How to remove the suppressor capacitor from a vintage SINGER foot pedal controller

A common issue with vintage sewing machine foot foot controllers nowadays is the failed suppressor capacitor inside them.
A sewing machine may unexpectedly start running full speed when those capacitors fail, other safety issues may arise depending on how those capacitors were connected.
Sometimes a boiling sound or a hiss may be heard and a smell of burned substances. They are electrolytic capacitors hence all that.
Those capacitors are very old now and they have surpassed their life expectancy long ago. Mostly they acted as noise suppressors. By default when motors work they produce electrical noise because while the rotor rotates the carbon brushes lose contact some times due to vibrations or unevenness of the surface hence the sparks inside.
That electrical noise interfere with radio reception (especially AM) and TV etc. Fortunately, nowadays this isn't important anymore for quite some reasons. TV reception is mostly done by satellite, cable or internet and TV sets are well equipped with filters to zero down radio static or interference. Radios too.
So removing the suppressor capacitor has more benefits than not.
It's not a big task but CAUTION is paramount because you are going to deal with electric power capable of hurting or even killing a human.
1. First, unplug the pedal cable from mains
2. Unplug the plug from motor mount
4. Place the pedal with it's cabling in front of you, make sure nothing is connected to anywhere.
5. Turn the pedal upside down
6. Unscrew the 4 screws in the middle of each of the 4 rubber feet. (The rubber on your pedal may be melted, deformed or missing and not look like those in the video)
7. Turn the foot pedal back on it's feet again
8. Press the push button until one side slide off the shell. Depending on the condition of your pedal this may need some effort. If the rubber feet on yours are melted they may bond and act as glue. Carefully removing that rubber will ease opening the pedal.
9. Remove the shell. Now you've exposed the pedal internals.
10. You are able to see the capacitor. Sometimes it may be 2 of them (connected differently). Remove both of them. Go screw by screw (unscrew, remove, screw back) so you don't end up messing things up with what was connected where.
11. To remove the dead capacitor you can use pliers to hold it or wear latex gloves because those liquids that escaped from inside may be harmful or may be not but that's how we do it anyways just to be on the safe side.
12. Close back the pedal. Don't tighten too much the 4 screws because the bottom of the pedal easily cracks or breaks.
You are now good to go.
Hope this helped :-)

[@vincenzobiancucci2262]

Thank You for the helpful video.

[@BigButtocks967]

Brilliant and helpful video, my pedal had this happen and made my machine have a mind of its own, I removed this part like your video suggested and it’s now working better then it has for years. Thank you.

[@MillyToast]

Perfect. Thank you so much!

[@katemckenzie8888]

Where would i find the capacitor on a knee controlled singer 306