CTL SYS help

[Scorpion]

I've been using mine for a while now and just recently I noticed that the exhaust door won't stay closed.  After looking at the latch I notice that the way it's designed it won't stay closed...almost as if I'm missing a clip or part that holds it shut.  Can someone post a pick of their exhaust door that shows the latch?

Thanks

 

[tjbnwi]

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Tom

 

[Scorpion]

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Tom

Thanks Tom.

Mine is exactly the same.  Does yours stay closed well or does it fall open without much disruption at all?

 

[Peterm]

Hi. I think your latch may have become a bit squished, though it's a little hard to tell from your photos. On mine, the edge of the latch is in line with the door, and from above the latch is like a sideways V; looks to me like yours is more like a sideways U.

If that's the case, then you could probably open the latch up by judicious use of a hot air gun and *very carefully* prying it open. Emphasis on the *very carefully*!!

HTH Pete

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[tjbnwi]

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Tom

Thanks Tom.

Mine is exactly the same.  Does yours stay closed well or does it fall open without much disruption at all?

Never had mine open on its own.

Tom

 

[bkharman]

Never had an issue with mine either. Call Festool and see if they can send you another since it is in warranty. It is plastic so if it has been compressed, it would easily pop open. You can also put some sort of wedge in it if you never use it as a blower.

Cheers. Bryan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Scorpion]

Has anyone had the vac game into thermal shutdown?  Thinking through it, I had it happen twice - once when my bag got too full and I kept pushing it and once when I was sanding drywall and the dust prevented the bag from breathing (effectively no different than having a full bag).  Both times the Vac was hot.  Been too busy to mess with it so I decided there was no risk in attempting to fix it myself.  Noticed the door was a little bent in and the tab was also a little bent in.  Here's what I did to fix it -

Little torch action

Little pry action

Little more torch action and then some bendy bendy

Now I get full engagement on the teeth

Only consequent of the activity was a little too much heat to this tab and it's a little deformed but since it's inside the door (shrug)

Fit and finish looks perfect.  Can't tell I rigged it.

 

[antss]

Seems like this is the 2nd report of a user having this happen to their vac .

Does yours also kick in the bypass valve or whatever the mechanism is that allows more flow to cool the turbine ?  I think several have reported that happening too.

My questions are,  are these being used outside their engineered parameters in these case ? A la 110v kapex failing when cutting thin material repetitively. And , how extensively was ct sys tested in the field before release ? It was tested right ?

 

[peter halle]

Antss,

I think it was posted by the latest poster that he had it happen twice - once when the bag was full and he kept on using it and the second time when sanding drywall and the dust clogged the bag.  Both of these are situations that could hinder airflow and even lead to shutdown.  I don't believe that Festool would put out a product that they didn't test and of course there are thousands more out there in the rest of world prior to their intro in the US.  A couple of instances does not make a pattern.

Peter

 

[antss]

Peter - here's the thread where at least three different people including our other moderator Seth have reported experiencing the bypass kicking in:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/ct-sys-burned-out/msg478095/#msg478095

And, scorpion was no where near that thread.

Secondly, my question is legitimate to useage. I agree drywall dust is hard on gear. Was that part of the long term battery of testing ?

Third , are you really sure Fetsool field tests their with actual users ?  Have you gotten a test model? has Seth? Has anyone here at FOG been asked to field test a product for three months or more ? I know guys on both coasts who have been using this gear for near on 20 yrs and not one of them has been asked - ever.  And they are all in the database.

Best I can tell, a few high profile guys get models just before release for reviews - driven it seems by the marketing dept.  Not one ever mushes on about how "I've pushed this thing hard on commercial high rise for six months , dropped it ten times and loaned it out to four guys that don't care what it cost - and it still runs , and cuts/ drills/ routs/dominos and vacuums like a champ.  "

All they say in the end when it comes down to it is it's groovy and feels good and this little green button is a feature and it's a system and it's great an wonderful.

So I ask again.  Are new products field tested for any length of time under real jobsite or factory conditions ?

Lastly, my intent really wasn't to dig at Kapex's issues but it was the quickest example that came to mind that would illustrate my point. Namely, were/are the engineers and the marketeers on the same page and are they aligned with the end users need?  It would seem from Festool's comments that they never thought Kapex would be used for thin repetitive cuts - so that was never factored into the design mandate.

Similarly, perhaps ct sys was never designed to be anything more than a quick cleanup tool like a dust buster.  I have been lead to believe that ct sys is just a baby ct. Doing all the things it's big brothers do , just for less time before the bag needs changing. Perhaps I'm misinformed.

  I don't think it capable of this type performance , and if so then Festool should come out and say we really shouldn't be using it to sand drywall and paint encrusted clapboards and hours on end of edging oak flooring or at a dedicated domino or router edging station like a CT22/33/26/36/48. 

 

[peter halle]

In response

1.  I believe that Festool does factory testing and accelerated wear testing - there are videos on the internet showing such.
2.  I believe that at least in the past Festool uses individuals for long term testing - the original carvex did not come to the US based on such testing.
3.  Am I included in such testing - No.  Is Seth?  I don't believe so.  I have no idea how Festool determines who and what although I know several who have.
4.  Is the distribution of tools to individuals for comments and just prior to release part of the marketing - I believe so.
5.  Did Festool try out the CT-Sys for drywall dust?  I have no idea.  I do know from personal experience that even my tried and true 8 year old CT-22 can have it's bag clogged by drywall dust and go into shut down to protect itself.  It also can do that if I brick the bag and attempt to keep going.

I would assume that it is easier to get into bypass or shut down mode with a much smaller bag filter area.  Is there an issue with the tool?  I don't know but perhaps the tools should be sent in for examination.

Peter

 

[chrisrosenb]

Similarly, perhaps ct sys was never designed to be anything more than a quick cleanup tool like a dust buster.  I have been lead to believe that ct sys is just a baby ct. Doing all the things it's big brothers do , just for less time before the bag needs changing. Perhaps I'm misinformed.

  I don't think it capable of this type performance , and if so then Festool should come out and say we really shouldn't be using it to sand drywall and paint encrusted clapboards and hours on end of edging oak flooring or at a dedicated domino or router edging station like a CT22/33/26/36/48.

In my opinion, the CT SYS is just meant for light duty work. The bag is not big enough for hours of sanding paint, drywall or even wood. I would not use a MINI or MIDI for hours of that type of work. I would only use one of the larger CTs for that type of work.

 

[Gregor]

I think there is a reason why Festool recommends to use a CT AC with the Planex.

 

[Scorpion]

In my opinion, the CT SYS is just meant for light duty work. The bag is not big enough for hours of sanding paint, drywall or even wood. I would not use a MINI or MIDI for hours of that type of work. I would only use one of the larger CTs for that type of work.

I had no idea anyone else had been experiencing the same thing.  So I'm not crazy.

I've used the CT SYS a dozen times since my last post and I'm going to have to agree with JD2720 - I don't think it's designed to be used for longer durations.  Its the only task that's continuous duty.  Other than switching pads, I can sand for hours (or until the bag fills).  Not the case for the jigsaw, Trac saw, kapex, domino, etc. 

I also think that because it doesn't have suction control it's running at full vacuum which puts strain on the motor and causes it to heat more quickly (or maybe it can't breathe so it struggles to cool?).  My MIDI has no problem doing the same task for extended durations at full vacuum.  I know because I frequently forget to adjust it when switching tools and it isn't until I switch back that I notice I never turned it down for sanding.

All of this leads me to believe it is not a continuous duty vacuum unless mine is defective.  It's completely possible it even says so in the manual.