Festool CT36 starts, then immediately stops...

[nick.keller59a]

My 5 year old CT36 has started acting up. It starts, but them shuts down after 1 or 2 seconds. It's sort of like the motor never reaches full speed.
No other odd noises or vibrations, just a smooth attempt at start up, then it shuts down.
This is repeatable, I can trigger this behavior multiple times in a row. It happens even when the tool sits overnight, so I've doubts its a overheat issue.
It also fails this way when as a test, I run the head unit separated from the body unit, or with the HEPA filter removed; so it does not seem to be a blockage issue.
Thanks in advance!

 

[waho6o9]

I changed the bag and that worked for me when i had that problem.
All the best and a belated welcome to the FOG nick.keller59a!

 

[nick.keller59a]

I changed the bag and that worked for me when i had that problem.
All the best and a belated welcome to the FOG nick.keller59a!

I changed the bag and that worked for me when i had that problem.
All the best and a belated welcome to the FOG nick.keller59a!

Thanks for the reply, but I've tried it w/ the head unit removed from the body. Still fails. I forgot to mention this in the original post, have updated.

 

[mino]

There are protection electronics in the control board to prevent a fire or further damage. It is likely something on the board failed and it is detected once the motor is powered up .. I have observed similar when my CTM had a board fail. That was while in warranty so I did not experiment further. It did this a couple times and then it died completely.

Normally you would want to send it in for repair .. if you want to avoid that, your best bet is a new control board.

5 years would be the COVID era, I suspect there were some issues with some component supplies that did not 'match up' during that period as I certainly remember a couple CT board fail reports on the forum from units made in that period, including mine.
The electronic parts market was wild in 2020/2021. Lots of companies shipped sub-standard stuff as "full quality" to have stuff to sell and many manufacturers got burned ..

My Protool VCP 480 AC /CT 48/ is a 2010 rental unit .. and has the original board. So such failures are not an issue of board design.

One other cause I can imagine is the water intake detection being shorted in some way - those metal contacts on the front. Though that is unlikely.

One advice: If you decide to ship it in for repair, it is enough to send just the motor unit. May save some on shipping.

 

[nick.keller59a]

There are protection electronics in the control board to prevent a fire or further damage. It is likely something on the board failed and it is detected once the motor is powered up .. I have observed similar when my CTM had a board fail. That was while in warranty so I did not experiment further. It did this a couple times and then it died completely.

Normally you would want to send it in for repair .. if you want to avoid that, your best bet is a new control board.

5 years would be the COVID era, I suspect there were some issues with some component supplies that did not 'match up' during that period as I certainly remember a couple CT board fail reports on the forum from units made in that period, including mine.
The electronic parts market was wild in 2020/2021. Lots of companies shipped sub-standard stuff as "full quality" to have stuff to sell and many manufacturers got burned ..

My Protool VCP48 AC /CT 48) is a 2010 rental unit .. and has the original board. So such failures are not an issue of board design.

One other cause I can imagine is the water intake detection being shorted in some way - those metal contacts on the front. Though that is unlikely.

One advice: If you decide to ship it in for repair, it is enough to send just the motor unit. May save some on shipping.

Thanks! - I think I'll try replacing the controller board. Can get for ~$160.

 

[Steve1]

Does not sound like brushes, but just the same, at 5 years it's time that brush wear should be considered.

HERE is my thread on checking and replacing brushes.

 

[mino]

Does not sound like brushes, but just the same, at 5 years it's time that brush wear should be considered.

HERE is my thread on checking and replacing brushes.

Yeah.

Getting s pair of spare brushes to have on hand is a good idea while at it..

 

[onocoffee]

My Protool VCP48 AC /CT 48) is a 2010 rental unit

I looked up that extractor as I am unfamiliar with the Protool lineup. Was that VCP a rebadge CT48 or is it the other way around?

 

[mino]

VCP 480 E AC == CTL 48 AC HD in black, grey and orange
CTL 48 AC HD == VCP 480 E AC in dark green, pale and green

Not a 'rebadge' .. just a different livery of the same vac made by the CleanTec TTS 'subsidiary/business unit'. Calling either a "rebadge" of the other kinda does not work as both came out in the same way. More like monozygotic twins, if you will.