Spring has arrived and you’re dusting off your garden tools. Once the weeds have been eradicated, it’s time to tackle the trees and the shrubs. Let’s have some fun and break out the chainsaw. If you’re like me, you’ve switched from a gas to an electric model. They’re lighter, less messy, and eco-friendly. The only question is about the power consumption.
Below we will discuss and test chainsaw wattage, explain how to work it out for yourself, and calculate the total electricity required.
How Many Watts is a Chainsaw?
The average electric chainsaw uses between 1800 to 2000 watts.
The exact number depends on the size and model of your chainsaw. Most of these appliances have a very similar power consumption. You might notice larger length chains or increased cutting power go to 2000W or more. While you can also find cheaper basic models that drop below 1800W.
The general rule is the larger and more cutting power, the higher the wattage. This is down to the AC motor which will increase in size and power draw.
How to Find Out Your Chainsaw Wattage
You can use 3 ways to work out the wattage of a chainsaw.
- Check Product Specification
The quickest way is to look at the chainsaw’s specification. The watts (W) is usually written on a sticker on the base of the appliance. If not, you can check the user manual or the manufacturer’s website for technical details.
- Use a Wattmeter
A wattmeter is brilliant for getting a live wattage reading and tracking total energy usage of any appliance. You can simply plug it into your chainsaw to get instant information.
I used one to test my chainsaw which gave a live reading of 2164W.
- Wattage Formula or Calculator
If you know the amperage and voltage of your chainsaw you can use this to find the maximum watt rating. Simply use the formula Amps x Volts = Watts. Or you can head over to the ‘Watt Calculator’ to work this out.
Chainsaw Wattage Examples
Let’s take a look at specific examples of how many watts a chainsaw draws. Below is a collection of modern chainsaws with their listed power ratings.
| Chainsaw Model | Power Rating (Watts) |
| Einhell 37.5cm Electric Chainsaw | 2000 |
| MAC ALLISTER HKPCS06D05-X | 750 |
| MAKITA UC3541A/2 | 1800 |
| OREGON CS1500 | 2400 |
| MAKITA UC4041A/2 | 1800 |
| BOSCH UNIVERSAL CHAIN 35 | 1800 |
| TITAN TTL758CHN | 2000 |
| DIY FPCS1800A | 1800 |
As you can see, the power ratings vary between different chainsaws. So you should take the time to check your own appliance.
How Much Electricity Does a Chainsaw Use?
You can use chainsaw wattage to work out how much electricity it uses. Plus this can be useful in understanding how much it costs to run your chainsaw.
A watt (W) is a measurement of power at a single point in time. A watt-hour (Wh) is the total amount of electricity used in an hour. For example, a chainsaw drawing 2000W would use 2000Wh when running for an hour.
Happily, electricity bills are recorded in kilowatt-hours (kWh). A kilowatt is simply 1000 watts. So a 2000W chainsaw running for 1 hour uses 2kWh.
Let’s say you use your equipment for 30 minutes a month. This means a chainsaw uses about 1000Wh or 1kWh electricity a month. That’s 12kWh a year.
That’s an electricity cost of $1.8 a year to chop wood, trees, and shrubs for 30 minutes each month.
The exact number will be different for each user. On average for casual gardening, you’ll use your chainsaw a lot less, while a professional will use it for longer periods.
Using a Chainsaw Off-Grid
If you’re planning to use your chainsaw in an off-grid situation like a remote location, power outage, RV, boat, or truck, the information above is important. You can install the proper electrical equipment and work out how long you can run.
You can either use a power inverter, portable power station, or generator to produce AC electricity.
To make sure everything runs smoothly you should check two things on this equipment – wattage capacity and total energy capacity.
Your power source, like an inverter, should have a wattage capacity of at least 20% more than your chainsaw. This ensures it will be able to deliver enough power as they are never 100% efficient. To cut and chop, you should use at least 2500W of power capacity. This should give you enough capacity to run most chainsaws without risking overload.
Secondly, you need to ensure your energy source, like a battery, has enough energy to run the chainsaw for the required amount of time. As we already know, it will use about 1000Wh electricity for 30 minutes. This is the equivalent to 83.3Ah on a 12V battery.
Another option is to run your chainsaw from an inverter hooked up to a vehicle battery. Keep the engine running to charge the battery while in use. Plus ensure your alternator can cope with the huge power draw! Smaller cars might struggle to cope.
How Many Watts Does an Electric Chainsaw Use Summary
I hope you now understand how many watts a chainsaw uses.
These garden tools use a ton of power. That’s why many professionals choose to use gas engines. Often you might be needing to work a fair distance from the nearest mains electricity socket. If you’re using an electric chainsaw then ensure you have a large enough inverter, power station, or generator to cope with the demands. Happily, it is rare for domestic users to cut and chop for long periods so you won’t see too much burden on your total electricity usage.
