Another plug-it bites the dust

[r cash]

[unsure]
This time on my ets 150/5 thanks to Lester at customer service for sending me hardwire kits.
Down time was 12 min now 3 sanders hardwired.
Have a great day

Got a four point buck the other day was not even hunting

 

[Zacharytanner]

Sucks about the car- how come we can kill a deer with a car that travels 45mph and we miss with a bullet traveling 3200FPS?

Hope you are ok.

Frank

 

[semenza]

Hmmmmm, I don't know.......... I think maybe you are using the plug-its for charging your car battery or something    [scratch chin] 

      [wink]

Seth

 

[AlexThePalex]

Next time one of my plug-its gives up I'm going for a hardwired kit too. The plug-it is nice, but they fail too often.

Almost had a deer on the hood of the borrowed car I was driving not long ago. We have few places where this can happen but some are notorious. I was glad I saw it coming and could stop just in time. Also glad the car behind me was far enough to stop in time too.

You'd think it's just an animal against steel, but as you can see they can do so much damage to a car, or, if they go through the windshield, to the people inside. 

 

[jonny round boy]

I've had this happen on my ETS150 too, and once on my TS55. It seems to stem from a bad electrical connection (causing arcing between the plug & the socket pins) but once it happens it gets steadily worse, and can then 'infect' other tools due to the corrosion. The arcing causes burning and carbon build-up on the contacts, which then leads to higher resistance, which causes heat build-up, which causes more burning, etc...

The first time I noticed it was on my ETS - it got to the stage where the sander would even completely cut out every few seconds. I changed the plug-it socket in the handle, but then used the same plug-it lead on the new socket and on my TS55, and the problem re-occurred on both.

Eventually I replaced the sockets on both tools, and replaced the lead, at the same time.

I think (in my case) it stems from using the same plug-it lead, constantly swapping it between different tools, and it eventually wears out (I know, that's the point of having it!). The last time it happened I caught it before it 'infected' anything else. This time, instead of replacing the whole plug-it cord (which is bundled together with the hose, so a pain to swap out) I just cut off the plug-it and fitted a replacement plug on the cable. The replacement ones seem a lot sturdier, with heavier-duty contacts inside. I've not had any further problems with it.

It's always inconvenient when it happens (like any failure) but it doesn't happen so often that I feel the need to hardwire anything - for me the convenience of the plug-it easily outweighs the downside.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Jonny, was your ETS 110 or 220 volt?

My 220 volt Plug-it cords break all the time, but not because of this arcing. Never seen it myself on a 220 volt tool. Yet.

 

[wow]

Do you think it would help to put some anti-corrsive grease in the pin holes? I use it alot on vehicle connections, especially on emergency and rough service vehicles, and it really helps there.

 

[jonny round boy]

Jonny, was your ETS 110 or 220 volt?

My 220 volt Plug-it cords break all the time, but not because of this arcing. Never seen it myself on a 220 volt tool. Yet.

It's UK mains, 230V.

 

[jamanjeval]

Do you think it would help to put some anti-corrsive grease in the pin holes? I use it alot on vehicle connections, especially on emergency and rough service vehicles, and it really helps there.

The stuff you are referring to is silicone grease, sometimes called dielectric grease. They sell it at parts stores. It is often used inside the ignition wire boots. But it is great for all kinds of things like lightbulbs and battery connections.

I'd caution you that if you use it in the plug it connections, consider treating the tool like a corded one. Unconnected, the grease may encourage dust to build up in connectors.

 

[r cash]

Seth
I think you are assuming I  own a Festool car battery charger. if I did have a mythical tool I would hardwire it for less down time.
My car battery charger is SEARS it came hardwired.
Have a great day

 

[semenza]

Seth
I think you are assuming I  own a Festool car battery charger. if I did have a mythical tool I would hardwire it for less down time.
My car battery charger is SEARS it came hardwired.
Have a great day

I can't believe you don't have the Sys-Car Battery Chargex.  I know its NAINA but I am sure a FOG member could get one for you.  [big grin]

Seth