Ct-22 bag blowouts make me mad.

[WarnerConstCo.]

I have had each of my last 3 bags blow-out.  What a mess [mad].

Today I finally discovered the deal-eio.  The two fingers/tabs, that shut the vac down if you are picking up liquids, keep puncturing the bag.

I do not plan to ever use my ct to suck up water.
It was suggested to me by David at Festool to either remove them (you may end up with a vac leak) or to just cut them off.

Has anyone else had this issue?

I have popped 3 bags before they were 1/2 full.  That is a waste of about 20 bucks and a good 1/2 hour of my time cleaning up the mess.

Grrrrrr..... [mad]

 

[Brice Burrell]

I've never had that happen. Could you tape them up somehow, the water sensors that is?

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I've never had that happen. Could you tape them up somehow, the water sensors that is?

Not really, they are kind of flexible but not to the point of holding them out of the way.

I am leaning towards cutting them off and maybe buy some new ones if I ever sell the vac.

I took some pictures of it today, I have to go find my camera in the truck.

Two holes right where the prongs come down.

 

[mastercabman]

I have had each of my last 3 bags blow-out.  What a mess [mad].

Today I finally discovered the deal-eio.  The two fingers/tabs, that shut the vac down if you are picking up liquids, keep puncturing the bag.
[mad]

When you put a new bag in the vac,Do you inflate the bag? or leave it folded like the way they are out of the box?
If you put it on folded you should not have to worry about those tabs puncturing the bag,unless you open the vac and shut it.
When i do check on my bag,i allways push on the bag forward so that the tabs wont interfere with it.Or you could just tape them heavy so that they are not as sharp/pointy.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I leave it folded.  I think it happens from me checking the bag to see if it is full or not.

Bricked bags make just as much of a mess as one's with holes.

 

[spikfot]

I've only had one bag impaled by the prongs, it had already been emptied at least 4 times so it was no big deal. To be on the safe side I always make sure the bag is folded forward to avoid a "pronging"

 

[harry_]

I have pronged a bag before as well,.... sucked. But I found folding the bag forward after checking for fullness or emptying helps to prevent that from occurring. The one and only time I have pronged a bag, it was quite obvious that is what it was.

As far as bricked bags go, I just emptied one of those the other day. I was quite surprised at just how tightly the bag was packed as compared to the amount of suction still available. I had not really noticed a loss of suction, nor did I notice any gain in suction after emptying out the bag.

When changing out a bag, I always check it afterwards to verify it's inflation. For whatever the reason I have a fear of it inflating improperly somehow, causing it to 'burst' when it starts collecting. (Yes, sometimes I am a little neurotic.) Then I just push the bag forward a little to make sure the prongs have a safe passage and close it up.

I do have to agree with the OP, bag blowouts make me  [mad]

 

[jeffinsgf]

I've not had this problem, but then I don't use my vac nearly as much as most of you.  I did have a bag where the plastic piece came off the paper bag while sitting in storage.  [mad]  I glued it back on and will use it next. After that, I think I only have one paper bag left.  Considering that and reading this thread, I went to the Festool site to look at the reusable bag. The break even point on that compared to $6.50 paper bags is around 30 bags.  For daily use, or if I used my CT-22 for stuff other than dust collection, that might make some sense, but for me, I'll have to stick to paper.

 

[greg mann]

I have not had this happen either. A couple things. Is it possible the tab on your DC has gotten bent a bit, making it more likely to happen? Also, if everything else is as it shoud be, then about 2 square inches of duct tape in just the right place should keep this from happening. In other words, maybe taping the vulnerable spot on a new bag each time would be better that disabling or taping the metal tab.

 

[bobbobbob]

I had that same thing happen when I first got my CT33, checking on the bag as you did.  What I did after that first time was to deflate the bag so it clears the 'prongs'.  Never had a problem since.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

I think the re-usable bags are silly.
Why would I go through all the effort
of catching the dust and then have to empty the bag.

I see it has its place for large chips but, there is still a ton of fine dust.

I have only emptied one paper bag, I had no choice.

Like I said, I am never planning on picking up water with my CT,
I think the tabs are going under the knife.

 

[bustedbolt]

oooh i am cutting those suckers out. i didnt know what they were.
mad is right.
i got pronged twice this summer and then the bags overflowed and choked the vac.
this was from someone helping me who "checked the bag" and then closed improperly. (unparanoid closure)
Also I have had the bag slip off the hose inlet. 

was lucky to have another ct22 to clean out the other one once. when on a job this is a big bummer.

 

[mikeneron]

I removed these prongs from my vacuum and noticed some reduction in airflow. Can't really say by how much, but it was definitely noticeable. Thought maybe I had a blockage, so fed a broom handle through the hose but it was clean. Figured maybe because the bag was about 3/4 full so put in a brand new bag, still no good. So I decided to put these prongs back in. I had to shave a bit of the grippers on them to get them back in...tight fit. The little water sensors look like they are just wires and attach to the metal ends, but good luck in getting those back on..so I just put the prongs back in place. When I fired up the vacuum this time, the airflow was back again. So by removing these, what exactly does it do to reduce the airflow? Just wanted to give a heads up and see if any of you noticed the same thing. I guess if I want to get rid of them, I will have to cut them off.  Think I will just leave them and have to remember to push the bag in when closing the lid.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Good news is the new CT26 and 36 don't have these prongs and the fabric filter bags should be more puncture resistant. Until then....

 

[ward]

I think the re-usable bags are silly.
Why would I go through all the effort
of catching the dust and then have to empty the bag.

I see it has its place for large chips but, there is still a ton of fine dust.

I have only emptied one paper bag, I had no choice.

Like I said, I am never planning on picking up water with my CT,
I think the tabs are going under the knife.

Thanks for the heads up on the issue, i think i'll "personalize" my machine if i ever blow a bag. I"m all for it! Cut it off if it hurts!  stuff that we don't need is useless weight in every sense and sucking water is a strange idea (as a wood floor guy) water should NEVER be on the floor (inside).

I also agree about the re-usable bags. I bought one with my vac and returned it for something useful, like another sander.
I really like disposable bags. Having the dust in the bag, and putting it in the trash, as opposed to the atmosphere or my lungs or my clothes is a clear, simple choice.

Even if i do empty the bag outside, emptying bags sucks! i do it enough with my floor sander to know. . . . Anyone downwind of you that knows what your doing has good reason to take action for pollution.

The machines are engineered for a bag sensor, they just are not employed in the US models due to price concerns and lackadaisical environmental concerns (see blowout preventers).  They are well engineered machines, but like many high end German products, they cross the line of "overengineered" and just become finicky and troublesome at times and expensive to maintain at others. this issue calls attention to the LACK of engineering. . . I mean, all they need to do to avoid this is to change the shape or placement.

Thanks again for the heads up!

 

[Brice Burrell]

......I mean, all they need to do to avoid this is to change the shape or placement.....

Well, they have in the new models.

 

[fdengel]

So by removing these, what exactly does it do to reduce the airflow?

While I haven't looked closely at this on my own, just by reading the thread and seeing the comment that the air would leak if you removed the tabs -- wouldn't that leakage on its own result in reduced suction?

Have you considered taping the spot where the tabs were after removing them -- just put a piece of masking tape or some such over the spot to seal off the leak?

 

[jgag]

we've had a similar problem with blowouts on a midi.

I think the paper strip at the card end has insufficient glue

anyway since I started stapling the "sticky paper" to the card - the problem stopped occurring

 

[imaginarynumber]

I have only had this happen when I have opened and closed the ct22 whilst the bag was partially inflated. I now squish the bag before closing.

The bags do split if I sand plaster, from about 10% full upwards. I find that sucking in scrunched up toilet paper first helps. I guess it gives the dust something else other than the bag lining to cling to.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I find that sucking in scrunched up toilet paper first helps. I guess it gives the dust something else other than the bag lining to cling to.

Hm, great idea, I'm going to remember that.  [thumbs up]