OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

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GAHorn
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OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by GAHorn »

I was shopping for a "weed eater" because my 20 -year - old genuine 2-stroke WeedEater's plastic fuel tank/fuel lines just got to be more maintenance than I wanted to put up with anymore. (My right leg became soaked in fuel/oil every time I used it despite the best repeated attempts to fix that sorry system.)

The unit I found last nite at Home Depot is a Lehr, Model 025DC. It uses a common 16.4 oz propane bottle and has a standard "bump feed" string spool which is advertised to be replaceable with various other attachments.

At first, I was disappointed to find it wouldn't run above idle until warmed up for over 10 minutes... and with poor throttle response, then it had no power and would die when presented with grass to cut. I started to put it back in the box and storm over to Home Depot and remind them of their 30-day no-questions-asked-return-policy and give them a piece of my mind...when I saw the little tag in the box which said, "Do Not Return to Store - Call 866-941-XXXX".... so I did ... expecting to talk to Bish-Hab the PunJab. Instead I got "Scott"...in Dallas. :shock:
After I told him how disappointed I was with the product he calmly told me that he would help me make an adjustment that he expected to solve the problem. I described to him that if it were a gasoline-model I'd think it ran too lean. He said that he agreed, and then asked me to take a Phillips screwdriver and remove the air cleaner, then unscrew a thumb-wheel and pull out a throttle-body and then turn a brass needle one, complete turn clockwise. Then he had me reassemble it and stayed on the line while I tried it out.
Bottom line: In about 10 or 12 minutes he had troubleshot and fixed the problem and I was out cutting heavy weeds along my fenceline happy as a lark.
The unit normally sells for $219 but Home Depot has them on sale for $99 and I'm recommending you guys try this if you are tired of mixing oil and gas and having to clean a carburetor every season. (Yes, this is a 4-stroke engine and has a 2.5 oz crankcase that uses ordinary 10W30 motor oil. It's quiet and lightweight and seems to have ample power.)

Image

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

By the way, Scott doesn't work for Lehr. Scott works for a U.S. small business which handles Customer Service calls for U.S. businesses and uses AMERICAN customer service reps. It's a "transparent" put-thru call service. The company he works for which handled this call on the Lehr product is AWS (American Warranty Service), a small business in Dallas. I think they're on to something!
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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lowNslow
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by lowNslow »

Well as long as your getting into propane and propane accessories you might want one of these:
http://www.rodenator.com/
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by cessna170bdriver »

George,

How much duration on one propane bottle?

Miles
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GAHorn
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by GAHorn »

cessna170bdriver wrote:George,

How much duration on one propane bottle?

Miles
They claim 2-hours on a 16.4 oz bottle. I used it today for 45 mins and it did a great job on some heavy woody-weeds (bordering on brush) and the bottle still appears over half full.
gh
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
mrpibb
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by mrpibb »

Hank Hill would be proud :)
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GAHorn
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by GAHorn »

mrpibb wrote:Hank Hill would be proud :)
Naww. I was drinkin' Becks, .... not Bud.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

Though I was in East Texas just the other day, Spicewood is just a bit to far for me to come over there and take that old weed whacker of your hands. It's just to easy to make all those weed whackers, thrown out by frustrated people, run again to ever buy another one.

I've got 3 string trimmers in my collection now even after I gave one to my son-in-law earlier this year. Same goes for anything powered with a Briggs and Straton. I've got more self propelled lawn mowers than one could use in 2 life times. Funny thing is I have my yard designed so that I don't need to use a trim mower at all and only about 2 minutes of weed whacker work. Yes at about 2 minutes a mowing I use about 1- 1/2 tanks of gas a year in my weed whacker. And some where along the line I accumulated enough mix at that rate to leave it so someone in my will.
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W.J.Langholz
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by W.J.Langholz »

That young chap "Scott" is going to grow up and be a moderator on a forum someday.............. :wink:


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cessna170bdriver
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by cessna170bdriver »

gahorn wrote:
cessna170bdriver wrote:George,

How much duration on one propane bottle?

Miles
They claim 2-hours on a 16.4 oz bottle. I used it today for 45 mins and it did a great job on some heavy woody-weeds (bordering on brush) and the bottle still appears over half full.
gh
I like it! It'll be something to keep in mind when/if my 1988 Stihl ever gives up the ghost. :wink:
Miles
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GAHorn
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by GAHorn »

And if you're really cheep.... you can buy an adaptor to refill your own little 16.4 oz propane bottles from 20 lb tanks (and/or larger.)

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'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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blueldr
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by blueldr »

George,
Your picture showing the refilling of the small propane container, using the Habor Freight adapter, indicates that you will only get a refill of gaseous propane eual to the gaseous pressure in the large container.
In order to get a complete refill of the small container, you will need an adapter that permits the large container to be inverted to put the liquid propane down on the big container valve while the small container is attached in an uppright position so that the "Schrader Valve " in the small container can be pulled, with a pair of needle nosed pliers, in order to vent it for filling.
I've een doing it for years on my Halide torches.
BL
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GAHorn
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by GAHorn »

dammit Eldr! I was going to charge EXTRA for the operating instructions! :lol: :lol: :lol:
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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170C
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by 170C »

George, is that thang FAA/PMA'd :lol: Seriously, most of us know that propane fueled engines run a lot cleaner than gasoline powered engines even though they don't develop as much power if compared to the same unit operating on gasoline. I was wondering how much heavier the unit is with the propane tank attached vs the gasoline tank version if you could make an exact comparison :?: I am proud to say I have only owned one weed trimmer (gasoline) & one electric one ever. I have been lazy and hired my yard mowed & trimmed for many years. I occasionally break out my 1986 ECHO GT-2100 trimmer, but it doesn't have a primer unit on it like most do now days so its a real b_ _ _ _ to get started. Requires pulling the plug & pouring gas in to get the first start. Then it restarts OK for that trim period. My Craftsman selfpropelled 7 hp mower gets used about once or twice a year to cut outside my fence. It doesn't have a throttle (runs full speed all the time), but is easy to start thanks to that primer. I guess the no throttle is a EPA thingie :evil: And yes, George, Hank Hill would still be proud of you even if you don't drink Bud since you are using propane. I had never heard of a propane powered weed trimer. Hmmm--maybe I could convert my mower to propane???:mrgreen:
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Larry Holtz
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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by Larry Holtz »

I have one of those propane weedwhackers too, but it must be a newer model. I use a 3 gallon tank and it has a hose with a whole bunch of fire comeing out the end. Man, does it ever take care of those weeds!! Also good for cookin hotdogs for the lunch break. 8)

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Re: OFF TOPIC: Propane String Trimmer

Post by Robert Eilers »

Propane is a good alternative power source, but we must still pay for it. Now, if we could some how learn to harness the power generated and wasted by a couple of Grande Burritos we might actually be making some progress. When I go off the wagon, I estimate I could power a weed wacker for a week if I was some how able to collect and conserve the results of a visit to the local Taqueria.
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