Year in review Colley Elevator Blog – 2019 Elevator Blog

I would like to say thank you for everyone that has been a part of Colley Elevators 2018, we had a great year!  We have eclipsed out 110^th year as an independent elevator company which is something that everyone past and present should be proud of.  Day to day we battle machines, multinational corporations & strive to educate building owners that there are good independent elevator contractor options.

This year we saw our maintenance portfolio grow from 1300 elevators to over 1500.  We started an Instagram account with over 340 followers.  We completed over 75 modernization and new construction projects. We added 2 service/modernization teams.  My term as NAEC president was completed.  We have quite a few new team members getting good experience under their belts.  We had a lot of growth over all as a company.  I am proud to be a part of this group of people who are carrying the Colley Elevator torch to year 111.  I often say from the person who answers the phone to the elevator technician who executes and everyone in between, it takes a team to complete everything we do as a company.  I get excited each time our warranty period ends and a building signs a maintenance agreement for the elevator we turned over.  That is telling me we are doing a great job from start to finish that the building wants to have a long term relationship with Colley.

Learning should be an everyday event for everyone. The main goal of the blog is to provide education and information to colleagues, building owners, consultants and elevator riders.  We had 46 blog posts, over 2,500 unique views in December[25% above last year] over 24,000 unique views this year, 73,968 since we began in March of 2014.

1/1/18 – Year in review Colley Elevator Blog – 2018 Elevator Blog

1/7/18 - Colley Elevator’s end of year get together

1/14/18 – Hydraulic freight elevator modernization

1/21/18 – NAEC Board of Directors mid year meeting

1/28/18 – Elevator modernization – Village of Carpentersville

2/4/18 – Elevator worker fatalities – Texas & New York

2/11/18 – Elevator maintenance – Building owner cooperation/exterminator

2/18/18 – Rockstar Energy – Elevator World – Craig Zomchek Profile

2/25/18 – CAI HOA Conference – Rosemont, IL

3/3/18 – Elevator modernization Downers Grove Park District – Downers Grove, IL

3/10/18 – Hydraulic elevator cylinder replacement – What we found underground

3/18/18 – Chicago elevator maintenance – Good looking work

3/25/18 – Old elevator controllers – ready for replacement

4/1/18 – City of Chicago Firefighters emergency operation elevator mandate

4/8/18 – Elevator industry consolidation

4/15/18 – Traction elevator modernization – long overdue

4/22/18 – NAEC Spring Conference – Carlsbad California

4/29/18 – Elevator constructor fatality – Columbus, Ohio

5/6/18 – IAEC[International Association of Elevator Consultants] Annual forum

5/13/18 – Proprietary elevator controls Vs. Non-proprietary controls

5/19/18 – Chicago Elevator Association[CEA] – Night at the Races

5/27/18 – Hydraulic elevator modernization – Arlington Heights, IL

6/3/18 – Chicago elevator maintenance, service, modernization & new construction

6/10/18 – Associa Cares – Casino Night 6/8/18

6/17/18 – Water damage in elevator pits

7/1/18 – Hot weather and elevator problems

7/8/18 – Are MRL [Machine room less] elevators dangerous?

7/22/18 – Anatomy of a hydraulic elevator – Borehole elevator cylinder

7/29/18 - Anatomy of a hydraulic elevator – Hole less hydraulic

8/5/18 – Chicago Elevator Association Golf Outing – Quest for the Chicago Cup

8/12/18 - Anatomy of a hydraulic elevator – Cantilever hydraulic elevator

8/20/18 – Traction freight elevator modernization

8/26/18 – GAL Chicago area office opens

9/3/18 – Traction elevator machine room modernization – Chicago, IL

9/9/18 – City of Chicago elevator code requirement/update

9/16/18 – Elevato rhydraluic power unit/pump motor valve replacement – Skokie, IL

9/23/18 – Elevator code changes – A17.1 2016

9/30/18 – NAEC 69^th annual convention – Atlantic City

10/7/18 – Hydraulic elevator modernization needed – Skokie, IL

10/13/18 – Elevator door operator & cylinder – Evanston, IL

10/27/18 – How long should and elevator valve last?

11/4/18 – Elevator cylinder failure – deterioration of cylinder metal

11/18/18 – Elevator indpedent service – Get that couch in!

12/9/18 – Elevator fireman’s emergency operation

12/16/18 – Elevator equipment failure – exceeding life expectancy

12/23/18 – Elevator hydraulic fluid filtration/new/valve

12/31/18 - Year in review Colley Elevator Blog – 2019 Elevator Blog

I would like to thank everyone who has taken their time to read this blog.  I will be a broken record from last year; find your passion and when you look back on the year you will see how much you have grown professionally, personally and socially.  Trade in your selfish for a little selflessness, it will feel good and you will probably make someone proud they know you.  Life is the longest thing we will do but it is also the most fragile thing we have, do good things, be proud and have a great 2019!

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Elevator hydraulic fluid filtration/new/valve

We take care of over 1200 hydraulic elevators and we spend a lot of time working on valves.  It is always a good reminder to talk about oil care from time to time as it dramatically affects the operation and longevity of the elevator’s control valve.  The valve is one of the more critical systems on your hydraulic elevator system.   

Unlike automobiles we do not change the elevator’s hydraulic fluid every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.  Often the hydraulic fluid can be in an elevator for 20-30 years unless you have a proactive contractor to educate the building and recommend oil care.

 [Hydraulic fluid removed from a tank, note the sludge and sediment] 

 [After a proper tank cleaning]

 [What we found on the bottom of one tank]

 [What we found on the bottom of another tank]

Filtering of hydraulic fluid & cleaning the tank – Elevator hydraulic fluid should be filtered every 3 to 7 years dependent on usage & environment.  High usage or dirty environment will cause a buildup of sentiment from the air and break down of the pump and/or valve.  When hydraulic fluid is filtered it should be removed, the tank cleaned oil put back in.  There will be a loss of the original composition of the oil over time which can be combated with the installation of additive to help restore some of the fluids original characteristics.

New hydraulic fluid – Hydraulic fluid should be replaced every 5 to 10 years, again, dependent on usage and environment. 

New vs old fluid – Sometime in the last 10 years the way hydraulic fluid was produced has change, which means that new fluid is not the same as the fluid that was produced 30 years ago.  Just like most other advancements we make things cheaper but not necessarily better.  The oil industry also changed the way they grade the composition to compliment change in hydraulic fluid composition.

When oil gets too hot – When hydraulic fluid gets too hot it gets burnt.  Overheating or burning creates sentiment in the oil which some people consider contamination.  It is a good idea if you burn out a motor or if you hydraulic fluid has been over heated to have it replaced.  The overheating of the oil also changes the characteristics of the fluid.

When water is introduced to hydraulic fluid – When water is introduced to a closed system it is very difficult to remove.  There are a variety of ways to remove the water from the system, none of them are quick.  You should always replace what you can and put a water dissipation system in place.

Filtration bags – Some valve manufactures make a filtration bag system to help purify hydraulic fluid.  This is a great system but someone needs to pay attention to the bag, as time goes by the bag collects debris.  If the bag is left in too long, it will break and spread all the debris it has collected as well as parts of the bag.  The bag and debris will get stuck in the valve and the elevator system will not work correctly.  The issue with the bag is that it needs to be monitored and in order to monitor it someone needs to remove the tank lid and check it.  We have walked into more than a few buildings where a bag had been on for years and it created an issue because no one clearly identified this as a check point.  I.E. Large sign saying “check the bag” or “remove the bag on XX/XX/XX”.

Valves – Valves can last a very long time.  Leading valve manufacures recommend replacement of their valves after 10-15 years, again dependent on usage and environment. Manufacturers suggest that after 3 to 5 years components need to be proactively replaced.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Elevator equipment failure – exceeding life expectancy

EWe spend a lot of time talking to some building owners about how long their equipment will last and when it should be replaced.  Unfortunately some building owners do not get this information from their contractors, do not pay attention or their current contractor does not let them know about the longevity of their existing equipment.

When we have a problem building it typically runs in a cycle.

-       Significant issue/event that effects reliability

o   Elevator down time 1-2 days

o   Resolution

o   Clean run time of 3 to 4 months

-       Significant issue/event

o   Elevator down time 2-3 days

o   Resolution

o   Clean run time of 2 to 3 months

-       Significant issue/event

o   Elevator down time 4-5 days

o   Resolution

o   Clean run time of 1 to 2 months

I hope you see a pattern.  We begin seeing the earmarks of a control system breaking down and our resolution time being longer than the previous times and our duration of clean run time is less in between.  Catch the pattern early enough so you do not put your building in a precarious position.

If your elevator system is beginning to show a pattern that includes your time between significant failures is decreasing and your clean run time is decreasing.  You are past the discovery stage of planning and should be taking action to replace the equipment.

[This equipment is 22 years old but not supported by OEM]

How long should my elevator equipment last? – Todays elevator equipment should give you good operation for 15-20 years depending on environment & usage.   If your equipment is reaching or past 15-20 years have your elevator contract let you know their thoughts on how long it should last and what are the expections on reliability.

[Fewer and fewer people know how to fix controllers like these]

What if I don’t like what my elevator contractor is telling me? – I have many conversations with building owners that do not like being told they need to plan for equipment replacement.  I can speak from the company I work for.  We do not want to spend 3 days trying to repair your elevator either.  If you don’t like what you are hearing from your current elevator contractor get a second opinion or find someone who has the domain knowledge on obsolete Westinghouse equipment that uses tooth picks and crazy glue to keep the elevator running.  But! Be aware of your obligation as a building owner to be responsible and accountable for the conveyance users safety.

[Finger prints here tell me there has been a problem before]

How long does it take to get replacement equipment?  I’m glad you asked.  Everything elevator related typically takes 4-8 weeks for engineering and delivery.  This is not like the hot water heater you can pick up from Home Depot the same day.  Planning is very important.  Be responsible, plan ahead.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Elevator Fireman’s Emergency Operation testing – Too busy

Fireman’s Emergency Operation Phase I & II should be tested monthly per A17.1 any recently edition.

8.6.11.1 – Firefighters’ Emergency Operation – All elevators provided with firefighters’ emergency operation shall be subjected monthly, by authorized personnel, to Phase I recall by use of the key switch, and a minimum of one-floor operation on Phase II, except in jurisdictions enforcing the NBCC.  Deficiencies shall be corrected.  A record of findings shall be available to elevator personnel and the authority having jurisdiction.

During a visit to complete the engineering on a 4 car modernization I discovered 2 pieces of paper 10 years a part which tells a story of how our elevator industry is changing[not for the better]. The first document shows between 2007-2010 FEO was being tested each month.  The second document shows that it hasn’t been tested in 2018.  Disclosure - This is not a building Colley Elevator currently maintains, we are completing the modernization, it is currently being maintained by a OEM.

[This sheet looks wonderful!] 

[The elevator inspector was nice enough to test is in October and circle expectations]

We are seeing more rules and codes written to increase safety and as an industry in general we are not taking the time or given the time to complete the items that once where being completed.  This all goes back to the theory

1.    Building owner must pay a company a reasonable rate for elevator service

2.    Company must give elevator personnel time to complete required tasks

3.    Elevator personnel, if given the time, must complete their tasks

If one of the three are out of sync with their responsibilities and obligations we will not have safe elevators.  In this case exercising FEO takes about 5 minutes on a one car or two car building.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Elevator independent service - Get that couch in!

A useful feature on newer elevator systems is called “independent service” and can be used to assist move in and move outs or people moving large objects.  I was at a building this week and watched 3 guys ram a couch in the elevator, they worked on getting this couch in there for at least 20 minutes with the door closing on the couch every 20 seconds.  I just so happened to be at the building doing engineering on a modernization.  Good news, they got the couch in and they finally got it out of the building with out breaking the elevator. The last time we blogged about this was in 2014 so it is about time for a update.

How to use independent service - To use the independent service feature is very simple.  A person puts the key in the key switch, turn to the on position.  When the key is in the on position the doors will remain open and the elevator will not take any hall calls.  The person in the elevator has complete control of the elevator system.  When the person is ready to have the elevator go to the desired floor they hold down the door close button, the door will close and the elevator will go to the desired floor.  The feature prevents the door from ramming the object someone is trying to get in the elevator and prevents hall calls from taking the elevator away from the movers.

Where is the Independent service key switch – Sometimes this key switch is above the elevator buttons labeled “Independent Service” and other times it is behind a locked cabinet and may be a key switch or have a toggle switch.

Do all elevators have independent service – No, newer elevator systems will have this feature.  If you would like to know if you do, call your elevator contractor.  You can always take a picture of your car operating panel, send it to your account rep and they can let you know.

How do I get keys and training – Your elevator contractor can supply you with keys and training for this feature.

If a building is better educated on how to use the independent service feature on the elevator system you most probably will get fewer calls that the elevator is broken during moves.   It is understood that building occupants will not always pay attention to the request that you must use the independent service feature but, if it saves a few service calls a year, the building will have fewer bills to pay the elevator contractor.  As a contractor we are always more than happy to come out and show you how this feature on the elevator system works

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Elevator cylinder failure – Deterioration of cylinder metal

Colley Elevator has been forever known for their cylinder work.  While 20%-30% of our modernization work is traction, currently we still do more hydraulic work than any company in the Chicago area.  So we have seen, and still see a lot of cylinder failures and replace a lot of cylinders and run into a lot of unusual conditions.

We have two projects going on right now that surprised me with the amount of corrosion on the elevator cylinders.  One of these elevator’s was running.  The elevator that was running was not under a maintenance contract with Colley Elevator nor did we have anything to do with it prior to replacing their cylinder.

The first building was a building that had their elevator sleeved a long time ago[assuming from the welds & environment].  The cylinder leak came back recently and they need to replace the whole cylinder this time.

[What the cylinder looks like from lowest landing hoistway sill]

[Upon further investigation we see the sleeve closer]

[This is just one section of the outer sleeve of the cylinder after we pulled it out]

[Another section of the outer sleeve of the cylinder after we pulled it out]

[Another section of the outer sleeve of the cylinder after we pulled it out]

The second building is a building that had a running elevator, it was replacing the cylinder because it had a AHJ inspection over a year ago that failed but for some reason let the car run.  

[What the cylinder looks like from lowest landing hoistway sill]

[Deterioration of safety bulkhead]

[Deterioration of pipe on walls]

[Deterioration of pipe on walls]

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

How long should an elevator hydraulic valve last?

How long should a hydraulic control valve last? This is a very good question.  The valve manufacturer states that their valve will last 10-15 years.  Many buildings keep their valves as long as 30-45 years.  The issue with keeping your control valve longer than recommended is you can have reliability issues and leakage. 

Reliability/control – When we have valve reliability issues we cannot control the elevator which means the elevator will not level properly.  We can start to see shut downs or trip and falls when the valve is having reliability issues.

Leakage – A valves parts will begin to leak and this will also cause leveling issues but it will also create a oily mess when it is leaking on the tank or on the floor.

We have elevator control valve manufacturers saying change your valve every 10-15 years, buildings keep their valves sometimes 30-45 years.  We have a huge disparity between these numbers.  Each building’s usage, environment and oil maintenance[replacement, filtration, tank cleaning] is different.  A sleepy building’s elevator valve could last a lot longer than a valve in a hospital or nursing home.  You should consult your elevator contractor on how long your valve will last as there is a safety issue and reliability issues when your control valve is not operating properly.

Here are some pictures of a few building’s I have been to in the last week.  All the buildings have the same elevator, Otis early 1970’s vintage power unit. 

 [This is the original control valve, it appears the elevator contractor is trying to identify where the leaking is coming from or dressing it up for Halloween.  This valve needs to be replaced]

[This control valve has been replaced[not by Colley] but they put the adjustments right up against a pipe so it is very difficult to work on, this probably was faster to install but not easy to work on in the future]

[This is a valve Colley Elevator replaced which took a little extra time to make sure all of the control adjustments are accessible to the elevator mechanic]

Should I replace my oil when I change my control valve? – The answer to this question is yes, unless you have changed your oil recently prior to the valve replacement.  We will address hydraulic oil maintenance in a future post.  Or you can see a post from a few years ago.

http://colleyelevator.blogspot.com/2016/05/cleaning-elevator-hydraulic-fluid.html

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.

Elevator door operator & cylinder replacement – Evanston, IL

We inherited a building about 2 years ago that we found with 2 broken rail brackets and some equipment that had been changed and some that was original.  The building is from late 1960’s/early 1970’s and has a controller that appears to have been replaced in the late 1980’s early 1990’s, power unit was replaced in 2001, original door operator, fixtures & cylinder.

When we took the building on for maintenance the building had high expectations of reliability so when we had a few shut downs and there was some push back about the reliability we recommended replacement of their equipment.  We had previously been to the building in 2004, 2011 & 2015 and made the same recommendations, all prior to us taking the elevator on as a maintenance customer.   While the building did not do everything we recommended we did get the opportunity to replace their door operator & cylinder.  I was at the building Friday with the consultant and everything looked and worked great.

Before pictures - Cylinder 

[Elevator pit cylinder & piston - EECO Elevator Equipment Corporation]

[Casing is sticking above pit floor - if you look closely channels sit on concrete blocks]

[Building was interested in a Life Jacket]

[Not enough room for a Life Jacket - note channel piece as platum plate - Piston too short or building was built higher than drawings indicated]

Before pictures - Door operator

[Old GAL MOD door operator - You cannot tell from this picture but there is a 24" space in back of the car]

[Old GAL MOD door operator hatch equipment]

After pictures - Cylinder 

[New EECO cylinder & Piston]

[New cylinder ordered to remove channel "adjustment" platum plate]

After pictures - Door operator

[New GAL MOVFR operator, hatch & car door equipment]

[Handrails to remove fall hazard was a freebie to the building]

The new doors run smooth as silk, car top is a safer place and the building removed their single bulk head cylinder.  On the list for future modernization is controller, fixtures & power unit and they will be set for the next 25-30 years.  I would like to say thank you to everyone involved from sales, engineering, shop and especially the crew that installed the equipment, it is a team effort from start to finish.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Hydraulic elevator modernization needed – Skokie, IL

I was at a building a few years ago for pit ladders and got a call that they fired their existing company and didn’t have a new one lined up.  When I looked at the pit ladders a few years ago, I let the building know they should think about replacing their ESCO equipment that was from 1967.  Today the equipment is 51 years old and still providing the building decent service, but, they are unhappy with the dependability. When I see equipment this age the question I always ask is "what is the building's expectations of the elevator's reliability".  This elevator system has served this building well over the last 51 years.  You do not see other building mechanisms that have this much functionality and building interaction last as long as this piece of equipment.  Give it a hug, say thank you, it is time to say goodbye.

Controllers – The ESCO controller is a very good controller but as you can see most of the relays have been replaced with all new relays.  I was told/taught that the replacement relays for these units are general duty and not the same as the original relays that where designed for this specific elevator.  While less expensive then replacing the elevator controller in our experience this experiment only upsets everyone involved; building owner, elevator technician and elevator company when the desired results are not what everyone thought after dropping a good amount of money for replacing them all 25+ years ago we tried this trick in a complex with 12 elevators and it wasn't good.

Cylinder – The elevator was installed in 1967, this most likely means it has a single bulk head, which means if the controllers are replaced the cylinders need to be replaced as well.

Door operator – The GAL MOD is a very dependable door operator, it has lasted 51 years and is still servicing the building reliably.  Any piece of equipment that works as much as the door operator does get worn out from all the cycles it performs and will be less dependable then it once was.

Car & hall buttons –  The buttons are having issues with sticking.  Now, you can change all the buttons with new/old ones or just order new buttons, but you still have what is behind the curtains.

Motor starters – This is probably the most robust piece of equipment on the elevator system. The 2 starter Across The Line[ATL] starter set up by Furnas.  They have great big contacts and can last a very long time with the proper maintenance.

Power unit – Good robust power unit that has a terrible design with the motor above the pump and the pump on a 90 degree.  Not sure why this was a good idea but it took a simple design and created a pump/motor replacement challenge[if the need ever arose].   Probably vertical space saving. The ESCO valve appears to have been replaced with an EECO valve 15-20 years ago.  The longer I am involved in the business the more appreciation I have for dry power units and their longevity and ability to serve building's more efficiently.

Take away – I was just talking to coworker about buildings that hit that 40-50 year mark and they have all these repairs required because buildings during this era where built to last 40 years.  Windows, tuck pointing, façade, roofs, environmental systems, parking lots, etc all seem to have issues at the same time.  I’m a proponent of getting reserve studies so as a building you know when you should have X dollars in the bank for each capital improvement so you don’t get caught with all these improvements hitting you at the same time. Most residential buildings I walk into are not flush with money in their reserves so expenses such as elevator modernization causes a huge impact and funding issue.  If you need a good reserve study company, let me know and I can pass along a name and number to you.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.