Electrical "buzz" from my FW
#11
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Horse Country, FL
Posts: 7,341
Turning the plug around solved the problem. Who would have thought? Now I need to go back in and read the "rest of the story." Thanks for the help! People on QB are just the best. :-)
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Northern CA near Sacramento
Posts: 1,107
Coopah,
Sorry to be a little late on this subject.
Any tingle is the sign of an electrical short. Unplug that machine and don't use it until the wiring has been checked out. It can be be very dangerous to continue using it as it is. The short maybe as simple as a single wire strand touching the body of the machine, but you don't know until it is checked out.
I don't want you to be injured.
Cathy
Sorry to be a little late on this subject.
Any tingle is the sign of an electrical short. Unplug that machine and don't use it until the wiring has been checked out. It can be be very dangerous to continue using it as it is. The short maybe as simple as a single wire strand touching the body of the machine, but you don't know until it is checked out.
I don't want you to be injured.
Cathy
Lately, when I touch the throat plate or hand wheel (both silver colored metal) I've gotten a slight "buzz." Now it seems to be affecting the bed extension, as well. Any recommendations on how to fix this problem? The plug is the original 2 prong. DH is fairly OK in the workshop. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
#13
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
Short or bad ground, Cathy is 100%
Electricity (and the Fire it can create) are too nasty to play with if you are not sure.
"I" would not use the machine currently.
(One of my buffers did this and it was a loose wire in the junction)
Electricity (and the Fire it can create) are too nasty to play with if you are not sure.
"I" would not use the machine currently.
(One of my buffers did this and it was a loose wire in the junction)
#15
Honestly, Coopah, as Steve and Cathy mention, this is not because the plug was plugged in wrong. I suspect the reason the problem went away when you unplugged and plugged it in the other way is that the wires that were shorting together were nudged apart by the movement, and are no longer shorting. This is a temporary condition, the cord or the wiring inside MUST be addressed for safety.
The cords were not polarized in the past, because it was not the "standard" or the law. The reason it truly does not matter is that with alternating current - AC power - what's supplied by the power company to your house, there is no positive and negative, hence no right or wrong way to plug the cord in. (Also the reason a motor like this doesn't run in reverse if plugged in one way or the other, or if we switch the wires at the machine side.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_polarity
The other thing to note about AC power, is that it requires a very small amount of it to disrupt the human heart. Less than 1 amp. Your wall plug is likely capable of supplying between 15 and 20 of those amps.
Typically, with 120volt service (what your wall plug is using, but not your dryer), you will be "thrown clear" in an electrocution situation, but it's still not good for your heart.
This is not to be played with. I'm sorry to be sounding "doom and gloom" but it's dangerous to believe that which way you plug it in will make the difference. It would likely be mandatory to change a plug out to a polarized one if simply plugging it in "wrong" could cause electrocution and fires.
Please examine the wiring inside the machine, at the points that were mentioned, and the cord as well, between the foot and the machine as well as from the machine to the wall, and let us know what you find.
The cords were not polarized in the past, because it was not the "standard" or the law. The reason it truly does not matter is that with alternating current - AC power - what's supplied by the power company to your house, there is no positive and negative, hence no right or wrong way to plug the cord in. (Also the reason a motor like this doesn't run in reverse if plugged in one way or the other, or if we switch the wires at the machine side.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_polarity
The other thing to note about AC power, is that it requires a very small amount of it to disrupt the human heart. Less than 1 amp. Your wall plug is likely capable of supplying between 15 and 20 of those amps.
Typically, with 120volt service (what your wall plug is using, but not your dryer), you will be "thrown clear" in an electrocution situation, but it's still not good for your heart.
This is not to be played with. I'm sorry to be sounding "doom and gloom" but it's dangerous to believe that which way you plug it in will make the difference. It would likely be mandatory to change a plug out to a polarized one if simply plugging it in "wrong" could cause electrocution and fires.
Please examine the wiring inside the machine, at the points that were mentioned, and the cord as well, between the foot and the machine as well as from the machine to the wall, and let us know what you find.
Last edited by ArchaicArcane; 06-16-2013 at 05:08 PM.
#16
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Horse Country, FL
Posts: 7,341
I hear you, Archaic. I'll use my MIL's nice FW until I can get the wiring in my old FW looked at. I'll post results, but probably that won't happen for awhile. :-( Meanwhile, it can sit unplugged somewhere safe. Thanks for the caution. It's good to have folks who watch out for others. :-)
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Northern CA near Sacramento
Posts: 1,107
Yes, thank you. Glad you'll be safe.
Cathy
Cathy
I hear you, Archaic. I'll use my MIL's nice FW until I can get the wiring in my old FW looked at. I'll post results, but probably that won't happen for awhile. :-( Meanwhile, it can sit unplugged somewhere safe. Thanks for the caution. It's good to have folks who watch out for others. :-)
#19
I should also mention that the singer bakelite foot pedal -can't- be wired in reverse.
For example, you will notice that there is no mention of being careful which wire to put to which connector in either of these articles:
http://blog.sew-classic.com/2010/01/...g-machine.aspx
http://blog.sew-classic.com/2009/11/...r-control.aspx
For the same reason as before - AC current doesn't have constant polarity. All a foot pedal does is break the power going to the motor and add in some sort of resistance to allow variability of speed.
For example, you will notice that there is no mention of being careful which wire to put to which connector in either of these articles:
http://blog.sew-classic.com/2010/01/...g-machine.aspx
http://blog.sew-classic.com/2009/11/...r-control.aspx
For the same reason as before - AC current doesn't have constant polarity. All a foot pedal does is break the power going to the motor and add in some sort of resistance to allow variability of speed.
#20
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Horse Country, FL
Posts: 7,341
OK, so Archaic, you're telling me that if the foot pedal is the problem, it's ka-put forever? Sorry, but I'm a bit of a dunce on the electric things. Just checking. If that's so, I'll need to find another pedal.
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