# Snowblower Hours per Use



## kbsnow (Oct 21, 2011)

OK guys, couldn't find much in the posts, so I will start a new one. Now I know it depends on the storm and size of what you clear, but what is the average time you use your blower per snowfall? Now this has been and EXTREEMLY snowy winter in Chicago, so my blower got a lot of use. For the big snows, I do 6 city houses, 2 being corner lots with side drives that I clear, and 6 houses of alleys. With the larger snows, I also took the blower and did 3 alleys and houses 1 being a corner for my FIL. I would say my AVERAGE this winter was 2 hrs per snow, some being less, and when I do the alley, some being 4hrs. None is commercial propert, I'm just a GREAT neighbor, and LOVE this stuff...lol

How about you guys?

12 year old Craftsman 9/26 re-powered with an 8HP Briggs Commercial Industrial Plus


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## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

My driveway, light snow, 4-inches, about 15 minutes. If I do the neighbors on each side, about 15 min addl, each. Add cul-du-sac, approx 1/2 hour. Medium snow, 8-inches with drifting, double the times.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

they make hour meters you can put in. it's takes the guess work out of it all.


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## Colored Eggs (Dec 7, 2012)

This year I put probably 10 hours on my machines. Can't wait till the grass turns green again!


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## kbsnow (Oct 21, 2011)

Hey powershift93, I know, but why spend extra money on a meter, this was just a thought....was interested in how much we all really use them...not a big deal...


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## MuncieM22 (Jul 28, 2012)

I blow out my 2 driveways, all around the house, to my woodpile, birdfeeders, my shed, my garage 100' away, my deck (going up 4 stairs) 44'x22', my 2 catch basins on the road, Usually takes me 3 1/2 to 4 hours with my 1990 JD TRX26 (track drive). I have a back up 1987 Bolens 824 ........just in case........


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

kbsnow said:


> Hey powershift93, I know, but why spend extra money on a meter, this was just a thought....was interested in how much we all really use them...not a big deal...


 I have them on all of my machines. because you have to adjust the valves at certain hours. they are only 25.00 bucks.


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## brickcity (Jan 23, 2014)

i can do my 60' driveway and tiny backyard in about 1.5 hours. only takes so long because i have absolutly no were to blow the snow except straight in the driveway. just enough room for a car with houses on both sides. anything more than 6 or 7 inches and i wind up scrathcing my heard with 3' piles at the end of the drivway.
when i finally reach the sidewalk i'm happy to run the blower corner to corner. it's good to help neighbors.


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## pfn (Dec 24, 2010)

My 32" Ariens takes about an 1 1/2 hr. to do my 600' drive and parking for about 6 cars.


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## scipper77 (Dec 4, 2013)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> I have them on all of my machines. because you have to adjust the valves at certain hours. they are only 25.00 bucks.


Can you give me the rundown on what is involved in installing one of those hours meters. None of my equipment has one. Not my riding mower or my outboards or my blowers. I wouldn't mind having one on the mower. The outboards are two strokes so they really don't need one.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

scipper77 said:


> Can you give me the rundown on what is involved in installing one of those hours meters. None of my equipment has one. Not my riding mower or my outboards or my blowers. I wouldn't mind having one on the mower. The outboards are two strokes so they really don't need one.



I double this. I've been thinking about adding an hour meter all season, but haven't gotten around to it. I would love to have a step by step guide.

As for my average use, I would say anywhere from 30 minutes to 45 minutes for most storms. If it's really big, like 18" - 20"+, it usually takes about an hour.

I have a 2012 Ariens 24" Deluxe


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## Mr Fixit (Nov 19, 2013)

Average year I use my blower 10-12 times. My driveway is over 90' with a very small area to put all the snow in 6 foot high pile. Average time with doing my neighbor's is over an hour at each storm. This year was a light snow year so I'm only on my second tank of fuel. Just right for an oil change of year. My side of the street have three blowers so it's shared times.


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## Kestral (Dec 22, 2013)

With a small storm say 5" it takes me about 1 hr do finish up and if we get a big storm 12"+ it could take two hrs as the town plow just seems to find the end of my driveway a dumping ground. Total hrs per year for a normal year 10 to 12 hrs a big year like this one I feel I was real close to 18 hrs of snowblower use this year.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

scipper77 said:


> Can you give me the rundown on what is involved in installing one of those hours meters. None of my equipment has one. Not my riding mower or my outboards or my blowers. I wouldn't mind having one on the mower. The outboards are two strokes so they really don't need one.


 BRIGGS makes one you wrap the one wire around the plug wire the other one goes to ground. that is the simplest way of doing it. other wise you can get more creative and go up inside like my jet mechanic next door neighbor did on my snowblowers. the lawn mowers you don't have to worry about moisture as much. YES BRIGGS MAKES THAT ONE. and they work on any brand of engine..


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Kestral said:


> With a small storm say 5" it takes me about 1 hr do finish up and if we get a big storm 12"+ it could take two hrs as the town plow just seems to find the end of my driveway a dumping ground. Total hrs per year for a normal year 10 to 12 hrs a big year like this one I feel I was real close to 18 hrs of snowblower use this year.


 Here is a pic 4 you


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

As was said, there are a bunch of tachometer/hour meters. I have 2, one like the link below. 

~$15, installation is simply wrapping the included wire around the spark plug wire. It uses induction to sense when the plug fires. Then mount the unit itself, you can screw it in, use double-sided tape, etc. 

I have one on my lawn tractor, and one on my small generator. In addition to acting as an hour meter, they'll also show RPM, making it easier to tune your governor for full-throttle, if you want. They can also show an icon for service reminders. 

Digital Hour Meter Tach Tachometer Gauge Spark Plugs Engine Motocycle Boat | eBay


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

I'm doing 11,000+ square feet including 400'+ of driveway, an area that's about 60' square with limited snow depositing frontage and assorted paths and spaces.

A solid 8-12 inch storm will come in around 3 hours, 4 for a blizzard or equal dump and a little under 2 hours if I cover it all fast for a small storm. 2" or less is usually ignored other than shoveling the walks.

The work is spread out across a pool of machines. In a given storm I may switch machines rather than refuel. Some of the work is done with my tractor.

I don't keep track but I think there have been about 10 working storms this year. A few years ago there were 33. 2 or 3 a week from Thanksgiving to Easter wheter we needed it or not!


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

Since my old (young) lady doesn't help at all with the snow cleanup, I have her time me with a stopwatch and she keeps records in a notebook. 
Right down to the seconds.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

RedOctobyr said:


> As was said, there are a bunch of tachometer/hour meters. I have 2, one like the link below.
> 
> ~$15, installation is simply wrapping the included wire around the spark plug wire. It uses induction to sense when the plug fires. Then mount the unit itself, you can screw it in, use double-sided tape, etc.
> 
> ...



Forgive me for sounding simple, but there has to be more than just wrapping the wire of the tach. around the spark plug wire. The spark plug wire is insulated, I don't see how that would work???


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Nope, that's it  

The plug wire is insulated against conducting to something else, yes. But inductance is still in play. You won't short your ignition if you touch something to the insulated spark plug wire itself. But a wire wrapped around it will still have a (presumably very-small) induced current when the plug fires and current flows to the plug. This is what the tachometer senses. 

No conduction (like stripped insulation) is required. 

They do have their own internal batteries, to power the display, etc. Unlike an analog hour meter that's wired into the 12V system on your tractor, etc, they aren't actually powered by the plug wire. That's simply what they use to detect that the engine is running, and figure out how fast it's spinning.


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## WestminsterFJR (Dec 30, 2013)

RedOctobyr said:


> As was said, there are a bunch of tachometer/hour meters. I have 2, one like the link below.
> 
> ~$15, installation is simply wrapping the included wire around the spark plug wire. It uses induction to sense when the plug fires. Then mount the unit itself, you can screw it in, use double-sided tape, etc.
> 
> ...



I have the same unit. Excellent little device. Automatically switches to tach when engine is running, and back to hour meter when engine is off. 

I average 45 minutes per usage. ~10 times per season.


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## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

I put one on my generator. Only down side is you lose your accumulated time when the battery dies.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Smolenski7 said:


> Forgive me for sounding simple, but there has to be more than just wrapping the wire of the tach. around the spark plug wire. The spark plug wire is insulated, I don't see how that would work???


 it's called induction


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

enigma-2 said:


> I put one on my generator. Only down side is you lose your accumulated time when the battery dies.


 they should have their own battery..


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

They do have an internal battery. But it's typically sealed inside. My guess for the "marketing" reason would be for water-resistance. My cynical "real" guess is so that when the device eventually succumbs to a dead battery, you have to buy another one (it's also cheaper if they don't have to make it so the user can open the case). Though when one dies, I'll try to open it up, 'cause why not? 

The first one I bought is still going fine, and it's probably 5-6 years old or so. In terms of losing the accumulated hours, if I'm concerned about that, I'd probably periodically note the hours somewhere else. If the device suddenly fails, at least I'd know the hours as of the last time I checked, which would get me in the ballpark. 

An analog hour meter would avoid the issue of losing cumulative hours. But I think those can only be installed on machines with something like a 12V output. If your blower doesn't have an alternator, or you want to put a meter on your push mower, etc, that doesn't help. 

I've also used the tach function to help tune my chainsaw and weedwhacker carbs, knowing their intended full-throttle RPM range from their manuals.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

RedOctobyr said:


> They do have an internal battery. But it's typically sealed inside. My guess for the "marketing" reason would be for water-resistance. My cynical "real" guess is so that when the device eventually succumbs to a dead battery, you have to buy another one (it's also cheaper if they don't have to make it so the user can open the case). Though when one dies, I'll try to open it up, 'cause why not?
> 
> The first one I bought is still going fine, and it's probably 5-6 years old or so. In terms of losing the accumulated hours, if I'm concerned about that, I'd probably periodically note the hours somewhere else. If the device suddenly fails, at least I'd know the hours as of the last time I checked, which would get me in the ballpark.
> 
> ...


 I have had that briggs hour meter on my lawn mower for 11 years now and it is still going strong. it has seen extreme heat and cold. it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.


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## kbsnow (Oct 21, 2011)

Here is viseo on how to install..good ole Youtube


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## InfernoST (Feb 12, 2014)

I yielded 11hrs of use on my platinum 30's first time out.


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## Marty013 (Mar 14, 2014)

old place.. 2 hours min (1200ft drive.. cleared 20-25ft wide because of drifting snow.. parking for 4-6 cars.. a pickup.. christmas tree with lights on.. 3 barking doves and.. well u get the idea) to single storm total of.. 14 hours taking many breaks (5.5 hours JUST to get a trail cut open.. 14-30in snow to drifts) the rest of the 14 hours to get back to fully opened

now.. 45mins min (maybe 250ft lenght.. still like to keep it 15-18 ft wide and parking for 3 cars) biggest storm this year was alot less intense, maybe 12-13in with drifts 20-22in. took 2 hours by being anal.. so to speak


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

WestminsterFJR said:


> I have the same unit. Excellent little device. Automatically switches to tach when engine is running, and back to hour meter when engine is off.
> 
> I average 45 minutes per usage. ~10 times per season.


 did u travel back to 1994 to get that powershift??? has it ever been used. it looks brand new..


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## Kielbasa (Dec 21, 2013)

Since I repowered my 1971 Ariens with the Briggs 21m214 back in 2011, I keep a general track of the hours. When I go out and start her, I mark it down, when I am done, I mark it down. I keep ball park track of her hours. As of today, she has around 21:23 on her.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

InfernoST said:


> I yielded 11hrs of use on my platinum 30's first time out.


That should seat those rings.


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