Freaky_Quilts_Dragon

So, the carbon pile controller I got with my Pfaff 130 was heating up too much and needed replacing. Ordered and received a 1.2 amp electronic pedal from Sew Classic, wired it to my 1.3 amp motor, and away I went... at approximately 60 miles per hour.

There's no fine control with this new controller! It's either fast or really fast, no matter how carefully I ease my foot down. I just can't keep up with it. Any suggestion on how to throttle down my new pedal?

miriam

Did you plug it into the light outlet?

Mickey2

Your old carbon pile controller probably needs adjusting; there is a very good blog post from Tammi on this. A new pedal should in theory have more gradual and precise control (...but, like in your case I know it doesn't always work like that. I have yet to find the explanation for it). The old controllers have a bad reputation; turn hot, uneven speed control, etc., but it's usually a case of having them adjusted and serviced properly. I have developed a feel for my old Singer button controller, and it works well.

Freaky_Quilts_Dragon

Tahnk you for the replies!

miriam, the new electronic controller is wired exactly the same way as the old carbon pile one. I know because I just took the carbon pile one off of the end of the wire and put the electronic one on. The only rewiring was at the pedal itself. When I wired up the light, motor, pedal I checked checked and checked some more that the connections where in the right place and everything worked properly.

Thank you Mickey2 for the link. I have seen and read it, and I really wanted to do that but when I opened my pedal up to check it's condition I found the carbon piles where permanently installed in the ceramic insulator: the manufacturer used rivets on the metal plates at the ends and they aren't coming off. I actually had good speed control with that pedal and I liked it, it just got too hot with the continuous use during FMQ. It would probably be fine with stop and go work.

Right now I'm looking for a dimmer for the new pedal. All of the good ones cost at least $16, which is frustrating because with the cost of the new pedal it would put the same price of a vintage 1.3 amp electronic Singer pedal I'd had my eye on which would probably have worked perfectly for me. I went with the cheaper pedal so I could spend the savings on attachments that would make sewing easier. *sigh* Technology: Making life simpler by making it more complicated.

Seriously considering just putting the Pfaff 130 in my treadle cabinet and the motor in a drawer. The Pfaff cabinet would make a nice work table for my BF and me.