CT 36 board replacement

[Crispy]

I was just given a non working CT36 E AC vacuum with accompanying 36mm hose and vacuum kit.

I was wondering if replacing the electronic board would fix it, and if it would be worth it as EKAT says the replacement board for the vacuum model is almost $500, new vaccum is $1800...

With the power knob [big grin] on either auto or manual the 3 pin outlet works (240V), but the vacuum will not turn on.

The person who gave it to me pulled it apart, and then lost the cover plate for the adaption module and the plug for the motor lead ( he plugged the leads into an 18v battery to see if the motor worked ( which he said it did).
However now i dont know if the cables are polarity dependant or if it doesnt matter which way they go back into the main board.

On the pics both Capacitors seem to be toast but as posted in another thread i dont think ill win trying to remove the resin.

I guess im asking should i risk 1/3 of a new vacuum on a motherboard that MAY fix it..

Cheers

 

[bwehman]

Ultimately the decision is yours. If it were me, I'd swap the board out and risk it. You could always sell it afterward for probably around the cost of the ECU. 

I had to replace the board on my CT15 a few months ago when a power surge blew up a capacitor. Very simple to do and runs as good as new. Board from Festool was $222.87.

Hope that helps!

 

[Coen]

$AU is about 2.4 times the European price including VAT.

Doubt the motor works on 18 Vdc...

The two pins going to the motor.. don't think it matters as it's AC from the wall. In most countries you can rotate the plug 180° before plugging it in.. that does the same thing.

You can test the motor with straight 230V (not the 110V models!) from the mains connection.

I swapped out a board on a CTL-26. Tested the motor using a variac. Couldn't figure out what part on the board was broken since I lacked schematics and the board was encased in epoxy. Eventually bought the replacement part and it works fine since.

 

[Crispy]

Cheers for the responses!

$AU is about 2.4 times the European price including VAT.

Doubt the motor works on 18 Vdc...

The two pins going to the motor.. don't think it matters as it's AC from the wall. In most countries you can rotate the plug 180° before plugging it in.. that does the same thing.

You can test the motor with straight 230V (not the 110V models!) from the mains connection.

I swapped out a board on a CTL-26. Tested the motor using a variac. Couldn't figure out what part on the board was broken since I lacked schematics and the board was encased in epoxy. Eventually bought the replacement part and it works fine since.

The Vcat thing states its AUD with GST - so im assuming what i see is what i pay.
Except i didnt take into consideration that everything is priced per item ( x1) even if it shows 4 screws, the price shown is only for 1.....

Coen, as for the motor being 240v - i think i missed this the first time i read your message.
When my motor removed its self from its home while i was stuffing around with the cover, i found it does state 240v.
So with all my sparky skills (legit electrician) i wired it up power lead->motor harness clips  (Worksafe/OHSA would have had a fit if they saw it) and the motor sucked hard  and it doesnt matter which way the leads go as i tested to see - so backs up your statement.

I could just rig it up to work, but will order a replacement board and the necessary screws top replace the ones that were missing when i got it!

 

[Coen]

Yes, I compared it to European pricing including VAT (21% here, 19% Germany)

I looked at the photo of your print again. The two capacitors near the green part are definitely bulging. You might try to just replace those. There is another thread on here where someone replaced a few caps on the board and it came back to life.

The board I replaced had no visually broken parts.

[...]
I could just rig it up to work, but will order a replacement board and the necessary screws top replace the ones that were missing when i got it!

Don't rig it up. There is no thermal protection without the board.

 

[Crispy]

Just thought I'd add some detail to getting spare parts for the CT36 ( 2019 Model)

Without reading the *fine print* i emailed sales[member=76587]Take[/member] my money.com.au

The response was
Thanks for your email, please use a third party to buy parts for your festool items rather than coming to us directly ( even through we sell directly to you anyway - this part is my take on this)

Turns out the 2019 CT 36E AC i have is NLA ( well obviously its old but 5 years...), and i was told that Festool will just say go away to the retailer i went to as the item is NLA - they have been told this in the past apparently.

So now even though Ekat has parts listed, festool dont want to deal with me directly, and the retailer cant purchase 'spare parts' so i technically have a free $2000~ paper weight.
I may be able to get an electronics place to look at replacing the caps....if they can get the resin off first.

Which brings me to my next 2 questions for anyone reading this ( who may know)

What is the difference between a CT36AC and a CT36AC planex other than the planex 50mm hose.
For all intents and purposes they pretty much seem to be an identical vacuum.

And what is the difference between the CT26 and a CT36 other than the bin size?

I ask ,as i have found a CT26 and a CT36AC planex - both ex demo - for sale, there is about $70 difference between them and the CT 36 is just over $1k

 

[mino]

Just thought I'd add some detail to getting spare parts for the CT36 ( 2019 Model)

Without reading the *fine print* i emailed sales[member=76587]Take[/member] my money.com.au

The response was
Thanks for your email, please use a third party to buy parts for your festool items rather than coming to us directly ( even through we sell directly to you anyway - this part is my take on this)

Turns out the 2019 CT 36E AC i have is NLA ( well obviously its old but 5 years...), and i was told that Festool will just say go away to the retailer i went to as the item is NLA - they have been told this in the past apparently.

So now even though Ekat has parts listed, festool dont want to deal with me directly, and the retailer cant purchase 'spare parts' so i technically have a free $2000~ paper weight.
...

This is wrong. Talk to a (different) retailer as per the Festool advice.

1) Festool guarantees a minimum of 10 years parts availability *after the last time of an offer*, your retailer is trying to fleece you into buying a new tool from them, they do not want to bother with you, etc. etc. Not a business you want to have anything in common with. If you want to be bad on them, get the statement in writing /drop them an email/ and pass it to Festool .. they may have a word with them as this type of a behavior causes bad reputation for Festool .. I believe in AUS the retailers get a guaranteed margin from Festool to act properly..

2) The Festool (and Protool) CT 26/36/48 series (all of them made through the last 15 years) us the SAME motor and other components. This means the control board is interchangable between all of them. True, Festool has multiple revisions of the control boards since, but *you do not need an old version of it*. If you look in ekat, you will actually see this - the newest model of the CT36 lists the same part # for the controll board as the one you got.

3) When talking about buying spare parts, you generally want to go via the "service" path, not the "sales" path. The "sales" path folks often are not aware on how to handle spare parts ordering etc. This goes both for Festool and retailer, but more so the retailers.ň

GL!

...
And what is the difference between the CT26 and a CT36 other than the bin size?

I ask ,as i have found a CT26 and a CT36AC planex - both ex demo - for sale, there is about $70 difference between them and the CT 36 is just over $1k

None. And Yes.

Wirth all the CT26/36/48 series they use the same:
motor
motor housing
AC module
flow sensor module (M and H class in Europe)
filter type
bag type

The only differences are:
- bin size (26/36/48)
- presence of the AutoClean unit (AC models have it)
- presence of the air volume sensor /M and H class models in Europe/
- various accessories bundles (Planex bundle is sold with a different hose, etc.)

Otherwise the base unit is the same. One can even take a control board from CT 26 and use it in a CTM 48 AC version ... just the AC and the flow sensor would not be connected/working.

 

[Coen]

Just thought I'd add some detail to getting spare parts for the CT36 ( 2019 Model)

Without reading the *fine print* i emailed sales[member=76587]Take[/member] my money.com.au

The response was
Thanks for your email, please use a third party to buy parts for your festool items rather than coming to us directly ( even through we sell directly to you anyway - this part is my take on this)

Turns out the 2019 CT 36E AC i have is NLA ( well obviously its old but 5 years...), and i was told that Festool will just say go away to the retailer i went to as the item is NLA - they have been told this in the past apparently.

So now even though Ekat has parts listed, festool dont want to deal with me directly, and the retailer cant purchase 'spare parts' so i technically have a free $2000~ paper weight.
I may be able to get an electronics place to look at replacing the caps....if they can get the resin off first.

Which brings me to my next 2 questions for anyone reading this ( who may know)

What is the difference between a CT36AC and a CT36AC planex other than the planex 50mm hose.
For all intents and purposes they pretty much seem to be an identical vacuum.

And what is the difference between the CT26 and a CT36 other than the bin size?

I ask ,as i have found a CT26 and a CT36AC planex - both ex demo - for sale, there is about $70 difference between them and the CT 36 is just over $1k

That makes no sense. Whoever told you Festool would say "go away" to the dealer is wrong.

Where I live some shops have the complete EKAT catalog on their website where you can just order any part. Usually in a near hidden section of the website labeled with "special order // no returns" etc.

Mino is right; parts commonality is big.

[member=61254]mino[/member]
The AC models have different filters that are "AC rated", but otherwise they are the same form factor yes. So it allows a non-AC filter in too.

 

[Crispy]

Thanks Mino and Coen.

Ive had fun with both of the big box festool dealers up/over here in Darwin.
Obviously this item is NLA, and the other dealer when i went to get a hose for the Kapex.
I was pretty much told both will work just depends on what you want to spend.
I didnt know this site existed and i ended up with the 32/27mm hose, i now know i should have got the 32mm hose, anywho...

Going on what mino said i could possibly get the latest CTM36 E AC Electronic board and it should work in my CT.
The board i need for my CT according to Ekat is #204405, and the current CTM board is #204900, but it states special tool required for adjustment..... and they are almost the same price.

Im planning on if Festool wont help me tomorrow over the phone, calling the business in queensland that does the warranty work and see if someone there can help me with parts and info.

 

[mino]

OK, I looked up the ausie eKat.

What the AUS eKat lists is a "Conversion kit" under part #203961 that includes the electronics board and the face panel for it.

The same kit is listed for the oldest CT 36 - #202186 model as is listed for the newest model: #500866

When you order spare parts, go by your *local* eKat as those part # are how the local distributor will have the things stocked. The face plate that you may not need, do not throw it our.

That face is the thing that I have seen broken the most often /besides the garage/ as it is not mechanically super strong like the rest of the vac. So you can either sell it on or keep as a spare.

...
As for the need to manually tune it - you got the wrong board found. You do NOT have a CTM version /with the flow sensor/ but a "CT" or "CTL" without the sensor. I can see it from the photo you shared - there is no hose-type setting knob on yours.

The AC module is a simple on/off device. Nothing to calibrate there.

 

[Coen]

[blink] they only sell the sub assembly in AUS? I just got a bare print.

 

[Crispy]

OK, I looked up the ausie eKat.

What the AUS eKat lists is a "Conversion kit" under part #203961 that includes the electronics board and the face panel for it.

The same kit is listed for the oldest CT 36 - #202186 model as is listed for the newest model: #500866

When you order spare parts, go by your *local* eKat as those part # are how the local distributor will have the things stocked. The face plate that you may not need, do not throw it our.

That face is the thing that I have seen broken the most often /besides the garage/ as it is not mechanically super strong like the rest of the vac. So you can either sell it on or keep as a spare.

...
As for the need to manually tune it - you got the wrong board found. You do NOT have a CTM version /with the flow sensor/ but a "CT" or "CTL" without the sensor. I can see it from the photo you shared - there is no hose-type setting knob on yours.

The AC module is a simple on/off device. Nothing to calibrate there.

After trying the festool warranty repair agent - who after the last 3 days have decided I'm not worth calling back......I rang festool and had a very different response compared to the email i got back from them.
I told the festool member my dramas, and that i want to spend money, please help me.

Mino,  part #203961 is very much the part i needed.
The Ekat part number i supplied from using the T.Nr number on my unit showed up as obsolete, and the festool person confirmed the replacement part is the part you suggested ( and gave me price ex GST), and its in stock.
The only thing i will have to wait on are a couple of the screws i have to order ( as they will have to come from Germany)
SO now armed with what part i need i will go back to the retailer and try again tomorrow

Also i am aware that i dont have a CTM, but was going of one of your posts that said you can put a board form the CT26 into a CTM48 and assumed it would work the other way also, which is why i asked.
I have found it hard to find info on festool stuff which does not help, and was not sure that the CT is even still made

Either way every ones help has been much appreciated

 

[mino]

Also i am aware that i dont have a CTM, but was going of one of your posts that said you can put a board form the CT26 into a CTM48 and assumed it would work the other way also, which is why i asked.
...

Yes, it would work, but would also make no sense ... sorry not being clear.

Was just trying to illustrate the commonality of parts being pretty much absolute. Outside the presence/not presence of the AC unit or the flow sensor, the "big" series vac units are mechanically and electrically identical. So, e.g., using a non-AC control board in an "AC" vac would just leave to AC unit not working, etc.

Reg. the rest, I guess you got confused by casually refering "eKat" without clarifying much what it is .. so there it is for the posterity:

Go here:https://www.festool.com.au
click "Services" -> "Spare Parts"
then click "Festool Spare Part Diagram" => this link will open the eKat application
  (no idea why it is a "Diagram" on the AUS site, everywhere else it is called "Spare parts catalogue" ..)

Once in eKat, navigate to:
Dust Extraction -> CT Mobile Dust Extractors -> CT (or CTL, CTM, etc.) -> click on left part# to show the details of the particular model

Public availability of eKat is one of the major added values of Festool tools. The only minus of it is that descriptions of no longer available spare parts /with no replacements/ are removed, instead of just listing them as "not available".

Also, if you register your (new) tool on MyFestool, you will have a direct link to your tool in eKat on the portal or application. Unfortunately this was not retro-enabled for older models though so for those one still needs to browse them via the general eKat portal.

GL!

 

[Coen]

Also i am aware that i dont have a CTM, but was going of one of your posts that said you can put a board form the CT26 into a CTM48 and assumed it would work the other way also, which is why i asked.
...

Yes, it would work, but would also make no sense ... sorry not being clear.
[...]

Did you test a CTM-AC board with flow sensor and AC units disconnected?

 

[Coen]

The only thing i will have to wait on are a couple of the screws i have to order ( as they will have to come from Germany)
SO now armed with what part i need i will go back to the retailer and try again tomorrow

The screws aren't that specific. Why air for a generic article to come from Germany?