Hydraulic elevator modernization – Homewood, IL - Dover Elevator

We recently where awarded a project with a construction firm to complete an institutions hydraulic elevator modernization through a GC.  Colley Elevator did not have the lowest price for the project on the initial bid, but, the GC and design group felt Colley was the best fit for the project and the attention it would require.

Existing elevator & project scope – The existing elevator was a Dover relay logic from the 1970.  The building wanted to move the machine room from the basement to the 3^rd floor so it would have a formal temperature-controlled machine room.  The specifications where written but a consultant and an architect was administering the project.   The building would get a new controller, power unit, pipe line, door operator & equipment, fixtures, hatch & car doors and new interior.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Smartrise Engineering

Power units – MEI

Door operators – GAL

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Hatch & car door – Columbia Elevator

Cab interior – Summit Cabs

Machine room – The existing machine room was in a boiler/mechanical area in the basement of the building.  The room was extremely hot as it shared it with the boilers.  The new machine room would be located on the 3^rd floor in building’s maintenance shop.

[Old machine room location]

[New machine room location]

Hydraulic elevator controller – The original Dover relay logic control system would be replaced with a non-proprietary Smartrise Engineering elevator controller.

[Old Dover controller - panel 1 of 2]

[Old Dover controller - panel 2 of 2]

[New Smartrise Controller - only one panel]

Hydraulic elevator power unit – The elevator had a newer hydraulic power unit but it was decided on the design side to replace all major mechanical and electrical components.  We replaced a MEI tank with Maxton UC 4 valve from 2015 with a new MEI tank with Maxton UC4 valve.  We also utilized the Maxton shut off valves & isolation couplings for this project.

[New MEI power unit with Maxton UC4 valve]

[Maxton shut off & Iso coupling]

Door operators – The cars had all Dover equipment on them.  We replaced the Dover door operators with GAL MOVFRs and replaced all the Dover hatch equipment.

[Old Dover door equipment] 

[New GAL MOVFR operator]

Elevator fixtures – All of the Dover hall and car push buttons where replaced with Innovation Industries fixtures.

[Old Dover fixtures]

[New Innovation car station]

[Old 1st floor hall station]

[New first floor hall station with position indicator above door]

Elevator car & hatch doors – The old car and hatch doors where replaced with new Columbia Elevator doors to give it a fresh look.

Elevator cab interior – The elevator’s cab interior was updated with a package from Summit Elevator Interiors.

[Old cab interior]

[New cab interior]

Work by others – There was a fairly extensive scope of work by others on this project that included new machine room, electrical, shunt, fire alarms, cab floor, hoistway protection[during the project]

We are happy the project turned out well, the building owner was great to work with, the design team was great to work with and the general contractor was great to work with.  Elevator has been running smooth with no shut downs and faculty and parents do not have to worry about the reliability any more.

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.