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Dramatic_Hammer-
Test 2 - 3 chargers Vs off the top of my head:
- Chop saw
- Table saw
- Multiple skillsaws
- Recip
- Jigsaw
- Small medium and large breaker
- Medium and large sds
- Dust extraction
- Floor saw
- Collated drywall screwgun
- Compressor
I could go on but that is what I will likely have starting on a large commercial site (not that I do that much these days) and ALL of the tools listed above would be kept current in terms of PAT testing. Plus you lose the headache of maintaining a register of those items (potentially duplicate as you could have 110v and 240v for all those tools). Also if the principle contractors health and safety person is REALLY anal they can ask you to prove that the serial #s of all the tools on your register match those you are bringing on site - good luck arguing you should get paid for this.
So yeah having 3max chargers to get PAT tested every 6 months is a piece of piss.
- Chop saw
Bobbo
If you are running a chopsaw or table saw onsite you NEED to have a mains powered unit if it's going to see anything more than light use - on big sites the battery charging station could be a 10 minute walk away. Also battery table and chopsaws are no where near as powerful as the mains counterparts so will struggle with tricky timber or difficult cuts.
Myself and most of the other guys.i work with tend to have 3 of each tool (this list doesn't include small sds drills, comvi drills or impact drivers but does include the likes of drywall screwguns): one battery one for occasional use pottering around site ticking off jobs on a snagging list, 240v mains powered units for general domestic work, 110v for big sites. Obviously if you only do domestic you won't have many 110v tools and if you only do commercial you won't have any 240v tools for work.
Trades that are only on site for a limited time and then go will rely on battery units much more than any other trades because they don't have to worry about PAT testing as much or going through lengthy PAT test records with the PCs health and safety man.