Propane powered lawn & garden implements

[DainBramaged]

The ideas behind LEHR Incorporated were born during a series of long, cold nights spent converting gasoline engines to run on propane aboard the research vessel the Sea Surveyor at work in the North Sea. Having already used propane to power small engines on several other ships in his years at sea, Captain Bernardo Jorge Herzer CEO and founder of LEHR knew he had something. "Propane is just safer, more efficient and more reliable," said Captain Herzer, "that's why we used it on our ships." Five years later, with corporate offices, and an R&D center at its "green" headquarters in Los Angeles, California, LEHR is now a groundbreaking leader in the research and development of environmentally friendly technology. "The color is actually LEHR green," says Captain Herzer, the architect of the company's commitment to developing products whose manufacture, usage and disposal produce the least amount of pollutants and leave the smallest carbon footprint possible. Utilizing a patented proprietary technology similar to what was developed at sea, LEHR's first generation of lawn and garden tools is powered by propane, for home and commercial use. Fueled by the safer, cleaner and more reliable propane, LEHR products are designed to replace their gasoline burning counterparts and to stem the overflow of harmful pollutants that they produce. "We are an environmentally friendly technology company," Captain Herzer continued, "and propane is the absolute best alternative fuel solution we've found so far."

LEHR's mission is a reflection of Captain Herzer, its founder and spiritual driving force. Commissioned to do environmental research in the North Sea, he found a barren underwater desert completely ravaged by the technology used by the commercial fishing industry. Awestruck by the power that humans have to destroy their own environment and with his first child on the way, Captain Herzer knew he had to do something.

Aboard ship, portable gasoline powered generators drive everything from air compressors to scientific test equipment to running lights. Gasoline is dangerous to use, difficult to store and the carbon monoxide fumes it produces can have a devastating effect on the well being of a ship’s crew. Galley stoves are powered by cleaner burning propane. “Why not the generators?” thought Captain Herzer. A great idea but, at the time, small generators that ran on propane were not being commercialized. Undeterred, Captain Herzer funded his own research. With desire, determination and an unwavering belief in the project, just 2 ½ years later, Captain Herzer found a way to make small, commercial engines run cleaner and more efficiently on propane. Patent applications were filed and LEHR was born.

Captain Herzer began researching potential applications for this breakthrough technology. Upon learning that traditional, gasoline powered lawn and garden tools, like a gas trimmer or a weed whacker produce as much as 30 times more hydrocarbons than a typical automobile in an hour of use, LEHR adjusted direction immediately and set its sights on lawn and garden tools. Inspired by the birth of his son, Captain Herzer knew this was where LEHR could make a difference by marketing better, safer, healthier and more efficient products, like a propane powered grass trimmer whose very use would have a positive impact on the environment.
By replacing traditional old technology lawn and garden tools with cleaner, greener alternatives, LEHR is helping to preserve our environment now and for future generations. “I can see, a time, in the not too distant future where all our gardens will be gasoline free,” says Captain Herzer. At LEHR…that time is now.

(about one hour on a tank, 96% fewer carcinogens and 50% fewer hydrocarbons)



http://www.golehr.com/products.shtml#8

[murielm99]

1. Is it safer?

If that is so, I could see this as a good alternative.

[ret5hd]

2. you mean like a "finger safe" blade?

probably not.

[deaniac21]

3. They have no power rating on this lawnmower. How can they

sell without a hp rating?

[DainBramaged]

6. I noticed electric lawnmowers without HP ratings....

:shrug:


http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-CM1936-Cordless-Removable/dp/B002YK4UZU

[deaniac21]

8. It gives a voltage rating. This gives nada.

[DainBramaged]

9. So is that a horsepower rating or am I blind in both eyes?

[Erose999]

11. With electrics you can get a good estimate of the HP from the amperage.

http://www.shipcopumps.com/MathWizard/mw_motoramperage.asp

The variable of course is the motor speed. They may not have the mower set up to run the motor at maximum efficiency.

I know my circular saw runs a 16 amp motor and it does a decent job of cutting lumber. I'd say its probably 1 or 1.5hp.

[DainBramaged]

12. But they don't list horsepower......

[Erose999]

16. Its really not all that uncommon for anything with an electric motor not to list the horsepower

Electric motors are capable of running at close to their power peaks for longer periods of time. Gasoline engines are less capable of running reliably at their peak power. With a gas engine if you have work that requires 7hp then you want to use a 10 or 12hp engine to avoid running the engine at peak power all the time. A 7hp peak electric motor can do 7hp of work constantly.

When it comes to advertising, it's not a great sell to advertise your 1.5 hp electric mower against the competing 2 and 3hp gas mowers, even though the capabilities of the two are the same.

[DainBramaged]

17. The entire point of these lawn appliances is way less emissions

safer fuel, and capabilities equal to the best electrics and most low end gasoline lawn appliances. One can, one hour. And I'd rather go down to Hardy's hardware for a couple of cans of propane than transport gasoline in my vehicle in a can. Some of the folks in this thread think horsepower is everything, but the typical lawn doesn't need a 12 HP ride-on with nitrous boost and laser weed whackers....

[deaniac21]

19. It is a lot harder for a woman if it insn't equal to, at least, 6 hp.

[DainBramaged]

20. We used a 3.5 HP on a 1/4 acre for 15 years without issues.

And last I knew, the new homeowners are still using it.....

[Xithras]

4. People have been building propane powered engines for decades.

Go to YouTube and search for "propane lawn mower" and you'll get hundreds of videos. My dad had a propane powered Chevy C-10 back in the 80's. It's always been possible.

The technology isn't difficult (here's a video showing how basic it can be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF4GVhd2Qus), but there is a simple reason why it never caught on. Propane has a lower energy density than gasoline, meaning that you'll develop less power and will have to refuel more often. That C-10 had a tank that took up a quarter of the truck bed. A propane powered self-propelled mower is going to have real problems if it hits thick or tall grasses on a slope.

If you're worried about the environment, you're better off going electric. If you need the power and mobility of a self-contained mower, you're better off simply upgrading to one of the newer model OHV mowers, which can use half the fuel (and produce 70% less emissions) than older style flathead mowers. There's a reason why you don't see lawn guys pushing 20 year old Briggs powered mowers around anymore (and it isn't durability, because those simple, old school mowers will run forever). Gas costs money, so landscape guys have upgraded to cleaner and more efficient hardware.

[HopeHoops]

7. When we lived in a townhouse, I bought a Black & Decker electric with a flip handle.

It was great. I could start on one side with the cord all up by the house, get to the other and flip the handle to the other side to go back and just work my way to the back of the yard - no worries about the cord getting in the way. I still have it as a backup, but a 22" gas mower is more appropriate for the yard we have now.

[Sky Llama]

5. I built something a lot like this...

A lawn mower will run if you run a hose into the air filter and turn the propane on, this is just a bit nicer setup.

I've been mowing with propane for years now.

[kentauros]

10. If I ever live someplace where I have to mow a lawn,

it will be with a reel mower:




And everything else will be as I grew up - hand-powered implements.

Either that, or I'll rip out the sod and replace with something that doesn't need mowing to begin with!

:hi:

[madokie]

21. Yeah right

We gave up on a push reel mower when I was a kid. If you don't mow every other day or so you have to work your ass off to get 'r done.
methinks you might be full of bull, could that be the case here?

[Ganja Ninja]

13. I use to work at Pontiac Motors.

Back in the mid 70's they would test all the motors coming off the line with either propane or natural gas. They just had a fitting that fit right over the top of the carb.

[Amaril]

14. I have a teeny, tiny front / side yard........

.....my Ryobi weedeater & leaf blower -- both run off rechargable lithium batteries -- are all I need to take care of it. I've been thinking about sodding the backyard though -- right now it's a just a mess of dirt & weeds. It's small also -- only about 600 sq ft of sod area (rest is covered by a huge deck and planting beds -- so if I follow thru with that plan, then I'll probably look at getting a reel mower.

[Lance_Boyle]

15. What the hell kind of ship has GASOLINE generators?

Marine diesel exists for a reason. Because it's is "just safer, more efficient and more reliable."

[Erose999]

18. Yeah, one would think a ship's generator would just run off the diesel engine.

[OxQQme]

22. I've been a small engine mechanic

for most of my 70 year life.
Currently, here in Oregon anyway, you have to look hard for gas stations that sell gas that's not f**cked up with alcohol.
Spring time, in this mower shop that I'm employed at, virtually EVERY piece of yard maintenance equipment that arrives
at our service entrance won't start.
Did last year.
Taken apart, all of the 'rubber' parts in contact with the gas that was left in it over the winter's non-use, has either turned into a gummy substance
or has hardened and cracked.
I know the lessened horsepower of propane and I say 'phooey'. Any 3-5 hp mower with a sharp blade will still mow your lawn running propane
unless you wait 'til it's up to your tushy.
It's prime advantage is that it does not get 'stale'. Or absorb moisture right out of the air.
Alcohol laced gasoline does.
Then the combination turns very acidic.
Indy race cars burn alcohol and before they're loaded into the hauler after a race, they flush the entire fuel system by running on straight gas.
That stuff eats into aluminum even.

Indoor floor buffers, fork lifts, generators, etc., are all propane burning for the lack of noxious fumes.