Presser Foot is in the wrong place! I need help!

[Caren Maffucci]

This has never happened before and I have no idea what to do. I've been running a design and not having any problems. The machine stopped for a "thread break" but when I went to fix it I noticed that there wasn't a thread break, but the presser foot is stopped BETWEEN 2 needles. I took a picture but it doesn't look like I can copy it here. Has anyone seen this before?

[Wishes]

Try turning your machine off. It should realign the needles and start back in the place it stopped. Might back up a few stitches just to be sure.

[Caren Maffucci]

Thank you Wishes. I pushed the emergency stop button, then dis-engaged it, and it did in fact re-align by going to the "home" position and then to the needle it thought it was using. I had to move it over 2 more needles to get where it needed to be but it did finish off the design where it left off. Wow. I only have the single head so I was terrified that I would be out of business! Thanks SO much for your help.

[Caren Maffucci]

Uh-oh. It's happened again - several times, but now I get a Color Change Timeout error message and it won't re-center by using the emergency stop button or by powering down completely. Anyone out there? I can't find any infomraiton for how to handle a Color Change Timeout error.

[Dorothy Compton]

Call me....916-635-7467

If you have a big red (non-xt) do not turn off the machine! You will have problems and will need a tech to fix. If you have a big red, use the emergency button to stop and restart the needle case. Use compressed air to clean the color change sensor as that is what the problem most likely is. I've had to use a compressor to finally get enough air pressure to clean out whatever debris is blocking the sensor.

[Rod or Sharon]

If you do have a Big Red, even using the E-Stop can get you into big trouble. It is basically the same as turning off the machine and restarting it in this case, except when you turn off the machine it has to go thru a complete startup process and tries to return the needlecase to its home position of needle#9, then it may go back to the last color it was sewing on.

BEFORE, turning the Big Red off OR using the E-Stop, aggressively blow out the color change sensor...THEN ....go into Maintenance, Steppers and in the far left column named Color Change, left click on Home in this column. The machine will go to the # 9 position if it is able to.

Blow the sensor out again. Then move the needlecase to the # 1 needle and blow it out again.....then go to the # 16 needle and blow it out again.

This was a weak issue with the Big Reds, but it was a regular part of the Maintenance to keep this area cleaned ...it should probably be a habit to do it at least weekly and even more often if doing a lot of caps or fleece that create dust or lint....

Turning off the machine can cause a slight jump when the machine comes on line and if the needlecase is between needles and it jumps the wrong way, a needlebar will fall out of the reciprocator jaws and .....well Dorothy told you the rest of the story.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer