Dahle PowerTEC 747 CS Paper/Optical Media Shredder

The Dahle PowerTEC 747 CS is a two-head high security shredder that cuts paper to 1 x 5 mm at P-7 and cuts CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs to fragments under 2 x 2 mm at DIN O-6. Its NSA/CSS EPL entry reads "Device Sanitizes CDs, DVD, BD". It is the PowerTEC to choose when a destruction policy names DVD or Blu-ray, and it suits government, defense and other secure records rooms where an auditor needs to see every disc format covered.

PowerTEC 747 CS at a glance

• P-7 paper at 1 x 5 mm; O-6 optical media under 2 x 2 mm
• NSA/CSS EPL entry covers CD, DVD and BD, with a High volume rating
• 11 sheets of #20 bond per pass through a 9-inch slot; discs through a 5-inch slot
• Separate bins: 28 gallons paper, 21 gallons media, 49 gallons in total
• 2.6 HP chain-driven motor, 18 ft/min, standard 115 V supply

The O-6 head that separates the 747 CS from the 727 CS

NSA allows CD fragments up to 5 mm, but DVD and Blu-ray must be reduced to 2 mm or less. The 727 CS cuts discs to 2 x 4 mm, so its optical listing stops at CDs. The 747 CS uses a finer optical head that cuts under 2 x 2 mm, which is why its EPL entry covers all three disc formats. On the paper side the two models are identical: 5 mm² particles, the top DIN 66399 class, inside the NSA/CSS 02-01 limit.

The finer optical head comes with trade-offs. The 747 CS runs at 18 ft/min instead of 24, on a 2.6 HP motor rather than 3.5 HP, and at 60 dB instead of 55. Its paper capacity per pass is unchanged at 11 sheets.

Planning delivery of a 530 lb machine

This is the heaviest PowerTEC 700 model. It ships as a single steel cabinet on casters measuring 26 x 32 x 44 in. Before ordering, confirm liftgate or dock access and check that doors and corridors along the delivery route can clear the cabinet. Once it is in place, it plugs into an ordinary 115 V outlet, and the casters let you reposition it within the room.

Day-to-day running of the 747 CS

An automatic EvenFlow Lubricator oils the cylinders continuously, which matters because the O-6 head works harder than most. Jam protection reverses an overload, and a self-cleaning cycle clears residue from the cutting head. Paper and disc fragments collect in separate bins, so each can be logged on its own. Dahle does not supply bags or publish a bag part number, so plan to reorder liners and lubricant.

Dahle PowerTEC 747 CS specifications

747 CS against the 727 CS and 707 PS

• PowerTEC 727 CS: lighter at 330 lb and quieter at 55 dB, faster at 24 ft/min, with 53 gallons of bin space, but its optical listing covers only CDs.
• PowerTEC 707 PS: paper only, with a 16-inch throat and a single 53-gallon bin.

Who should buy the 747 CS

Buy it when DVD or Blu-ray destruction must stand up to NSA scrutiny alongside P-7 paper. If CDs are the only discs you destroy, the 727 CS does the job faster and at a lower price. If you destroy no discs at all, the 707 PS is the simpler choice.