All about snow blowers

Snow removal is compulsory in winter. And if in a private house this can be dealt with using an ordinary shovel, then city streets or industrial areas need the use of snow blowers.

Russia is rightfully considered the northernmost country. "But what about Norway, Canada or, for example, Alaska?" - experts in geography will ask and, of course, they will be right. But with such a statement, the north is considered not at all the direction or proximity to the Arctic Circle, but climatic conditions. And here there is hardly anyone who disputes the stated statement.

Winter in most of the vast territory of Russia lasts up to six months, and in some areas even for 9 months. And again experts will argue, claiming that winter is like in a song from a famous film: "... and December, and January, and February ...". But winter, it turns out, is not limited to the days of the calendar - it comes when the thermometers show temperatures below "0", and this moment almost everywhere in Russia occurs before December 1. And if this is so, then sometimes the snow begins to fall already at the end of October, and if it is not removed in time, then by the end of winter (by mid-March) it will easily fill up the yards, level the curbs and lower the hedges. And what will happen in April, when it all starts to actively melt? ..

In the North Russian, Ural and Siberian villages, not removing snow after a snowfall has always been considered the height of indecency. Even the elderly tried to do it as soon as possible.

In the 20th century, they tried to mechanize this hard work, like many other things, and this is how snowblowers appeared (simply - snowblowers). In cities, these were fairly large self-propelled units, the main task of which was to remove and load snow into a truck to transport it out of town.

In private farmsteads, the snow shovel still reigned. Yes, to leave a light snowball in the early morning for a young healthy man - instead of morning exercises. However, if health is no longer the same, or the snowball is not so light, or the area that needs to be removed is too large, charging turns into hard exhausting work.

At the end of the 20th century, small-sized snowblowers finally began to appear on sale., adapted for snow removal in yards and on the territory of private households.

The main task of a snowblower, as its name implies, is to remove fallen or compressed snow.

The Eskimos have several dozen characteristics of the state of the snow. In European languages, the attitude towards snow is not so attentive, but this does not mean that the snow is always the same. It can be loose and light (for example, only fallen out), dense and heavy (caked over several months), soaked in melt water (this variety is friable and significant in weight).

To clear the territories from a variety of snow, snow removal equipment was invented.

Fresh light snow can be removed with a shovel or the simplest snowplow, but to cope with heavier packed snow, you will need to use a more serious machine.Snowblowers significantly reduce labor costs by reducing cleaning time by up to 5 times, while also saving the physical strength of the person doing it.

The desire to create a universal snow-plowing technique has caused the activation of design ideas in several directions. Various manufacturers are engaged in the production of such equipment, and, accordingly, various prototypes were taken as a basis. The main principle remains in common - the machine must free some space from the snow and move the removed snow itself in the right direction.

The design of the snow blower is based on several important components:

• a body that performs a load-bearing and protective function;
• controls;
• engine (electric or internal combustion);
• a knot that collects snow;
• snow dropping knot;
• nodes that ensure the mobility of the unit (for self-propelled models).

The simplest design of a snow blower is a snow thrower, which simply throws the snow forward as it travels, which is why it is sometimes called an electric shovel.

Structurally, snow blowers implement one of two principles of operation of a snow blower.

• The augers guide the removed snow into the chute (this is the so-called one-stage scheme). In this case, you need to combine two operations at once, for this the screws rotate at a very high speed. If such a car unexpectedly stumbles upon an object hidden by a snowdrift, a breakdown is inevitable. Therefore, it is not recommended to use a single-stage snow blower in an unknown area.
• In the second version, the snow collection system (augers) are separated from the rotor ejecting the snow in a two-stage arrangement. The augers of such machines have a lower speed, and this saves them from unexpected stops or impacts, which makes it possible to use the unit for cleaning unfamiliar areas where various objects can be hidden under the snow.

The design includes an internal combustion engine adapted or developed specifically for snow blowers and motoblocks. As with any gasoline engine, starting occurs from a spark plug, either by means of an electric starter or a starter cord. The fuel-air mixture is fed into the engine cylinder through a carburetor requiring adjustment.

On self-propelled models, the wheels are driven through a gearbox and gearbox.

The augers are also driven through a gearbox. Different types of transmission can be used: very rarely - V-belts, more often - gears.

Such a machine can sweep the area from fallen leaves and dust even in the warm season.

For storage, many models come with a special cover that allows you to isolate the machine from dust and dirt during long-term storage, usually for several months, until the next season.

The varieties of snow removal equipment can be classified according to a number of parameters. Firstly, by the nature of the working surface, and secondly, by the size and, of course, by the nature of the energy used for work, by the distance of snow throwing, and so on ...

The division of cars by weight is pretty primitive. They are categorized as light, medium, and heavy.

The former can be called mini snow blowers. They are usually used for freshly fallen shallow snow (up to 15 cm) and have a mass of about 16 kg. Medium units up to 7 liters. with. can be used for thicker fresh snow, they have a propeller in the form of wheels, since they can have a mass of 40-60 kg.Heavy powerful machines are suitable for work on dense stale snow and ice. This category of snow blowers is capable of working on snow with a thickness of 40 cm or more. A massive car crashes into a snowdrift, throwing snow 15–20 meters. The mass of such units can be up to 150 kg.

Various manufacturers produce models with gasoline or electric motors. Petrol snow blowers are usually more powerful, up to 15 HP. with. Electric models have a capacity of no more than 3 liters. with. It is clear that the latter are often literally tied to a source of electricity and cannot work autonomously. Battery models are somewhat more mobile. Gasoline cars, of course, cannot be driven on public roads, they are better transported, but due to their high power and mobility, they can be used to clean rather large areas, including those remote from "civilization" that do not have an electrical network. The most powerful snow blowers have a diesel engine. They are used, as a rule, in very large areas (for example, at airports) and cannot be classified as household appliances.

Maintenance of electrical models is much easier: they will not run out of gasoline, there is no need to change the oil - just connect it to an electrical outlet with a voltage of 220 volts (the main thing is that there is current in it). You also need to monitor the location of the cable: if it gets into a working snow blower, it will break.

Electric battery models are somewhat more mobile. But their capabilities are also limited by the need to recharge the battery. Such models are suitable for relatively small areas, which can be removed in half an hour.

Working with electric models in deep snow is very problematic, the performance of the machines is small, and they themselves cannot move, therefore, with heavy snowfalls, considerable physical strength is required to move the car across the territory.

Internal combustion engine cars can be divided into those that can move independently and non-self-propelled.

In the first case, the mass of the snow blower can exceed half a centner. The machines are equipped with a control system, have drive wheels or tracks of high cross-country ability.

Non-self-propelled models are lighter, their engine power is lower (up to 4 liters. from.). Naturally, the capabilities of such a device are much less.

Gasoline models are launched using a cord, which requires a fairly serious effort, making a jerk. Only expensive and heavy models have an electric starter and a battery, which adds significantly to their weight. The electric motor starts with a simple push of a button and can be much more convenient for the elderly.

Gasoline units, as a rule, also have a larger grip: up to 115 cm wide and up to 70 cm high. Electric devices are twice as modest.

Some machines are additionally equipped with a snow drift breaker and can be used to clear difficult snow blockages.

Augers in auger models can be smooth or serrated. The latter easily cope with caked snow.

Manufacturers sometimes provide the auger tip with a rubber pad. It is believed that such a unit causes less damage to various kinds of decorative elements that may be hidden under the snow.

Most electric models are equipped with a plastic auger; such machines are completely unsuitable for working with packed snow and ice.

A feature of the auger machines is the relatively short range of snow throwing.

Low-power snow blowers, which are sometimes referred to as snow shovels or snow throwers, throw snow 1.5 meters forward.

Combined machines, combining auger and rotary mechanisms, are capable of throwing snow at a distance of at least 8 meters. The auger in such models rotates relatively slowly, the snow mass is supplied to the ejector thanks to the rotor, which gives significant acceleration even to low-power snow blowers with engines up to 3 liters. with.

According to the structure of the throwing unit, snowblowers are divided into three groups:

• unregulated (the direction and distance of the rejection set by the manufacturer) - such a node is typical for inexpensive models;
• with adjustable rejection direction - this option is installed on most modern snow blowers;
• with adjustable direction and throw range - this type can be presented in self-propelled screw-rotor machines.

In the latter case, there may also be options: cheaper, when you need to stop the car to change the adjustments, and more expensive, where all the manipulations can be done on the go. For this, an additional pair of levers is provided among the controls. One changes the horizontal direction of the device position, and the second, accordingly, its vertical position.

If there is no such control system, you must be ready every time when necessary, change the direction and distance of snow throwing, stop the machine (including turning off the engine) and manually turn the device in the desired direction using a special key or handle. You can test the correctness of the adjustment only by starting the motor and starting work. If the settings were incorrect, you must do everything again.

The snow throwing knot is also different. The metal one is installed on more expensive models, it is stronger, but if the unit is stored improperly, it can corrode. The plastic version is an attribute of inexpensive models, it is lighter, does not rust, but in severe frosts it becomes rather fragile and often breaks from an incautious blow.

The maintenance-free gearbox does not imply any intervention in its operation.

Self-propelled gasoline snow blowers are almost always equipped with a gearbox., providing the choice of the speed of the unit both during operation and during maneuvers. This makes it possible to regulate the load and, accordingly, the fuel consumption. With optimum engine performance, consumption can be reduced to 1.5 liters per hour.

The undercarriage of self-propelled vehicles can also vary. There are caterpillar models. They are characterized by their increased cross-country ability and can easily work on the most difficult surfaces. The wheel variant may differ in the size and depth of the tread, the diameter of the wheels, and their width. When choosing such a model, one must take into account what the machine will be used for. Working on the surface of asphalt or paving slabs does not require high cross-country ability, and in this case, relatively narrow wheels, even with a small diameter, will do. If it is supposed to work in conditions where it is impossible to guarantee the evenness of the ground, wide wheels with deep tread will be justified.

Headlights may be fitted on more expensive models. Given that the days are short in winter, this factor is important. Also, more expensive units have heated control elements; in winter frosts, this structural element becomes a serious help, increasing labor productivity.

Versatile machines that combine a number of functions along with snow removal can be called combines. Such machines operate all year round.In winter as a snow blower, in spring as a cultivator, in summer they can serve as a mower, and in autumn they can become a truck for removing crops from the site.

The motoblock version of the snowblower is also very popular. In this case, the walk-behind tractor acts as a tractor, on which the snow blower is installed as an attachment.

There are models adapted for aggregation on a mini-tractor.

The variety of snow removal equipment requires a serious approach to its selection. There are many manufacturers, both domestic and foreign. There is a very wide range of costs for these devices. This is why sellers of household appliances often compile sales ratings. Their result is quite expected. The cheapest samples do not necessarily become the most popular, and the models, which take into account the maximum wishes for quality and functionality, on the contrary, often have such a high price that they end up at the end of the rating. The winners, as always, are the middle peasants, who combine the most optimal ratio of quality and price.

Traditionally, products manufactured under well-known brands are in high demand: Daewoo, Honda, Hyundai, Husqvarna, MTD. Here, as they say, comments are superfluous. But, as often happens, in this case, success is determined by the popularity of the brand, and not at all by the merits of the model.

In the last decade, more and more models are produced by not so well-known companies, the quality of which is not inferior, and sometimes even surpasses the parameters of products of well-known manufacturers. The current state of transnational corporations is such that their machines cannot always be manufactured at the enterprises of the company - often the assembly takes place in countries that have not proven themselves in mechanical engineering at all. The qualifications of the workers are low, and accordingly, the build quality may differ significantly from the standard.

Reviews of the owners of snow blowers do not always turn out to be in favor of the products of well-known companies. Russian-made units are becoming more and more popular among domestic users, and in the former USSR as well.

Snow blowers from such Russian firms as Interskol, Caliber, Champion, Energoprom receive a lot of positive feedback.

As the owners note, Russian equipment is distinguished by reliability, many explain this by the use of mainly metal as a structural material, while in many foreign models they are trying to replace it with plastic, which in the conditions of Russian moves can be considered a serious drawback.

Sometimes it is simply impossible to purchase spare parts, and ordering is quite expensive. This is another argument in favor of domestic producers. China is actively developing the Russian market of snow-removing equipment, providing it not only with fairly high-quality machines, but also with spare parts.

A kind of review, based on feedback from owners, should start with electric models.

Korean company Daewoo, along with devices that have complaints about the build quality, they also offer very solid snow blowers, in particular, the DAST 3000E model. For the price, this device should be classified as expensive (up to 20,000 rubles). Power - 3 HP with., steel rubberized auger with a diameter of 510 mm, weight a little over 16 kg. The controls are conveniently arranged, including the automatic cable winder. The throwing direction is manually adjustable. Single-stage discharge.

Inexpensive snow blowers offer Toro and Monferme... With a capacity of up to 1.8 liters. with. snow throwers have a tolerable grip width and a single-stage ejection system. The auger is plastic, so it is dangerous to use the device in unfamiliar territory.Monferme produces units mainly for light fresh snow, costing about 10,000 rubles.

The rating of inexpensive gasoline snow blowers can also be topped by the Korean model of a recognized manufacturer - Hyundai S 6561.

Engine power is more than 6 liters. with., which, coupled with high build quality, can provide many years of reliable operation of the unit. The main thing is to follow the basic rules of care and operation. A nice option is a carburetor heating and auto start, although there is also a starter cable. A battery is used for auto start, thanks to which powerful lighting equipment is installed on the car. With a mass of 60 kg, the snow blower is quite mobile and easy to control. The machine successfully copes with any snow, throwing it up to 11 meters.

American Patriot PRO 655 E snow blowerdespite the relatively high price and the highest build quality, it is already significantly inferior to the previous model. First of all, this unit is much less controllable; in order to turn the machine in half a centner, it will be necessary to pull out the check on one of the driving wheels. The snow removal equipment itself is distinguished by high productivity, but with a sharp increase in the load on the auger, the safety fingers are cut off, which may indicate the low strength of the alloy used for their manufacture, but this flaw, according to surveys, is more typical for machines produced under the same brand in China ...

Russian machine "Interskol" SMB-650E, according to the reviews of users and sellers of snow removal equipment, according to a number of indicators it turns out to be even better than similar foreign-made snow blowers. 6.5 HP engine with. is similar to the Honda GX engine for which there is a wide range of spare parts available. Starting can be carried out both manually and with an electric starter. The gearbox allows you to change the driving mode in six ranges, including two back. The car performs well on loose snow, however, packed snow can be a serious obstacle, and you will have to get to it gradually, cutting off in small layers in several approaches. The price of the Russian unit is close to 40,000 rubles.

Russian brand Champion represents quite competitive snow blowers. With a relatively low power of 5.5 liters. with. the machine, having a two-stage scheme, copes with a wide variety of snow. The relatively low price (up to 35,000 rubles) and high performance make this model very popular. It should be noted that the assembly is mainly carried out in China.

Chinese manufacturer RedVerg supplies models with high build quality, reliable performance of units. Snow blower RedVerg RD24065 has parameters comparable to other units of the same class. Without a transmission, it is equipped with a five-speed gearbox and has a reverse gear. There is no electric start. This is one of the most budgetary gasoline snow blowers, its price will hardly exceed 25,000 rubles.

Petrol models can be considered a kind of standard for this class of snow blowers. American company McCulloch... The compact and efficient McCulloch PM55 unit has concentrated almost all the options available for such machines. There is an electric start, and adjustment of the direction and distance of the rejection, and convenient controls, and a headlight. However, the price of such a work of technical thought exceeds 80,000 rubles, and this is perhaps its only drawback.

In the Hyundai S7713-T, tracks are used for the movement of the 140 kg unit. The convenient control panel allows not only changing the direction and speed of movement, but also the direction, throwing distance, without stopping the snow blower. The grips are heated and the powerful headlight will provide ample light.The machine can remove absolutely any snow without any problems. To match the capabilities of the unit and the price - 140,000 rubles. Experienced users consider the only drawback to be a noisy engine.

French company Pubert has established itself as a manufacturer of reliable home appliances. The S1101-28 snowplow is no exception. The machine uses a two-stage scheme, which allows it to throw snow almost 20 meters. Despite the weight of the machine at 120 kg, it is quite easy to operate.

The choice of snow blowers on sale is very wide, and it is limited only by the imagination and capabilities of the buyer.

As already noted, the choice of a snow blower is a purely individual matter. It is worth taking into account a number of parameters, among which not the last place is occupied by the so-called ergonomics - the convenience of the arrangement of the controls. You should also think in advance (at least approximately) what volumes of snow will have to be removed. It is advisable to imagine what area will be cleaned, with what frequency, whether a power source is needed or, better, a unit with an internal combustion engine. The issue of storing the removed snow is also important: where will it happen, whether it needs to be taken out, or will it lie until spring with the expectation that it will then melt right there. It is the answers to the listed questions that can form an idea of ​​the required parameters of this far from cheap machine.

If you plan to clean up a small house area with an area of ​​up to 50 square meters, where you can provide power, a powerful unit will be completely superfluous - a relatively inexpensive non-self-propelled device with a small bucket and an electric motor up to 3 liters is enough. with.

If the site has a significant area (at least 100 square meters), while it is necessary to ensure its constant and complete cleaning, it is better to purchase a more powerful machine, and not necessarily with an electric motor.

When purchasing a snow blower, it is necessary to take into account the range of snow throwing. Low-power electrical units throw snow up to a maximum of 3 meters. If the site is large, then you will have to throw the snow over and over again.

The size of the bucket is very important. For a non-self-propelled snow blower, a large bucket is rather a disadvantage. Such a machine will be quite difficult to move and push while removing snow. It is almost impossible to determine the optimal bucket size by eye. You can work on loose, freshly fallen snow with a large bucket, but dense packed snow can cause serious difficulties.

The best parameters for a non-self-propelled snow blower can be considered the bucket area (length times width) about 0.1 square meter. Bucket width is a very important value if you do not have to clean the entire area, for example, paths, walkways, sidewalks. The curb will be an insurmountable obstacle for a machine with a wide bucket, and good snow removal will not work. With less grip, you can walk the track in two passes.

It is worth paying attention to the snow thrower unit, first of all, whether the direction of the throw is regulated. If this function is not available, during operation it will be necessary to adapt to the flow of ejected snow, which will not always fly in the right direction, and sometimes it will have to be removed again. Unregulated models, often referred to as electropaths, tend to eject forward. The amount of snow in front of the snow thrower increases as you travel and, if the passes are long, it will become overwhelming for a weak machine.

Auger models lose power to a large extent when ejected, especially when the angle is set above 90 °. You should not purchase an auger snow blower with adjustable throw if its capacity is less than 7 HP. with.Otherwise, you need to be ready for multiple cleaning of the same area, first from the snow that has fallen, and then from the snow thrown over by the snow blower.

If the snow blower is planned to be transported by car, it will be useful to fold the control handle. In this position, the car will take up half the space and can fit in the trunk.

Weight can also be an essential parameter in the selection of the unit. If it has to be transported frequently, for example, for cleaning a summer cottage, a large mass may become a reason for refusing to use it. It is better to think this over in advance and take into account when choosing a car.

A snow blower that will have to work over a large area and which is not supposed to be transported, of course, can be quite heavy, in combination with power this will give a serious advantage. In this case, you should clarify whether the model you have chosen has a reverse gear, otherwise the heavy machine will have to be deployed manually.

If the cylinder chamber of a self-propelled gasoline snow blower does not exceed 300 cm3 in volume, electric ignition does not make sense, such a unit, with correct adjustment, can be easily started with a cord. A larger engine is, of course, better to start with an electric starter.

The articulation of the wheels with the driving axle and the gearbox can be different. When choosing a self-propelled unit, you need to take into account this parameter, which determines the ease of maneuvering. If the snowblower is supposed to be operated in difficult conditions, you can consider a more expensive tracked type of propeller.

Not the last characteristic when buying snow removal equipment is its price, and here you have to either sacrifice a number of the least significant parameters of the purchased unit, or overpay for obscure options. It should be noted that prices for snow blowers fluctuate significantly: from 5 thousand rubles (the simplest electric snow thrower) to 2-3 hundred thousand (self-propelled vehicles with heated control handles, headlights, adjustable snow thrower and many other useful and pleasant improvements).

If the farm has a walk-behind tractor or a mini-tractor, it is worth considering the option of purchasing mounted snow removal equipment. Its design is much simpler in comparison with self-propelled machines, which has a very significant effect on the price. The performance of mounted snow blowers, as a rule, is not lower at all.

Any machine requires compliance with the basic rules of operation. The snow blower is no exception. All his work takes place under extreme conditions. Constantly low temperatures require increased attention to some nodes. Snow is a neutral environment if you treat it correctly. Otherwise, the equipment abandoned after snow removal turns out to be in rather harsh conditions, especially when the accumulated snow begins to melt, and if at the same time there is also periodic thawing followed by freezing, it is not worth counting on a long flawless operation of the unit, and you should not start again such a frozen one. the car may not be possible.

Before starting and ending the operation of such machines, the condition of the auger should be checked. This is especially important at the end of winter. At this time, the auger can be replaced, which in these models is not a technically difficult operation. On some electrical models, the gearbox oil must be topped up or changed periodically.

Battery powered machines require more attention: periodically you need to check the condition of the battery.

The most difficult to operate are multifunctional gasoline snow blowers. An internal combustion engine is a technically rather complex mechanism that requires close attention. In the course of work, a number of parameters change. To ensure that their performance does not decrease, they have to be monitored and corrected.

After a certain time specified in the instructions, valve adjustment is inevitable.

A gradual reduction in power will require attention to compression.

No less important is the timely replacement of the engine oil, replacement of the air and fuel filters. Periodic replacement of spark plugs is inevitable.

Perhaps all of the above operations will not seem difficult to car owners, however, if the relevant skills are not available, you will have to contact specialized workshops to perform them.

In this case, the snow blower will have to be transported somehow to carry out its maintenance, because, even if it is self-propelled, it cannot be moved on public roads.

When purchasing a snowblower, be sure to read the instructions. It is especially worth paying attention to the type of lubricant: if, by mistake, instead of liquid oil, fill the assembly with thick grease, or vice versa, breakage is inevitable. Sometimes would-be craftsmen try to improve, as it seems to them, a poor-quality unit of their snow blower, for example, replacing the auger mounting bolts with hardened ones, after which, when the load increases, they, of course, will not be cut off. But then the gearbox begins to collapse - repairs can become disproportionately more costly.

Do not stop at buying an unknown model: the assembly of the unit may not be of high quality. Failure of nodes that are poorly articulated with each other is inevitable. Snow will surely be packed into all the cracks and all sorts of holes, which can cause oxidation of the contacts and an unexpected failure of a seemingly well-functioning unit.

For information on how to choose a snow blower, see the next video.