw weighs about 4kg with the battery and chain oil included, I discovered this gorgeous mild actually and I’ve to say it by no means as soon as felt heavy or straining on my arms even after a few hours of use back-to-back.

Security options

I’m extraordinarily cautious round gardening gear and the security options are among the many most vital options to me. With chainsaws loads of the security comes right down to upkeep, maintaining the noticed clear, checking the chain is sharp and undamaged, which makes the programs I discussed actually vital to have the ability to do that accurately.

One of many benefits of battery powered chainsaws is that there are much less components to keep up, you don’t have the diesel tank and exhaust components. The slight draw back to that’s that repairs to the electronics must be accomplished professionally. Nevertheless, I did benefit from the decrease upkeep with fewer components to verify and never having to fret about inhaling dangerous petrol fumes.

Husqvarna 540i XP comes with all the commonplace important security options, from blade cowl, chain break and so forth. It has a double degree of energy on switches too. First, there may be the on / off button to energy on the machine. It’s then lively. Then there are two set off switches in addition to the chain break to change to activate the chain.

I used to be apprehensive that with the battery powered chainsaw, it’s simpler to neglect to hit the chain break between cuts, and I believe that is true as a result of the engine isn’t working loudly to remind you it’s reside. In order that’s one factor to recollect. Nevertheless, I can’t see that the chain would activate by chance as a result of to make it run, you do have to slip one lever up earlier than then pushing the set off.

So I felt completely secure working it, the truth is barely safer than a petroleum powered chainsaw as a result of it’s successfully off whenever you don’t have your fingers on the triggers.

I wished to level out that the chain catch pin, which catches the chain if it comes off the bar, positively works. Tiny twigs can typically get into the chain and lever the chain off and this truly occurred by probability once I first used the Husqvarna 540i XP, the chain caught on the catch pin and the noticed stopped instantly. I used to be significantly impressed at how this labored and stored me secure.

Sound degree

One thing folks don’t bear in mind with backyard equipment is that their quantity can hurt your listening to over time, so that you’re greatest to put on ear safety. Petrol powered chainsaws are significantly loud and Husqvarna 540i XP though loud sufficient to nonetheless warrant ear safety, is far, a lot quieter.

If there’s one factor that makes me favour battery or electrical powered chainsaws over petrol, it’s the quantity discount making it a lot much less more likely to trigger everlasting listening to harm by way of use with ear guards.

Cleansing and chain upkeep

The chain could be tightened / loosened by a single screw utilizing the instrument that comes with the chainsaw, and likewise the duvet operated by a bigger bolt utilizing the identical instrument. All bolts are connected to the covers so there isn’t a probability of dropping them out within the area.

I discovered this all very simple to make use of for straightforward entry to the clutch and sprocket, and to take away the bar and chain for upkeep and cleansing.

Sustainability

The whole lot we people make comes with some type of footprint on the planet, together with battery operated backyard instruments. So the primary cease relating to sustainability is to contemplate, do you really want a chainsaw or would an everyday handsaw do. In case you are chopping giant quantities of bushes and wooden, then a chainsaw could also be important through which case it’s good to make an knowledgeable choice.

To my thoughts, though lithium batteries include their very own affect on the planet, within the type of the lithium being extracted after which finally turning into a waste product, battery powered machines are nonetheless higher for the planet than fossil fuels like diesel. The one battery I’ve for this chainsaw will final for an excellent variety of years and might be used throughout different units like hedge trimmers. Evaluate that to filling up the engine each time to make use of it. As electrical energy more and more comes from renewable sources, it additional lowers the machine’s affect on the planet.

Battery powered chainsaws do nonetheless use some oil to lubricate the chain for security and to scale back put on. And naturally all instruments use supplies like metallic and plastic. There’s some plastic on the Husqvarna 540i XP however not extreme quantities and I imagine the noticed will fortunately final for a few years.

Total, if you must use a chainsaw in your backyard work, battery powered units corresponding to this appear to be a comparatively good choice alongside a number of the further advantages that include battery energy talked about above.

Total impressions

I’m actually impressed with the Husqvarna 540i XP battery powered chainsaw, the truth is I believe it’s wonderful. What significantly stood out for me:

• lightweight
• a lot quieter than petrol powered
• its vital chopping energy on all wooden sorts
• good battery life for what I wanted
• ease of upkeep
• security options

It primarily did all the pieces I wanted it to and there aren’t any destructive issues about it particular to the mannequin that I can consider. All in all, I like to recommend the Husqvarna 540i XP for gardeners like me who’re doing small to medium quantities of tree and forestry work.