Unless you have DC and the machine is wired AC (or vice versa) this sounds like a lot of . . . too me. Now, if the machine is wired wrong and is causing a short causing the breaker to trip - its simply that the machine is wired WRONG and not any New/old wire incompatibility. Never even heard someone say something like that, and I've got all new wiring at code for 2012 and run machines wired for back in 1925.
I run a Pfaff 130 with no problems what so ever.
I have never in my life heard of a domestic sewing machine that will trip even a 15amp circuit (about the smallest you will have ) UNLESS it's got bad wiring. They simply don't draw that much electricity.
Though if you've got those arc fault breakers (required for bedrooms and some others) they are very sensitive to surges, we can't run our chop saw plugged into that, but that takes quite a power spike to start up, and that is what trips the arc-fault breaker. A sewing machine should not do that -
And I bet your kitchen outlets are all 20amp, and if to code should have very little else on that circuit, so if you pop one of them, then it's another issue.
I hope the person that told you the machine was too "meaty" is NOT the same one that wired your house during the renovation. That would have me very worried!
Last edited by Macybaby; 04-15-2014 at 01:37 PM.