Static

[Nemo8]

I'm a Newbie, so please be kind! As I'm sure this question has been asked many times. I want to run my CT48 on my Sawstop saw, of course the saw is grounded. There is obviously a break in continuity between the two tools, so do I run a risk of damaging my Extractor? Shouldn't my extractor only be dissipating static built in the hose from the dust contaminated air? Lastly, shouldn't I be able to use any grounded tool with my extractor without fear of static shock, regardless of the continuity between the two tools?
Regards,
Nemo8

 

[Stephen B]

Nemo8 [welcome] to the FOG.

I am sure one of the resident North American experts on this will answer your specific questions very soon.

 

[rst]

I use 50mm anti static hose for my table saws, no problem with static.

 

[Nemo8]

Thanks Guys. Apparently Festool wants to hide behind a disclaimer as opposed to answering the question with a yes or no answer!

 

[gkaiseril]

It could be a grounding issue. Ground is the lowest electrical state of a circuit so different circuits could have different ground potentials and result is an electric discharge between the two devices to equalize their lowest energy state.

This can even happen between 2 copper rods driven into the ground.

 

[grbmds]

I can't tell you for sure that it isn't a problem, but I have used my CT48 with other non-Festool tools, including a Sawstop Jobsite saw. I don't use it with the saw anymore because the CT48 is less effective at dust collection than my dust collector for this particular use. However, during the time I tried it, no problems with static and the CT certainly wasn't damaged. I have also tried the CT with my router table which has a Porter Cable 7518 motor mounted in it. Again, I use my dust collector because it appears to be more effective, but no problems when I did use the CT with that table mounted router. My only reservation using the CT with larger tools is that, based on a comparison between my dust collector and the CT, the CT isn't the best method of collection.

Sorry I can't be more helpful on the electrical issue, although I'm not really sure why it would be a problem to use the CT with another tool. If you're concerned about the auto on/off connection on the CT, then plug the CT and the tool both into an outlet directly and turn them on and off separately.

 

[semenza]

Hi Nemo,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

    I don't speak for Festool but I am not sure what the question / issue is? Are you saying that your CT is not functioning with the table saw or are you asking if it is OK to use with the table saw?

  I could be wrong but aren't all tools grounded in some way? I have plugged tools into both separate outlets and the Festool CT outlet that are not Festool brand. No problems.

Seth

   

 

[TylerC]

Hey, [member=60948]Nemo8[/member]. Sorry for any confusion. We're not trying to hide anything; we just can't answer questions about non-Festool products.

Our dust extractors were engineered and built to be used with Festool tools, so we can't officially speak to their compatibility with other tools. It's not specific to this issue.

I moved your thread from "Ask Festool" to "Festool Tools & Accessories" because it's a better place for FOGgers to help you get the answer that you're looking for.

 

[Nemo8]

I am actually using the CT 48 on the shroud and my dust collector on the bottom of the saw. I was asking if there could be an issue after reading so much controversy over the Dust Deputy threads!
Thanks for all your replies. [smile]

 

[Holmz]

Thanks Guys. Apparently Festool wants to hide behind a disclaimer as opposed to answering the question with a yes or no answer!

Most other vacuums are advertised as able to working with other tools.

I only have two green tools the hook up to a CT26.

 

[TylerC]

Most other vacuums are advertised as able to working with other tools.

FWIW, we don't advertise our tools as being compatible with non-Festool tools. You might be compatible with other manufacturer's tools, but we can't speak to that.

 

[bobfog]

Jesus wept. 

It's a dust extractor, a piece of equipment that sucks air to clear dust/debris, if your tool has a dust-port and the hose fits, it's compatible.

 

[Holmz]

Jesus wept. 

It's a dust extractor, a piece of equipment that sucks air to clear dust/debris, if your tool has a dust-port and the hose fits, it's compatible.

Yes - that is what I assume technically.
However there also seems to be a lot a complicated wording that is either legal, or marketing, that seems designed to ward people away from the technical simplicity of the hose fitting the tool.

 

[Stoli]

FWIW, we don't advertise our tools as being compatible with non-Festool tools. You might be compatible with other manufacturer's tools, but we can't speak to that.

But you are compatible with your own vac accessories, correct?  How about the non-antistatic tool sets, like 497702 and 454770, or the simple fact that non-anti static hoses are available?  Festool must be compatible with their own, non-anti-static components, right?

If the answer is yes, then I don't see how any blame could have ever been attributed to the Dust Deputies in the past.  For sure they could have caused an ESD event, but it shouldn't be any more dangerous than using a non-anti-static component straight from Festool.

 

[Cheese]

It's a dust extractor, a piece of equipment that sucks air to clear dust/debris, if your tool has a dust-port and the hose fits, it's compatible.

So then...problem solved.

 

[Kev]

There's an entire world between "IS COMPATIBLE" and "IS NOT COMPATIBLE".

In fact the scope of the word "compatible" could have so many facets that you'd need a thousand pages of legal support to define it.

Common sense needs to be applied, but because it seems that products are often used without the application of sensible reasoning, manufacturers need to protect themselves.

Imagine that you've got a DC part full of sawdust from using your compatible Festool saw .. now you connect your DC up to your angle grinder with vacuum shroud that fits your Festool hose - and start grinding metal. Anything wrong with this picture?

 

[Holmz]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] , I went to try it, but my angle grinder has no dust port. Better send me a photo/picture...

 

[fdengel]

It's a dust extractor, a piece of equipment that sucks air to clear dust/debris, if your tool has a dust-port and the hose fits, it's compatible.

There is also a difference between COMPATIBLE and OPTIMAL.

I use my Festool extractor with various-colored tools, including my band saw (which obviously is not a Festool tool), and it works... though it may not be as optimal as some other type of extractor would depending on the tool it is being used with.  With the band saw, a big shop-type extractor would undoubtedly be more effective, but I don't have room (or $$$) for one right now, and using the Festool extractor is obviously better than not using one at all.

On the other hand, I expect the Festool extractor to work better than the big shop extractors when working with smaller handheld power tools, the Festool ones in particular.

Also, when I sometimes hook it up to my thickness planer, even a 2.5" hose tends to clog very quickly if I'm not careful - and I can easily tell the difference when that happens!  The 4" hose of a big shop extractor would likely make a much bigger difference for that tool than for the others I've used, and if I used the planer any more often than I do, I would be looking for a way to squeeze one in, as this problem limits how much material I can remove in one pass and I don't want to burn out the motor on the extractor from it working too hard to try to pull through the clogged hose (which should give you some indication of why Festool might not want to commit to compatibility with other manufacturer's tools...).

 

[grbmds]

I don't believe the original question was what is optimal, but is there a problem connecting the CT to a non-Festool tool; probably from an electrical standpoint. I don't know why there would be any problems. To be sure, I've connected my CT to a number of other tools; my Incra router table, Sawstop Jobsite Saw, Rikon band saw, old Rockwell spindle sander, and probably a few others. In the end, the CT is just another vacuum and, for the tools I mentioned, it generally doesn't work as well as my cyclone dust collector so I haven't used it for them (except the spindle sander) since I tried it the first time. Were there electrical problems? No. However, for all of these tools, except the spindle sander, I did not plug the tool into the CT. Rather, since I have 2 circuits in my shop, I plugged each into a separate outlet. I assumed that there was the possibility that I would overload the auto on/off circuit on the CT in at least a couple of these cases. To me, that is the only issue - Would the auto on circuit be overloaded? I assume that, if it is, it would kick out. Isn't there some sort of overload protection on the CT auto on outlet?

 

[TomE]

Assuming this is a shop setup, just do a Y and run a hose from the main collector pipe to the top of your saw if there is concern.

FWIW I've used my Festool shop vac with many a tool that's not green along with the non antistatic hoses supplied by green, no trouble so far in ten years....... but this is only anecdotal 'evidence' that it causes no harm.