Mend > Sewing Machines

Bernina 707 capacitor?

I just plugged in my 707 and the capacitor exploded and the motor compartment went up in smoke. I took the motor apart and cleaned the copper plates . I tried to find a suitable replacement for the unusual 4 pin capacitor with no success. I read elsewhere that the motor can function without the capacitor but I do not know what to do with the 4 wires running to and from the capacitor. Do I just cut them off? Three of them are connecting the capacitor to the switch and the fourth is like an earthing lead attached to the motor itself. Can any genius out there please advise Thanks

L Ekpenyong
August 2013

Bernina Bernina 707 Household Appliances, Sewing Machines Capacitor Motor Replacement

The capacitor can be made. Og to www.syrep.no and make a request.

Eivind
May 2021

My 707 was blowing fuses. Examining the capacitor pack it had split and leaked and presumably gone short circuit. I contacted Bernina who said the capacitor pack was obsolete and no longer available and that the motor would work ok without it. I have now reassembled machine without the capacitor pack and everything works fine. It is not necessary to disturb the other wiring, just pull the capacitor pack wire spade connectors away from the terminals. If you are worried about the order of the wiring in case you accidentally pull the wrong ones off, just take a photo on your phone first.

Tony
May 2017

It works! Same problem with older style 807. Bought two 0.1uF 500v capacitors from Maplins (£6.00 - the pack referred to above did not have a suitable pair of capacitors), connected in series, snipped off old capacitor to leave wires at full length, discarded earth wire (not required because motor is double insulated), stripped back ends of other wires and connected to the three capacitor ends. Had to guess which the middle wire was but the old capacitor connection was the clue.

Mel
December 2013

Thanks for getting back on this one. I met a genius electronic guy who connected two capacitors 0.1uf 400v in series Got them from Maplins from a multi capacitor pack and attached them to the wires but leaving out the earthing wire from the motor body. Bingo the machine is back working properly. I am simply ecstatic and thought I should put this out for all long suffering Bernina machine motor victims

L Ekpenyong
September 2013

you right Ken,cant work without cap,i normally throw motor away and with small modification fit a universal motor,those motor are VERY hard to come by

johan
September 2013

If I remember the motor won't run without the capacitor, unlike all other makes that have a capacitor in the foot control

ken
September 2013