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It is quite difficult to clean snow with ordinary shovels. For a woman, teenager or elderly person, cleaning the area from snow drifts sometimes turns into a real hard labor. To facilitate such a hard work, an electropath is called for snow removal... This device will quickly and easily move even large white "caps" to the storage area, cleaning the area with high quality. Power tools in various configurations can be purchased at a very reasonable price or made by hand. You can find up-to-date information on how to choose an electropath or make one yourself in the proposed article.
The main elements and the principle of action of an electropath
The modern electric shovel for removing snow has nothing to do with traditional tools, except that the shape of these tools is a bit similar. The design and technical characteristics of some models of electropaths may differ, but the principle of their operation is similar:
- An electric motor with a power of 1000 to 1800 W drives the auger, which, while rotating, shovels snow.
- Under the influence of a powerful stream of air, the snow collected by the auger flies out in a given direction by 4-10 m to the side.
- The shovel is controlled by a long rubberized handle with a start button. Some models are equipped with telescopic handles.
- Some electric shovels come with a special brush, which can be installed in the summer season to clean the tracks from small debris.
The electric shovel is a compact tool with a working width of 25 to 40 cm. At the same time, the actual width of the processed surface is slightly smaller. The tool can only remove freshly fallen snow, with a layer of up to 40 cm. The performance of various electric shovels varies from 80 to 140 kg / min.
To operate the electric shovel, you need access to the mains. The cord of the tool itself is quite short, so you need to stock up on an extension cord to remove snow. It is worth noting the significant weight of the tool: on average, the electric shovel weighs about 6 kg. During operation, the body of the shovel must be kept 2-3 cm above the ground surface. This will help prevent damage to the tool in the event of an accidental collision with an obstacle. In order not to strain your arms and back, you should use models with small wheels on which you can lean the instrument and move it freely. You can see the shovel and evaluate its work by watching the video:
Advantages and disadvantages of the tool
The main advantage of an electropath is that it can significantly facilitate human labor by quickly clearing the area after the next snowfall. At the same time, it does not matter at all what kind of relief the site has. However, the use of an electric shovel is limited by some conditions:
- you can work with the tool at a temperature not lower than -250FROM;
- the area of the area to be cleaned should not exceed 6 m2since the electric shovel is not intended for long-term continuous use;
- it will be possible to work with the tool only within the reach of the extension cord;
- an electric shovel cannot remove wet or packed snow;
- the electric motor makes a lot of noise during operation, which causes some discomfort to the employee.
When buying an electric shovel, it is necessary to take into account all the listed features, as well as pay attention to the technical characteristics of the tool: the lower the power of the electric motor, the more delicate the shovel is.For example, a 1000 W tool can burn out when working with packed snow, because most models of hand-held snow blowers are not equipped with overheating protection.
The cost of an electropath depends on the power, equipment, brand of the manufacturer So, on the market there are models at a price of 5 to 10 thousand rubles.
Selection rules
Of course, the main criterion for choosing an electric shovel is its power, however, the material from which it is made also affects the usability and durability of the tool. On sale you can find electric shovels with a plastic case. They are quite lightweight and easy to use. At the same time, low-quality plastic can be significantly damaged when working in severe frost or when hitting an obstacle.
An alternative to plastic in the manufacture of electropaths can be aluminum or even wood. Aluminum tools are the most reliable, but have a relatively high cost. Electric wooden shovels are rare on the market. They are more often made by craftsmen in their workshops.
When buying an electric shovel, you need to pay attention not only to the material from which the body is made, but also to the material of the screw:
- the metal auger during operation damages the coating of tracks, platforms;
- the plastic auger often breaks;
- a screw made of soft rubber or silicone is the best option for an electric shovel;
- the plastic auger with a rubber pad combines durability of operation and delicacy of cleaning.
These features of the material must be taken into account not only when choosing a factory electropath, but also when making a product with your own hands. You can learn more about how to make an electric shovel for clearing snow below.
Reliable DIY tool
You can make a high-quality and reliable electropath with your own hands. At the same time, a more powerful engine and an adapted design will increase productivity and improve the quality of snow removal.
To make an electropath you will need:
- Electric motor. A two or three phase motor can be used. The drawings proposed below are designed for a three-phase motor with a power of 2.2 kW.
- Automotive pulley.
- 2-4 steel blades, 12 * 15 cm in size. It is recommended to use steel with a thickness of at least 3 mm.
- Steel sheet for making a shovel body.
- 4 bolts М10.
- Sewer pipe and corner of the same diameter under 1200.
- Steel corners, 35 cm long, for the manufacture of runners.
- Pipe with a diameter of 20 mm for the manufacture of the control knob.
- Package switch.
You can make an electropath with your own hands as follows:
- Press the car pulley onto the motor shaft.
- Weld metal blades to the pulley.
- Make a metal body around the blades. Weld a wedge-shaped snow grip to it.
- Bolt the resulting housing to the motor.
- Cut a hole on the fan housing. Its diameter should be equal to the diameter of the sewer pipe.
- Cut a hole of the same diameter on a wooden block. Insert the pipe into it, fix it with self-tapping screws and fix the block on the fan housing so that the hole in the fan housing coincides with the location of the pipe.
- Weld the runners and the handle to control the electric shovel to the body.
- Fix the batch switch on the tool handle.
By analogy with the technology proposed above, it is possible to design a gasoline snow blower.If you wish, you can make some modifications to the design, additionally equip the electropath with a headlight, wheels or other elements.
An electric shovel can become an indispensable assistant in the household if it is chosen correctly and carefully operated. She will perfectly cope with fresh snow, cleans yard paths, platforms and even the roof. At the same time, you need to work with such a tool regularly, because even a little caked or melted snow will no longer be subject to an electric shovel. Many models of electropaths are quite fragile and require a delicate approach to work. The most passable and reliable design can be made independently. We have provided all the necessary information for this in our article.
