Foot pedal smells like sparklers, makes popping sound.
 

Well, how's -that- for a title?

On one of my machines, the foot pedal has a funny smell to it when I use it. Not a burning smell, not an electrical smell, but rather a smell similar to the combusted smell of Halloween sparklers. I hope this is clear, as it is the best explanation I can come up with.

The foot pedal also makes small pop-pop sounds, even after I finish using it. Could this be the sound of it cooling off?

I know that the first advice is going to be "Get a new foot pedal" or "re-wire that pedal, pronto!". However, I have opened it up and looked, and everything looks clean as a whistle! The wiring is not old, and looks to be in very good shape.

Does anyone have any ideas, diagnoses, anything whatsoever to offer in terms of insight? Anything I could look for as a source of the problem?

Many thanks,

Cecilia

Sounds like someone put a sparkler in your foot pedal.
Definitely don't use it until you've had a look inside. I'd repair it rather than replacing. You haven't said what machine or controller so I assume it's a '50s bakelite model. Tammi had a really nice instruction on disassembly and inspection.

I had the same thing with a 15-91 pedal after DH got the machine fixed up. He opened it back up, and it has some condensation inside. Cleaned it up and it still made some funny noises, and DH said it was safe, it was just cooking off the moisture that had been obsorbed by the carbon disks in the pedal.

Since he had opened it up and made sure there was no electrical short, I was OK with using it, and after about 6 hours of use, it settled down and I've not had it repeat that. Who knows how many years it had sat before I started using it, and I've not had another one do it, but I've still got plenty that haven't been put into use yet.

Used the machine to wind 5 bobbins for my quilting machine this morning - no smell or noise. Sure is nice that my Bailey bobbins are about the same size as the 15, so I can use that machine to wind them.

Cecilia, I've got the same problem: not the smell, but the pop pop/steaming/cooling off sound. It happened once with my Singer pedal (metal one, not bakelite). I looked inside and found nothing. It didn't happened again so I was feeling safe to keep operating it. Then I got the same sound coming from my "new" Bernina 730. It is operated with a knee controller, not a foot pedal. I was able to put off the cover of the motor and look at it while running. It was coming from the controller, not the motor. I noticed that there was sometimes a tiny spark coming from the two metal pieces pushed by the bolt actionned by the pressing of the pedal/knee controller. The pop pop sound happened after I saw this tiny spark. After leaving the machine unplugged for a while I cleaned the metal pieces in case the spark was caused by some dirt, but no success. I posted a question about it on BerninaThirtySomething group, and I'm waiting to see if anybody have something to say.
So... I hope somebody will have a clue about this controller problem, because it will help me too!

Try this link instead:
http://www.archaicarcane.com/what-a-pile-of/

An excerpt:
Sound familiar? ;)

That happened to me. Don't use it. Replace the cord or at least see what the problem is. I got a shock off mine, then it got hot and caught on fire. Unplugged from the outlet grabbed a towel and got fire put out. yep it's ready to blow.

I do very much appreciate all the replies!

It is a metal pedal, and I have opened and inspected it, and it is clean as a whistle and the wiring is in perfect condition. There is nothing to be "fixed".

I think I will continue to use it, but -carefully-, heeding all your various warnings, and am keeping it unplugged when not in use and also am in the room for a good long while after I stop using it.

I do understand that when sewing a low speeds, it is normal for any foot pedal to heat up. This in itself is normal and harmless.

I like the explanation that was given earlier in this thread about moisture needing to burn off.

I will keep you posted if anything develops. I will hope for an outcome more like Macybaby's than Tessagin's. ;-)

Thank you all again.

p.s. Arcane, your site looks really wonderful! I will spend more time there, reading, when I have some time. Thanks so much for the link.

Cecilia, I also like the explanation of Macybaby. The Bernina was kept in a basement, so it may have cause the presence of moisture.
The pedal that made the same sound was also a metal one. It did it one time and never again.
I runned my Bernina yesterday for a few hours (without the motor cover to see anything bad happening) and I noticed it was doing it a lot in the beginning, but less in the end.
So, let's check out it turn... Good luck!

Just to double check, some of the metal pedals still have carbon piles in them, but they look a little different. Some of them have a ceramic cylinder about the size of a pack of lifesavers, but maybe 25 - 50% longer than the lifesavers. Those will have the same carbon disks inside them. The insidious part about these carbon piles is that outwardly, they look fine. I don't suppose you could post a pic of the innards of the pedal?

Thanks!! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I don't get as much time to write as I'd like, but I like to know that it's helping people out. :)