CT bags and filter options ...

[Chinski]

As far as I can tell, the following is true but I'd happily be corrected as, if so, it leads to some interesting questions at the end...

SELFCLEAN filter bag SC FIS-CT 26/5 part no. 496187 is the white fleece bag and is designed for general wood and other fine dust collection.  It is not intended for use with auto-clean functionality.  So firstly, how does it "self clean"?

Disposable bag ENS-CT 26 AC/5 part no. 496216 is a clear open bag that gets tied with a zip tie when full and must be used with the auto-clean function to keep debris out of the filter (as the bag is open). It is apparently intended for "coarse dirt and chips" according to the Festool UK CTM 26 e ac 240v web page, and confirmed with Festool on the phone today. 

Now then ...

The Main filter HF-CT 26/36/48 HP part no. 203759 is the filter that is supplied and recommended in both CTL and CTM - auto-clean and non auto-clean models alike

However, not advertised as an option on the UK website but none-the-less available, is the HEPA main filter CT26/36/48 White part no. 498994. It apparently has a better performance / higher filtration level than the above main filter, but is NOT recommended for use with the auto-clean function because it is not robust enough. 

So ...

Auto-clean appears to be NOT for fine dust as the fleece bags are for collecting fine dust and you can't use auto-clean with them. But auto-clean always seems to be marketed towards people dry-wall sanding etc - which is ... fine dust.  The "coarse dirt and chips" are unlikely to get through any filter and enter your lungs surely.

And a HEPA filter in a CTL26 would give higher filtration than a CTM26 but wouldn't be allowed on a worksite.

Then there's the whole hose size selector on an M model - meaning that acceptable suction on, say a 27mm hose would presumably not be acceptable on a 36 or 50mm hose - yet both would be allowed on the same work site even though filtration on one would presumably be much less at peak fill. 

This all seems a bit counter-intuitive. Am I missing something or just getting confused?

Thanks.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

I recently couldn’t decide when we needed new portable extractors what to get. Also got confused with the AC.
When you buy a CTM AC it comes with an open disposable bag, and a filter bag. The actual filter is not the same as the CTL filter, it’s PTFE coated.
I use the extractors for all sorts of general building but, mainly timber and MDF dust.
Also concrete, brick and dry wall dust, so the AC made sense.

I spoke to many people regarding what bags and filters to use with various jobs. Some advice, even from Festool was sketchy saying use the disposable poly bag all the time, and only use AC when dealing with concrete, brick and dry wall dust.

Finally Garry Martin on here gave me the info I needed.

So, I bought a cheaper CTL filter, and use that with a filter bag, when working with wood and MDF and never use the AC option.
When sanding dry wall, or dealing with concrete and brick dust, I put the more expensive PTFE filter back in, fit a disposable poly bag, and switch on AC.

These two methods work very well for the different applications, I could just keep the PTFE filter in, and swap bag types but, I like this set up.

The CTM AC’s proved the right choice for me.

 

[semenza]

SELFCLEAN filter bag SC FIS-CT 26/5 part no. 496187 is the white fleece bag and is designed for general wood and other fine dust collection.  It is not intended for use with auto-clean functionality.  So firstly, how does it "self clean"?

      The fleece bag deflates when the vac is turned off. When the vac is turned on the sudden inflation is supposed to snap / knock the dust off the inside walls of the bag. Thus cleaning the filter aspect of the bag.

Seth