Hi Ken, can you help me to find someone who would repair my Singer Scarlet foot pedal, or where I could get another one? Mine caught on fire this afternoon! Many thanks. Claudia

Claudia, December 2007

I had the same problem with my mum's Singer foot pedal, just ran on on its own. The suppressor/capacitor had gone short circuit and for sure it runs ok without the suppressor. Anyway, I accept it will probably continue to run ok but the suppressor is for a reason, to suppress sparks and radio interference as there is a contact bar when the pedal is pushed fully down, ie on full throttle. When this contact is made or broken there will be a lingering voltage jumping the gap and the suppressor is there to absorb this. It is possible that if you never hit full throttle there will be no problem but most operators will do so most of the time so will eventually burn the contacts and upset the neighbours. The contact bar could be removed or insulated but the reason for it being there is to relieve the ceramic rheostat device when doing long stitch runs and allow it to run a little cooler. Suppressors are not usually stocked by sewing machine dealers but are available although not necessarily the same shape as the original. They are very cheap to buy over the internet from places such as Bitsbox. Bitsbox do a 0.1 mfd motor suppressor for about 20 pence and £1.50ish shipping. You may need to lengthen one or both wires by soldering tinned copper wire. Happy sewing. If in doubt buy a new foot control.

Dave Essex, September 2009

great advice - it worked

ali - Cumbria, April 2009

Hello Claudia,
You can use any make of foot control on your machine it does not have to be a Singer, the most common replacement foot control is a YDK. however, you said your foot control caught fire and I think that the suppressor has burn out out, you can take the suppressor out and discard it, you do not need it, it is unlikey the control itself has burnt out, if you want to have a look at that first before buying a new control all you have to do is peel back the rubber bottom and you will see a screw, undo the screw all the way, the screw won't come cpmpletely but will undo so the foot control opens up, look at the big thing that looks like a big fuse, take it out and scew it back up and I bet it works, what might happen when you undo the screw is the plastic around the screw might break away, this is not a major problem because you can glue that bit back in, try this first, if you really want a foot control let me know what country you are in and I will help you.
Ken
drivewithken@blueyonder.co.uk

drivewithken@blueyonder.co.uk, December 2007