Ct36ac fried again :(

[Jaybolishes]

While sanding with my ETS150 the other day, my vac all of a sudden quit.  Last time this happened it ended up being a fried module ($350 part I believe).  Now that my vac is out of warranty I'm wondering how electric shocks from the hose can cause catastrophic damage to a vac.  My rigid vac is twice older and has been used twice as much and this hasn't ever happened.  Just very annoyed.  Ok crying over.

 

[peter halle]

Jay,

Obviously I will suggest contacting Festool away from the forum about your situation.  Just out of curiousity, is this happening while using the anti-static hose?  Any non- Festool stuff in the loop?

Ironically my wife and I were talking a couple of minutes ago about a book project for her and part of the discussion was about a world without electronics.  Your Old beater shop vac brought that thought to my mind.

Peter

 

[Jaybolishes]

Yup I only have antistatic hoses and it was plugged directly into the vac. Vac was plugged into a socket. I will call the service department, they have a stellar track record the half dozen times I've needed them. I wish I knew electronics enough to understand how the module isn't insulated from shocks coming off the hose, and my other vacs are. What's the differences in their circuitry.

 

[peter halle]

Jay,

If you are talking about a generic shop vac like the one I keep around for rough grungy work, I doubt that there any electronics in there unless you consider an on/off switch, the mechanical switch when the float rises to a certain level and shuts it off, and the motor electronics.  What I was talking about is where the variable speed comes in and the electrical contacts for water level, and the auto shut-down to keep it from cooking in case of high heat.

Peter

 

[Bohdan]

If the power point that you are using is not earthed/grounded correctly then even using an anti-static hose will not protect your electronics in the CT when using a sander.

 

[NL-mikkla]

I noticed some electrical build up years ago using my CT22, presuming they are somewhat similar here's my solution.
I'm well known with electrics, I'm not fond of static build up shocks and my CT22 was out of warranty I brought a earth lead directly from the hose to the internals of the CT.
When you open it up there is a spare ground point close to were the electrical cable enters the machine.
That's were I connected my homemade earth lead and after this the static build up simply flowed back into the "grid".
No more static build up shocks or risk to the electronics
I must say I do not have a RCD in my power supply, not sure if the RCD likes this solution.

 

[k1w1]

I had this happen to my CT26 recently and when the power tool repair shop informed me I needed a new motor for $800 I declined their suggestion and on return of vacuum I pulled the carbon brushes out of vacuum motor(easy) and found one of them had worn down to the very clever spring loaded pin which automatically pops and save the armature from frying when brushes wear down too far. Buy new brushes, install, all good !
BTW  just had the exact thing happen on my ETS 150/5 last week and suspected immediately what the problem was by the fact both went from running to instant stopped with no other symptoms before failure.

If you're electrically inclined open it up and have a look.

 

[NL-mikkla]

Nice power tool repair shop.....

 

[Gregor]

Nice power tool repair shop.....

Sadly there are quite some of that kind.

That situation would be better if it wouldn't be that complicated to get such criminals the jailtime they deserve.