Ct22 and ct33 suckage

[Tim Sproul]

Anyone else have/use both frequently?  Do you notice an difference in suckage between the 2?

I'm noticing my ct33 - about 2-3 yrs old - has mucho more suckage than my ct 22 - 6-7 yrs old.

For example, I can pick up machine bolts and nuts with the 33 without trying but the 22 can barely do it.  I had never really paid much attention before.

I have used the same hose on both machines.  I have a new bag in the 22 and new filters - I experienced the dreaded torn bag due to water sensor puncture!

After talkin with Festool serivice, i examined the motor for worn brushes or burnt contacts or other electrical problems but didn't notice any.  So I thought I'd check with the collective for experience/advice.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Tim, the specs are the same on those two machines are far as "suckage" goes. Just as a general troubleshooting step, I would swap the hoses and filters between the two machines and see if the problem persists. That would at least rule those variables out.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

After talkin with Festool serivice, i examined the motor for worn brushes or burnt contacts or other electrical problems but didn't notice any.  So I thought I'd check with the collective for experience/advice.

Tim,
For a noticeable difference in suction between the two vacs, I would be less inclined to consider the motor(s) as the cause, and more the airflow paths. In order for an impeller to move air, it needs to be able to ingest air as well as expel it. If the motor sounds labored, then the likely area is with the exhaust. If the motor sounds like it is racing (like when you put your hand over the hose) then it is likely the inlet. If you don't notice any difference in motor sounds, then it could be the impeller itself being gummed up with caked debris.

With a vac this old, it is reasonably likely that at some time it ingested high-moisture air, which can turn the ingested debris into a semi-hard coating on the internal components.

 

[ccarrolladams]

Two weeks after I bought my first TS55 with a CT22 in January 2006, a good friend bout a TS55 with a CT33, so both of those CT are over 5 years old. At first I only could take on projects for a couple of weeks at a time 3-4 times a year. My friend is a talented hobby woodworker who hardly used his Festools the first 2 years he owned them. By late 2007 I was building custom cabinets as a business full-time, renting space in shops belong to others, including the home shop of my good friend. Since he had his CT33, I did not bring my CT22 to his shop. However, by then my habit was to use a 36mmAS hose with my TS55, so I did bring it with me.

What I noticed was that both CT sucked better with the larger hose. With sanders that was not necessary, but with the 36mmAS I could always saw with the CT suction reduced. Bottom line was that when fairly new his CT33 and my CT22 were as efficient.

By late 2008 I had made a good arrangement with a friend who was retiring from the woodworking business. While I did not want to buy his business, I did cover his rent in exchange for using his shop as my primary site until early 2010. So that was when I had occasion to use the 2006 CT33. What I fist noticed was that the bag was filled and stuck. My friend had a carton of replacement bags which was sealed. He sheepishly admitted to never changing the factory original 2006 bag on his CT33! Meanwhile I was sure my CT22 bag consumption was keeping Festool USA in business.

Of course with the stuck bag the CT33 did not extract much dust. After I managed to remove the old and install a new bag in it, I saw that the filters were so clogged they needed to be replace. Doing all that helped, but that CT33 needed to be set to maximum to clear as much dust as my CT22 on low.

After a discussing with Festool Service we checked. As Rick C mentioned, the CT33 needed a replacement impeller and a thorough cleaning of the input and discharge airways. It seems my friend stored his CT33 in an unheated shed that was not well sealed, so the air was always moist. Sure enough gunk caked the inside. My CT22 has always been in a heated and dry location, even in the rented shops. I changed my bags before they got stuck and changed my filters at least once a year, but cleaned them as recommended in the manual with every bag change.

 

[Tim Sproul]

So it only took me 7 months to get around to fixing my vac......

Problem:  user caused!  No surprise there.

At one point, I ripped 2 bags on those electrodes that are used to shut the vac off when using it for cleaning up wet stuff.  Those electrodes were embedded in rubber but I removed them anyways.  Turns out the rubber seals off the vacuum chamber.  No electrodes = another path besides the hose for the vacuum to suck air.

I plugged up the holes where the electrodes went and the 22 is as good as new!