The Most Useful Outdoor Power Equipment

Outdoor power equipment is tools or machines used in making outdoor jobs easier and enjoyable. These equipments save time and enhance the value of properties and homes. Useful outdoor equipment is in great demand in the market and a must to have in order to beautify one’s property. Such equipments are garden tractors, lawnmowers, trimmers, utility vehicles, edger, chain saws, snow throwers, tillers, leaf blowers and other related products. The industry continues to produce outdoor power equipments and develop new technologies that help people in their homes, especially with regards to environmental protection. Here is a list of three most useful outdoor power equipments in the market today: 1. Lawn Mowers A lawn mower is a machine with one or more revolving or rotating blades, powered for the maintenance of thick and tall grass, as well as rough terrain. It comes in different types such as: ?Cylinder or reel mower ?Mechanical mower that employs rotating blade assembly ?Rotary mowers – powered by an internal combustion engine ?Cordless mowers – battery operated mowers ?Riding mowers – it is a one person machine ?Hover mowers – rotary push powered mower, and ?Robotic mowers – robot type of mower. Mowers possess a feature that is equipped to finely cut and re-cut the grass. It also has the capacity to bring it back to the turf, with a low emission machine. Clippings provide nutrients and moisture so as to keep the yard healthier and greener, reducing yard waste as well. Guidelines in using a mower: ?Do not mow on a steep hill but mow across a hill to avoid falling debris or plants. ?When adjusting mower height, shut off the engine. ?Do not lift the mower; keep it flat on the ground. ?Stop and turn off the mower when you hit something. ?In riding mowers, never carry children or passengers while mowing and avoid edges. Standard Safety Feature: The Operator Presence Control (OPC) gives a feature that ensures the blades stop completely within 3 seconds after the release of blade control. Examples of mower products: ?DR® Power Equipment New VERSA-PRO Z-Lawn Mowers: Can mow large lawns at nearly 13 mph, Convertible, you can ride or walk behind, Navigate obstacles with precision and speed, commercial and residential use with 2 year warranty. ?Cub Cadet® Electric Lawn Mowers – Easy to operate. No messy oil changes or no costly engine tune-ups Price: $229. 00-$399. 00 ?Cub Cadet® Push Lawn Mowers – designed to start easily with maximum performance. Price: $229. 00-Price: $229. 00 2. Leaf Blowers Leaf blowers generate a powerful stream of air to get to move the leaves, debris and twigs from yards, garages, walks and lawns. It is a portable and handy clean-up tool with an optional vacuum kit accessory and gutter kits. The two types of blowers are the hand-held blower and the backpack blower. Hand-held blowers have a portable hand-held model that clears up things quickly. It also has adjustable nozzles, a 2-cycle and low emission 4-cycle gasoline engine. A backpack blower powered by 2 and 4-cycle gasoline engines (25-30cc). Guidelines in using a leaf blower: ?Do not point the blower nozzle at people or pets. ?The lowest possible throttle speed must be use. ?Do not use it very late or early in the morning. Product: Cub Cadet JS 1150 Price: $499. 00 3. Lawn and Garden Tractors Lawn Tractors are used in collecting and cutting 1-3 acres of mulching grass. It includes lawn sweepers, detachers, and rear and side discharge of grass collection system. The engine size varies from 11hp to 18hp. Garden tractors are used in large properties of 3 to 5 acres. It has a heavy-duty, versatile and powerful feature with low-emission engines. This would range from 14hp up to 26 hp. Garden tractors are also used in digging, garden tilling, removing snow or soil and in hauling supplies and materials. Garden and lawn tractors differ in its ability to be used either in its front or rear powers for take off. Safety Features/Reminders: ? Make sure that children and pets are not in the working area before operating the equipment. Carefully check if there are any people or objects behind before reverse shifting. ? The machine will stop automatically when the operator leaves the seat due to a key safety interlock switch for accident prevention. ? Safety features that includes color-coded controls and safety guards to protect from throwing objects out by the blade. ? Models equipped with headlights and parking breaks. ? Refer to the operator’s manual provided by the manufacturers before operating a tractor. Products: Cub Cadet® Series 1000 Lawn Tractors – features a deck wash system and a reverse mowing technology with a comfortable high back seat and a soft touch steering wheel. Price: $1,499. 00- $1,999. 00 Cub Cadet® 2500 Garden Tractors – a heavy duty tractor with high performance and powerful direct-driven shaft that provides an efficient transfer power to the rear transaxle. Price: $3,199. 00- $4,199. 00 Cub Cadet® iSeries Zero Turn Tractors – with a zero-turn rider built to take on hills with ease. Price: $2,699. 00- $4,999. 00

Cleaning Agricultural Equipment with Pressure Washers

Cleaning agricultural and farm equipment and machinery can be a very challenging task. Tractors, irrigation machinery, fertilizer and pesticide sprayers, trucks and airplanes for spraying and transportation, harvesting equipment, and more are all exposed to the elements as well as the grease and oil turned out during operation. The proper functionality of each machine is essential for the success and productivity of the farm, as every machine serves a distinct, indispensable purpose. Regular maintenance is essential to ensure that the elements or the wear that accompanies frequent use do not cause failure. Pressure washers are ideal for the cleaning and maintaining agricultural equipment, as they are the most powerful and effective machine for virtually any cleaning application. Among the many features and options available on pressure washers, there are several necessary to consider for the demanding applications that face farm equipment maintenance workers. First of all, mobility is an essential aspect for any machine used for agricultural purposes. Farms are large in size and require the ability to use machines in a variety of locations. Therefore, pressure washers for farming applications must feature mobility. However, mobility extends beyond whether or not machines come standard in wheeled configurations. The most significant attribute affecting mobility is the power source. Pressure washers can be powered by electric, gasoline, or propane engines. Electric powered pressure washers can be used indoors as they produce no exhaust; yet, their mobility is limited to use in proximity to an electrical outlet. And, out in the fields, farm workers may not have the luxury of electricity. As such, the most beneficial power methods are gasoline or propane. Able to be operated without being tethered to an electrical outlet, these machines feature vastly enhanced mobility over their electric counterparts. Power is another essential aspect. The challenging applications of cleaning heavily soiled or greased farm equipment requires the use of powerful pressure washers. For such tasks, hot water and steam pressure washing machines are best suited. As temperature increases, the cleaning power increases. Thus, the additional cleaning power afforded by heat allows users to dissolve grease and other stubborn substances for quick and easy removal from machinery. Moreover, steam pressure washers actually sanitize while cleaning. Lastly, durability and longevity are essential. Agricultural users often require the use of pressure washers daily. This prolonged use can cause extreme wear and tear on models made up of low quality, aluminum components, causing them to break down. Therefore, it is necessary the only high quality pressure washers comprised with stainless steel heating coils and chip/chemical resistant, powder-coated steel are considered. Keeping the need for high quality, powerful, mobile pressure washers in mind will ensure that any agricultural or farm worker purchases a suitable machine for their specialized applications to get the job done right.

General Pump for Power Washer Equipment

Pressure washers have two main components—the engine and the pump. The high-pressure pump is the core of the system and a good quality pump, such as a General Pump, will last for years with minimal maintenance. Any pump that puts out pressure over 150 PSI (pounds per square inch) is considered a high-pressure pump. The most common high-pressure pump is the positive displacement reciprocating plunger/piston type pump. General pumps are of this design, using solid ceramic plungers. General Pumps come in two basic designs. For medium to heavy home use, the most popular is the GPEZ series 44 with a triplex plunger pump and direct-drive system. They start at about $300. 00. The General Pumps GPT series 47 solid shaft pump series 66 is a high flow triplex pump for belt-driven equipment. This General Pump is preferred in pressure washer applications and start at about $500. There are duplex and triplex plunger pumps, but the triplex creates a smoother flow and is used most often with today’s pressure washers. Axial pumps are sometimes found on cheaper consumer models of pressure washers, and serve the purpose for homeowners who only use them occasionally, but they are usually just thrown away and replaced when broken. If you plan to keep and use your pressure washer regularly, you are better off with the triplex, ceramic plunger models such as the General Pump Series 66 high flow triplex pump. Positive displacement pumps work with the positive displacement of fluid and fixed volume. The fluid is mechanically pushed through the channels on a regular cycle. The pressure and volume remain constant. Pressure is created when this flow is pushed through the restrictive nozzle orifice. The size of the nozzle orifice is chosen for the desired pressure at the desired flow. If you notice a decrease in pressure, check the nozzle for wear before thinking the pump is failing. High-pressure pumps today, such as General Pumps, are very robust and when properly maintained, can be virtually trouble free. What size pump do you need? Pressure washer power is calculated by multiplying the pressure per square inch (PSI) by the Gallons per minute (GPM). The easiest way to determine the right pump size for your engine is to multiply the engine horsepower by 1100. This gives the cleaning units (CU’s) that your engine is made to deliver. (Cleaning units are figured by multiplying GPM x PSI. ) To keep your General Pump in top shape for years to come there are some things you should be careful to do. You should change the oil every 3 to 5 months or after 500 hours of use. This schedule should be maintained AFTER the initial oil change, which should be done after the first 50 hours of break-in. You should always flush your General Pump with clean water after each use and use an environmentally friendly anti-freeze. Never store your General Pump with water left in it, and be careful to check the manufacture recommendations when using strong chemicals in the pump. General Pump has been in the high-pressure pump business for over 30 years. They use forged brass manifolds, guaranteed for life. General Pumps have oversize connecting rods and wear resistant solid ceramic plungers with continuous lubricating packing.