New C15 trigger problem

[jackh]

Hi all, I just picked up a C15.  Occasionally when I pull the trigger, nothing happens.  If I wait a bit, the motor will start again.  I've checked the basics, i.e. battery is fully charged and right/left switch is not in neutral.  This has happened in both drill and drive modes so it doesn't seem to be due to too low of a torque setting for the application.  Is there something simple I'm missing here? Thanks in advance.

Jack

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Jack,

Sorry for the bad initial experience with your new drill. Sounds like there may be a bad switch or issue with the electronics. If it's convenient to do so, I would recommend that you exchange it for another unit with your Festool dealer. If I can be of any assistance, let me know.

Shane Holland
Festool USA

 

[Rick Christopherson]

As Shane stated, if you're not satisfied, the simple answer is to take it back. However, the quicker answer is to simply exercise the trigger a little.

The trigger is comprised of a solidstate film resistor and a rubberized conductive wiper. If they have been sitting unused for a while, they can lose conductivity between them. Simply exercising the trigger causes the wiper to clean off any film or oxidation from the resistor that has been sitting dormant. It takes only a small patch of non-conductive film to cause the safety feature of the EC-TEC electronics to engage, that normally prevents the drill from starting when you insert a battery while accidentally holding the trigger in the On position.

Pull the trigger a few times, and if that doesn't correct the problem, then bring the drill back to Festool. In my experience, this only happens when the drill has been sitting dormant for a while or you don't pull the trigger full-on very often.

 

[jackh]

Thanks guys.  If it's just a matter of using it more regularly, that won't be a problem.

 

[ccmviking]

In my experience, this only happens when the drill has been sitting dormant for a while or you don't pull the trigger full-on very often.

This has happened with every festool drill I have owned.  4 C12's and a T15.  I still like the Festool drills and don't want any other ones, but this doesn't seem to be a rare event and pull the trigger all you want it'll probably still happen on occasion.  I'd almost bet the drill electronics are the most replaced part Festool has to deal with. 

Chris...

 

[Brice Burrell]

This has happened with every festool drill I have owned.  4 C12's and a T15.   I still like the Festool drills and don't want any other ones, but this doesn't seem to be a rare event and pull the trigger all you want it'll probably still happen on occasion.   I'd almost bet the drill electronics are the most replaced part Festool has to deal with.   

Chris...

Interesting, I've had my two T15 drills for two and a half years, never had this problem and the drills have seen sporadic use over the winter months. 

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Yeah, I've had my C12 for well over 3 years and never had the switch problem either.  Once, I just had something else really strange happen to it (worked and then all of a sudden dead) and Festool replaced the electronics and the motor.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Never had this problem either with my T15.

 

[mlfaber]

I had the same problem with my C12.  I sent it in for repair and believe it came back with a new switch.  Here is a link to that post.

http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/c12-trigger-intermittent/msg138963/#msg138963

 

[fdengel]

I can't remember this having happened with my C12, but it seems like once in a blue moon, depending on how exactly I was previously using it, I can pull the switch back completely and it will only kick in at slow speed.  Releasing the trigger and starting over usually corrects this right away.  Only happens very rarely to me, though, and I always figured I'd left something in a bad state from having done something weird with the previous hole.  Never really bothered me all that much.

 

[Sean7a]

As Shane stated, if you're not satisfied, the simple answer is to take it back. However, the quicker answer is to simply exercise the trigger a little.

The trigger is comprised of a solidstate film resistor and a rubberized conductive wiper. If they have been sitting unused for a while, they can lose conductivity between them. Simply exercising the trigger causes the wiper to clean off any film or oxidation from the resistor that has been sitting dormant. It takes only a small patch of non-conductive film to cause the safety feature of the EC-TEC electronics to engage, that normally prevents the drill from starting when you insert a battery while accidentally holding the trigger in the On position.

Pull the trigger a few times, and if that doesn't correct the problem, then bring the drill back to Festool. In my experience, this only happens when the drill has been sitting dormant for a while or you don't pull the trigger full-on very often.

Wow, thanks for the education Rick.