Ioftheneedle

What is it about the lamps/lights on sewing machines? On one of my old Featherweight and also a #99 Singer - both have been serviced at different times and the techs say they can't get them to work. Does anyone have any suggestions as to the problem. My hubby said he will take a look that it shouldn't be such a problem.
Thanks

Caroline S

Same thing happened with my Singer 101. The OSMG said the light assembly was bad. Well, I fiddled with the switch and lo and behold the light worked. I think that the switch itself was a little gunky and just switching it on and off a few times cleared the contacts. Might not work every time.

J Miller

The internal switches on the lights with the on-off nob wear and get dirty. They are little spring loaded contacts and after a few decades of being turned on and off they just get worn and sometimes quit.
If the light can be taken apart for rewiring you can also clean and usually re-fit the metal parts to work.
Sometimes the wiring itself goes bad and the connection fails. Or the contacts for the bulb wear out.
Sometimes people put the wrong bulbs in and over heat the light assembly and they melt inside.
I have one sewing machine light assembly that has a spiral bulb in it. Luckily it's a low amp bulb, but it don't belong there.

Some people simply cannot fix electrical things. All they do is replace them.

Joe

Ioftheneedle

Well, thanks Joe for the information. I am going to have my husband read your post for possible hints for repairing them. One especially looks like it should work all bright and shinny housing no plaly in the switch. We will see...........

MrsBoats

Sometimes, the contacts that touch the little buttons on the base of the lightbulb itself are a little worn, and don't make contact. If your problem is intermittent--the light goes off by itself, especially during use or if you move the machine--then this may be the problem. The solution is to carefully use a long set of needlenose pliers, or hemostats or something, and bend the contacts (little copper pieces) very slightly out into the center of the lightbulb base. Go slow-it doesn't take much, and some of them break easy instead of bending.

Inside the switch itself is a little star shaped spring contact that turns with the knob. Do NOT take this apart unless you've got unlimited patience and nothing else to do with your afternoon. (Ask me how I know...:/) If it's that switch that's worn, better to take it to your osmg and let him deal with it.