Comparison Stiga ST 5266 PB TRAC vs Patriot PS 800 DDE

The width of the strip of snow that the snow blower can clear in one pass. The larger the capture width, the fewer passes will be required to process the site, which is especially important on large areas. On the other hand, for processing small spaces, clearing individual paths, etc. significant width is not required (moreover, a “narrow” snow blower will pass more easily in a hard-to-reach place). The larger the capture width, the more powerful the engine, usually, ceteris paribus.

The most compact modern snow blowers have a working width of less than 50 cm, these are mainly electric models of low power, although gasoline units are also found. A width of 50 – 60 cm can be called relatively small, 60 – 70 cm — medium, and in the largest models this figure exceeds 70 cm.

The maximum thickness of the snow layer that the snow blower removes in one pass. If you plan to regularly remove snow as it falls in a small area (for example, in the courtyard of your own private house), a grip height of up to 20 cm will be enough. If the opportunity to remove snow is rare (for example, in a country house where you visit only on weekends), you should pay attention to more powerful models with a height of about 50 cm.

The shortest distance that the snow blower can throw the collected snow.

The minimum range is indicated only for models with adjustable throw distance (see above). The meaning of this parameter is that in fact, long-range snow casting is not always desirable. For example, when clearing a path in the yard of a private house, snow often has to be poured literally next to the path, a little further — and it will fly onto the windows and walls of the house.

Note that the ejection range is a rather conditional value, because. snow (especially loose, freshly fallen snow) tends to dissipate in flight.

The maximum distance to which the snow blower can throw the collected snow (for models without throwing distance adjustment, the operating range itself). This value is rather arbitrary, since snow can be strongly dispersed in flight. Nevertheless, it characterizes the capabilities of the unit well and allows you to compare it with other models.

Long range is important mainly when working on large areas — it allows you to throw snow across the cultivated area so that it does not have to be collected a second time. As for specific figures, the value up to 10 m is considered relatively small, 11 – 15 m — average, and in the most "long-range" models this figure can be 16 m or more.

The diameter of the working tool of the snow blower. Other things being equal (primarily engine power), a smaller diameter auger gives more force during rotation, and a larger diameter auger allows you to process more snow in the same time. Therefore, units with large augers can be recommended primarily for working with large volumes of relatively soft snow, and with small ones — for dense packed cover and crust.

— Self-propelled design. In self-propelled snow blowers, the built-in motor drives not only the auger, but also the wheels / tracks, ensuring the movement of the device. In this way, you do not have to push the snow blower by hand, which makes work much easier — especially with heavy, powerful models. Most self-propelled models have a transmission that allows you to adjust the speed of movement, as well as the ability to move backward (see "Number of gears").

— Overload protection. A safety system that protects the unit from breakdowns in the event of critical loads. The main reason for the occurrence of such loads is the jamming of the screw — for example, due to the ingress of a foreign object. Therefore, most often, special bolts are used for protection, connecting the auger to the motor gearbox: with a sharp increase in load, the bolts are cut off and the auger is disconnected from the gearbox. Another option is overheating protection that reacts to engine temperature; it is found predominantly in electrical assemblies and can be used alone or in combination with shear bolts.

— Headlights. The presence of a headlight (headlights) in the design of the snow blower allows you to use it for work at night, when there are no other light sources or they are not enough. In addition, in some models, the headlights turn on automatically every time the engine is starte...d — they play the role of a warning signal that the unit is running.

— Heated handles. Heating system for handles, which the operator holds during work. This feature is especially useful as snow blowers are used in cold weather, and hands can get cold during prolonged use. On the other hand, with small volumes of cleaning, you can completely do with gloves, so heated handles are found mainly in powerful models with internal combustion engines, designed for large volumes of work.

— On wheels. The most common option among modern snow blowers. Wheeled units turn out to be quite light and manoeuvrable, and problems with cross-country ability can only arise on very rough terrain.

— On caterpillars. Tracks provide less ground pressure than wheels and a larger contact area. This significantly increases the cross-country ability and allows you to effectively overcome pits, bumps, steep climbs and other difficult places that are “too tough” for wheeled units. On the other hand, tracks are noticeably more complex and expensive than wheels, they can only be used in self-propelled models, and all the advantages become noticeable only on very rough terrain. Therefore, it makes sense to pay attention to caterpillar snow blowers only if maximum cross-country ability is fundamentally important to you.

The number of gears in the transmission of a self-propelled snow blower (see "Design"), in fact — the number of speeds at which it can move during operation.

Recall that upshifting increases speed and reduces torque. Thus, high gears are convenient for working with loose snow, which does not give strong resistance, while low gears allow you to cope with dense snow and crust. And the greater the number of gears, other things being equal, the more accurately you can choose the optimal speed. On the other hand, the abundance of settings complicates and increases the cost of the transmission. Therefore, when choosing the number of gears, manufacturers also take into account the overall level of the snow blower: the more powerful and heavier the unit, the more settings it usually provides.

A separate case are units with continuously variable (including hydrostatic) transmissions. They do not have fixed gears, and the gear ratio is automatically adjusted depending on the throttle position and the load on the working nozzle. One of the advantages of such systems is the almost zero probability of slipping, because. the wheels keep the torque at all times. In addition, the transmission itself can play the role of overload protection: when the auger is jammed, it disconnects it from the engine. On the other hand, stepless systems are quite complex and expensive, and automation does not always work exactly the way the user wants; therefore, this option is relatively rare.

The ability to unlock the differential is a mechanism that allows the wheels to rotate at different speeds.

This function is relevant only for self-propelled models (see "Design"). Many of these units do not have a differential at all, and if it is, it is locked by default — both of which mean that both drive wheels rotate at the same speed when powered by the engine. This has a positive effect on patency, but creates inconvenience when cornering: when turning, the wheel on the outside must rotate faster than the wheel on the inside. Unlocking the differential eliminates this inconvenience. On the other hand, a relatively small and light snow blower can also be deployed manually by disengaging the clutch and turning the unit on freely rotating wheels. Therefore, this function is provided only in powerful and heavy models, in which "manual" rotation is difficult.