Run shop on batteries

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My generator konked out a couple of years ago. Winds are kicking up today. I expect to lose power. So of course I am looking now at solutions that I should have investigated months ago.

I started looking at battery systems. They have many benefits - that I do not wish to enumerate or justify here. HOWEVER, it crossed my mind that one benefit is, I could run my home shop off it. Granted, a generator could do the same, but it’s noisy, and I’d have to have the garage door open to exhaust the fumes.

Currently, I cannot leave my compressor on while running other tools (including my 1F) without risking throwing the breaker. I only have the one 15A circuit in my garage. I have been bitten multiple times, forgetting that the compressor was on, having it cycle, throw the breaker, and ruining my carve.

The battery system could act as a power assist. I’d leave it on the 15A circuit, charging. Then I’d power the shop off the battery system. It has multiple circuits - so I could separate 1F, compressor, heater, drill press, saw, etc. I’m not getting power for free. But I am getting the ability to draw >15A in my shop - without having to run another circuit, and without having to start a noisy gas powered generator.

I did a quick search and found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQpS61eagf4
I don’t really care about running the shop while the power is out. It solves a slightly different problem for the shop. And of course, it solves the power outage problem for the house.

The other - cheaper solution is to just run another circuit (to solve the shop problem), and buy another generator (to solve the power outage problem). But there is value in a silent, fume free power source.

My guess is, there are others running their shop off 15A. And if you’re renting, adding another circuit isn’t even an option. Anybody doing something like this, or considering it?

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Been running my shop from a single 15A extension cord. I rent the space and every attempt I’ve made to up my power has been thwarted my landlord or regulations. I’ve considered solar panels, generator run on propane with one of those huge tanks but haven’t done anything yet. Saw a YouTube video where guy kept right on working through a power outage running off a battery that gets charged off the circuit. ( Think it was Four-Eyes Furniture). My only limitations are I can’t heat my shop and operate tools at the same time and I can’t run my dust collection and table saw together. I also can’t do other machining operations while my One-finity and dust extraction are working. I’ll keep my eye on this thread to see if anything interesting comes up.

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There’s a tonne of options out there and I’m sure you could find one that works. Just a heads up though, make sure you get a system that can stand the surge the comes from induction motors starting up, etc. Apparently some of them don’t like that.

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It wouldn’t be super cheap but I think I might look into a solar generator. It wouldn’t be too hard to build a cart with wheels that the solar panels are mounted to that also has the generator on it. That way you could just wheel it out angle it to get the most sun. That assumes you live where there’s plenty of sun (not that good of an option for me). It’s quiet so nobody around you will complain and no fumes or gas to deal with. A very long carve might be too much for one and, of course, you can’t run it at night, but you would get batteries.

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I sprung for a whole home system. Currently it’s not wired into the breaker panel. I have it on their trolly. I ran it today.

I had my vacuum and router on battery all day. It ran at about 1300W during a carve. I ended the day with over 50% charge. It has 2x 20A, and a 30A outlet, and supports 220V. At one point I was cutting things with my chop saw, on the other 20A circuit, while I had a carve going. It jumped up over 3000W (total between the two circuits). Before having the battery, the only way I could have used my chop saw during a carve, was to run an extension cord from inside the house.

I tested my 5Hp 20Gal compressor on the battery. But I didn’t run it today while carving; but full expect that would work just fine.

In the end, however, I did throw the breaker in the middle of a carve. I had the space heater and the 1F running on the garage circuit. Then, at 4:30pm, the timer triggered the Christmas lights. Doh!.

But the battery did its job. I just need to figure out how best to use it.

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High winds today. Brownouts won’t ruin my carve today. Everything is running off batteries. Only my lights, space heater and compressor are on house power. We’ve had a brownout in the middle of a carve already.

Winning. :slight_smile:

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