Do you sometimes wish that your corded electric snow thrower could go cordless for certain areas? The Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB is a single stage electric hybrid snow thrower that is powered by either an extension cord or its own lithium-ion rechargeable battery.
Why is it a hybrid snow thrower?
The Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB can be powered by either a 40V lithium-ion battery or by an extension cord: for that reason, it is a hybrid snow thrower. It can use either a 120V AC or a 40V DC power source.
What is included?
The Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB comes with an instruction manual, a few screws and gaskets and a 40V 4-Ah EcoSharp rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Some minor assembly is required. An extension cord is not included, so you have to buy your own outdoor cold weather cord.
Please note that Snow Joe also sells the core tool without the battery and charger. Such tools are marked with “CT” added to the model number.
Which extension cord is required?
The manual recommends that you use an extreme weather extension cord that is rated by the CSA, ETL or UL. The cord length should not exceed 100 feet. It seems like the manual suggests a 14 gauge cord thickness for a 50-foot cord length and 12 gauge for 100 feet.
How long can the iON18SB-HYB run on its battery?
The condition of the snow has a definite impact on how long the snow thrower works. It might provide about 40 minutes of cord-free operation for light snow. Heavy, wet snow will decrease the cordless snow throwing to only 20 minutes before requiring a recharge. Keep in mind that this hybrid snow thrower is not recommended for removing heavy, wet snow. It performs best with light, powdery snow.
How much time for the battery to recharge?
It can take up to three hours to recharge a fully discharged 4Ah battery, because of that, owners sometimes purchase an extra battery. A spare battery can extend the amount of cordless snow throwing that can be done while the other battery is being charged. You should charge and store the battery in a room where the room temperature stays above freezing because the cold reduces overall battery performance.
How do you switch between cordless and corded operation?
Cordless operation requires that the snow thrower is unplugged and the battery is inserted in its place. Now, press the DC switch button with one hand and squeeze the switch bar lever with the other hand.
Remove the battery and connect the snow thrower to an outdoor electrical outlet with an outdoor extension cord for corded operation. Next, press the AC switch button and use the other hand to grip the switch bar lever.
You can stop pressing the switch button and use both hands to grip the switch bar lever once the snow thrower’s blades are turning. If you want to stop the snow thrower, then release your grip on the switch bar lever.
How much snow can the iON18SB-HYB throw?
This hybrid snow blower cuts a path through dry snow that is 18 inches wide and 8 inches deep. The steel auger with its two rubber blades eat the snow and then throws it out of the adjustable snow chute up to 20 feet away. The specifications state that the snow plowing capacity is 500 lbs per minute, as long as the snow is light and fluffy.
Wet snow might start to freeze and build up in the snow chute if the temperature outside is very cold. You should use a snow chute cleaner or stick (never your hands) to remove the residue. Furthermore, heavy wet snow is very difficult to throw because it tends to fall out of the chute. Moreover, spraying a non-stick substance inside the chute might help to decrease clogging issues.
This hybrid snow thrower might only throw wet snow a few feet away. Overall, the Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB is good for light snowfalls of around 4 to 6 inches. It will not perform well in large snowfalls or wet snow.
How do you rotate the snow chute?
The chute of the Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB has neither manual rotation nor a remote rotation crank. It has automatic electric rotation, that is controlled with a small switch located on the right side of the handlebars above the AC and DC buttons. The chute can be rotated a full 180 degrees. The chute deflector is not automatic, so you still need to set the angle by hand. Change the deflector angle so that the snow flies as high and as far as possible.
Does the iON18SB-HYB have lights?
This hybrid snow thrower has a 3-Watt LED light that is attached to the left side of the handlebar. This light should provide enough illumination for throwing snow early in the morning or late at night.
Conclusion
A hybrid snow thrower gives you the flexibility of using either DC battery power or an AC outlet. It seems like the snow thrower is more powerful when plugged into an outlet compared to battery-powered operation. Nonetheless, a single stage hybrid electric snow thrower cannot compete with the power of a two stage gas snow blower. Then again, an electric snow thrower is a lightweight machine, thus it is easier to use and maintenance is minimal. It also needs less storage space.
The Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB is designed for removing light snow from hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways and small driveways. It is not intended for removing snow that is wet and heavy. It will perform well as long as the snow is dry and fluffy and only a few inches deep. However, its snow chute might get clogged in wet snow conditions due to its single stage system.
If you struggle with heavy snowfalls or have a gravel driveway, then you need a two stage gas snow blower that has both auger blades and an impeller, such as the Ariens Deluxe 24.
To conclude, the Snow Joe iON18SB-HYB attempts to combine the cord-free operation of the iON18SB with the corded power of the SJ618E. If you cannot decide between buying a corded or a cordless snow thrower, then the iON18SB-HYB hybrid snow thrower might be the solution for you (buy on Amazon).