skipped stitches with SR on

[bhromyak]

My Lenni has decided to have an attitude today. I think there is something wrong with the Stitch Regulator on her. The SR works fine when I am quilting left to right and right to left lines. She has some problems with skipped stitches when making curves. BUT she has a major problem with going up and down - makes hugh stitches or just stops altogether.

Amy just replaced the SR cable a couple of weeks ago (I admit, this is the first time I've sewn since bringing it home) so I don't think it is the cable. I've taken apart and cleaned the bobbin case. Amy regooped the gear box too. All the things Amy did were for the betterness of the machine :-)

Has anyone else had this problem before? I have several customers quilts I have to work on this weekend. I hoping some of you have some suggestions, etc.

Thanks so much!

[barbm]

It sounds like your "head encoder" is having problems. It could be in the cable - unplug the cable that goes to the regulator box that is attached to the head (not the carriage encoder - it seems to be fine). Check also that the little encoder wheel hasn't slipped down NEXT to the carriage, so that it isn't rolling along the carriage like it's supposed to.

I'm assuming here that you have the vertical wheels, not the horizontal wheel upgrade now available for Lenni. Am I right? If not, let us know and we'll give you the places to check for horizontal wheels.

In any case, check the items above and let us know what you find!!

[bhromyak]

Hi Barb,

I do have the vertical wheels (she's a 2008 with standard equipment).

I've unplugged and replugged the cable and plugged in again. I did notice that the little encoder wheel turned for the first 7 to 8 inches (back to front). After that it stopped turning while the carriage was moving and it was elevated a little from the carriage.

Any idea's?

Thanks,

Beth

[barbm]

Beth, I don't have a Lenni nor do I work on them very often, so I'm kinda winging it here, but I'll do what I can!

You say that the encoder wheel was a little elevated from the carriage - could you check to make sure something isn't binding that arm? Maybe it needs lubricating? Or there's thread around it? I would take the head off the quilt and move it front to back until I can figure out just what the problem is. Maybe get someone to move it for you, while you get "up close and personal" with that wheel to see just what's causing it to lift.

[DawnCavanaugh]

Beth,

one more thing we need to check is to see if the actual "jack" for the head encoder is working. You may be able to test that by unplugging the carriage encoder wire (plugged into the right rear side of the machine,) and then bringing it around to the left side and plugging it in where the head encoder normally plugs in. The machine will only stitch left to right with this test, so don't try to move it forward and backward.

If the machine sews just fine moving it to the left and right, then we at least know that the jack and the circuit board are not the problem, and we can focus on the encoder box itself as well as the encoder wire to the head encoder. While it's not common, it is possible there's a problem with the wire crimp inside your new head encoder wire.

Let me know how else we can help!

[bhromyak]

Hi Dawn,

The machine sews fine (left to right) after plugging the carriage encoder wire to the 'jack on the left;) side of the machine. I did try to do circles/curves - they were ok but had some skipped stitches.

We made sure that the machine and table were level but the encoder wheel still stops turning about half way up to the front of the carriage. There are no threads around the wheels or anything that looks out of the ordinary. any suggestions on how to get that little wheel to keep touching the carriage tray?

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

Beth