British Expats - Power Tools

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

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- - Power Tools (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/power-tools-688723/)

Hi to all and thanks for all your help so far on my other questions.

My OH wants to know if its worth him bringing his power tools out. Alot of his drills are battery powered and we are not sure if they will be compatable. (he's a plumber).:confused:

We are taking all of ours out with us. Transformers seem cheap and easy to pick up, and the cost of replacing our tools at once would have been terrifying! We will simply replace them as they wear out or when we see something bright and shiney we just have to have...

We took this advice off of others on this forum, but we will let you know how it pans out once we unload our containers and actually start using them on the large run down pile we just bought! :eek:

LL x

Thanks let me know how it oges.

Any charger should work OK through a transformer, so thats cheaper than replacing a bunch of professional level tools. The other alternative is to find 110V spec chargers for what he has, some may even be dual voltage anyway..

Plug in tools may be more problematic, many motors dont take kindly to the switch from 50 to 60Hz AC, even if you do fix the voltage, plus there can be efficiency issues if they are high power items. High Watt items will draw a lot of current here.

BTW, you can edit a post for an hour or two after you post it here:thumbup:

Thats very useful to know both about the tools and also the editing.

As iaink says, the chargers might be dual voltage in any case. Even if not, I believe they will still work but just take an awful long time to charge (I'm not an electrician so don't take this as gospel). A transformer resolves that.

You say that your OH is a plumber by trade. In that case he needs to be careful which tools he uses while he is working. In BC, for example, WorksafeBC rules specify that:

G12.11 Operating controls (portable powered tools, mobile equipment)

Effective September 1999

Subsection 12.11(2) of the OHS Regulation states:

portable powered tools and mobile equipment must have operating controls conforming to an appropriate standard acceptable to the board.

The following standards are acceptable to the Board under this subsection for portable powered tools:

CAN/CSA-C22.2 No.71.1-M89 Portable Electric Tools

CAN/CSA-C22.2 No.72.2-M89 Electric Bench Tools

BS 5304:1988 British Standard Code of Practice for Safety of Machinery

ANSI/UL 897 Standard for Safety, Portable Electric Tools

ANSI/UL 897 Standard for Safety, Stationary and Fixed Electric Tools

ISO 447 Machine Tools -- Direction of Operation of Controls

ANSI B1186.1-1984 Safety Code for Portable Air Tools

CAN/CSA-Z431-M89 (IEC 73-1984) Colours of Indicator Lights and Push Buttons

CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 195-M1987 Motor Operated Food Processing Appliances (Household and Commercial)

ANSI Z50.1-1997 Safety Requirements for Bakery Equipment

BSI/EN 454 Food Processing Machinery-Planetary Mixer-Safety and Hygiene Requirements

ANSI/SNT-101-1993 Portable, Compressed-Air-Actuated Fastener Driving Tools-Safety Requirements for

CAN/CSA-Z166.1, Z166.2-M85 Powder Actuated Tools

It is generally taken to mean that only tools with the CSA logo can be used on site - even by WorksafefBC. http://www2.worksafebc.com/i/constru..._and_cords.pdf

Although the above extract from the OHS guidelines suggests otherwise, it's not really a fruitful argument to get into at the start of the first day on the job.

Hi
Might be an idea if he only brought out his 'hobby tools' for his 'DIY hobby', as hobby tools are exempt duties.:thumbup:

Tools for your trade/work are not exempt duties:thumbdown: , so therefore do not bring any 'trade tools'

This assuming nothing has changed to the customs rules since we moved out here.

cheers
Jerry

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonboyE (Post 8905289)

Hi
Interesting, i should show this list to most employers as it should suitably shut down all operations by them.:rofl::rofl::rofl:

likewise that there is a british standard in the list, is there light at the end of the tunnel..
cheers
Jerry

bring the tools and just buy a 120v charger that's what i done it's a lot cheaper

I brought all my 110v powertools, I just changed the plug and they worked fine. For the battery tools, buy a 110v charger and they will work fine. Check the ones you have, they may be dual voltage already, some of mine were.
I brought most of my tools ( I am a carpenter), but powertools here are much cheaper than the UK.

I brought my battery tools, nail gun, circular saw etc with me (dewalt 18volt) and they charge up fine with a american charger which u can buy from home depot for about $90, if your OH has 240 volt stuff i wouldnt bother bringing them as most sites wont accept them anyhow, 110 volt stuff you should be fine.

I gave all mine away before I moved just in case I got bombed off site for any of the above reasons.

My OH sold/gave away all his electrical tools and bought nice shiny new ones when he got here.

so what about the 220v that runs the cooker & dryer from the mainboard...I brought some UK wall sockets with me just in case...already spoke to a sparky have a line of sockets in the garaged for my 230v tools...it can be done.