Snap! crackle! pop!
07-22-2014, 05:46 PM
#22
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Location: Mendocino County CA
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As to the wiring diagram, no problem. I was already using the same diagram.
I am frustrated and taking a break to sort out my thoughts. This last go around I was pleased that all parts were functioning correctly IE motor started and increased in power with the use of foot controller. But the popping of the controller has me stymied. I am using the same power outlet I use for any machines I put up on my work table.
I am frustrated and taking a break to sort out my thoughts. This last go around I was pleased that all parts were functioning correctly IE motor started and increased in power with the use of foot controller. But the popping of the controller has me stymied. I am using the same power outlet I use for any machines I put up on my work table.
07-25-2014, 06:09 PM
#24
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Joe, I didn't really want to fully take apart the controller since I had the same result with two different ones. I did open it up to check for any burned areas. I carefully ran it with the back off to see if there was any sparking and there was not. I took a couple days away from it to ask around and research.
The information I got was that in these type foot controllers when they haven't been used and have been kept in a damp environment, the carbon will absorb moisture. When the controller is used it heats up and hisses and pops. Once the foot controller has been used a bit it will dry out and the noise stops.
This rang pretty true for me so I gave it a try. I had already noticed that at higher speeds it took longer for the popping to start and that would be because less resistance at higher speeds would build less heat. I ran the motor a few times over a couple hours and the popping reduced very quickly and is gone now.
Yay! Another problem solved in a string of them.
Todays fun was to figure out how to best mount the motor since the bracket has 3 screw holes. Since the machine didn't come with a belt, that gave me no clues. I tried a few different belts and eventually settled on a shorter one mounting the motor higher than my first choice. I think its right though because using the long adjustable slot I would normally want to use puts the motor off kilter and choosing the lower left oddly shaped hole lines up the belt the nicest.
Now that I have the motor running, I found a new problem. When I run the motor, the light goes off. When the motor stops, the light comes back on! Now what?
The information I got was that in these type foot controllers when they haven't been used and have been kept in a damp environment, the carbon will absorb moisture. When the controller is used it heats up and hisses and pops. Once the foot controller has been used a bit it will dry out and the noise stops.
This rang pretty true for me so I gave it a try. I had already noticed that at higher speeds it took longer for the popping to start and that would be because less resistance at higher speeds would build less heat. I ran the motor a few times over a couple hours and the popping reduced very quickly and is gone now.
Yay! Another problem solved in a string of them.
Todays fun was to figure out how to best mount the motor since the bracket has 3 screw holes. Since the machine didn't come with a belt, that gave me no clues. I tried a few different belts and eventually settled on a shorter one mounting the motor higher than my first choice. I think its right though because using the long adjustable slot I would normally want to use puts the motor off kilter and choosing the lower left oddly shaped hole lines up the belt the nicest.
Now that I have the motor running, I found a new problem. When I run the motor, the light goes off. When the motor stops, the light comes back on! Now what?
07-26-2014, 07:04 AM
#25
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Posts: 8,091
Christy,
Glad you got the controllers figured out. I hope you're right about the moisture.
The motor boss on the machine head, how many screw holes is in it? I see one. So I'd attach the bracket with the screw through the vertical slot into the hole in the center of the boss on the head. The bracket has a slot to match the boss on the head so that should work.
As for the light going off when you push on the controller, it's wired wrong. That's it in a nut shell. The light has it's own switch, right? Then both light wires should be wired directly to the power cord in the junction block.
The motor is wired with one side to power, (probably the neutral side) and one side through the controller which is the motor switch. Remember the hot side is always switched. There are two separate circuits in that block and they are all connected. Wire them correctly and it works. Wire them incorrectly and you get weird things happening.
~~ Unless the system uses a third ground wire at which time I'm not sure of anything. ~~
Joe
Glad you got the controllers figured out. I hope you're right about the moisture.
The motor boss on the machine head, how many screw holes is in it? I see one. So I'd attach the bracket with the screw through the vertical slot into the hole in the center of the boss on the head. The bracket has a slot to match the boss on the head so that should work.
As for the light going off when you push on the controller, it's wired wrong. That's it in a nut shell. The light has it's own switch, right? Then both light wires should be wired directly to the power cord in the junction block.
The motor is wired with one side to power, (probably the neutral side) and one side through the controller which is the motor switch. Remember the hot side is always switched. There are two separate circuits in that block and they are all connected. Wire them correctly and it works. Wire them incorrectly and you get weird things happening.
~~ Unless the system uses a third ground wire at which time I'm not sure of anything. ~~
Joe
07-26-2014, 10:30 AM
#26
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mendocino County CA
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Originally Posted by J Miller
Christy,
Glad you got the controllers figured out. I hope you're right about the moisture.
The motor boss on the machine head, how many screw holes is in it? I see one. So I'd attach the bracket with the screw through the vertical slot into the hole in the center of the boss on the head. The bracket has a slot to match the boss on the head so that should work.
As for the light going off when you push on the controller, it's wired wrong. That's it in a nut shell. The light has it's own switch, right? Then both light wires should be wired directly to the power cord in the junction block.
The motor is wired with one side to power, (probably the neutral side) and one side through the controller which is the motor switch. Remember the hot side is always switched. There are two separate circuits in that block and they are all connected. Wire them correctly and it works. Wire them incorrectly and you get weird things happening.
~~ Unless the system uses a third ground wire at which time I'm not sure of anything. ~~
Joe
Glad you got the controllers figured out. I hope you're right about the moisture.
The motor boss on the machine head, how many screw holes is in it? I see one. So I'd attach the bracket with the screw through the vertical slot into the hole in the center of the boss on the head. The bracket has a slot to match the boss on the head so that should work.
As for the light going off when you push on the controller, it's wired wrong. That's it in a nut shell. The light has it's own switch, right? Then both light wires should be wired directly to the power cord in the junction block.
The motor is wired with one side to power, (probably the neutral side) and one side through the controller which is the motor switch. Remember the hot side is always switched. There are two separate circuits in that block and they are all connected. Wire them correctly and it works. Wire them incorrectly and you get weird things happening.
~~ Unless the system uses a third ground wire at which time I'm not sure of anything. ~~
Joe
Here is my wiring for the Pfaff. I have opening the cord side and confirmed the wiring matches the diagram. I tried switching the 2 leads for the lamp to see if it made any difference and it did not.
07-26-2014, 04:28 PM
#28
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mendocino County CA
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Gah! I am wiring dyslexic! After checking and double checking and triple checking the wiring on the machine side, I did NOT double check the wiring on the cord side. I had it written down reversed so my wiring on the cord side was flipped. Therefore my lamp needed to connect to 1 and 2, not 2 and 3.
Sheesh. On one hand I feel like an idiot. On the other, I happy to be one step further along. *Hubby suggested it...ohhh embarrassment on top of embarrassment.
Sheesh. On one hand I feel like an idiot. On the other, I happy to be one step further along. *Hubby suggested it...ohhh embarrassment on top of embarrassment.
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