A tree surgeon has described his new Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 as an “epic” platform for arboriculture work.
Joel Sims says the bi-energy tracked spider lift has transformed his service as his now works on trees mainly on battery electric power.
He said: “My new Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 is a brilliant piece of kit. In fact, it’s absolutely epic. It has so many advantages for my work and for my business.”
Battery power a ‘revelation’
Joel Sims, owner of Medway Tree Surgeons, based in Chatham, Kent, had previously operated a diesel-powered Hinowa Lightlift 17.75 Performance IIIS.
When he came to replace it, APS regional sales manager Jonathan Wiseman showed him around the new Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 Performance IIIS.
Impressed by what he saw, and wanting to operate a spider lift with additional capabilities, he selected the bi-energy version, with both an advanced diesel engine and lithium batteries.
Importantly, despite the extra weight of the battery pack, the platform is still light enough to be towed on a 3.5t trailer behind a van or 4x4 vehicle using a standard car licence.
Joel Sims explained: “I’m really pleased with my choice. The Hinowa 18.80 has some amazing design features and having lithium electric battery power has been a revelation.”
APS’s Jonathan Wiseman said: “Joel could see the package of benefits of the Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 and he’s grabbed them with both hands.
“I’m so glad the spider lift is doing so well for him. Hinowa is showing lithium electric power is going to be very important to the future of working at height from tracked platforms.”
Compact and powerful
The Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 Performance IIIS has a maximum working height of 18.55m, and a maximum horizontal outreach of 7.8m.
Stowed for tracking, it is just 795mm wide and 1998mm high, so can be tracked through doors, archways and gates, and along garden paths and narrow tracks, to reach worksites.
The platform has an unrestricted basket capacity of 230kg and uses the same easy-to-use and highly-responsive operating system as other spider lifts in the Hinowa range.
In standard format, it is fitted with a cabled remote control pack but can be supplied with a wireless remote control as well.
Other power options are a petrol engine, a diesel engine with 110v mains electric power, and all-electric power delivered via lithium batteries.
Lithium electric cost savings
Joel Sims is particularly impressed with the way all hoses and cabling on the Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 spider lift are stored internally, inside the boom. This eliminates the risk of them snagging on branches.
He added: “Having the extra working height and reach is very helpful, but the most impressive thing about my Hinowa 18.80 is having the battery electric power. It’s transformational.”
Medway Trees now operates its new Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 on all-electric power around 80% of the time.
Many customers are happy for it to be plugged the platform into the mains, so the battery stays topped up.
This means, if the spider lift is being operated away from a power source the next day, its battery is fully-charged, and ready for a full day’s work.
The two-cylinder low-emissions Kubota diesel engine is most useful when the spider lift has to be tracked over a long distance, a process that uses the most battery power.
But when working on a tree, the platform can be switched back to battery electric, making significant savings on fuel costs over time.
Battery power ‘will reduce maintenance costs’
Joel Sims explained: “Battery electric operation is super smooth, so there is much less vibration wear on the platform, and less to go wrong. So I can see maintenance costs and downtime being reduced.
“Also, the battery is only working when the platform or boom is moving. This means my platform clocks up much fewer ‘operational’ hours than a diesel one. That’s huge for me.”
The result? Joel Sims believes there is every chance that his Hinowa lithium battery bi-energy platform will hold its value better than a comparable diesel and mains electric powered one.
Extra income opportunities
Medway Trees is now being called in by other tree surgeons to work on tree care projects where conventional rope access working is not possible, for example where ash dieback has been detected.
The platform is also in demand from electricians and roofing contractors who value its clear advantages.
Smart features on the Hinowa Lightlift 18.80 also impress. For example, the petrol cap has been designed to prevent wood chips from gathering around the lip – from where they could get into the tank.
It may be a little thing, says Joel Sims, but it gives him confidence that Hinowa has designed a spider lift with a tree surgeon’s interests at heart.
Find out more
Talk to APS about the Hinowa Lightlift 18.10 spider lift and the growing range of Hinowa lithium battery bi-energy and all-electric tracked platforms, with working heights from 13m to 40m.
Telephone: 01480 891251. Email: sales@accessplatforms.co.uk.
