Welp, I understand why the OS400 moved away from Plug-It…

[jcrowe1950]

This is a little off topic but I wish Festool would come up with a more robust interface between the plug-it cord and the dust extractor. Some sort of latch that flipped up and reinforced the connection would be a real winner, IMHO. Anybody else have such issues?

 

[DeformedTree]

This is a little off topic but I wish Festool would come up with a more robust interface between the plug-it cord and the dust extractor. Some sort of latch that flipped up and reinforced the connection would be a real winner, IMHO. Anybody else have such issues?

Why are you trying to get the cord to be hard latched?  It being able to pop out when yanked is a what protects it and maybe even the user from getting hurt.  Just like laptops going to power cord solutions that pop out when the get snagged on stuff.

You generally do not want power cords to be latched to things. You want them to pop incase someone trips on the cord and such. It's a safety function of outlets.

 

[Spandex]

Speaking as someone from the UK, where our plugs won’t easily pull out of the wall socket, I have to say I have never once wished they would do so, for safety or any other reason (not that there’s any danger of damaging our plugs - they’re built like tanks). And whenever I’ve been in the US, I’ve always found it incredible just how little effort it takes to make them fall out. It had never occurred to me that anyone would see that as a good thing, as I assumed it was a constant nuisance.

Back to the plug-it problems, is this something that also affects 240v countries, where presumably the amps are lower for any given tool?

 

[AlexThePalex]

Speaking as someone from the UK, where our plugs won’t easily pull out of the wall socket, I have to say I have never once wished they would do so, for safety or any other reason (not that there’s any danger of damaging our plugs - they’re built like tanks). And whenever I’ve been in the US, I’ve always found it incredible just how little effort it takes to make them fall out. It had never occurred to me that anyone would see that as a good thing, as I assumed it was a constant nuisance.

Back to the plug-it problems, is this something that also affects 240v countries, where presumably the amps are lower for any given tool?

A plug letting go from the wall socket is a safety measure, as the alternative would be that you break the cable instead and have a live wire in the open. If it happens with enough force. But if you just pull the plug out, the electricity remains contained.

The American plugs are indeed too easy to pull out. Has nothing to do with safety, it is just a bad design that's build too weak.

English plugs on the other hand are crazily sturdy. Exactly the other end of the spectre. Safe, sure, but with the price of being very uncomfortable to handle.

As a good old chauvinistic, and might I even say, nationalistic, prick, I of course like my countries' plugs best. [smile]  [tongue]

 

[DeformedTree]

Speaking as someone from the UK, where our plugs won’t easily pull out of the wall socket, I have to say I have never once wished they would do so, for safety or any other reason (not that there’s any danger of damaging our plugs - they’re built like tanks). And whenever I’ve been in the US, I’ve always found it incredible just how little effort it takes to make them fall out. It had never occurred to me that anyone would see that as a good thing, as I assumed it was a constant nuisance.

Back to the plug-it problems, is this something that also affects 240v countries, where presumably the amps are lower for any given tool?

UK plugs might be the only one globally that don't come out fairly easy. All around they are the best designed plug. But yes, they are built much more like a high amp NEMA plug.  Keep in mind, only a 2 prong 15-20 amp plug hear will come out very easy. 3 prongs get more difficult and the 30,40,50 Amp plug don't come out very easy. But those are also not attached to cords laying out across a floor.

I'm not sure why they made the UK plug so beefy. I get they have fuses, but it doesn't explain the extra beefy terminals. Someone really wanted some low resistance.

 

[mino]

This is a little off topic but I wish Festool would come up with a more robust interface between the plug-it cord and the dust extractor. Some sort of latch that flipped up and reinforced the connection would be a real winner, IMHO. Anybody else have such issues?

You can consider getting the "Europlug" module for the CT and the cords which go along shipped from some member. If you do not have Bluetooth, you can even have both a NEMA and the European module on the same CT. The standard grounded "European" plug is very stable in the socket thanks to having three prongs and the socket being recessed. Especially if it is the angled type where the cable does not pull in the axis of the socket:wiki

It goes up to the nuisance level - with the CEE7/6 sockets it is possible to rip the plastic casing off a wall socket, should one stumble upon a cable sufficiently violently ... yes, I did that.

 

[bwehman]

Follow up! $62 was the total repair bill and all works great again.

 

[Toolpig]

Much frustration.

I've never understood the need for plug-it cords. My older DX93 sander didn't have one and I never missed it, even though all my other tools have them.

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

 

[Bertotti]

I don't mind the plug it but would be as happy or more so with a hardwired cable.

 

[mino]

I've never understood the need for plug-it cords. My older DX93 sander didn't have one and I never missed it, even though all my other tools have them.

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

When you have a sander/cutting station with a hose-coupled power (or air) it is a godsend as you can use the same hose with multiple sanders and even with a tracksaw etc. when the need arises.