An electronic power apparatus comprising: a housing; a pair of input power pins; a pair of output power pins; a plurality of power components arranged to modulate a supply of power from the input power pins to the output power pins; a user-actuated input unit, comprising a variable-speed trigger coupled to a conductive wiper (128, 282, 328), providing an analog signal indicative of a desired power output level of the output power pins; and a control unit receiving the analog signal from the user-actuated input unit, the control unit comprising: a controller configured to control a switching operation of the power components based on the analog signal; and an input detection unit configured to generate an ON/OFF signal to turn on the controller based on detection of a prescribed change in the analog signal indicative of an initial actuation of the user-actuation unit; characterised in that the user-actuated input unit further comprises: a plurality of conductive pads (162, 262, 362) including a plurality of first conductive pads respectively coupled to a plurality of resistors (R0 - R18, Ri) arranged in series with a first power input, and a second conductive pad coupled to a second power input (B+); and a sense pad arranged adjacent the plurality of conductive pads and coupled to the analog signal, wherein the conductive wiper electrically connects the sense pad to the second conductive pad when the variable-speed trigger is depressed and electrically connects the sense pad to at least one of the plurality of first conductive pads when the trigger is actuated. a housing; a pair of input power pins; a pair of output power pins; a plurality of power components arranged to modulate a supply of power from the input power pins to the output power pins; a user-actuated input unit, comprising a variable-speed trigger coupled to a conductive wiper (128, 282, 328), providing an analog signal indicative of a desired power output level of the output power pins; and a control unit receiving the analog signal from the user-actuated input unit, the control unit comprising: a controller configured to control a switching operation of the power components based on the analog signal; and an input detection unit configured to generate an ON/OFF signal to turn on the controller based on detection of a prescribed change in the analog signal indicative of an initial actuation of the user-actuation unit; characterised in that the user-actuated input unit further comprises: a plurality of conductive pads (162, 262, 362) including a plurality of first conductive pads respectively coupled to a plurality of resistors (R0 - R18, Ri) arranged in series with a first power input, and a second conductive pad coupled to a second power input (B+); and a sense pad arranged adjacent the plurality of conductive pads and coupled to the analog signal, wherein the conductive wiper electrically connects the sense pad to the second conductive pad when the variable-speed trigger is depressed and electrically connects the sense pad to at least one of the plurality of first conductive pads when the trigger is actuated. a plurality of conductive pads (162, 262, 362) including a plurality of first conductive pads respectively coupled to a plurality of resistors (R0 - R18, Ri) arranged in series with a first power input, and a second conductive pad coupled to a second power input (B+); and a sense pad arranged adjacent the plurality of conductive pads and coupled to the analog signal, wherein the conductive wiper electrically connects the sense pad to the second conductive pad when the variable-speed trigger is depressed and electrically connects the sense pad to at least one of the plurality of first conductive pads when the trigger is actuated.