Elevator pit leakage/Water in elevator pit

This is a repost from 5/16/15 but in Illinois by Chicago we got a tremendous amount of water last night, it is a reminder to building owners to be prepared.

As we see the April and May rains come every year we have a significant amount of water that enters into our elevator pits.  This water can cause a undesirable odor, deteriorate elevator equipment and get into the hydraulic fluid and contaminate it.

Items buildings can do to prevent or minimize water issues in elevator pits

1.    Make sure sump pumps are working in elevator pits

2.    Make sure pits are graded so water goes to sump pump/drain

3.    Seal pit to prevent water getting in

4. Have an elevator maintenance plan to alert you if you have water in the pit before it gets to a point where you have a significant issue.  Elevator maintenance plans that have someone go to your building once a quarter or twice a year may not be enough if you have a water issue that needs to be monitored. 

This picture shows one of the worst elevator pits I have seen.  This specific instance the water went through the cylinder glad packing and contaminated the hydraulic fluid.  Once this occurs there isn't much you can do as even if you replace the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir you will have water in the oil in the hydraulic line and the bottom of the cylinder.  The cost to get rid of 100% of the water is significant. 

This pit shows a building that had not had elevator maintenance for some time, you can see how high the water line in the pit is.

What a clean pit looks like

Alternative water detection devices 

SEES pit can plus -  The device below is from a company called SEES and would be something a building that has their sump pump fail or gets water regularly can look into with their elevator maintenance company.

*Audio, Visual and Silent Alarm System for Oil and Water detection
*Detects Water at 1/2”
*Adjustable Oil Level Sensors
*12 VDC Rechargeable Battery System (Comes with Smart Charger)
*Push to Test Buttons
*Form “C” Contacts, 1NO, 1NC
*Can Distinguish Between Oil and Water Signals
*Easy to Install
*Eliminate Costly and Damaging Oil Contamination
*Reduces Monthly Maintenance
*Can Connect Via Silent Alarm Relay Box to the Elevators Remote 
*Monitoring System (or low oil circuit in older controllers) 

Link - http://cyberstore.seesinc.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?IID=12810

Electrodyn Liquid intrusion detection - This is a device from Electrodyn who makes other elevator add on devices such as Fire Service panels.  This is a device that will detect water int he elevator pit and send the car to a floor and turn the elevator off. 

http://www.electrodyn.com/LiquidIntrusionDetection/LID_brochure_051613.pdf

If you have any questions or would like information from Colley Elevator you can go to www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.