Storing Festool Extractor Under Assembly Table

[mwbyrum1]

Hi everyone, I am looking for some guidance...

I want to store my CT36 under my assembly table but am worried the exhaust air could build up and eventually cause the unit to overheat.  Is anyone doing something similar to this or does anyone have any recommendations on how much room to leave around the unit to prevent overheating? 

My assembly table is 48"x60" made up of 4 29Hx18Wx22.5D cabinets.  I have 2 cabinets back to back on each end of the table and roughly a 20" pass through under the middle of the table.  This pass-through space is set up with adjustable shelving, I want to remove the adjustable shelving from one side and have the unit live there.  The unit would be backed into the space so it would be able to pull air in from outside the table but in this orientation, all three exhaust ports would be blowing out under the table.  I ran the unit in the desired location for roughly 10 minutes, the space warmed up pretty good and I feel like right before I turned it off the pitch changed.  Although the pitch chance could have just been in my head as I was already concerned about overheating.

I called Festool and they said they don't have any guidance on adequate clearance and to make sure it has plenty clearance or it will overheat.  Does anyone have any thoughts? 

 

[RustE]

Does the CT 36 go into the middle space that is open on two sides?

 

[RKA]

The width of the unit is stated as 14.4", so that leaves 2.75" clearance on either side of the DE.  It's not a lot but it's not going to choke the unit.  As long as the back side is open and not blocked off by items you're storing on the shelves, I think you'll be fine. 

 

[mwbyrum1]

Yes the CT would be backed into the space between the two sets of cabinets.  So the front would be even with the front of the rear cabinets/fully open to pull air in and a cabinet would be to the left and right of the CT.  The rear of the CT would be somewhat open pending what I had on the shelving behind it which is accessed from the other side of the table. The space between the two sets of cabinets is open from one side to the other.  I attached a very rough drawing to hopefully make it a little clearer.

 

[RustE]

My next question is do you plan to leave enough open area to displace the exhaust from the machine?  Perhaps leaving the top shelf behind the machine completely open?  From your first post I am guessing that all of the exhaust is trying exit in the gap between the CT36 and the cabinet.

Another option might be to put a cooling fan at the top of the space to draw (pull) heat out of the enclosure.  Something like this:https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-Cooling-Ventilation-Projects/dp/B009OWVUJ0.  You will want to create an inlet plenum and outlet duct to get the most benefit from the fan.  Both can easily be done with wood or possibly with dust collector hardware.

 

[mwbyrum1]

I know a fan would probably be the best option was just not sure if I need to go that far.  As for will I leave enough open area to displace the exhaust, I don't know cause I don't know how much open area is needed.  When I put the CT in the space and ran it the "pass-through space" def warmed up quite a bit.  I have no problem limiting what gets stored on the shelving and even thought about just removing the shelving all together and sticking my pancake compressor on the floor behind the CT.

I will have to look into how best to create an inlet plenum and outlet duct. 

Also if the fan is the best option what everyone's thoughts on if I shrunk the width of the pass-through space from the 20" down to like 17".  I know this would result in less between the the CT exhaust ports and cabinet.  The reason I ask is I would like to shift the set of cabinets on the right in some.  This would give me room to mount my boom arm through the top surface.  I would run the hose in the toe kick area, up the outside of the cabinet and through the top surface.  Doing it his way would keep my hose out of the way and I wouldn't loss space in that rear right cabinet.  Again rough picture attached with these changes.

 

[mwbyrum1]

My bad forgot the attachment.

 

[sancho57]

folks here have done it multiple times do a search and look at their designs. I havent heard anyone complain about failure yet

 

[Peter_C]

The Festool dust collectors, unless plugged or restricted, pull the majority of motor cooling air thru the hose, and exhaust it out the dust collectors body. They do have a bypass cooling air system in place, which pulls air from the front of the dust collecter, should the filter or dust collector become restricted to protect the motor. The dust collector can run completely plugged without overheating as it always pulls the air around the motor from the front of the housing.

Unless you use a 20" fan you can't compare to what the dust collector will be moving air wise. IE: A computer fan is going to be about useless.

 

[PeterK]

I would try to simulate the enclosure and test it. If you have any cardboard you could make a similar sized storage area and try running the CT. I suspect it will get really warm.
I have been painting all the rooms in the house I just sold and power sanding the walls first. It is really surprising how much a bedroom warms up with the vac running for an hour or two. Heat is extremely damaging long term to any electrical stuff and I would worry about the motor as the air being drawn in will keep getting warmer reducing cooling.
Provide all the openings you can around the vac. My low voltage computer fans I use on my electronics for my theater make a tremendous difference. I would install a couple small 5-6” fans to draw air through the space. Bet that would make a difference.

 

[PeterK]

Not sure how the exhaust ports are designed on the larger CTs but maybe you could make a shroud out of cardboard to direct the hot exhaust out the back of the enclosure?

 

[Gregor]

I would try to simulate the enclosure and test it. If you have any cardboard you could make a similar sized storage area and try running the CT. I suspect it will get really warm.
I have been painting all the rooms in the house I just sold and power sanding the walls first. It is really surprising how much a bedroom warms up with the vac running for an hour or two. Heat is extremely damaging long term to any electrical stuff and I would worry about the motor as the air being drawn in will keep getting warmer reducing cooling.
Provide all the openings you can around the vac. My low voltage computer fans I use on my electronics for my theater make a tremendous difference. I would install a couple small 5-6” fans to draw air through the space. Bet that would make a difference.

Nah, no need for overkill. Unless you hold the hose intake into the box (and close it completely so the vac will run in a closed cycle) there wont be a problem - even then the CT would simply go into thermal shutdown instead of burning up.

In case it gets too warm in the room: open a window to get colder air in - the CT will continue to run fine long after you already overheated so badly that you had to take a break...

For home electronics the thing is that magnetic platters magnetisation fades above a certain temperature, not an issue with a CT VAC as it has no hard drive.