power tools. 240v, 110v, battery, or all three?

[tradepro123]

apologies if this has already been asked.
I know that on building/construction sites that all power tools have to be 110v or battery, but what if you are working in some one's house, do the same rules apply?
for example, could I use a 240v drill and paddle mixer or would they have to be 110v?

thanks in advance for the help.

 

[^woody^]

IIRC, there is no actual legal requirement for 110v on site or anywhere.

Choice of power tools/supply in a "workplace" would be down to a risk assessment, and I can't see how 230v with a RCD would not be acceptable

 

[tradepro123]

thanks for your reply.
I always thought that it was HSE legislation that tools on site had to be 110v in case someone came in to contact with a bare cable or just happened to cut through a cable.

this is just a conversation me and a friend were having earlier today. personally I had never even thought about it, I always thought of a house as a building/construction site, so the same health and safety guidelines should apply.

am I wrong?

 

[Deluks]

Yes you are.

 

[tradepro123]

I did think I was but I wasn't sure, which is why I asked the question in the first place
no need to be so blunt.

 

[Alarm]

I did think I was but I wasn't sure, which is why I asked the question in the first place
no need to be so blunt.

LOL , most complain the answer is too long.

Personally "No your wrong" is definitive, concise and to the point.

 

[tradepro123]

so it doesn't matter if I choose to use 240v power tools when working in some one's house?

 

[Monkeh]

No, and they may thank you for not crushing their carpet with your transformer.

Then again, your wallet may not like so many duplicate tools.

 

[tradepro123]

that was another thing I thought about.
240v tools when working in houses and 110v tools for site use seems a little silly.
probably best to buy 110v tools all round.

thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Mark Br]

What type of work will you be doing, and what power tools will you need - this would be the basis of my choice.

If I have to set up for a full days work at one place and don't have to move about the house I don't mind get an extension cord and tranny out, If I'm moving all over the house and only there for a few hours, etc then battery powered all the way.

 

[tradepro123]

it will mainly be building stud walls, plaster boarding, mixing plaster and skimming.
so I will be using a hammer or SDS drill if I need to drill in to brick, stone or block work. possibly a mitre saw for cutting all the timber for the stud walls, a cordless drill/screwdriver for screwing the stud work together and attaching the plasterboard, and a paddle mixer for mixing the plaster.

maybe it would be better if I just bought all 110v power tools and a transformer, just in case I end up working on a site where all tools have to be 110v or battery. it would save me buying two of everything.

after all, you can use 110v and battery tools if you are working in some one's house and on a building site with strict health and safety regulations.
whereas you wouldn't be allowed to use 240v tools on a building site.

 

[RF Lighting]

It's up to you to carry out a risk assesment on each job and decide wether it is save to use 240V tools for the task.

If it is then crack on. If not then you might decide that 110V tools pose less risk, such as if you've got long runs of extention leads or you are working outside.

If so then use 110V tools.

Personally virtually all my tools are 110V as it allows me to use them on sites, and also they are safer anyway when I'm doing bits of jobs in peoples houses.

 

[tradepro123]

thanks for the help.

110v tools it is then.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

110V transformers do not officially support tools over 1700W, i.e. big disc cutters and cut off saws. Also these big tools have very stiff/heavy mains leads. The 110v use for building sites to to try to protect very ignorant people and do not provide any extra safety margin for intelligent folk. If you use 110V stuff, give both the plugs and sockets a good spray with WD-40, it make a world of difference to the force required to extract them!

Frank