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-   -   New pedal skips slow and med, goes straight to fast! (https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/new-pedal-skips-slow-med-goes-straight-fast-t278586.html)

Freaky_Quilts_Dragon 05-12-2016 05:52 PM

New pedal skips slow and med, goes straight to fast!
 
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 05-13-2016 03:38 AM

Did you plug it into the light outlet?

Mickey2 05-13-2016 04:21 AM

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 05-13-2016 10:11 AM

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.


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