How to Change Light Bulb in Singer Sewing Machine (3 Steps)
You need light to see. Light bulbs burn out on sewing machines. When it happens to a Singer model you may have to have special instructions on how to change the light bulb. The light bulb holder is not exactly the most convenient of locations.
How to change light bulb in the Singer sewing machine: Unfortunately, you may need a couple of tools to change a singer sewing machine light bulb. For the featherweight, the main special tool is the plastic tubing you need to help you grasp the bulb and get a firm grip. After that, it is simply a twist and pull operation.
To get all the facts about changing a Singer sewing machine light bulb just continue to read our article. It will only take a few minutes to read and in that time, you should know how to change a light bulb on a Singer sewing machine.
Singer Sewing Machine Bulb Change Tips
The first tip that you need to know is that Singer light bulbs, for the most part, are not screw in types. This is a common mistake made by people who have not had much experience changing a sewing machine light bulb.
The second thing you need to know about changing a Singer light bulb is that they are not all the same size. One size does not fit all in these machines. Third, you should not use your fingers when replacing the bulbs. Not only can they break easily, the oil on your fingers may make the new light bulb vulnerable to damage.
Fourth, it is possible to go from an old incandescent light bulb to a longer life LED sewing machine light bulb. All you have to do is check a comparison chart to find the compatible LED replacement bulb and use it.
Fifth, when the space is small, try not to use your fingers. Slip plastic tubing or some soft but firm long handle tool over the light bulb and push and turn. Sixth, don’t forget to unplug the sewing machine from the power supply. Shocks can happen when you are not careful.
Seventh, loosening the light assembly will give you more room to work and make that work safer for you. If you are removing the light bulb from an older machine and the light bulb has sat in the machine for years, be careful. The light bulb will be brittle, fragile and stuck. Be careful and use all safety precautions that apply.
Singer Sewing Machine Light Bulb Type
The Singer sewing machine company has made a variety of sewing machine models over the years. These machines all have a few different designs that help the user work on their clothes.
But one item does not seem to change that much. While Singer has one incandescent screw-in light bulb you can use, most of their light bulbs are the push and turn type. That means that the base of the bulb has two little knobs that hold the light bulb in place.
You have to push these light bulbs down to get past the metal guide and then turn to the right to get those knobs in position. Once that is done, you let go of the pressure and let the bulb spring into place.
One thing you need to be aware of is that even if a light bulb is designed for a certain Singer series sewing machine. That design doe snot guarantee that the light bulb will fit all the sewing machines in that series. One good example is the light bulb that is made for the 14SH654 series.
This light bulb does not work on other sewing machines in that SH series. You need to check the individual bulbs to find the right match.
Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine Bulb
The style of light bulb that goes into the Singer featherweight sewing machine is the simple push and turn model. If you own this machine you may already know how difficult it is to get into the light bulb assembly and remove the old bulb.
There is a little trick to the technique and it involves a nice box cutter or similar knife and a plastic tube. For the best access, you need to turn the sewing machine on its hand wheel end. This position lets you see what you are doing clearer than other positions.
To protect your fingers you should use a 3/4 inch inside diameter plastic tube that is about 3 to 4 inches long. After you have the tubing cut to size, use your knife and cut some slits about 1/4 to 1/2 inches long on one end.
The slits make it easier for the tube to expand and slip over the glass light bulb. After you have the tube over the light bulb squeeze the tube and push down. Then turn counterclockwise to move the knobs into removal position.
While still holding the tube over the light bulb, pull the bulb out. When that part of the exchange is over, place the tube over the new light bulb and reverse the process. Flip the sewing machine back up and you are done.
Singer Futura Sewing Machine Bulb
There is a lot of good news with this Singer sewing machine model. First, you have the push and twist style of light bulb. That should make the process of changing bulbs simple and easy to do.
Second, you can get an LED compatible light bulb so you do not have to do this exchange any time soon. The bad news is that there are a lot of different Futura sewing machines in this series.
For this section, we have taken the manual for the XL 400 to explain how to change the light bulb. To remove the old light bulb, you have to lower the light bracket. There is a tab you pull on and your thumb and forefinger should be all that you need.
Once the light bracket is lowered just push and turn the light bulb and it should pop out. Do not try unscrewing it. To put a new bulb in, just reverse that process. When it is all done, push the light bracket back up till it snaps back into place. When you hear that click, you can start sewing again.
Now if you want to access the owner’s manuals for all the models in the Futura series just click here. For all other models, you will need to put your serial number in the search box and press the button. Just click on this link to get to the right page.
Old Singer Sewing Machine Light Bulb
As mentioned earlier the old Singer sewing machines may have light bulbs that were first put in when Thomas Edison was still alive. That means that you have to be extra careful when trying to remove the light bulb.
The glass will be very brittle and may break very easily. Some people have cut their fingers when they do not use protective tools to help them. The first step is to make sure you unplug your machine. The second injury that occurs often is a slight electrical shock when people forget to take this step.
Now, you may have to loosen the light assembly so you get a little better access to the light bulb. If the bulb is not stuck after being in there for so many years, you might be able to turn it slowly and unscrew it.
Some, if not most, older Singer’s use the screw in version, (series 99, 185 and older models). If it doesn’t turn, then you have to push and turn at the same time. Next, use a cloth, plastic tool, or whatever fits best and clamp it over the glass and remove the light bulb.
That is all there is to it.
Sewing Machine Bulb Keeps Blowing
One of the more common reasons why some sewing machine light bulbs blow frequently is because sewing machine companies outsource their construction to different countries that have lower quality standards.
What that means is the sewing machine light bulbs are made with inferior materials and will not last a long time. Another reason that cuts the life of the light bulb is that it is not placed tight enough in the socket and an arc forms blowing the light bulb.
To solve that problem, just double-check the connection and make sure it is tight.
Some Final Words
It may be a simple item on your sewing machine but when the light bulb goes out, you notice the difference. Knowing how to fix the problem helps you save time and money.
Just remember that not all sewing machines are the same and that they all do not take the same type of light bulb. One way to cut down on the exchange process is to upgrade the light bulb to an LED model.
These light bulbs are supposed to last for thousands of hours and can simplify your sewing life a little bit.
