Singer 99 Motor Help
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 836
Singer 99 Motor Help
I have a 99 in need of a motor, and someone gave me an old one which came from a 99 and which is a Singer motor. It needs a lot of help, including brushes. Before I invest I'm wondering about the wiring.
So far, all motors that I have opened up have only 2 wires coming off them, one from each brush, and I've not had any problems getting them back running and wired correctly.
This motor has 3 wires coming off the motor, one from each brush and then an extra one off one set of windings and then joining one of the brush wires, see the first picture, the 2 wires on the right, connected on the back side as seen in the second picture.
Does anyone know what the 3rd wire off the windings is for? Do I just treat those two wires as one for connecting a foot controller? If it matters, I will not be wiring a light into this mess.
So far, all motors that I have opened up have only 2 wires coming off them, one from each brush, and I've not had any problems getting them back running and wired correctly.
This motor has 3 wires coming off the motor, one from each brush and then an extra one off one set of windings and then joining one of the brush wires, see the first picture, the 2 wires on the right, connected on the back side as seen in the second picture.
Does anyone know what the 3rd wire off the windings is for? Do I just treat those two wires as one for connecting a foot controller? If it matters, I will not be wiring a light into this mess.
#2
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Copenhagen
Posts: 61
You are right, that normally two wires comes from the motor. But you are not right, that each of the two wires normally comes directly from the brushes. It is an universal motor or series motor, so stator windings are connected in series with the brushes (rotor). In most cases the stator windings consist of two windings to produce the "static" magnetic field of the motor. I guess that some parts of the connection to these windings is taken out to terminals on this motor, because it may make it easier to test the motor windings from outside.
This motor looks very old, and I am not sure that I would use it, because the insulation material of windings of the very old motors are not that good. You may have a professional person to check the insulation by some high voltage insulation test. You can buy new motors and also newer vintage ones.
On newer motors, you can have some EMI filters or capacitors connected to the motor or assembled nearby. They are used to reduce radio interference to older AM radios and old lower frequency TV signals. I do not think this is the case with this motor. But such capacitors can make connections to both sides of the pedal wires as well.
This motor looks very old, and I am not sure that I would use it, because the insulation material of windings of the very old motors are not that good. You may have a professional person to check the insulation by some high voltage insulation test. You can buy new motors and also newer vintage ones.
On newer motors, you can have some EMI filters or capacitors connected to the motor or assembled nearby. They are used to reduce radio interference to older AM radios and old lower frequency TV signals. I do not think this is the case with this motor. But such capacitors can make connections to both sides of the pedal wires as well.
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: las vegas nv.
Posts: 2,452
Joejr. I have a motor that I bought for a Singer Red Eye but decided not to use it for this machine as I am leaning toward turning it back to a treadle. You are welcome to the motor just for ship cost if you would like. Hope this is allowed on this message board, don't mean to break any rules just offering to help.
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 836
It goes against my grain not to try at least to get this one going. I will clean it up and inspect it as best as I can before I plug it in, assuming I find brushes to fit at the local hardware store. When I am testing a questionable motor I use a small inverter to avoid electrical problems with the house, and I will test it away from the gas cans just under the workbench!
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 836
This motor came back to life! The hardware store had some brushes, which didn't quite fit, but that's what the sandpaper is for. It spins nicely, no sparks, no fires. I hope to paint the cover pieces so it looks a little nicer. And I have to find a narrower pulley than the one I took from another motor. This one didn't have one and my non-Singer pulley won't line up with the hand wheel.
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 836
In my middle age I've found a great deal of satisfaction in getting old machines, and their components in this case, up and running. And I just like to look at them too, when they're all finished (I've been allowed to put one out on display). Maybe some day soon I should actually try making something on one of them!