Plug-It Orientation?

[smorgasbord]

I have 3 Festool sanders and each orients the plug-it socket differently.
Why can't Festool have a standard so that it's easier to plug-in without having to look?

[attachimg=1]

 

[festal]

I just mark the correct orientation on each tool with a white paint dot and same on the plug it end.  Makes connecting easier

 

[smorgasbord]

My question was why Festool did/does this?

The marking the tool is a fine workaround, except on one of my tools it'd be on the bottom, where it's hard to see. And at any rate, I'd be back to looking at the tool to plug it in. Better to have the same orientation on all the tools so I could mark the PLUG for its top.

 

[luvmytoolz]

My question was why Festool did/does this?

Most design people and engineers I know have a slight OCD bend which this would drive them up the wall, just makes no sense to me why it's not uniform.

I suspect though if asked, the boffins would respond with something along the lines of The Chebacca Defense.

 

[gwendal]

My question was why Festool did/does this?

The orientation top/bottom vs left/right is dictated by the sander molds.
Looking at the internals of the plug, its screws direction are parallel to the 2 prong plane. So if the molds are left/right, the prongs will be horizontal, if top/bottom vertical:

[attachurl=1]

Now, the protrusion could always be up or left for instance. Since the part is symmetrical, it might be possible to switch it on some devices.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

There is pretty much only one logical answer to this conundrum..."they do it to annoy certain people". As anal as I am, I've never even noticed that there are different orientations on the tool side of the PlugIt setup.

 

[onocoffee]

I definitely have noticed (and been irked by) the different orientations. I would have thought that the designers, who pay incredible attention to detail in so many aspects of their tools, would have put that much attention to this one detail.

 

[ChuckM]

I wonder if the orientations for my DF500 and Pro 5 LTD sanders are the same. But regardless, every time I use either of them, I still don't know if I orient the plug right until I plug it in. So I guess I don't benefit from the current "random" design or a uniform plug orientation design.

 

[Hawkeye0001]

That way it's easier to distinguish your sanders when you sand in the dark or forgot your glasses [wink]

Honestly I don't think there's any particular reason but at least for the RO 90 and ETS EC you should be able to flip one of them around to match the other and satisfy your OCD.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

This has come op a few times over the years, at least once by me.  [unsure]
There seems to be no real answer, which is curious.
I suppose there are quite a few people who never notice?
Then there are those who connect the cable on day one and never remove it again. I know they exist, it has been mentioned here.
It is most annoying when you use them the way I do. One cable, plugged into the CT and swapping the tools onto that cable, each time.