Everything you wanted to know about Plug-Its conversions (USA Version)

[Pixel]

Can anyone help me - I hope this is not too great a distraction from the theme of this thread....

My friend has a standard UK plug-it cable and has damaged the wire. I am about to give him one of my spares but would like to resurrect his old one by replacing the cord. How does one disassemble the plug-it end?

Many thanks.

Peter

You don't, you cut if off and replace it with a new head unit

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Peter

Many thanks - I guessed that might be the case.

Peter

 

[Pixel]

Hi Peter

Many thanks - I guessed that might be the case.

Peter

Sorry Hi Peter

It is probably the weakest link in the plug it system (for a reason I assume) but very easy to replace, I have a box full of spare ends because I am always damaging the cables

Peter

 

[Stone Message]

After reading your post I did a quick search and don't seem to be able to find the ends here in the UK. Is there a Festool part number? I want to make up a cable using thicker cord for my own workshop and had originally hoped to start with my friend's duff bits.

Peter

 

[Pixel]

After reading your post I did a quick search and don't seem to be able to find the ends here in the UK. Is there a Festool part number? I want to make up a cable using thicker cord for my own workshop and had originally hoped to start with my friend's duff bits.

Peter

489685

 

[Stone Message]

Many thanks Peter.

Peter

 

[wow]

After reading your post I did a quick search and don't seem to be able to find the ends here in the UK. Is there a Festool part number? I want to make up a cable using thicker cord for my own workshop and had originally hoped to start with my friend's duff bits.

Peter

Peter:

Sorry that I didn't catch this sooner. The part number is 489685, clearly shown in the first post - but if you were scanning in a hurry you might not have known that those were UK numbers and not US ones.

BTW - please let me know I caused or encouraged you to spend money? You have done that so many times to me that I think a bit of turnabout would be fair play?

[big grin] [poke]

 

[Stone Message]

After reading your post I did a quick search and don't seem to be able to find the ends here in the UK. Is there a Festool part number? I want to make up a cable using thicker cord for my own workshop and had originally hoped to start with my friend's duff bits.

Peter

Peter:

Sorry that I didn't catch this sooner. The part number is 489685, clearly shown in the first post - but if you were scanning in a hurry you might not have known that those were UK numbers and not US ones.

BTW - please let me know I caused or encouraged you to spend money? You have done that so many times to me that I think a bit of turnabout would be fair play?

[big grin] [poke]

Thanks Bill, I will let you know the instant that my credit card comes out of my pocket !

Peter

 

[Marshall Monnett]

Thanks for all the great information, I have wanted to change some of my dewalt and porter cable tools to plug it ends, and this information helps greatly. But i do have one question.
For the 491144 plug it conversion-kit, in the seventh and eighth picture it shows screws holding the pigtail together, is it possible to take the screws out and change the green wire to part of the original cord on my other tools? Or is the pigtail not able to be taken apart like the ends on a factory plug it cord?

Thanks

 

[wow]

Thanks for all the great information, I have wanted to change some of my dewalt and porter cable tools to plug it ends, and this information helps greatly. But i do have one question.
For the 491144 plug it conversion-kit, in the seventh and eighth picture it shows screws holding the pigtail together, is it possible to take the screws out and change the green wire to part of the original cord on my other tools? Or is the pigtail not able to be taken apart like the ends on a factory plug it cord?

Thanks

The green cords are designed to REPLACE the cords coming out of your other power tools, converting them to 'Plug-It' compatibility. Festool doesn't make just a 'Plug-It' end for the tool side that can be attached to the existing cord coming out of the tool.

I have been VERY careful to only post information and practices that are supported by Festool. Because Festool doesn't specifically offer such a connector, I believe it is against the forum rules to post or discuss such a modification as it would apply the product in a manner that it was not intended, and potentially expose the user to dangerous voltages and possibly unsafe electrical connections.

If a moderator wants to chime in here and tell me otherwise, I'll be happy to attempt to disassemble one of my 'Plug-It's' to see if what you ask could be done safely.

 

[Mr_Mod]

Thanks for all the great information, I have wanted to change some of my dewalt and porter cable tools to plug it ends, and this information helps greatly. But i do have one question.
For the 491144 plug it conversion-kit, in the seventh and eighth picture it shows screws holding the pigtail together, is it possible to take the screws out and change the green wire to part of the original cord on my other tools? Or is the pigtail not able to be taken apart like the ends on a factory plug it cord?

Thanks

You can take the conversion kit apart, however the green cable is moulded into the actual terminal block and crimped onto the brass ferrules making it exceedingly impossible to attach your own cable.
It would be wonderful if Festool sold it just like a standard connector where you could insert a wire that has been crimped onto a terminal.
These Plug it kits were removed from sale in Australia, as we are supposedly have to use a licenced electrician to do electrical work. [eek] : [scared]

 

[wow]

OK, to boil it all down it sounds like 491144 is what I would need to cut the tail off of my other manufacturer tool to use it with my boom arm setup all nice and neat like. Current conversion rates are about $20 for that number.

If that's correct, I'd just have to find a source.

That number is fine, as is 491145. The only difference is the length of the cord provided (360mm vs. 420mm) as explained in my initial post.

 

[wow]

OK, to boil it all down it sounds like 491144 is what I would need to cut the tail off of my other manufacturer tool to use it with my boom arm setup all nice and neat like. Current conversion rates are about $20 for that number.

If that's correct, I'd just have to find a source.

That number is fine, as is 491145. The only difference is the length of the cord provided (360mm vs. 420mm) as explained in my initial post.

Thanks. Wanted the cord as short as possible to mimic the action with the already green tools.

You're welcome!

Just pay attention to where the switch is on the tools versus where the cord exits the tool, so you don't end up with a cord that is too short to work.

 

[mwildt]

example: Like a dust collector where the cord enters in the back of the unit but the switch is on the front. In that case the short 'pig tail' they come with could be too short. Having multiple connections within a tool should be avoided I'd say the message is.

 

[mwildt]

The plugit cord is molded to the plugit connector as I understand it. So if you do not want to open the tool to connect the 'pigtail' then yes you would have to splice it. Cut the original cord and connect it to the pigtail. Down side here is that you have a connection exposed like a 'fixed' extension cord. That could be prone to failure and potentially dangerous. Of course you could put a 120v female connector on the pigtail, but that is not the intent of Festool so they may object and remove this post.

If you're firm on wanting to do this and electrically experienced then I would open the tool so it's installed as intended. That way you can convert back when you want to sell the tool.

 

[wow]

I'm more confused now than ever.

Let me try...

The Plug-It pigtail is intended to TOTALLY REPLACE the cord that is currently connected to the tool. The idea is to make an electrical connection internal to the tool, and have the Plug-It at the outside of the tool,  ideally routed through the existing strain relief. You would, of course, have to take the tool apart to do this but that is not usually too difficult.

If you choose to cut the cord and attach it, you will have a ugly splice of some kind.

Make more sense?

E;ectrically it would

 

[DavidW]

For those of you thinking about converting, think twice. I converted 3 tools (Bosch 3" planer, Fein and RAS115) and am about to change them back. I find the Plug-it to be large and a real pain, on the RAS115 it keeps hanging up on the work when you are moving fast. On tools that have a top (high? ETS150) connection and keep the connector tight to the strain boot it might work.
David

 

[Holmz]

I recently picked up 3 of the "Plug-it" pig tails and plan to convert: RAS 115, Fein multitool and Bosch 3" planer.
My question is the wires on the plug-it are brown and blue and when I open up the tools the wires are white and black; what colors match up?

In Europe en Germany where all Festools are made, the colours are the same as Bohdan says: brown is active, blue is neutral.

Wires inside double insulated powertools don't have to follow the same rules as set for the mains net ( I think).

It also doesn't matter, with alternating current the polarity constantly changes so the same wire is at one time plus and then minus. This means you don't have to connect a specific colour to another, either one is good. When you plug the cord in the mains socket, there are two ways to do it, because you can flip the plug over, and it makes no difference.

European colour codes are not valid in America anyway.

Just had a looksie inside a couple of my Festools, and almost all wires inside are black. Only the ones coming from the electronics board are red, and the two coming from the plug-it socket are both brown. Sorry, I had no camera at hand.

^This makes NAINA an option with 220v^
The Euro colours work in Australia. The only issue is when I think of ACDC's back in Black, I think it should be 'back through the blue'.
Conceptually the 220v US works like the Eu 230, but in a push pull on each side... The double insulted stuff just works.

Leaving off a ground is probably safer as either way blue/blue or blue/black works. There is a 1/3 chance someone would hook a green to a blue or black. But perhaps it would help for a ground path for static if the ground was hooked up.

 

[HunterL]

I've read through this post and have a question: If I buy Festools IN GERMANY where I temporarily live, when I move back to the US can I use this method to "convert" to US plugs or am I better off using transformers or plug adapters back in the US?

 

[AlexThePalex]

I've read through this post and have a question: If I buy Festools IN GERMANY where I temporarily live, when I move back to the US can I use this method to "convert" to US plugs or am I better off using transformers or plug adapters back in the US?

You will need a step down transformer, the Plug-It cord does not change the tool's voltage.