How many gas engines do you own?

[madville]

I was cleaning the garage this morning and had never really thought about how many gas engines I own. I have a:

Lawn mower
Garden tiller
Weedeater
Chainsaw
Pressure washer
4hp boat motor
12hp boat motor
6 cyl truck

Eight gas engines in my garage, can't believe I had never really thought about how often I use them, I wish the electric alternatives didn't cost more, limit portability, and offer less performance, maybe one day.

Anybody else hooked on the gas?

[TransitJohn]

1. Where do you think your electricity comes from?

10 to 1 it's from burning coal.

[bullimiami]

4. personally i dont have a problem with burning coal per se.

they just need to force state of the art pollution controls on them.

its more of a political challenge than a technical one. coal and their lobby will fight anything that impacts their profits.

[HillbillyBob]

66. Then there are the thousands of families that have

been run off their land in Appalachia. The coal companies have blown up almost 500 mountains and buried a thousand plus miles of headwater stream valleys.
Valley streams that give rise to major rivers that are used for irrigation, hydro electric generation, and drinking water.
I have known folks back home in WV that now have to truck water in for drinking, bathing and gardens. Also the coal dust from the explosions gets in everyones lungs, eyes, food.
edited to add.

Forgot to list our gas engines, but we do try to limit their use and are waiting for the day we can go solar / electric/battery, have battery weed whacker but it r
runs out too quickly.


Lawn tractor( we use it to do other things too) 2 acre field around the house we are changing slowly to get rid of lawn, tho calling it a lawn is generous.
Tiller, 2 mowers, fence post auger, Dakota PU/V6, Nissan Versa 4cyl.
2 chainsaws.
We are a farm after all.
We are changing to an EcoFarm/ organic veggies, we use little in the way of chemicals, except for some herbicide to get rid of the beau-coup crop of poison ivy, and the occasional nitrogin granuales to get the trees going that we are planting.

We have a goal of being nearly fossil fuel free in 10 years. We have made a dent so far in cutting our household carbon foot print down from about 10 tons to 3 or 4 tons.

We also plant sunflowers, 4 oclocks to help control unwanted insects, we also have lady bugs and preying mantis that our neighbor released. We don't molest them though

[bullimiami]

73. there are other ways of mining.

i still see it as political.

more profit tearing down a mountain, polluting and running. apparently no political will to stop it.

[madville]

6. Isn't electric usually more efficient

Gas engines lose most of their created energy as heat right.

[ThomWV]

8. Far from it. Only about 35% of the energy in the coal leaves the power plant

And even more is lost in transmission, and then there is further loss at whatever device you are using.

Not only are coal-fired power plants very dirty they are inefficient too.

[TransitJohn]

22. And a ginormous

power plant is more efficient? No.

[ContinentalOp]

50. Electric cars powered by even the dirtiest coal burning plants are still cleaner

than internal combustion engines. I would imagine the same would be true for lawnmowers, leaf blowers, etc.

[LostinVA]

2. Are you counting diesel engines as "gas" engines?

[Warpy]

3. The only one I own is the 4 banger in the car

Electricity here is dirty old coal, but increasingly it's also hydro, solar and wind. NM has been building lots of farms for renewable energy harvesting.

For now, I'm hooked on the grid. As the price of PVC setups drops (and it should), I'll be more interested in doing my entire flat roof with solar cells and getting off it as much as possible.

[Deja Q]

5. 4 cyl car

My next car will be a Chevy Volt.

I hope the local dealer won't close. :cry:

[MercutioATC]

7. Four

One 4-cylinder 2.2l car

One 6-cylinder 3.0l car

One 8-cylinder 4.2l car

One chainsaw

[madmom]

9. Three, car, lawn mower, snow plow (which we just recently got because

we are getting to old and decrepit to shovel by hand.):hurts:

[taterguy]

10. None

I believe in mooching

[NYC_SKP]

18. In a sensible world, we'd all mooch, or share.

No need for every house on the block to own one of everything, yet that's what I see.

Two and three car garages filled mostly with the same items.

You'd think that at least two or as many as ten households could share some of these.

What do you need, taterguy?

I probably have it, and you can borrow it!

[rox63]

11. One 4-cylinder car

My heat is natural gas, but I signed on to the green power option for my electricity. So that's all from wind and low-impact hydro.

I'm a condo-dweller in a 1-car household. No lawn-mower, chain-saw, roto-tiller, etc., although the landscaping company that keeps up the grounds does use those things.

[Heidi]

12. Our house is heated with oil, but I don't own a car.

Our electricity is hydroelectric, and our lawnmower is electric (rechargable battery), as is our weedeater. We do have a gas grill, though.

[carlyhippy]

13. hmmm, a riding lawnmower, a push mower, an ice auger, a snowblower

1 boat engine, 1 v8 truck engine, 1 v6 suv engine and 1 v6 car engine. The auger is used probably once a year, the rider and push mowers are used once a week for 5 months, the snowblower, several times a week for 5 months, or when it snows, the boat probably 10 times a year, and all 3 vehicles are driven 5 miles a day each. I haven't done the math, but it seems we spend more money on insurance and registration than on gas with 2 of the vehicles and boat. Oh yeah, forgot the leaf blower and weed whacker, the blower is used 2 times a year and the weed whacker never gets used, we have an electric one that I use that is not as heavy, not to mention I have a hard time getting the gas powered weed whacker started.

I guess if I moved to another part of the country, we could probably get rid of some of these engines. If we lived, say in a large city on the west coast, we could get rid of all but 1 vehicle, because I would take mass transit, the ice auger would be no use, the snowblower would not be needed, if we lived in a townhouse, the HOA fees would take care of the mowing and weeding and leaf blowing, the boat would be iffy, if there is water the boat could be used.

[Optical.Catalyst]

14. Sounds like a business opportunity to me

If some ingenious person could economical produce a solar charging system that would put energy into storage five days a week that could be utilize to mow the grass on the week end, they would have a clean, renewable energy system. This system would stop the carbon pollution from lawn mowers and would not need dirty fossil fuel as an electricity source either.

The boat motors would be more challenging. Oh wait, boats used to be powered by wind by using sails. (I do recognize taking a sail boat out on the lake to go bass fishing would be considered boarder line insane.)

[carlyhippy]

17. haha, I could hear the screaming and explictives my DH would bellow

if he was fishing in the spot where all the fish were, then the wind in the sails started to carry him away from his spot.

[HillbillyBob]

69. There are a couple brands of electric and battery mower now

http://www.bamabots.com/ Automatic lawn mower plugs into electric but could be adapted to a couple solar panels to charge it.
We looked into it, but we have an old tobacco field as a lawn. We would need a couple and the yard is rough..tho sooner or later there will be little grass and mostly orchard trees and small garden plots with every thing from medicinal herbs to cooking herbs, unusual fruits and veggies.
We do also share lawn/farm equipment with our next over neighbors.

[Stephanie]

15. None

New Yorkers should get extra credit on this one.

[Catshrink]

16. Does my dog count?

OMG is he a gas producer. Otherwise, just my car-- a Civic that gets 34-35mpg.

[carlyhippy]

21. LOL...my cat's gas could power a couple of cars I think

but it could possibly be considered poisonous, it smells like it anyway.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. Gosh, you are right..and we HAVE been thinking about it.

One 6 cyl. 93 Ford boxy thing ( Mr. D.)
One 93 4 cyl. Toyota ( mine)
Being retired, we drive maybe 20 miles a week.

But..
there is the gas weed eater.
and the chain saw, rarely used, it is for emergencies, mostly, we are in storm area.
And we have gas heat, also rarely used/needed.

We do have an old battered electric golf cart, not street legal, it affords Mr. D. the mobility he needs to get around the property and walk the dog ( he has a disability ).

[NuttyFluffers]

20. 1. my car. and i drive that generally 6 miles round trip to the subway.

currently i'm not even doing that. i'm living abroad and i run around in compressed natural gas buses or subways (occasionally taxis late at night). i also walk a lot.

[knitter4democracy]

23. Two. Car and push mower.

I also have a reel push mower, but there are parts of the lawn with a kind of grass that thing just can't cut. The weed wacker's electric, but I'm out of the wacking plastic string and need to get a refill. I used the electric leaf blower just once this spring--never again. That thing hurt my arms something awful, and I couldn't knit for two days. I'll just use the rake next time.

[PufPuf23]

24. Nine gas/diesel motors

Toyota 4X4 6 cylinder PU
Jeep Grand Cherokee 8 cylinder
lawn mower (but my neighbor mows for me with sit down mower)
weed eater
two chain saws (only have wood heat but want to get propane range, generator, and backup heat system)
gas generator
water pump
Caterpillar Tractor Dozer (should sell it; hasn't been moved nor started since 2002).

[Vickers]

25. Two cars and a portable generator.

:P

[MineralMan]

26. A few,

A 6-cylinder SUV (<5000 miles per year)
A 4 cylinder car (<4000 miles per year)
A 2-cylinder, 6hp outboard motor (about 10 gal. of gas per year)
A 1-cylinder lawnmower (maybe 5 gal. per year)
A 1-cylinder snowblower (3 gal. per year)

Electric chainsaw
Electric trolling motor on boat

When I look at the amount of fuel burned by the small engines, I'm less concerned about them. It's a minor amount...scarcely worth worrying about.

[Fovea]

27. I have a string trimmer.

But that's it.

I use about three gallons of gas a year in it, i think.
I do get a ride in a gas vehicle a couple times a week, though.

I mostly ride a bicycle, almost year round, in Kansas City.

[madeline_con]

28. How is the electricity for the "electric alternatives" being generated? n/t

[ContinentalOp]

52. Doesn't matter. It's still cleaner, more efficient and easier to regulate emissions.

Electric cars powered by even the dirtiest coal burning plants are still cleaner than gas cars. The same would probably be true for electric appliances like leaf blowers.

[Honeycombe8]

29. Car (20 mpg); lawn mower (I don't use...I hire that out now). That's it.

But it still counts that although I don't OWN or USE my mower and Weedeater, that I HIRE IT OUT.

Better question maybe is what gas engines are used for your life to be maintained?

[Canuckistanian]

30. Three - down from five

A car, a snowblower and a lawn tractor.

I've replaced a weedeater and a lawn mower with electric rechargeable versions.

[donco6]

31. A hybrid car (4 cyl), lawn mower, and scooter.

I could trade in the lawn mower for electric. Our yard is tiny.

[The_Commonist]

32. Zero!

No gas engines for this city dweller.
Now... If you had asked about tube amplifiers, I would have you beat.

[Iggo]

47. I have zero tube amps.

Your donationa are greatly appreciated.

B-)

[8 track mind]

49. mmmmmmm tubes!

Fisher 500c
Fisher 400c
two homebrew pre-amps
two Bogen CHB-35a's
Fender dual showman reverb
late 50's Fender champ



Real music glows in the dark!!!!

[ContinentalOp]

53. Now you're talking!

Fender Champ, Fender Twin, an old Sound City P.O.S. Head, Dynaco ST-70, a few different tube mic preamps, and probably some others.

[mwooldri]

67. 3 known working, 2 unsure, 1 definitely not.

The 3 are in two vehicles that are used daily and a lawnmower in regular use. The two unsure are a vehicle that I haven't cranked in a year and a lawnmower whose motor is probably good but the blade mechanism was sheared off. Oh, and the previous occupants left a part-disassembled car engine in the garage.

Mark.

[madville]

33. How many gas engines do you own?

I was cleaning the garage this morning and had never really thought about how many gas engines I own. I have a:

Lawn mower
Garden tiller
Weedeater
Chainsaw
Pressure washer
4hp boat motor
12hp boat motor
6 cyl truck

Eight gas engines in my garage, can't believe I had never really thought about how often I use gas engines, I wish the electric alternatives didn't cost more, limit portability, and offer less performance, maybe one day.

[Shagbark Hickory]

34. 5

2 cars, 1 honda pressure washer, 1 b&s mower, 1 weed eater

There are electric alternatives for the latter 3 so no biggie there. If only we could get the alternative energy for the first 2 sorted out.

[NYC_SKP]

35. My experience: Electric models last longer for many of these.

Specifically those small motors.

Gas engines that (probably through poor maintenance) have become useless to me:

Small outboard engine, gas generator, more than one weedeater, and more.

I now have an electric chainsaw and all the rest.

ALSO, I went for a push-mower 20 years ago, they cut so nicely and you get exercise!

:donut:

[carlyhippy]

36. hmm, a riding lawnmower, a push mower, an ice auger, a boat motor

1 v8 truck engine, 1 v6 suv engine and 1 v6 car engine. The auger is used probably once a year, the rider and push mowers are used once a week for 5 months, the boat probably 10 times a year, and all 3 vehicles are driven 5 miles a day each. I haven't done the math, but it seems we spend more money on insurance and registration than on gas with 2 of the vehicles and boat. Oh yeah, forgot the leaf blower and weed whacker, the blower is used 2 times a year and the weed whacker never gets used, we have an electric one that I use that is not as heavy, I can never get that gas powered whacker started.

[LWolf]

37. My inventory:

a toyota tacoma
a chain saw
a large, push behind weed whacker
a riding mower, which doesn't run and is at someone else's house.

I use the chain saw a little. The problem with the chain saw is that it is small and light enough for me to use, which means that it is too small and light to handle all my dead trees, so it doesn't see much use.

I haven't used the weed whacker in 3 years, but I'm spending today trying to restring it, fuel it up, and get it running. I broke my old harrow last weekend; it broke apart in 3 pieces. I was dragging it behind the 'yota.

I have 6 acres of very rocky weeds to try to manage.

[Obamanaut]

43. This looks just like the OP. I think I'm confused now. nt

[carlyhippy]

48. the OP was a double post, moderators must have combined the two.

Carly

[Obamanaut]

71. Thanks. It is taking less and less to confuse me.

Miz O and I were looking a VW beetles Saturday. The salesman told us he's 72, and his wife just recently had a stroke. Then he said "Getting old is not for the faint of heart."

[Throd]

38. four V-8s, one V-6, one inline 4, lawnmower, chainsaw

[DainBramaged]

39. Nice

total horsepower?

[11 Bravo]

40. Lawnmower, weed whacker, chain saw, generator, three cars.

Generator is only for emergencies, but the others get regular use.

[zagging]

41. 12

6 cylinder SUV
6 cylinder SUV
4 cylinder car
2 cylinder motorcycle

3 cylinder diesel tractor

Electric generator
Push Mower
Riding mower

Snowmobile - Two cycle
Outboard motor - Two cycle
Chainsaw - Two cycle
Weed whipper - Two cycle

[Obamanaut]

42. Eight gasoline of various kinds, and we heat the house w/ propane.nt

[TankLV]

44. about 4 - only use ONE

haven't used the others in literally YEARS

[Iggo]

45. Zero.

But I'm car shopping, so that'll change soon.

[leftofthedial]

46. one car.

34 mpg *old* Toyota.

[sakabatou]

51. Zero

I own zero gas engines. Used to own 1, but I don't drive these days.

[8 track mind]

54. quick inventory...

1995 chevy van, 350 v-8
1972 Chevy Truck, converted to fuel injection, 350-v-8
1987 Chrysler Conquest, Turbocharged 4 banger

the wife has a Honda Fit, 4 banger

5 Motorcycles

1 lawn mower, 1 weed wacker, 3 generators (one homebrew)and piles of bits and pieces.

[ContinentalOp]

55. 2 cars and and an unused weed whacker thing -nt-

[Best_man23]

56. Four

Two inline four cylinder engines in two cars, one four-stroke gas lawnmower, one four-stroke gas trimmer (interchangeable heads make it an edger, weedeater, and blower). I go with four-stroke engines in the yard tools as they burn fuel more efficiently than two-stroke and you don't pump the oil into the air.

Will look at electric alternatives when the mower reaches the end of its life. There are also push reel mowers for folks with smaller yards or strong hearts. I would kill myself trying to cut our St Augustine lawn in July with a push reel mower.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

57. Five

Car
Moped
Riding lawn mower
Walk-behind lawn mower
Edger

[Enthusiast]

58. Interesting thread

3.0 liter V-6 mini-van
1.8 liter I-4 econo-box
4.3 liter V-6 pickup
1000cc motorcycle
1600cc motorcycle
10 HP outboard
25 HP outboard
2 cycle weedeater

Dang, that's a bunch of hydrocarbons, ain't it? Well, we only use two at a time at the most.

[Marr]

59. Three.

Four cylinder car
250cc motorcycle
650cc motorcycle

[Initech]

60. Just the one in my car.

[uppityperson]

61. I try to balance them

2 cars-3 bikes
chainsaw-handsaw
1 boat motor-1 kayak, 2 sail boats, 1 canoe
1 gas lawn mower-1 push lawn mower

[RexDart]

62. Four, no five...

2001 Accord (mine)
2001 CR-V (Wife)
1961 Metropolitan 1500 (not run since 1985, motor in pieces and rusted solid)
1800cc MG engine (going into the Met)
Mid 20's 1.5hp Hit and Miss engine. (Not run since the 50's and stuck. Grandfather's homestead water pump motor)

[BrotherBuzz]

63. Five

Stover coffin box single cylinder hit-and-miss engine on a Jaeger cement mixer (cement mixer, putty putty)
Four cylinder four horse power Kohler 15 amp 110V 500 pound stationary generator
6 cylinder 300 cu in Ford truck
Volvo wagon - 6 cylinder
1950 Studebaker Land Cruiser

All garden tools are hand powered except for the electric mower I use exclusively for mulching yard clippings for the compost pile. Oh, I have half a dozen upright Briggs & Stratton engines but haven't paired them up with anything yet.

[NoPasaran]

64. Just the one in my Hummer

Everything else is electric.

[konnichi wa]

65. Hooked bigtime it seems, now that I count them up

5 cars
3 boats
1 tractor
4 lawnmowers
1 golf cart
1 airplane (2 engines)
2 chainsaws
2 weedeaters
1 leaf blower
3 generators

:scared:

[Mugu]

68. Hadn't really thought about it.

Two vehicles (one car and one truck.)
Two garden tractors (a gasoline powered one for small patches and a diesel for big areas and snow-blowing.)
Two chainsaws (one large and one small.)
Two Weed whackers (one big and nasty and one little guy.)
Two water pumps (one can drain a pond, the other can drain a puddle.)
Two tillers (one huge and one tiny.)
Chipper shredder (only used a few times. It's so much easier to just push it into a pile and torch it.)
Hedge trimmers (probably the most frightening piece of equipment that I own.)
Generator (for extended power outages.)
Power washer (that has been used twice in 15 years.)
Walk behind lawnmower (for when it's just not worth the trouble to get a tractor out.)
Outboard motor for the boat

I'm sure that there are a few more that I haven't thought of. Most don't get used much. The generator hadn't been started in years, but I got it out yesterday so I can shoot some outdoor photos using studio strobes this next week. So basically my camera is now gasoline powered. Fortunately, my photos don't require me to light an entire building very often.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

70. Hmmmm....

Our mower: electric

Our power washer: electric

Don't own a chainsaw.... garden tiller or any of the other stuff you listed...

We live in a suburb 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean - our back yard is on a canyon and is the size of a postage stamp...

We own 1 car - that is the only gas motor we have.

[madokie]

72. Explorer, F150, welder/generator, tiller, mower, weedeater and lawn tractor

another half dozen odd and end one cylinder engines that I just can't seem to part with.

[Motown_Johnny]

74. 4, 4cyl car, motorcycle, lawn mower and weed whip (with other attachments)

all fairly small engines, if that helps any.

and the weed whip shaft separates so I can change it into an edger, shrub trimmer, blower, pruner or roto tiller. So maybe that counts as more than 1 because it gets much more use than most weed whips.

[benld74]

75. 3 - 4 cyl, 8 cyl and a toro lawn mower