Festool Power Plug Change?

[Derek Arita]

I have a couple of Festool vacs and both use an adapter to our US 115v plugs. Has anyone just tossed the adapter and changed the European plug for a US plug? Is this an OK idea?

[Barry O'Mahony]

I've never heard of a European 115V plug. They're all 230V volts. Are you saying your adapter converts from 115V to 230V?

[Per Swenson]

Derek,

What that is, is a 20amp plug converted to a 15amp plug on
the Festool Vac.

Per

[Frank Pellow]

The adapter has nothing to do with Europe. It converts a standard North American 20 amp plug to a standard North American 15 amp plug.

[Jim Becker]

The adapter has nothing to do with Europe. It converts a standard North American 20 amp plug to a standard North American 15 amp plug.

Correct answer. If you have a "real" 20amp recepticle, you don't need to use the adapter. If your circuit was wired with a 15 amp recepticle, you have to use the adapter as you don't have the horizontal slot. Please note that the 20 amp plug looks very much like a similar 240v 20a plug, but the horizontal prong is on the opposite side.

[Derek Arita]

Sorry! My mistake. My question should have been, "What kind of plug is that?"

[Barry O'Mahony]

That makes more sense. So they did it right. I think it's ridiculous when tool manufacturers say in their manuals "this tool must be used on a 20A circuit" and then they ship it with a 15A plug! The whole I idea of a 20A plug is to ensure that the equipment can only be used on a 20A circuit.

So why does Festool feel they need to ship an adapter? Because, for some strange reason, the NEC permits 15A receptacles to be installed on 20A circuits. And most electricians, unless told otherwise, would rather install $0.49 cheap-o receptacles, which are only available in 15A, instead of $2.19 decent ones, which can be had in 20A version.