Electronic vs Mechanical Sewing Machine Pedal

[@Widespread-Grievances]

So, 14 years later, you're still helping people with this video. I was wondering if I could attach an electronic foot pedal to my vintage Kenmore and Domestic Rotary machines. Now that I'm sure it can be done, I'm diving in. I've stuck around, to learn more about how these things work, and you've done an excellent job of explaining things. Thank you!

[@momofmolli]

I had one of these electronic controls installed 9 months back and it will no longer make contact. So much for 'electronic. My 50 yr old original Singer one still works.

[@watertankhikes]

I'm restoring an old vintage Japanese machine that I found at the city dump. Your video was very helpful. Thank you.

[@DownhillAllTheWay]

I'm astounded! My daughter was using my machine today, and while it was standing on the table by itself, it suddenly started to run and smoke came out of the foot pedal. I took it apart to see what the problem was, and found that a 0.1uF, 600V capacitor that had blown apart quite impressively. Oh, well, capacitors don't last forever, and the machine is about 40 years old - but what astounded me was the carbon disks. The technology looks like something the early electrical experimenters were playing with around the year 1900. It's true, the machine is 40 years old - but carbon disks! It looks like one of those museum exhibits that you see from 100 years ago. That's how the first telephone microphones worked - a voice-activated diaphragm compressed carbon granules together. Through your video, I find that it's not an antique relic from the days before electronics - lots of them work that way! I'm bowled over. I looked for a direct replacement, but couldn't find one, so I bought a Chinese one through Ebay for £3.50 including P&P. It will take 6 weeks to come, and if it turns out to be rubbish, I won't have lost much. In the meantime, I'll try to get the 'antique' one fixed, though a screw sheared off when I was getting it apart, and the plastic body has a long crack in it. The plug is in poor shape too, and I haven't seen another of its like anywhere. Oh, well, I've been toying with the idea of getting a 3D printer, so that would be a good first project. If I get all the carbon disks back in, I'll put some fresh wood under the boiler and get the steam generator fired up, and see if I can get the machine working. Or maybe I'll just make a new foot control using a pot and a triac. At least that's something I can understand.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

These are steampunk footpedals aren't they?

[@wendycarter5973]

Hi thankyou for your blog I have an electronic pedal but it has a habit of not stopping when I take my foot of it continues to sew very slowly it’s only 4 years old a singer any idea why that is id be grateful thankyou

[@tracyakafrog]

Have you tired to put the new electronic controls in the old pedals at all to try to maintain the vintage look? Maybe there is a way to do it by using the parts from both and adapting them. If you have done it will you please let me know. Thank you

[@annewaller1]

Great video - thank you. My Vintage Bernina pedal has stopped working properly. Off until pedal nearly to floor - then full on! No control! I love my old Bernina so think that I will swop out the pedal for a new electronic one.

[@jandrynan6921]

Thank you. This should help out replacing a broken mechanical pedal on a Pfaff 230. I'll let you know how I get on with it.

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

The difference now is that the electronic models use Pulse Width Modulation or PWM to control the speed. A mechanical pedal uses resistors to prevent the electricity from flowing along the cord and heat up because they are getting in the way. Basically a toaster under your foot. Same thing. The PWM takes the wave of voltage that comes in at 60 Hz, or 60 times a second the wave goes up and down (1Hz) and chops part of the wave out for a few milliseconds so the machine sees 120 volts but off and on very quickly. Since the pedal is letting the full voltage through, but turning it on and off (very quickly) it doesn't heat up. Imagine turning the light switch in your house on and off 30 times in one second so it was only on for half the time. It would look darker. Same thing. It's only the plug that makes it not work with your machine, although, you know, incompatible happens.

[@944gemma]

Wow. That old Necchi is sweet.

[@ShubhaUpendra]

Thank you for information.. if you had shown how to change into new pedal it would have been nice.

[@imahaingtia]

Excellent video! Thank you so much! Can you replace the innards in a mechanical pedal with electronics? I love my pink foot controls on my vintage Atlas machines and I hate to lose that original look.

[@baire702]

very nice video. well shot and explained. being a people-powered machine person, I think the treadle provides the most control of the machine and speed.

[@ronalddaub9740]

Will it work the other way around? Old pedal on new electronic machine?

[@drmichaelelinski6992]

Very helpful explanation. Thank you. This is the first time I watch you, so I never saw the old set. This set is cozy, however your face and body are out of focus. Hopefully, you’ll be able to adjust that to get maximum benefit from your efforts. You are very clear and helped me with the issue of old foot pedals working inconsistently with vintage machines. Thanks for sharing that discovery. I have one question: does the amperage (or some electrical rating of the pedal need to match the motor’s power? Some motors are 0.4 amp, 0.8, 1.0, or 1.4 amps. Do they need to be matched with the appropriate foot pedal? As you can see, I know little about electricity, so I’d appreciate your advice. Thanks very much.

[@SewHomeAlone]

Where is your store, I have a pfaff 1222 pedal that needs work, it keeps slowing down.

[@rccipriani]

I feel like the electronic pedal I bought for my Singer 401A is touchy, like it has no finesse. Is there way to improve the action of it?

[@pearllucas452]

I have a vintage Elna with 2 speed control and the nomal speed stop working and now I have no control ,can this be fix? Thank you.

[@Kyddoemiko13]

Hi Brian thx for the info on the foot pedal. I have a consew 75t blindhem machine I truly believe the mechanical pedal gotta go the hand wheel doesn*t roate like the beginning and there is a struggle with the motor now I am sure one its replace my mind will be at ease., Cheers , Rickey

[@richardruiz8396]

I purchased a pedal for a Brother XL 5130 and would like to use this pedal on my Domestic 153 Rotary sewing machine, the electronic pedal has two separate wires one with the pedal and the second with the wall plug each of the two wires can be split into two wires, if I connect every thing accordingly to a Kenmore plug, would that work well and still be okay with my light switch. I also Have a Domestic 153 in a table, so I took apart the plug to see how copy the setup but the cabinet has only three wires so to convert to an electronic pedal I see there are four wires and it looks like the two wires one of each of the two would connect to the center of the Kenmore plug,will this work I wold sure like to get my spare 153 working without the table. Richard Ruiz

[@stoneblue1795]

Focus! I feel like I have cataracts.

[@yayape1]

can I do that with my Singer Athena 2000 electronic pedal?

[@Munzer1977]

How many watts can they handle in case I want to kook one to some motor ? Thanks

[@suloget]

Hi Brian, I have a Domestic model 1665. It is a metal monster and I love it...but it has the metal (of course), knee pedal. I would like to convert it to a foot pedal. It has a two plug socket and a very short cord going to the pedal. The control is actually pretty good, but all that ungrounded,(I think), metal makes me nervous. I touched the bottom of the petal by accident and got shocked. Also I got an electrical "hot" smell when running the machine. Mind you, this machine has never been run by me before. I just got the tension assembly fixed, so this was the first time. Beautiful machine though...Should I replace the double socket also? Any thoughts besides; Don't come in contact with the bottom of a metal knee pedal when plugged in? LOL

[@Whitney_Sews]

I love buying vintage machines! I recently got a machine for $4 that doesn't have a foot pedal. It just has two plug-ins One that has one cord (the wall plug-in I'm guessing) and the other has a split cord that I assume was meant for a foot and knee pedal combo. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get a pedal that will fit it?

[@brucemcgeehan2847]

Avery poor description of a foot pedel it is a carbon pile not a reostat alight dimmer uses triac not areostat . Newer type use a pot as the primary control element not long life component .

[@daveburrows9876]

This was very helpful; you answered part of what I came to learn. Thank you. I have a Durkopp 1031 that's missing it's foot control. The power feeds into the back of the machine, and another from just beside that leads to, and from the foot pedal. That cable has 3 wires. I've constructed a new plug from wood, and brass, but I don't know how to wire into any of the controls I have. None are 3 conductor, either 2 or 4. Any ideas?

[@ronalddaub9740]

You have to have a common knowledge of electrical circuits and be able to trace out what is series for the foot pedal and what is parallel for the light. The cord going to the foot pedal is in series with the hot and the motor The other end of the motor is grounded

[@joshuageorge1648]

How do I get a kenmore foot pedle with the cord

[@judithphillips9186]

am trying to find foot pedal for Wrights Simplicity cutting & embossing machine, model 881711, can anyone tell me where to find one...two hole plug, 5/8 in wide, 1/4 in in height, figure 8 rounded ends....I have looked everywhere...cannot use my machine

[@soapannwater]

Is it important to match amperage or voltage of the pedal to the motor? Most of the electronic pedals i've seen are very low amperage compared to my ac/dc motor 1.3amp.. will this still supply the full power to the motor at maximum?

[@strayblackcatsmeow]

Putting a low capacity speed control on a higher Amp motor will overheat and burn out the speed control. Modern pedals are also lower voltage and are not compatable. Vintage solid state electronics labeled with the same voltage and equal or greater amperage is required.

[@edmundomorenobadillo9156]

Muchas gracias , excelente explicación. Thanks so much. Excelent explaination

[@weareremnants]

Brian is awesome . xoxo i loved this video .

[@biomedlib]

Hi Brian...I just found your video, and I am impressed with your experiment...I have a Singer slant shank/needle sewing machine, Model 290C. (c. 1984-1984)..The motor is RAC 21-8, 1.2 Amps, 115 volts.....I'd like to add more power to this machine. Is this possible? Thank you....

[@johngrima6249]

I don't quite understand the procedure, all I heard is cut the something off, cut the connection to the machine off and splice etc. He doesn't say how many wires there are to connect together and whether they are colour coded to be able to match.

[@holyorderofscientists]

Only two wires going to the machine going inside one plastic cord. Yes, you are right, cut both the cord from the machine and from the output cord of the pedal. They might be color coded. If they are, splice similar colors. Testing is simple: when you have wrapped both wires together temporarily test the machine. It ought to work.

[@awizardalso]

Ever find an answer? If not, give me a model number and I may be able to at least give the information on how to wire up another pedal.

[@lizziel4876]

It's a pity that this video is rather blurred. Also I don't understand why there are no replies......????

[@jimmyerbe768]

Good info

[@johngalen1602]

Video blurred all the way........

[@rosemaryladinsky533]

Interesting thanks

[@joshuageorge1648]

Interesting

[@awizardalso]

Although I appreciate your video, you're a little off on your explanation. Your definition of mechanical should be electro-mechanical. An actual mechanical powered machine would be more like a treadle machine or what I built. Put 'Bicycle pedal powered sewing machine' in the KZbin search box for my interpretation of mechanical. KZbin will not allow me to post the link.

[@caroleperry7059]

Very informative & well lighted; however, out of focus!