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Author Topic: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem  (Read 1098 times)

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Offline boboettinger

  • Posts: 3
ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« on: October 08, 2022, 03:39 PM »
I have an ETS EC150/5 thats driving me crazy. As soon as I turn it on it trips a GFI breaker in my electrical panel not related to the sander. It is the only tool in my shop that does this and it trips this breaker no matter what circuit it is plugged into, anywhere in the house. It does not blow the circuit breaker for the circuit it is plugged into and works fine. The breaker it trips is connected to my pool pump and chlorine generator only. Not related at all.

I sent the sander to Festool who said it is fine, but changed the electronics when I explained the problem. When I got it back I still have the same problem.

Any thoughts?
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Offline afish

  • Posts: 1474
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2022, 04:21 PM »
Thats odd, have you tried pluging the sander into a ct? does it still trip ?
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Offline tsmi243

  • Posts: 361
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2022, 04:50 PM »
Call an electrician.  You have a house problem. 
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Offline Alex

  • Posts: 7801
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2022, 05:19 PM »
Yes, the problem lies in your house. No outside appliance should be able to trip a totally unrelated breaker on a different circuit.
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Offline Alanbach

  • Posts: 742
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2022, 05:49 PM »
I agree that this is not a sander problem but a problem with the wiring in your house. Someone probably accidentally shared a wire from the GFI circuit with another circuit. The electronics in the sander may exacerbate the situation but almost certainly not the primary cause.
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Offline Cheese

  • Posts: 10295
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2022, 06:00 PM »
I’d put in a new pool pump breaker. Must be RF sensitive for some reason.

It’s not an AFCI breaker is it?
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Offline boboettinger

  • Posts: 3
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2022, 02:16 PM »
The reason I suspected the tool is this is the only thing that trips the breaker. I have tried plugging it into my MIDI, and every circuit in the house. The breaker is a 20 amp double pole gfi breaker connected to the panel and the breakers neutral (white wire) is hooked up to the neutral bar in the panel. I have not tried a new breaker (>$150.00), but that’s my next step.

Thanks for your responses!
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Offline mino

  • Posts: 1281
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2022, 02:52 PM »
Quote from: boboettinger on October 09, 2022, 02:16 PM
The reason I suspected the tool is this is the only thing that trips the breaker. I have tried plugging it into my MIDI, and every circuit in the house. The breaker is a 20 amp double pole gfi breaker connected to the panel and the breakers neutral (white wire) is hooked up to the neutral bar in the panel. I have not tried a new breaker (>$150.00), but that’s my next step.

Thanks for your responses!
ETS EC is a doubale-insulated UNEARTHED tool. So it really cannot trigger a (properly working) GFI "breaker" which actually no "breaker" but a ground circuit detector.

What a GFI/GCFI does is it detects if all the current going via the L wire comes "back" via the N wire. Yeah it is a vector sum, so simplified it..
The only case a Class II device like the ETS EC 150 should trip a GCFI device is if there was a short-circuit to earth from its chassis. That is like "never". While the ETS EC chassis is conductive to be anti-static, I do not believe it can guide the 30mA needed even IF there was a fault in the tool.

Best try getting an electrical inspector with proper measuring equipment check your wiring as this smells like a failing GCFI device. If it is so you want to replace it sooner rather than later. The GCFI devices are pretty sensitive so when they start failing they can act "erratic". Unlike a failing breaker which either does not trip when is should or cannot be put back one after a trip.
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Offline boboettinger

  • Posts: 3
Re: ETS EC150/5 Strange problem
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2022, 10:19 AM »
Thank You!
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