Pfaff 332 blew the capacitor
 

It was all coming along really well. The stuck parts freed up, light switch now replaced, straight stitch adjusted, oiled and running to get that motor some exercise and up to speed...and then the capacitor blew!

It must have been some weird karma that I was asking about it before. I had finally decided to leave them in since they look ok and worry about it later if I had a problem.

(Insert PROBLEM here)

Now I really do have to make a decision about removing or replacing them. The first shot is the before. Then I cleaned up the plate and put it back. Today when I stopped running the motor I heard a wet Phsssst sound and you can see in the second pic that one of the capacitors oozed silly putty all over.

Ewwww, what a mess. I think I'd try it without them if I could.


Joe

That's what I did Joe. After closer inspection they were both blown. I removed them and things seem to be running fine now.

I know the foot controller has them too so I'll have to see how that looks another day.

Just an observation from an electronics challenged guy; The capacitors that are just attached like those are, how to say this, are not necessary for proper functioning. However those that are on circuit boards are. When they go pop things quit working.

We had a video card in our last computer that blew 4 o5 capacitors. Each one sounded like a .22 going off. Each time the computer went into arrest and came back. Until the last one when I just quit till we pulled the video card.

Joe

JoAnn, the machine may run well without them, but those capacitors control and keep down interference. My son says if you can find the value of the capacitors, they should be replaced with equivalent new capacitors rated at least 600 volts. The modern capacitors are made of better material and are smaller in physical size. You should save the spaghetti insulation tubing that is on the leads of the capacitors. My son is a vintage audio equipment collector and all of the radios he has have capacitors and they're a "waiting timebomb". Unlike sewing machines, he has a power supply that is adjustable and he brings the voltage up on his radios gradually to keep the capacitors from blowing up. Your machine may run fine without them, but it can interfere with your television and/or radio reception. Okay, I'm repeating the lecture I just received from my son! His hobby, since he was in his early teens, has been electronics, especially old tube radios, amplifiers, etc. It's also what he studied in college, so he has learned a lot over the years.

Jeanette

Oh man! This machine is really putting you through your paces, isn't it?