festool mini vac lost suction

[Programmergeek]

I am at a loos here my ct mini smmes to have about 1//2 the suction it use to.  I started doing some sheetrock sanding and noticed it was not picking up the dust it will not even pick it up off the floor.  The bag is about 1/2 full and I tried knocking out the filter to clean it it looks pretty clean inthere except for a couple of wood chips.  Anything else to try I am in a big clowd of dust trying to use this.  Should I try to replace the bag and filter anre there any other parts that could be effecting this? 

 

[Bob Marino]

Could be a blockage in the hose, but with a cloud of dust coming out, I would check for a tear in the filter bag and/or that the vac is properely closed.

  Bob

 

[waynelang2001]

I had that once with my CT. It Had a nice block of solid wood stuck in the pipe, even though i knocked it around like crazy i only noticed the wood when i held the hose straight and looked right down it. Im sure you checked this already though. But its worth a look see.

 

[PeterK]

Drywall dust tends to coat the bag and fill the little pores reducing suction. You could remove the bag and beat it up a little bit to knock off any surface crud and see if suction improves. Bet you need to replace the bag or you have a blockage in the hose. If the bag got a hole in it, it will quickly plug the filters so you need to check them also.
Pete

 

[AlexThePalex]

Drywall dust tends to coat the bag and fill the little pores reducing suction. You could remove the bag and beat it up a little bit to knock off any surface crud and see if suction improves.

This is solid advice. I had the very same thing last time I sanded drywall. Lost suction while the bag wasn't even 1/2 full. Changed the bag and problem solved.

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

Has anyone used a Dust Deputy with a festool vac for sanding drywall?  Would that eliminate the loss of suction problem too?

Best,
Todd

 

[Programmergeek]

I woulnd up putting in a new bag although the original bag was only about 2/3 full and that fixed it.  Guess that spakel dust clogs anything, nasty stuff on tools.  I haven't done spackel in a while and didn't do alot of it but I will have to remember that.  I wonder also of the sudt deputy would help or if the particals are just to samll to be "spun out" that clog things up.

 

[Corwin]

I haven't tried to use my cyclone on drywall dust, but, Oneida claims that it will work on drywall on their application page.  I have seen where some people have stated that these small cyclones will not work for fine dust, but I wonder if those people have actually used a cyclone.  I find that cyclones do work on fine particles -- some of the material may pass through, but most will be separated properly.  If I were to attempt to clean up drywall dust with my CT, I certainly would use my cyclone to help protect my extractor.  But, I would expect that the bag would fail before it ever came close to getting filled.

 

[mastercabman]

Try this.Remove the bag,remove the filter.Turn the vac on and see how much suction you get.If it's ok then  you know it's the filter or bag.If not,then you need to check the vac or hose.  Now this has happen to me before.check the elbow that is connected to the vac.I had something stuck in the elbow once and i lost suction.could not figure it out for a long time!
Hope this help.

 

[peter halle]

I have been sucking up a lot of drywall dust with my CT 22.  Rarely do I get the bag more than one half full before the suction falls off to the unacceptable level.  If you are getting poor suction, try to disconnect your hose while the vac is running.  If it is nearly impossible, that means that your hose is clogged and is the culprit.  If it comes off normally than it ok and the issue is going to be the bag or the filter.

Peter

 

[Programmergeek]

It was the bags I get about 1/3 of a bag full and it is clogged beyond use.  Boy do I go through alot of bags.