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Noise pollution has become one of my biggest problems. I'm sure everything has got louder and it seems to keep getting even louder. Obviously I have also become

Noise pollution has become one of my biggest problems. I'm sure everything has got louder and it seems to keep getting even louder. Obviously I have also become older, but I don't remember my parents complaining about noise when they were my age. Leaf blowers aren't ubiquitous in the UK, but where I live now they get used. I'm three floors up and even with windows closed the noise inside is incredible. I also noticed the horrible smell when I opened the window to see what it was. > Most have what’s called a “two-stroke engine,” an outmoded design that burns a mix of gas and oil One thing that surprised me is the two stroke engine was invented after the four stroke (Ottoman cycle) engine. It does have advantages like being able to run completely upside down since it doesn't have a sump where the oil needs to drain. They also have a higher power to weight ratio. The thing that makes them outmoded is perhaps lithium ion batteries. You couldn't fit a four stroke engine to a leaf blower or chainsaw etc.

siriaan 3y ago
> You couldn't fit a four stroke engine to a leaf blower or chainsaw etc. Actually not true - you can definitely get four stroke blowers, chainsaws, weed whackers, etc.
- globular-toast 3y ago
  Interesting. How do they deal with oil circulation?
  - smackeyacky 3y ago
    Poorly. I had a 4 stroke line trimmer and it definitely didn’t like extreme angles. Back to two stroke I went.
    - rascul 3y ago
      I have a four stroke trimmer that I can change out to a pole saw. I can run it at any angle I've had to so far. It sees some weird angles with the pole saw.
SigmundA 3y ago
>One thing that surprised me is the two stroke engine was invented after the four stroke (Ottoman cycle) engine. It does have advantages like being able to run completely upside down since it doesn't have a sump where the oil needs to drain. They also have a higher power to weight ratio. Its major disadvantage is due to lack of valves is that for a short period of time the intake port and exhaust port are both open allowing up to 30% of the unburned air-fuel mixture to pass right through the engine as pollution. This also makes it nearly impossible to add further emissions controls in the exhaust system such as a catalytic converter, not that its really feasible to due to in such a small engine. Because of this small two-stoke engine like those in a leaf blower can put out much more pollution that a large automobile with a 4-stroke engine with modern emissions controls. There are more advanced two-stroke designs (BRP E-TEC) that use direct fuel injection to avoid this, but they are far too complicated to use in a small lawn tool.
AceyMan 3y ago
"Powered tools such as leaf blowers make them 'The Pickleball of Gardening'" seems like a good way to put it :-P

siriaan 3y ago

> You couldn't fit a four stroke engine to a leaf blower or chainsaw etc. Actually not true - you can definitely get four stroke blowers, chainsaws, weed whackers, etc.

globular-toast 3y ago
Interesting. How do they deal with oil circulation?
- smackeyacky 3y ago
  Poorly. I had a 4 stroke line trimmer and it definitely didn’t like extreme angles. Back to two stroke I went.
  - rascul 3y ago
    I have a four stroke trimmer that I can change out to a pole saw. I can run it at any angle I've had to so far. It sees some weird angles with the pole saw.

SigmundA 3y ago

>One thing that surprised me is the two stroke engine was invented after the four stroke (Ottoman cycle) engine. It does have advantages like being able to run completely upside down since it doesn't have a sump where the oil needs to drain. They also have a higher power to weight ratio. Its major disadvantage is due to lack of valves is that for a short period of time the intake port and exhaust port are both open allowing up to 30% of the unburned air-fuel mixture to pass right through the engine as pollution. This also makes it nearly impossible to add further emissions controls in the exhaust system such as a catalytic converter, not that its really feasible to due to in such a small engine. Because of this small two-stoke engine like those in a leaf blower can put out much more pollution that a large automobile with a 4-stroke engine with modern emissions controls. There are more advanced two-stroke designs (BRP E-TEC) that use direct fuel injection to avoid this, but they are far too complicated to use in a small lawn tool.

AceyMan 3y ago

"Powered tools such as leaf blowers make them 'The Pickleball of Gardening'" seems like a good way to put it :-P