In the UK we have a "Very British Mess" when it comes to lawnmower power ratings. If you buy a petrol powered machine, the rating will be in HP, but if you buy an electric powered machine, the rating will be in kW. There is a very good reason not to use HP on electrical machines - the manufacturer needs to quote the current drawn by the mower and also many extension leads have warnings to the effect that he cable should be unwound if it is carrying more than 5 amps (US readers - please note that our electrical plugs are 230 V, not 115 V.)
I believe that more electrical lawn mowers are sold in the UK than petrol lawn mowers. There are a number of reasons: 1) High taxes on petrol 2) Small gardens 3) Petrol engines are not suitable for small lawn mowers. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael G. Koerner Sent: 02 February 2008 00:34 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:40346] No more 'horsepower' on small engines in USA From the 2008-02-01 Milwaukee, WI Journal-Sentinal (ran on the front page below the fold): http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=713480 "Seems the term, 'horsepower' is going the way of the buggy By RICK BARRETT [EMAIL PROTECTED] Posted: Jan. 31, 2008 When you buy lawn and garden equipment this spring, a familiar old term - horsepower - will be missing from many engines. Blame it on lawyers, or engine makers who might have fudged the numbers, but horsepower is no longer the gold standard for small gasoline engines. Sears, for example, now advertises some lawn mowers rated by horsepower, others by torque, and still others by cubic centimeters. And some mowers have no such designation at all. "Unfortunately, we are not giving consumers the answers they want," said Bill Rotter, an owner of National Ace Hardware stores in the Milwaukee area. There's no longer a horsepower rating for many Briggs & Stratton engines. Last year, Briggs chose torque as its rating system for push mowers, snow throwers, pressure washers and generators." (See link for rest of article) No mention of watts, but it appears to be a start. -- ___________________________________________ ____ _______________ Regards, | |\ ____ | | | | |\ Michael G. Koerner May they | | | | | | rise again! Appleton, Wisconsin USA | | | | | | ___________________________________________ | | | | | | _______________
