Hello Jon-B. We are sorry to hear you are not happy with the running time you are getting with included battery. There are several variables that will affect how long a cordless leaf blower runtime lasts, factors like the blowers’ power setting, the number of debris being moved, ambient temperature, and the battery’s condition can also impact its runtime. Users can control the output of air with the variable speed trigger so you can dial back when in delicate areas and power up when clearing tough debris. Higher speeds will drain your battery faster, think about your tasks and how you can vary your speed to conserve battery. You can use Greenworks 24V battery in this unit. The higher the ampere-hour (Ah) rating is on a battery, the more run time it has to offer but it will. We hope our tips and suggestions offer better user experience. If you ever have specific questions or concerns about our products, contact Greenworks via Live chat on our website (www.greenworkstools.com), call us at 1-888-909-6757 (1-888-90WORKS) or refer to the FAQ ask section of the tool or ask us a question, anytime.