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?