On Mon, 5 Jan 2009 15:57:03 +0000, J. Clarke wrote
(in article ):

erudite stuff

methinks staggering the startups, as in separate switches, would lessen the
load on the breakers significantly. The combined s.u. current drawn by
several motors kicking in at the same time may be WAY over the continuous
rating but staggering them would obviously stagger the peaks too.

Thinking something like a hooded foot switch with first and second
"progressive" presses or a noise-activated switch firing up the DC when the
router etc. kicks in.

I know I'm rambling.. Just ideas. I'll leave the engineering to the clever
folk.