FAQ-Motors

Motors

Q: My question is: When I first start sewing on my FW, the motor simply hums for a bit before starting. Is this normal? Jerri

A: It often happens but it's not normal. The problem is probably belt tension and this could be either too tight or too loose.

A too-tight belt will put extra load on the motor. It will hum but not turn

More likely, the belt is too loose. If this is the case the motor will run -- check the small motor pulley -- but not turn the belt until the friction between the pulley and the belt soften the rubber a little and the belt grips.

Try adjusting and remember that the belt on an FW should be a loose as possible with out actually slipping

Q: I have a 221 made in England, 230 to 250 volts. I have a converter for 110 to 220. USA is 60 cycle and I understand England is 50 cycle. Will this work? The machine was purchased from New Zealand and has a 3-prong plug. My converter has 2 prongs, Will this work?

A: The cycle set up is not a problem. The US used 60 and most of the rest of the world 50 but the Singer motors are dual 50/60 cycles so there is no difficulty. The only problems you might face are the following
1) The converter needs to be man enough to do the job -- something designed for a shaver etc will simply burn out
2) The machine may have anti-interference capacitors fitted -- these do not tend to work well with converters.
3) At least 50 percent of these machines have seriously worn internal wiring – insulation burnt away, lose connections etc. These should be checked before plugging in .
4) After 50 to 70 years the motor itself may be past its prime and not giving full power, a converter will not cure any such problem.
5) The three-prong plug may indicate that the machine has specific grounding via a third wire. You can check this by looking at the plug that goes into the actual machine. If, in addition to the three internal holes for connections, there's an external copper connection at the top of the plug, then the machine has been given an external ground and I'd strongly recommend a rewire internally before using with a non-grounded two wire supply which has no specific grounding wire.

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