Designed to making working with battery tools even more convenient and cost-effective, STIHL’s ALLPRO battery system offers fully charged tools within minutes, as well as increased capacity and multiple efficiency benefits.
Here, the gardeners at Worcester College, University of Oxford, put the new battery system to the test.
The approximately 11-hectare grounds of Worcester College include picturesque medieval cottages as well as extensive green spaces, some of which are open to the public.
Maintaining the diverse grounds, ranging from sports pitches and manicured lawns to intricate topiary sculptures, is the responsibility of a nine-person gardening team led by Simon Bagnall, Head of the Gardens and Grounds Department.
On such a vast site, it is particularly important to spend as little time as possible recharging batteries and transporting them to the work site. With that, ahead of the system’s official market launch, the Worcester College grounds team tested batteries from STIHL’s new ALLPRO Performance Series.
STIHL ALLPRO batteries are setting new standards in energy management for gardening, forestry, and municipal professionals. Designed for use in the toughest conditions, ALLPRO batteries can be recharged to 80 percent in less than ten minutes, using the AL 1802 MO High-Speed Charger. This represents a time saving of around 40% compared to the AP 300 S from the previous generation STIHL AP battery system. This means that the grounds team in Oxford can recharge their batteries during a short tea break.
During the ALLPRO test phase, the gardeners at Worcester College used a range of professional equipment across various applications.
Gardener Mike Skelton used the new MSA 260 C-O Battery Chainsaw with an ALLPRO AP 200 P battery, designed to achieve a high performance with low weight.
Mike says of his experience: “I’m felling a tree with a trunk as thick as a leg, made of very dense wood and you can really feel that the motor has plenty of torque when making crosscuts. At the same time, the chainsaw is wonderfully manoeuvrable when limbing. It’s pleasantly light, as well as simple and comfortable to use.”
Gardener Taissa Csaky, who once studied at Worcester College herself, worked with the STIHL FSA 200 R Brushcutter and ALLPRO AP 300 P battery. Taissa is tasked with cutting three meadows, including a vast flower meadow, where preserving biodiversity is key.
Taissa describes her experience: “The brushcutter’s power can be controlled very precisely, so I can apply it particularly intensively where it’s needed. I have the batteries where I need them – one in the machine, one on my belt and two more in reserve. With these four batteries and an on-site charging option, I’m able to work through the whole day.”
Taissa’s colleague, Jacob Fielding-Bishop worked with STIHL’s BRA 600 Backpack Blower as part of the test.
Jacob, comments: “I collect leaves using the BRA 600, which is powered by two units of the top-of-the-range model in the ALLPRO series, the AP 300 P battery. The consistent power it delivers is truly amazing. The system is ideal for clearing large areas and for difficult tasks, such as dislodging wet leaves from the ground.”
Once the batteries were flat, Jacob took a quick tea break to recharge, using the new AL 1802-MO High-Speed Charger. A short while later, he was able to get back to work. He confirms: “They’re already 80 percent charged after less than ten minutes.”
Finally, team leader Simon Bagnall, picked up the HSA 140 T Hedge Trimmer, along with AP 100 P battery – the lightest battery model in the ALLPRO Performance range. The head gardener used the tool to trim a yew hedge.
Simon comments: “The machine, together with the plug-in battery, is well balanced and extremely manoeuvrable, making it perfect for these hedges where we want to achieve a really precise cut.”
The gardeners at Worcester College also gained experience with STIHL’s mobile charging solutions. The new STIHL AL 1802 MO High-Speed Charger offers great efficiency, ensuring rapid charging on the go. With a charging power of 1,800 W, the solution can charge an ALLPRO AP 300 P battery to 80 percent in less than ten minutes.
By combining the AL 1802 MO High-Speed Charger with the PS 2000 Portable Power Supply on the loading area of their van, the professional gardeners were able to charge their tools’ batteries quickly and as needed, meaning that they needed to prepare and carry fewer units to keep working throughout the day. Until now, the gardening team has been charging their batteries slowly overnight using the wall-mounted charging station in the workshop.
Simon estimates: “In a team of four, we use about ten batteries in a single working day.” He continues: “With the energy from the power station and the fast charger, we can charge six batteries on the go. This allows us to work more flexibly and efficiently, and we need fewer batteries. Because of their higher energy capacity and the ability to charge on the go, we don’t have to take a carload of charged batteries with us in the morning. All in all, this reduces the total cost of ownership.”
Head Gardener Simon Bagnall sums up the ALLPRO experience: “We’ve worked really well with the test units, got a lot done, and the new batteries have supported us perfectly.”
He adds: “A real bonus is how quickly the batteries charge, so we can get lots of jobs done without long interruptions, swap the battery quickly and get straight back to work. Quick battery swaps and fast charging on the go – that has made a huge difference to our work.”
