Tired of raking leaves and sweeping grass clippings? It may be time to consider buying a backpack leaf blower! Whether you are a landscaping professional or a homeowner with a large property, you know how heavy even the lightest power tools can feel in your hands after hours of work.
Maple, birch, oak. They are all beautiful trees but come fall, they shed a ton of leaves. A leaf blower can make short work of clearing the mess. If you’d like to carry the power of a gas engine leaf blower on your back instead, a backpack leaf blower is just the equipment you need! This post will talk about some basic features of backpack leaf blowers that will help you pick the best backpack leaf blower available in the market.
2-Cycle vs. 4-Cycle: Choosing The Right Engine
All backpack leaf blowers rely on a small gas engine for power. They usually come in 2 engine types:
- 2-Cycle
- 4-Cycle
2-cycle engines require a mixture of gas and oil in the fuel tank. Also known as 2-stroke engines, these are lighter and simpler to maintain than a 4-cycle engine. They can also produce twice the power than a 4-cycle engine, giving them a greater power-to-weight ratio.
4-cycle engines work similarly to a vehicle engine and they are bigger. Gas goes in the fuel tank and oil goes in the crankcase. They’re more fuel-efficient so you get more mileage out of every tank of gas, and you don’t have to mess with mixing gas and oil.
Position of Throttle Controls In Leaf Blower
A throttle you in a leaf blower allows controlling the engine’s power output. This is essential for regulating the blower’s fuel consumption and saving power to move the heaviest, most stubborn pieces of yard debris.
Throttles are generally placed in two positions:
- Mounted on the airflow tube
- Attached to an arm that extends from the backpack
A Tube-mounted throttle gives the advantage of being placed on a handle that a user already would be holding to point the nozzle. Making them a better option than the one attached to the backpack.
Leaf Blower Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, Electric leaf blowers require very little upkeeping. Simply wipe them down and watch out for dirt build-up on the air intake. Whereas Gas-powered blowers require a tune-up every year or so, and of course you’ll need to keep gas on hand.
In Conclusion
Backpack leaf blowers are highly powerful and come in all kinds of configurations. To sum it up, this guide covered the fundamental traits of backpack leaf blowers. Hope you came to know what factors to consider and how to choose the best backpack leaf blower available in the market.