Dust extractor — Felder RL 125

Shared dust and chip extractor for the Wood room machines, with wired gates, an ultrasonic fill sensor and a water-based fire suppression system.

Felder RL 125 with bin, fill indicator and fire system

Normal use

1. Check the bin is locked, the bag fitted and not full, and your machine's hose is connected.

2. Open your gate fully; keep other gates closed. A half-open gate starts the blower but gives poor suction.

3. Check suction at the machine before starting it.

4. Close your gate when done.

5. Last to leave: close all gates and check the blower has stopped. Leave the control power on.

Never disconnect gate wires, bypass sensors or alter the controller. Report gates that stick or don't start/stop the blower.

Connected machines: table saw, router table, planer/jointer (shared hose), both bandsaws, mitre saw, belt sander, lathe (funnel, dry waste only). The drill press doesn't need it.

Wired slide gates in the ducting

Table saw gate	Router table / planer gate
Gate beside the table saw	Gate for router table and planer

What not to collect

• Metal, nails, screws, sparks

• Hot or smouldering waste, cigarette ends

• Liquids or wet green-wood shavings

• Plastics — ask first

Fill level

The collector keeps running whatever the level — there's no automatic full-bin stop. Always look at the actual bag.

To wipe the sensor (small yellow unit above the bin): stop machines and collector, power off so it can't restart, wipe gently. Don't touch the mounting.

Fill level LED strip and dust level guide

Changing the bag

1. Stop all machines and the collector. Power off so a gate can't restart it.

2. Gently pull the filter-cleaning handle on the right side 4–5 times. Don't force it. Let the dust settle.

3. Release and lower the bin with its handle, roll it out. Remove the full bag carefully.

4. Fit a new bag, smoothed into the corners with the top edge over the rim. Keep the seals and bag-retention suction hose clear.

5. Roll the bin back and lock it. Check bag, seals and retention hose.

6. Power on and test. If the bag gets sucked up (odd noise), stop and report.

7. Close the bag and dispose of it per the waste instructions.

If filters, sensor or sprinkler area are buried in chips, leave it off and report. Never run without a bag or with the bin unlocked.

Bag fitted in the bin with the edge over the rim

Fire

Burning smell, smoke or fire: stop work, warn others, evacuate and call 112 if needed. Switch off only if safe. Don't open the collector or pull out a burning bin — it can flare up. Don't wait for the sprinkler or a Slack alert.

After a fire or sprinkler discharge, the collector and connected machines stay out of use until inspected and released.

Fire system (installed Nov 2025 after repeated fires): automatic sprinkler with heat-sensitive glass bulb, a separate manual spray head, ~20 l of water, collector shutdown and a Slack alert. Don't cover, adjust or test it. Sprinkler test video (MP4, 7 s)

Troubleshooting

Maintenance

• Internal cleaning, brush adjustment, fire system and electrical work: maintainers only.

• Bags, filters and parts: order from Felder. Fire system spares are in the locked maintenance drawer.

• Bin rivets repaired and gaps sealed Oct 2026.

• Maintenance and repairs log

Specifications

Documents and links

• Felder RL 125/160/200 manual, English (PDF, 36 pages) — safety and fire pp. 8–11, specs p. 13, bags p. 26, filter cleaning p. 28, maintenance pp. 30–31.

• Sidewall sprinkler demonstration (YouTube)

• Felder product page

• Woodshop — Open questions