Strimmer motors burning out

girl_withno_name

This might seem like a daft question and I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post - but what would cause the motor on a strimmer (e.g. grass strimmer) to burnout?

In the last 12-18months we've managed to destroy three strimmers, only using each one a maximum of twice before it's broken. Each time there's a "burning" smell, so we imagine the motor has burntout... The first two were old so we thought they were simply knackered, but it's now happened with our new Flymo and we'd only used it once before!!

Are there special extension leads, techniques, storage guideline, etc. which we should be following but maybe aren't? Unfortunately my OH appears to have thrown the instructions...

We don't want to have to buy a new one after each and every use!!

tired_dad

I would invest in a petrol one. Stihl are great. Will last a lifetime.

maninthestreet

Never managed to burn one out - I'm still using the one I bought in the mid-1990s. Exactly what sort of vegetation are you using it on?
Grass and weeds is fine, trying to trim a bush or hedge maybe too much for one. Is the strimmer cord somehow getting wound around the central rotating part, acting as a brake?

MX5huggy

It sounds like you are trying to use a light weight trimmer which is only capable of gutting short grass for a bigger job that needs a petrol Strimmer.

demystified

Flymo tools are rubbish I wouldn't touch one with a bargepole.

Bosch, Qualcast are better quality. But all basic electric strimmers are mickey mouse tools to be honest.

Buy a decent Stihl or similar professional tool. You won't believe the difference and it will last forever.

15+ years professional experiance.

ermine

Blimey, I'm still using mine from the late 1980s

Listen to the motor as you strim. When the pitch falls by half then you're trying to cut too much too fast, which would probably overload it. Move the strimmer slower over the job to ease back.

You probably want to take a 5 min break every 20 mins too. Good for your back and for your machine!

sk240

Make sure that all of the vents are not blocked with grass etc, no ventilation will kill a motor very quickly.It does sound like the model you have is under powered for your application

girl_withno_name

We're simply trying to strim our grass... it's not a large lawn in area (in fact, I'd say it was small) and the grass isn't the mutant type of grass we used to have at the previous property we rented. So if the model is under powered for this application, I honestly don't know what it's good for! :rotfl:

I'll pass along your advice to the OH next time he tries (or buys a new one!)

hamaradam

Hi there, I have had this problem before too. All the above advice is excellent, what I would add though is to make sure that grass is not wound round and round the spinning bit which houses the reel of strimmer line, this has caused mine to burn out, as mentioned in another posting it acts like a brake restricting the movement....have to say as mine is not fine grass, that I ended up after burning out three flymo electric ones, I got a petrol heavy duty one think it is a stihl, second hand, you wear a harness and goggles and its powerful.

WestonDave

If you are trying to use a strimmer to cut an entire lawn, then you probably don't want to be using a piddly Flymo job - get a lawn mower! Its probably overheating due to too much continuous use - they are really only designed for edging round lawns - not really to cut the whole thing. Now my Stihl petrol job is a different matter - would do a small lawn and be just about warmed up! You might nurse one through if you give it enough breaks but to be honest a lawnmower would be better and give a nice finish.