301A question
05-16-2014, 03:23 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,122
Ivey, if yours does not work with the standard Singer cord (I used the one from my FW as that was handy) then I'd guess that someone messed up the wiring inside the machine - and then swapped ends on the power/foot cords to try to get it to work. With mine, the ends are not molded and can be taken apart and rewired. I'm sure that can be done, it's just moving around which wires connect to what pins in the machine.
While I have not yet encountered that on a sewing machine - I've seen it a lot with trailers - it's real fun when you rent a trailer and have the brakes lock up when you turn on your lights . . . btw - we knew our truck was wired correctly, and the time we rented the trailer before it worked fine. Upon inspection - we could see someone had cut the trailer wires and spliced them back together.
While I have not yet encountered that on a sewing machine - I've seen it a lot with trailers - it's real fun when you rent a trailer and have the brakes lock up when you turn on your lights . . . btw - we knew our truck was wired correctly, and the time we rented the trailer before it worked fine. Upon inspection - we could see someone had cut the trailer wires and spliced them back together.
05-16-2014, 03:35 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Frederick, OK
Posts: 2,031
It’s better to have your trailer brakes wired to a turn signal circuit rather than the tail lights. Then, when you turn that one way, the trailer just goes erk, erk, erk, erk, erk, erk......
CD in Oklahoma
CD in Oklahoma
05-16-2014, 01:34 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Central MA
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by Macybaby
Ivey, if yours does not work with the standard Singer cord (I used the one from my FW as that was handy) then I'd guess that someone messed up the wiring inside the machine - and then swapped ends on the power/foot cords to try to get it to work. With mine, the ends are not molded and can be taken apart and rewired. I'm sure that can be done, it's just moving around which wires connect to what pins in the machine.
While I have not yet encountered that on a sewing machine - I've seen it a lot with trailers - it's real fun when you rent a trailer and have the brakes lock up when you turn on your lights . . . btw - we knew our truck was wired correctly, and the time we rented the trailer before it worked fine. Upon inspection - we could see someone had cut the trailer wires and spliced them back together.
While I have not yet encountered that on a sewing machine - I've seen it a lot with trailers - it's real fun when you rent a trailer and have the brakes lock up when you turn on your lights . . . btw - we knew our truck was wired correctly, and the time we rented the trailer before it worked fine. Upon inspection - we could see someone had cut the trailer wires and spliced them back together.
Okay, so I decided that I should get the machine oiled before I attempted to see if it actually worked. I think it may have a plethora (that is my big word for the day LOL) of issues. When I took the cover off of the bottom I noticed that the metal plate protecting the wires was held on by what appeared to be superglue! The wires all looked okay. That aside I got the machine oiled, the grabbed my featherweight controller and power cord plugged it in, the good news is that does work, the bad news is the machine won't pick up the bobbin thread and gets caught in the bobbin assembly.
I think I may have to see if I can find a service manual and start taking it apart piece by piece. I suppose it could be a good learning experience.......
05-16-2014, 04:22 PM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Not Here
Posts: 3,817
First things first, turn the needle around. It's the same as the featherweight and like the featherweight, the number one reason for skipping stitches is needle in backwards. Flat to the left, just like the the throat plate.
I'm assuming that the thread is getting caught in the bobbin assembly, not the needle or something. Sucking thread in is most likely to happen if you don't hold the tails. Upper tension set way too low just exacerbates the problem. The other thing that seems to cause it is if there are already threads stuck behind the bobbin case, then they just seem to bring their friends along. Try this: http://thefeatherweight221factory.co...MachineJam.php
I think it's the Singer Slant Yahoo group that has the service manual... it's dark though and hard to "read" the pictures.
I'm assuming that the thread is getting caught in the bobbin assembly, not the needle or something. Sucking thread in is most likely to happen if you don't hold the tails. Upper tension set way too low just exacerbates the problem. The other thing that seems to cause it is if there are already threads stuck behind the bobbin case, then they just seem to bring their friends along. Try this: http://thefeatherweight221factory.co...MachineJam.php
I think it's the Singer Slant Yahoo group that has the service manual... it's dark though and hard to "read" the pictures.
10-19-2014, 11:01 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 344
Macybaby/Cathy, are you saying that the setup with two seperate plugins could work off just the FW single plug with the wires going to the outlet and the other one going down to the foot control?
Last edited by sdhaevrsi; 10-19-2014 at 11:03 AM.
10-19-2014, 06:29 PM
#16
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 181
Sheri,
It's my understanding that there are two versions of the 301a in regards to cords/wiring--the portable version which uses a double-lead cord like the FW, and the cabinet version which requires a cord for the foot controller and a cord for the power. My 301a is in a cabinet and didn't have any cords, but I borrowed a cord set from one of my 401s. You can get new ones from Sew-Classic:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Sin...rol-197628.htm
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Sin...ORE-SCE122.htm
She also sells the foot controllers to put on them.
When I purchased one of the power cords, there was an instruction page on her blog (which I think is now taken down) that explained that you may need to "open up" the holes in the power cord receptacle and recommended using an extra tap-in spool pin which was about the right size and tap it into each hole with a hammer. Since I had one, I used it and it did make it much easier to plug in.
It's my understanding that there are two versions of the 301a in regards to cords/wiring--the portable version which uses a double-lead cord like the FW, and the cabinet version which requires a cord for the foot controller and a cord for the power. My 301a is in a cabinet and didn't have any cords, but I borrowed a cord set from one of my 401s. You can get new ones from Sew-Classic:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Sin...rol-197628.htm
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Sin...ORE-SCE122.htm
She also sells the foot controllers to put on them.
When I purchased one of the power cords, there was an instruction page on her blog (which I think is now taken down) that explained that you may need to "open up" the holes in the power cord receptacle and recommended using an extra tap-in spool pin which was about the right size and tap it into each hole with a hammer. Since I had one, I used it and it did make it much easier to plug in.
10-19-2014, 07:34 PM
#17
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Victorian Sweatshop Forum
Posts: 4,096
Originally Posted by Ivey
Thank you for the replys! I did a little more digging this morning, I think if I understand correctly the 301 short bed were those that could be used in a cabinet and also portable, they have two distinct connections, the standard 3 pin connection on the back of the machine and then the two pin at the base of the machine. The 301's that are the long bed have the 3 pin connector wired for both the controller and the outlet, just like the one I use for my featherweight.
Everything I have read seems to say that the 2 pin connector that connects at the base of the machine should be for the foot controller, and the three pin (with probably only 2 pins wired) should be for the electrical.
I'm thinking that the foot pedal and the 2 pin controller may have been thrown together with this machine by someone who didn't know anything about them.
All that being said, I don't want to cause any electrical problems with the machine so I ordered a new foot controller with the appropriate connector and a new power cord from Sew Classic this morning.
I just wonder as it was sold as "in great working condition".....I guess that is subjective! LOL
I truly appreciate your replys, you are a wonderful group of folks and a great wealth of knowledge for a newbie like me!
Everything I have read seems to say that the 2 pin connector that connects at the base of the machine should be for the foot controller, and the three pin (with probably only 2 pins wired) should be for the electrical.
I'm thinking that the foot pedal and the 2 pin controller may have been thrown together with this machine by someone who didn't know anything about them.
All that being said, I don't want to cause any electrical problems with the machine so I ordered a new foot controller with the appropriate connector and a new power cord from Sew Classic this morning.
I just wonder as it was sold as "in great working condition".....I guess that is subjective! LOL
I truly appreciate your replys, you are a wonderful group of folks and a great wealth of knowledge for a newbie like me!
Cari
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