Midi Autostart on constant.

[johnboy75]

Hi all,
I have searched but cannot find my solution in older topics.

I have the festool midi extractor, I am having an issue with the autostart feature, it began turning on constant whether on man or auto about a year ago, since then I have changed the switch, motherboard and socket, and it still comes on full time no matter what setting, I am up to over £180 in parts now and no closer, has anyone got an other ideas??

Just to add, the socket gets power still when in auto, so tools will work when plugged in, but the extractor is just on constant as soon as switched to auto, or manual.

Any help would be greatly appreciated people.
Thanks.
John

 

[MueMi]

Hi John,

have you tried the Midi with disassembled power socket(s)?
Are all power cables installed propperly, insulation ok, no short circuits, no damages, no humidity inside?
Have you used the Midi in a metal dust atmosphere. Could there any metalic dust on the mainboard or conducting components?

Best regards

MueMi

 

[johnboy75]

Hi Muemi,

I have not yet tried with disassembled sockets.
The insulation seems good, no visable short circuits or damages, dry as a bone, it's only ever been used for sawdust, so no metal dust anywhere.

Attached a picture incase someone can spot something I have missed.

Thanks
John.

 

[Gregor]

In case the board (that you exchanged) is the thing where the red wires are coming from:
Are you sure that you put them back onto the same pins (of the switch? on the right side) where you took them off from?

They might be reversed, turning manual to automatic and the other way around.

 

[johnboy75]

Hi Gregor,

The wires are correct, I took pics before I swapped just to be safe, I’ve also tried changing around, but it’s still working as if manual on both settings, so always constant.

 

[Gregor]

Hm.
That thing to the right (where the wires with the shoes go in) is a fuse, I guess - and the screw clamps connect to the cord?

Have you maybe made a schematic of the cabling?

 

[johnboy75]

I will see what I can do tomorrow for close up pics

Thanks

 

[Mario Turcot]

First thing I would try is to find a clean circuit that have nothing connected to it. Do you have access to a generator? With a generator that would be easier to identify a clean circuit. If the CT-Vac works fine on a generator it means that you have a problem with your shop wiring.

Good luck.

 

[DeformedTree]

First thing I would try is to find a clean circuit that have nothing connected to it. Do you have access to a generator? With a generator that would be easier to identify a clean circuit. If the CT-Vac works fine on a generator it means that you have a problem with your shop wiring.

Good luck.

Gonna second this one, even go plug in at a different house if practical.

 

[johnboy75]

Yeah it's the same on any circuit, tried it in various customers houses when fitting.
Swapped all cables about today, that didn't make any difference, which actually I found strange, I figured if I swapped cables around it would stop all together, but no matter what order the cables are in the midi still runs constant on both settings, demonic that thing!

 

[mwolczko]

I opened up my midi to get a closer look and compare with your photo, but I think it’s a different version so didn’t learn anything.  I can send the photo of mine if you want.

It certainly is puzzling.  A question: you said you changed the switch, motherboard and socket — all at the same time, or one at a time (testing in between)?  And if the latter, in what order?  I’m wondering if a fault in one part has fried something in another, and when you changed the latter it got fried too. 

Another question: did you ever plug anything into the tool socket that has an abnormal power draw, even if only momentarily (eg a really large saw)?

Has the vacuum itself been running ok? Does the suction adjuster knob work?

 

[DeformedTree]

...demonic that thing!

Well, at some point the debug flow chart does end up on "call in exorcist"

 

[johnboy75]

DeformedTree,

I done them all at different times, switch, then board, then socket.  No large saw attached, I used to only use it for my TS75 (which is what was being used when faults started), but I now also domino and sander, so it has become more of a essential lately.

Ive decided to bite the bullet now, and arranged for it to go back to Festool as I feel I've been beaten! Will inform here once/if they find the fault, and if I needed to sit down at price....

 

[johnboy75]

Extractor fixed!
Sent it back to Festool, turned out it was a magnet in the switch, so obviously the new switch I bought was also broken.  £27 cost, happy with that.

Thanks all for the replies and help.