Ctl 26 unused headers on PCB

[PeterPorter]

Recently cleaning out a 2016 110v Festool CTL26 I noticed there's two unused 5 pin headers on the PCB and a rotating control that isn't used. Does anyone know what these are actually for? I'm wondering if there's maybe some features that arent implemented on this model but are actually there which I could access via those headers.
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[woodbutcherbower]

Welcome to the FOG.

I’m presuming that both will be used in M-Class and AC implementation, although I couldn’t tell you exactly what they’re for without looking at a circuit diagram. A standard CTL26 only has two rotary controls on the panel (Man/Off/Auto plus variable speed). The CTM version has three, adding a rotary control to select hose diameter, and the CTM26 AC also has a fourth control to adjust the AC functionality;

[attachimg=1]

Kevin

 

[Cheese]

Unused headers on a CT 22 circuit board allowed one to install a Bluetooth module to activate the vac. Some probing with a DVM  could produce some interesting results.  [smile]

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[mino]

Recently cleaning out a 2016 110v Festool CTL26 I noticed there's two unused 5 pin headers on the PCB and a rotating control that isn't used. Does anyone know what these are actually for?
...

For those those "unused" control/heaers, these are definitely not for the CTM/AC series. Those have different boards. I actually have a CT(L) 48 AC and a CTM 36 AC and even those two have different boards between each other - will post later as we are servicing both ATM so have them taken appart now in the shop ..

The 5-pin is most likely for programing/firmware update. At least the M class vacs flow sensors apparantely need to be "calibrated" by a Festool service so they must have a way to "talk" to the vac for that.

As for the reason for the boards - all the electronics for the AC and flow sensor are concentrated on the central control board, including the power shunts, the AC main knob being different, etc. etc. So a different board makes sense there. The advantage is that all the other parts of the vacs are the same for servicing. The simple models just have "placeholders" for where an advanced feature part would be.

 

[Coen]

That rotating control isn't unused. It is the "switch" between auto and on. Look at the rear of your main switch. It sticks out with a shape that fits that potentiometer perfectly.

For the 5 pin headers primary suspects would be
Festool 496143, Festool 496141 and more recently Festool 202097

The main switch does the same in either direction; it closes both poles. The vac can only distinguish between having to be "on" or "auto" by the position of that potentiometer.

That same thing is also suspect to be broken on the CTL 26 of a family member of mine.

EDIT: Second thought. Don't know what the 5 -pin are for. I think the 4-pin that is out of frame is for most of these modules.

Full PCB, 4-pin bottom left.
[attachimg=1]

 

[PeterPorter]

That rotating control isn't unused. It is the "switch" between auto and on. Look at the rear of your main switch. It sticks out with a shape that fits that potentiometer perfectly.

For the 5 pin headers primary suspects would be
Festool 496143, Festool 496141 and more recently Festool 202097

The power switch on mine has a a few wires to a large White connector that goes over 6 wide flat pins and doesn't have anything reaching the rotating control behind it at all. Wonder if that's something they did in later models.

Those Festool accessories you list don't use any of those connectors, there are separate headers for them located behind the module panel.

 

[PeterPorter]

The 5-pin is most likely for programing/firmware update. At least the M class vacs flow sensors apparantely need to be "calibrated" by a Festool service so they must have a way to "talk" to the vac for that.

Aha this makes sense, I did wonder if there could be some diagnostic role

 

[Coen]

That rotating control isn't unused. It is the "switch" between auto and on. Look at the rear of your main switch. It sticks out with a shape that fits that potentiometer perfectly.

For the 5 pin headers primary suspects would be
Festool 496143, Festool 496141 and more recently Festool 202097

The power switch on mine has a a few wires to a large White connector that goes over 6 wide flat pins and doesn't have anything reaching the rotating control behind it at all. Wonder if that's something they did in later models.

How many is a few? Mines has four wires to that connector that goes on the 6 pins from the PCB. All it is is a 2-pole switch that is open in the center position and closed in both outer positions.

In the bottom of this pic you can see the rear of the main switch with the protruding D-axle that fits the potentiometer perfectly.
[attachimg=1]
It made no sense to me either, but that's truly how it is on this 2020 230V CTL 26 E.

Those Festool accessories you list don't use any of those connectors, there are separate headers for them located behind the module panel.

You do realize the 4 pin connector on this PCB is right behind the model panel?
Or maybe you pissed my edit;

[...]

EDIT: Second thought. Don't know what the 5 -pin are for. I think the 4-pin that is out of frame is for most of these modules.
[...]

I did a short comparison, but I'm not seeing any difference between your 110V PCB and my 230V one.

I did take a look in EKAT too. The CTL 26 E GB 115V has a different part number for the PCB compared to the CTL 26 E 230V, but the switch is the same part.
And the CTL 26 E GB 240V version has the same PCB as the CTL 26 E 230V.