Quick guess on whats wrong with my CT 33

[nickao]

After using my CT 33  8 hours plus a day non stop for  7 years(I use it on a table top cnc machine) my CT finally gave off a very slight electrical burn smell,  turned off, now wont turn on. This thing was a work horse for me. There were months at a time over the years when I was busy that it ran 24/7 only getting turned off only the change the bag.

Anyone with a quick guess to the part I need?

I am guessing I need a new switch. I recall reading about this years back.

 

[TOOLTOWN]

Check the brushes.  They have a safety pin that pops out and prevents bare copper contacting the armature and frying the unit.

After 7 years of hard use it's a good chance they are just worn out.

Ken

 

[nickao]

Ill check that now , thanks so much.

 

[demographic]

If they last as well as mentioned, this thread is a pretty good advert for CT extractors

 

[Tinker]

I have not had that problem with my 33.  Of course, I don't run it as much. It does, occasionally stop sucking up as much dust as usual.  When that happens, i just open it up and find the bag is packed full.  Really packed.  Or the filters are packed so full I have to tap on a hard surface to begin to shake out the dust that is packed in there.  It is unbelievable how tightly packed that vac gets before it begins to slow down. 
Tinker

 

[nickao]

Yeah I pack mine full as a brick too, it's crazy they still pull at that point. The bags are so expensive I pack them as much as I can. I still have not had time to take a look at the machine, it simply doesn't turn on. I hope its something easy to repair.

The Festool CT  will last pretty much last forever for a hobbyist.

I use my Festool CT's and Fein's for dust only, never shop clean up and all have lasted. I have burned up one Turbo II Fein, but it was near 12 years old.

 

[Holmz]

...
The Festool CT  will last pretty much last forever for a hobbyist.
...

Last forever?

I sent mine in when it had a dodgy water sensor.
A bearing on a protools saw packed it in.
They may not be designed for "forever use".

Lasting for years is pretty good.

 

[nickao]

I can only go off my experience. Lets Figure out the hours. I have used mine for 7 years, never less than 8 hours a day 6 days a week and that's only to turn off to change bags. Several months in that period my CT33 ran 24/7 non stop. Lets say 20,000 hours. I may be lucky, but that's "pretty much " a lifetime of woodworking for a hobbyist.

I have burned up at a craftsman an Home Depot  shop vac in that time and they were only for shop clean up, maybe a few hundred actual on hours before they went in the garbage.

Just wondering how many guys here have bought a CT new and got to the point it went in the dumpster. I am sure their aren't many..

My CT is connected to table top cnc. I used it 2 years in the shop before that with sanders probably near 8 hours a day as well(I did a lot of sanding before getting larger machines for that). I never used it on water and I dont believe I personally would ever use a CT for water. I use cheap shop vacs for water and clean up, I mean the unit cost over 700.00. To me it's a woodworking machine, not a shop vac. Possibly my use is easier on the machine, I never turn the switches off or on or move it, but the thing is actually turned on and running far longer than most people units.

I wonder what if there is an hour rating of use before expected burn out on these units and if I am well over.

Actually I think mine may be closer to 9 years old as I got it shortly after I joined this forum and that's 2008 already, wow time flies!

 

[Tinker]

...
The Festool CT  will last pretty much last forever for a hobbyist.
...

Last forever?

I sent mine in when it had a dodgy water sensor.
A bearing on a protools saw packed it in.
They may not be designed for "forever use".

Lasting for years is pretty good.

I'm only 39.  I know because I have been 39 for a few years longer than i wasn't.  So long as my CT33 lasts another 39 years til i get to be 40, that's gudanuf fer me. :
Tinker

 

[sancho57]

My 26 has lasted for a long time, my 22 I bought it used, it looked thrashed the case has all sorts of expoxy drippings on it, probably a solid surface guy owned.

It even had the plug replaced with a yellow one from the HD. I have used it for about 3 years and it can still put a watermelon through a garden hose l

 

[Scorpion]

I'm only 39.  I know because I have been 39 for a few years longer than i wasn't.  So long as my CT33 lasts another 39 years til i get to be 40, that's gudanuf fer me. :
Tinker

"A few years longer than I wasn't."  If a few is 2 or 3 and "when I wasn't" could be any number other than 39 above or below and "another 39 years til you get to be 40 is 1.

But it's a few years longer from 1 is 3 or 4 which isn't 40 when adding 39.

Too early for word problems dude, too early.