Electrical question

[pilotboat]

The Kapex 120 draws 13 amps.  The CT 26 draws 10 ( at max).  The total is 23 amps.  What size circuit is everyone using with their Festools?

I currently run my CT 26 and TSC 55 on a 15 Amp circuit without a problem.  I did measure the draw on the circuit.  It initially went as high as 22 amps then settled at around 15.  The breaker did not pop.

thoughts?

 

[kevinculle]

Motor starting amperage draw is much higher (like 2x) than the running draw.  The CT motor start is typically delayed a bit when the Kapex is plugged in so the peak draws will not occur at the same time.  In my shop I run the Kapex off a 20A circuit and use a separately supplied dust collector so it is a non-issue.  In the field I run the Kapex & CT-26 combo off a 20A circuit if one is available but I have also run them off 15A when that is the only choice without any issues.

If you look up circuit breaker characteristics you will learn that there is a strong time dependence between the current required to trip the breaker and the duration of that current.  A breaker will not trip at about 10x its rating for a few cycles (1/10th of a second) and will carry 2x to 3x its rating for 10 or more seconds.  Only out at about 500 seconds will a breaker trip near its rated current.  From all of this I would assume that Festool's stated current draws are maximums and that the combined running draw of a Kapex and CT-26 are well below 15A.

 

[Gwerner]

In my shop I have the Kapex plugged into my CT Midi which is running off of a 20A circuit. Have never had a breaker trip.

 

[ear3]

When I run the CT26 and Kapex on a 15 Amp circuit, the Kapex does not get up to full speed, so I have stopped doing it.  I don't recall ever tripping the breaker with that setup, but I have when running my CT26 and TS75 on that circuit.

 

[BJM9818]

I have had issues running my midi/Kapex off a 15A circuit with an ARC fault breaker.  I am also seeing failure rates in excess of 10% for brand new out of the box ARC fault breakers so I'm pretty sure they are related.