Hydraulic elevator control modernization – Mt. Prospect, IL

We had the opportunity to work with a general contractor and building owner on the modernization of 4 hydraulic Westinghouse elevators from the mid 1970s.  The process started around 2 years ago when we got a request for a budget, then a firm quote, then the formal quote, then contract negotiations, engineering, submittals, ordering material and finally job site mobilization and installation.

Controller – Smartrise Engineering

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Door equipment – GAL Manufacturing 

Power units – MEI/Minnesota Elevator

Roller guides – Elsco

Cylinders – EECO/Elevator Equipment Corporation 

Machine room layout – While the new equipment is wonderful, the area the new machine room layout gives the elevator mechanic is a game changer.  Since we have so much room the building decided to put Milton from Office Space's temporary work station in the elevator machine room.  I let the building know that the work station had to go as it cannot be in the elevator machine room, even if his stapler is in there. 

Old machine room layout

New machine room layout

Controllers – The existing controllers where Westinghouse relay logic from the original construction of the building. We replaced them with Smartrise Engineering’s hydraulic elevator control system.

Old Westinghouse hydraulic control system

New Smartrise Engineering control system

Fixtures – The existing fixtures where standard Westinghouse.  The new replacement fixtures are from Innovation Industries.

Old Westinhouse car station

New Innovation Industries car station

Old main lobby hall station - Multi light position indicators

New main lobby hall station - Digital position indicators

Power units – The old power units where old Westinghouse dry units with UV7 valves on them.  The replacement power units where manufactured by Minnesota Elevator and utilizes Maxton UC4 valves.

Old EECO valve

New Maxton Valve

Cylinders – All 4 elevators had the original cylinders from DL Martin/Westinghouse.  The owner wanted to remove them so there would be piece of mind and no potential for cylinder failure in the future. 

Old Westinghouse/DL Martin cylinder

New EECO elevator cylinder 

Take away – From start to finish this was team effort.  The GC was great, the building owner was patient and understanding throughout the whole project. Our project team was awesome!  Without the sales guy there is no project, without the elevator installation personnel there is no project, without the engineer there is no project, without the project manager things don’t go as smooth, without the delivery/prep team there are big time line challenges, without the office support staff to do billing and certified payroll the company doesn’t get paid.  Execution on all parts of this was tremendous and I’m lucky to have been 1 of 15 people from Colley Elevator to have been part of this project!  Thank you to everyone involved!  

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.

What should not be in an elevator machine room

We get the opportunity to see all sorts of buildings with all sorts of great things and not so great things.   This is  a quick one about what should not be in an elevator machine room.  As a building owner, manager, condo board or someone else who can help us, please do!  The better our machine room environment, the better we can maintain and service your elevator.

Water – We don’t really care for water in the elevator machine room, mainly because we could get electrocuted with the high voltage that is connected to the elevator system.  This machine room is recessed under the building and has a tendency to get water in it every now and then when the water table rises.  The building was building in the mid 1960’s.

Sewage – Water is one thing but sewage, no thank you.  This sewage was in a machine room we are modernizing the elevators and their pipes backed up, yes, that is soiled toilet paper. That 2 x 4 was for a person  to stand on during a OT call right after this happened.

Oil buckets/drums – Yes, elevator hydraulic oil buckets are elevator supplies, when we start seeing more then 1 or 2 empty oil buckets in a machine room we start asking a lot of questions.  This machine room has 14 empty buckets and a 55 gallon drum..

Video monitoring equipment – Buildings are always in a space crunch and one common element that is being added to more and more buildings is video monitoring.  It often ends up in the elevator room.  It is within the elevator inspectors rights to tell you to move the video equipment.

Stuff – The elevator machine room is a great place to put “stuff”.  Please find a new spot to put your “stuff” we need to get to the elevator equipment.

What should be in an elevator machine room?  Only elevator equipment and elevator supplies.

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.

When is it time to change your elevator’s dry hydraulic power unit?

We recently took over a group of buildings that had a lot of aging ESCO dry power units that had been passed over for replacement over the years.  The other elevator equipment had been modernized over the last 15 years; Controllers, fixtures, door operators.  The power units had been forgotten and patched with some new valves.  So when is it time to replace your power unit?  And, how important is your power unit?

What does my power unit do?  Your hydraulic power unit has a motor, pump, valve and hydraulic fluid in it.  The power unit pumps and regulates the oil floor to the piston which allows the car to level into the floor correctly.

When is it time to replace your power unit?  This is a great question.  Every building will be different.  Some building’s power units can last 50 years, some buildings last 10-15. The major wear point on a hydraulic power unit is the control valve. Maxton and EECO the two major valve manufacturers suggest replacing your valve every 10-15 years.  Here are a few variables that determine how long your power unit will last.

Usage – Busier buildings will most likely need a valve replacement sooner than a sleepy building. 

Machine room environment – a temperature controlled environment that keeps the oil cool will allow for a longer life of your control valve

Oil maintenance – If you keep your oil clean, have it filtered, or have it replaced your valve will work longer.

Valve maintenance – When required, have the valve seals been replace?

If you take a closer look at the picture above you will see two old ESCO power units, you will also see fans pointed at the controllers, you will also see a dirty machine room.  This elevator room is very warm/hot coupled with age and a less than ideal machine room environment equals poor longevity of valves.  

At some buildings power units are left as the last item to be modernized.  We always encourage buildings to replace their valves on a regular basis when there are signs of wear so we can have safe and reliable running elevators.  While the power unit is typically one of the more resilient components it is also a component that the building needs to listen to their elevator company on to make sure replacement and service items are addressed quickly.

What does a new submersible power unit look like?  The great thing about a new submersible power unit is that everything is in the tank so there are no more leaks to worry about.  A submersible power unit will work for 95% of all hydraulic elevators, be aware that depending on usage, travel, capacity you may need to look into retaining a dry unit.

[New pump motor and valve are in the black box, no more leaks]

[Nice new Maxton valve and air mufler]

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.

Smoke detectors, sprinklers, heat detectors and Shunt trips in elevator environment

We recently had code training and one of the items that I tend to get a lot of questions on by our field teams, electricians and fire companies are smoke detectors, sprinklers, heat detectors and shunt trips. 

For all the items listed below please consult AHJ for specific rules to the area you are working in and items the AHJ may have taken exception to national/local codes.

Smoke detectors 

Smoke detectors on ceilings must be at least 4 inches from the wall.

Smoke detector on walls must be between 4 inches and 12 inches from the ceiling.

Smoke detectors are required in machine rooms.

Smoke detectors are required at the top of the hoist way when either a sprinkler is present or the passenger cab is not a fire-rated design.

No smoke detectors shall be provided in the elevator pits per NFPA 72.

Smoke detector may also be provided to operate hoist way smoke evacuation equipment, but it cannot be connected to the elevator system.

Sprinklers - Sprinklers may be located in the following elevator equipment areas:

•        Machine Room

•        Top of Hoistway – Sprinklers are not required when the passenger elevator cab is a fire rated design.

•        Pit – Sprinklers located within 24” of the pit floor do not require a heat sensor for shunt trip disconnects nor a smoke sensor.

[Sprinkler, heat & smoke]

Heat detectors - Heat detectors are required within 2 feet of each sprinkler head in elevator equipment areas and pit. Exception in pit when the sprinkler is within 24” of the pit floor.

Shunt Trip disconnect system

Shunt trip disconnect is required on any new or existing elevator where a sprinkler is located at the top of the hoistway or in the machine room. 

A properly located sprinkler in the pit only, will not cause shunt trip disconnect to be required.

Non-sprinklered elevators will not have a shunt trip disconnect system.

Operation of the shunt trip disconnect must cause disconnection of normal power and emergency/stand-by power.

Operation of the shunt trip disconnect must also cause disconnection of any internal auxiliary power operations, such as battery lowering devices on hydraulic elevators or anti-entrapment (TAP) devices on traction elevators if so equipped.  The shunt trip disconnect must have a set of contacts that signal the control system to prevent movement of the elevator.

Location of the shunt trip disconnect is not specified by code.  Shunt trip disconnect can be in a fire command center, elevator machine room, electrical room, or other location.  If in the machine room, it may be combined with the main disconnect.

Power to and operation of the shunt trip shall be independent of the elevator control and shall not be self-resetting.

[Shunt & disconnect seperate]

[Shunt/disconnect combination unit]

Reference - Joseph P. Donnelly, PE Elevator Education Program 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.