Battery vs. Propane
When buying a riding floor scraper, one question every prep guy must face is that of getting a battery machine or propane. We do our best to help our clients figure out what’s best for them and their needs. A few of the factors you’ll want to consider are:
- What environment do you work in? If you’re working in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like, they’ll often reject propane, regardless of how clean it burns. On the other hand, if you’re doing big box retail, office spaces after hours, etc, propane is often an acceptable option.
- How do you run your shifts? If you need to run “round the clock”, propane may be a better option (if allowed). Even the longest life battery machines will top out at 10-12 hours on soft goods.
- What is your budget? If you have a pre-defined budget, you should know that propane machines tend to be 15-20% less expensive than battery machines to purchase.
While keeping all of the above in mind, there’s no clear cut answer of which machine is right for everybody. Other options, although not as popular as the All Day Battery machines and the propane riders include corded machines, and riders with replaceable/removable battery packs.
It seems to us that the long-life battery machines are the way the industry is going. They do cost a bit more. But many contractors like the extra weight and power they are able to generate, and the extra flexibility they give you in what kind of work you can take on. we’ve also seen certain states get more and more strict with regard to propane usage (New York, for example).
So, the short answer is that there is no short answer. Do your resarch, speak to one of our consultants, and you’ll be sure to make the best decision based on your unique circumstances.
Tags: battery floor scraper, Floor removal machines, Propane floor scraper