500E Pedal control issues - requires full power to start sewing then races
06-30-2022, 08:48 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 17
500E Pedal control issues - requires full power to start sewing then races
Hi all,
I feel like this is a common problem with these old foot controllers - at least, I had this problem with my mother's Singer 600 and also my 500E Rocketeer. Whenever I start to sew for the day, I apply pressure to the pedal until I hear the motor start to hum. I will gently increase pressure to try to start sewing slowly, but the hum just gets louder and louder until, all of a sudden, the motor lets loose and begins sewing at super speed. I back off the pressure immediately to slow down, and am able to then have complete control over the speed of the motor. I need for the motor to start slow....
Anyone else have this issue and if so, how did you fix it?
- Jen
I feel like this is a common problem with these old foot controllers - at least, I had this problem with my mother's Singer 600 and also my 500E Rocketeer. Whenever I start to sew for the day, I apply pressure to the pedal until I hear the motor start to hum. I will gently increase pressure to try to start sewing slowly, but the hum just gets louder and louder until, all of a sudden, the motor lets loose and begins sewing at super speed. I back off the pressure immediately to slow down, and am able to then have complete control over the speed of the motor. I need for the motor to start slow....
Anyone else have this issue and if so, how did you fix it?
- Jen
06-30-2022, 11:07 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,853
It's a relatively easy fix. The controller (foot pedal) needs work or replacing. Taking it apart and cleaning and adjusting it usually helps if you don't have a lot of broken carbon disks in it. The mechanism inside the controller makes physical connection when you push down the button. You can adjust this to make contact sooner. Here's a tutorial on adjusting the controller. There are numerous ones on youtube.com also.
bkay
bkay
06-30-2022, 03:13 PM
#3
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 145
If it's a button type controller, the same method can be used as indicated in the linkd from bkay. It may not even be necessary to completely take apart the carbon disk container and clean the disks. It may be, and it is likely that the screw needs to be adjusted. A complete video on those is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gCy7gCn4po
If the screw is the only thing that needs adjusting, which to be frank, it may be, this is just a bit fiddly as you may have to adjust the nut holding it with a pair of pliers while you position the screw using a screwdriver. A bit of patience and about 5 to 10 minutes of fiddling is really all it takes.
Andytube has a series of videos on restoring a foot pedal, the adjustment video is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz1iXW_Ghcs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gCy7gCn4po
If the screw is the only thing that needs adjusting, which to be frank, it may be, this is just a bit fiddly as you may have to adjust the nut holding it with a pair of pliers while you position the screw using a screwdriver. A bit of patience and about 5 to 10 minutes of fiddling is really all it takes.
Andytube has a series of videos on restoring a foot pedal, the adjustment video is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz1iXW_Ghcs
Last edited by 1.41; 06-30-2022 at 03:15 PM.
