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could use some advice! (Moderated by Sharon1952, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 5/15/19 11:56 AM ET
Hi all. I am new to this forum (and to all forums, actually!) so forgive me in advance for any faux pas I may make. I am also a new Bernina owner. I previously have had Singer and Janome machines. I chose the Bernina because my local quilt store was a dealer. Unfortunately, last month (6 months after I purchased my B590E), the dealer suddenly announced that they were closing up shop. They have transferred the Bernina dealership to another store, but it is almost an hour away from my house. I am unhappy, but nothing I can do about it, so I will just have to deal with it. In the interim, I have run into some quirky things that I can't get answers for since the technician at the local store has left and taken a full time job doing other things, and the new dealer doesn't take over until the end of the month.
1) I turned the machine off while in Eco mode, and now the light won't come back on. I can't imagine that it could be burned out; the machine is not even a year old yet. Has anyone experienced this, and if so, how do I fix it?
2) I do a lot of quilting and would like the needle to stay in the down position with the presser foot down also. I can't seem to get this to happen. When I press the needle up/down button, the needle goes down, but the foot comes up. The same thing happens when I use my heel on the foot pedal. Does anyone know how to get both to stay down?
3) I noticed that there is an updated version of the firmware available on the Bernina website. Can I download and install this myself or do I need to have it done by the dealer?
That's all for now, thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
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1) I turned the machine off while in Eco mode, and now the light won't come back on. I can't imagine that it could be burned out; the machine is not even a year old yet. Has anyone experienced this, and if so, how do I fix it?
2) I do a lot of quilting and would like the needle to stay in the down position with the presser foot down also. I can't seem to get this to happen. When I press the needle up/down button, the needle goes down, but the foot comes up. The same thing happens when I use my heel on the foot pedal. Does anyone know how to get both to stay down?
3) I noticed that there is an updated version of the firmware available on the Bernina website. Can I download and install this myself or do I need to have it done by the dealer?
That's all for now, thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
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BAJ
Posted on: 5/15/19 12:32 PM ET
On the screen there should be the permanent needle up/down icon.i might suggest you download the pdf of the manual as it is searchable. I have a 700 series machine so while similar is different in where things are located. You may have selected hover? Go into tools to find that. Yes you can do the update yourself unless you have a Mac. You can still do it but it is a real pain. I just take my usb stick to the dealer and have them put an unpacked version on it for me (or email the link to my son and he does it.) You can also turn the light back on in tools. Also you can adjust the brightness there if you want. Hope this helps some.
Leslie
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Leslie
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Bernina Gal
Posted on: 5/15/19 1:11 PM ET
I do have the downloaded manual, but I didn't realize that it is searchable. I will definitely go and check it out! Thanks for your response!
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BAJ
Posted on: 5/15/19 2:47 PM ET
In reply to Banjo795
So sorry about your dealer! Being from a large metro area (though I live in a much smaller area last few years) "almost an hour" is no big deal, that could be 15 miles 


Anyway I have and love my 590. The Eco mode tells me it didn't have the update that came out awhile ago and I see there's another now. Go to the website, to your model, under the support tab it will tell which version is most current, date issued, a sheet telling what was updated/changed, instructions on how to do the update yourself (most important - EMPTY usb stick, formatted). It's pretty easy.
Can you get to the new dealer for classes? The settings to keep the foot down when you stop with needle down will be covered, it's easy to change. It's all in the manual but I think that, while the manual is full of all the info you want, finding it isn't that easy, the index is way too brief. There are workbooks that come with the classes and some of these things are shown much more simply than the manual, others not so much as they don't have all the images. But those books - one for sewing, one for embroidery are helpful too. I'm not in front of the machine and can't remember exactly where to go in settings without it in front of me (btw you can download a simulator so you can work on that right on your computer) but it's there. Even with the drive the classes are invaluable, I've seen people so excited at the end of class it was like they got a new machine all over again because they've learned so much they can do with it!
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Anyway I have and love my 590. The Eco mode tells me it didn't have the update that came out awhile ago and I see there's another now. Go to the website, to your model, under the support tab it will tell which version is most current, date issued, a sheet telling what was updated/changed, instructions on how to do the update yourself (most important - EMPTY usb stick, formatted). It's pretty easy.
Can you get to the new dealer for classes? The settings to keep the foot down when you stop with needle down will be covered, it's easy to change. It's all in the manual but I think that, while the manual is full of all the info you want, finding it isn't that easy, the index is way too brief. There are workbooks that come with the classes and some of these things are shown much more simply than the manual, others not so much as they don't have all the images. But those books - one for sewing, one for embroidery are helpful too. I'm not in front of the machine and can't remember exactly where to go in settings without it in front of me (btw you can download a simulator so you can work on that right on your computer) but it's there. Even with the drive the classes are invaluable, I've seen people so excited at the end of class it was like they got a new machine all over again because they've learned so much they can do with it!
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Posted on: 5/15/19 3:30 PM ET
Sorry to hear about your dealer closing shop. I have a couple of answers for you:
2) I do a lot of quilting and would like the needle to stay in the down position with the presser foot down also. I can't seem to get this to happen. When I press the needle up/down button, the needle goes down, but the foot comes up. The same thing happens when I use my heel on the foot pedal. Does anyone know how to get both to stay down?
Unfortunately no, the needle stays down, but the foot raises.
3) I noticed that there is an updated version of the firmware available on the Bernina website. Can I download and install this myself or do I need to have it done by the dealer?
You can absolutely do the firmware update. Go to the Bernina site and click on your machine and then choose the support tab. At the bottom of the page is the update as well as documentation about what changes were made. Make sure you use a blank USB formatted to FAT32 and download the file. FYI, if you are using an Apple device, Bernina does not speak Apple.
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2) I do a lot of quilting and would like the needle to stay in the down position with the presser foot down also. I can't seem to get this to happen. When I press the needle up/down button, the needle goes down, but the foot comes up. The same thing happens when I use my heel on the foot pedal. Does anyone know how to get both to stay down?
Unfortunately no, the needle stays down, but the foot raises.
3) I noticed that there is an updated version of the firmware available on the Bernina website. Can I download and install this myself or do I need to have it done by the dealer?
You can absolutely do the firmware update. Go to the Bernina site and click on your machine and then choose the support tab. At the bottom of the page is the update as well as documentation about what changes were made. Make sure you use a blank USB formatted to FAT32 and download the file. FYI, if you are using an Apple device, Bernina does not speak Apple.
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Bernina 770QE, 530 Swiss Red, 1120
Bernina Q24 Long Arm
Babylock Ovation
Cricut Maker
Cricut Joy
Bernina Q24 Long Arm
Babylock Ovation
Cricut Maker
Cricut Joy
Posted on: 5/15/19 4:27 PM ET
Well I am still puzzled. When I stop with my needle up I use the foot pedal to make it go down. When I want my foot up I use my knee lifter. That way my needle stays down and my foot will stay down unless I use my lever. Then it will come up. Maybe I live on another planet 🤗. I am not a fan of needle stop down because it is pretty easy to be too quick to go on to the next step( what ever it is you want to do next) and not give the machine time to complete the stitch. Then when you start up again it tries to do that and you very likely get a thread nest. By the way I have a 720 but I think most things are the same except not needing dual feed on a 5.5mm machine.
Leslie
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Leslie
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Bernina Gal
Posted on: 5/15/19 4:37 PM ET
The foot can stay down with needle down. It's in a setting where you program the foot lift function when needle is in down position - all the way up, partway up (hover) or remaining down. What I found teaching the classes and going through the settings though is that there is a setting that we have to do out of order so to speak from the way it's shown on the screen - before setting that foot height (hover, all the way up, or stay down). I usually have mine set to stay down as I don't always want it to hover, don't want anything to wiggle and if it's down I can just use the knee lift to raise it a bit when I do need to pivot or move my work.
-- Edited on 5/15/19 at 4:38 PM --
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-- Edited on 5/15/19 at 4:38 PM --
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Posted on: 5/15/19 6:23 PM ET
Here is a photo of mine. I have an older model than you (2012 830), with a different interface, but all I have to do is pull up stitch settings and page thru till I get to this screen. Then click the icon with the foot down. Someone with the same interface will tell you exactly how to get there.

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Posted on: 5/15/19 6:38 PM ET
The eco light thing sounds like a familiar bug. Maybe that is fixed with the firmware update? Anyone remember? I could not get it to fail that way on my 830 or my 570 (cb).
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Posted on: 5/15/19 9:40 PM ET
In reply to Banjo795
You didn't say which machine you have. I am a new Bernina owner too, well it's almost a year now. I have a 740. Dealers are getting scarce these day. My dealer is an hour away as well. First, the Eco function. When you turned it back on did you press the eco button again? I'd start there. If that doesn't work, call your new dealer and just ask them since I remember reading another new owner had the same problem. I just don't remember what the solution was! sewingmastery.com has lots of videos on the Bernina Sarah goes through every page of the manual and she is excellent. I know that she the does the 770 and I think one of the 5 series. I had a nice one on one with my dealer when I picked up my machine but there's a lot to learn and Sarah filled in the rest. Everything is pretty much adjustable, which is one of the reasons I bought my 740. I did find that most of my problems in the beginning was user error.
You can set the needle to always stop in the down position the same with your foot. You have to go into settings. Your manual will tell you where to go and if you still need help, try the videos. They are also under Heirloom Creations on You Tube. If you have a 790 you can also set the back of the foot pedal to do other things.
There is a long thread here on PR , For the Love of Bernina, I think where there are lots of people who have much more experience with Bernina and can definitely help you.
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You can set the needle to always stop in the down position the same with your foot. You have to go into settings. Your manual will tell you where to go and if you still need help, try the videos. They are also under Heirloom Creations on You Tube. If you have a 790 you can also set the back of the foot pedal to do other things.
There is a long thread here on PR , For the Love of Bernina, I think where there are lots of people who have much more experience with Bernina and can definitely help you.
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