Line diameter
The diameter of the fishing line supplied with the trimmer (more precisely, with a reel attachment, see "Tips").
In modern models, this parameter can be from 1 to 4 mm. At the same time, a thicker fishing line handles better with dense thickets, but it works rougher, the treated lawn is not particularly even, and for the effective operation of such a nozzle, a fairly powerful engine is needed. On the other hand, a fine line provides a clean and neat cut, but is not suitable for heavy vegetation and large stems. Thus, thick fishing line is usually equipped with powerful units designed for "launched" lawns with an abundance of thick stems. Thin, on the other hand, is found mainly in low-power electric trimmers with a lower engine location, designed for neat lawns with regularly cut grass.
We also recall that many trimmers have the ability to replace the standard reel with another one that differs in line thickness.
Nozzles
-
Bladed knife. A knife in the form of a pair of blades, rotating around a vertical axis in the manner of a propeller blade. Two blades are the most popular, almost standard option for rotary lawn mowers (see "Cutting System"). Note that in the case of trimmers, the use of a knife allows you to achieve higher productivity and better cope with thick grass than using
a line reel. On the other hand, blades do not tolerate contact with stones and other hard objects very well; in case of such troubles, various tricks can be provided (for example, an automatic engine brake).
-
Spindle knife. Nozzles used in spindle-type lawn mowers. For more information about such units, see "Cutting system", here we recall that spindle knives are inferior to bladed ones in terms of performance and efficiency in thick grass, however, they provide a "cleaner" cut, which allows you to give the lawn the most accurate appearance. So this option is well suited for regular cutting of relatively sparse, well-groomed vegetation.
- Reel with fishing line. Most often used in trimmers (see "Type"). According to the general principle of operation, it is similar to a bladed knife (see above), however, in this case, the working tool is not blades, but pieces of thick fishing line rotating at high speed. The main advantage of the fishing line over a bladed knife is its almost complete insens
...itivity to collisions with stones and other solid objects: such a “blade” will only bend from impact and literally immediately straighten due to centrifugal force. True, such nozzles cope with thick stems somewhat worse, but in practice it all depends on the thickness of the fishing line (see above) and the speed of its rotation.
- Cultivator. Nozzle designed to loosen the soil. Outwardly, it is a set of gears mounted on a horizontal axis with teeth of a specific bent shape. Due to the rotation of these wheels, loosening is carried out. Combisystems are mainly equipped with such nozzles (see "Type"). At the same time, the width of the cultivator is usually small, it is poorly suited for full-fledged garden work, but it can be useful when processing a small flower bed or several beds.
- Saw blade. Attachment for cutting relatively thick, stiff stems (e.g. bushes or small tree branches). Mounted mainly on trimmers (see "Type"). Outwardly, such a nozzle is very similar to the working element of a circular saw: it uses a rotating rim with characteristic teeth along the edges. The rim may have holes - to reduce weight.
- Scissor mower. In this case, it means a special attachment, most often used in mowers (see "Type"). Such a nozzle has the form of a characteristic horizontal "comb" with two rows of teeth moving relative to each other. Its design is described in more detail in the “Cutting system - Scissor” section, here we note that hay trimmers are indispensable when working with dense vegetation and thick stems, they easily cope with thickets that are “too tough” for other attachments.
- Without nozzles. The absence of any nozzles in the regular configuration of the lawn mower. It is assumed that the customer will purchase them separately for specific needs.Soft start
The presence of a
soft start system in the lawn mower engine.
The design features of electric motors are such that when power is applied directly, the start occurs very abruptly — both in a mechanical and electrical sense. Firstly, the engine itself spins up in a jerk, in a very short time, which increases the wear of its parts. Secondly, at the moment of start-up, there is a sharp jump in current strength, which creates significant loads on the power grid (or the batteries of the unit). The soft start system eliminates these phenomena: it limits the starting current, allowing the motor to accelerate smoothly and preventing voltage surges.
On the other hand, additional electronic circuits affect the cost, sometimes quite significantly. So there are few models with this feature nowadays, and you should pay attention to them mainly in cases where the mentioned advantages are of fundamental importance — for example, if the device is purchased for a house with weak wiring that does not tolerate voltage surges.
Noise level
The level of noise produced by the device during operation. Usually, a certain average indicator is indicated in the characteristics — in the standard mode of operation; however, the actual values usually do not differ much from the claimed ones.
The lower the noise level, the more convenient the unit to use and the less tired the operator. In the case of lawn mowers, this is especially true, since such equipment is quite noisy — even the quietest models (some robots) give out about 47 – 48 dB, which is comparable to talking at an average volume. Note that the decibel is a non-linear quantity, and it is easiest to evaluate the actual loudness using comparative tables. Here is the simplest table for the values found in modern lawn mowers:
— 60 – 65 dB — talking in raised tones at a distance of about 1 m;
70 dB — loud conversation of several people at the same distance;
75 dB — loud laughter at a distance of 1 m;
80 dB — motorcycle engine, medium power vacuum cleaner.
90 dB — loud screams, freight car at a distance of 7 – 10 m;
100 dB — a subway train or a loud car signal at a distance of 5 – 7 m, an industrial workshop;
110 dB — tractor engine at a distance of about 1 m.
In addition to subjective sensations, there are specific sanitary standards that limit the impact of strong noise. So, according to European standards, noise of 85 dB is allowed to be heard without protective equipment for 8 hours, 91 dB — 2 hours, 97...dB — half an hour, and 103 dB — only 7 minutes. So when choosing a unit, you should take into account the duration of work with it — with high noise, you may need protective headphones.
