We have had pretty warm weather in the Chicago area up until recently, now it is cooooolllldddd! Symptoms
Elevator runs sluggishly
Elevator doesn’t level properly
Doors move slowly and are bumpy
Potential outcomes
People get stuck or trapped in the elevator
Trips and falls
Elevator will not work to service the building
According to the NEII vertical transportation standard, the temperature of your elevator machine room should be 55 degrees to 80 degrees. Computer manufacturers recommend an ambient temperature of 60 to 90 degrees.
The temperatures that hydraulic elevators fluid should be is:
Operating temperature - 80 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit
Source - Maxton Valve[www.maxtonvalve.com] - Maxton valve is one of the largest valve suppliers in North America.
Oil composition when it gets cold – When hydraulic elevator fluid gets cold it becomes thicker or has a higher viscosity. Higher viscosity means sluggish leveling which means potential trip and falls or shut downs.
Viscosity definition - The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to gradual deformation by shear stressor tensile stress. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness". For example, honey has a much higher viscosity than water.
How does this translate to your elevator – In our Chicago area environment we use a certain hydraulic fluid that offers more flexibility between hot and cold environment because of our seasons in the Chicago area. Due to significant swings in temperature in our environment when it is very cold the oil gets thicker and the valve and elevator system will not operate correctly causing a potential issue with leveling or entrapment. The reverse occurs when it gets very hot and the oil gets very hot. Both scenarios cause safety issues for the elevator riders. If we always had cold or warm temperatures we could use a different hydraulic fluid that would be more appropriate for a hot or cold environment. But! We live in Chicago.
What not to do – As a building owner it is very important to have your elevator running. Some building owners take it upon themselves to improvise to get their elevators running on cold days with space heaters. While the installation of space heaters is a short term solution, it isn't a safe long term solution as you will see space heaters in non-occupied machinery spaces that can malfunction causing smoke and fire hazards. The space heaters also can overload your electrical circuits causing your breakers to trip. The electricity costs to run multiple heaters in one year would probably be significantly more than the installation of an elevator tank heater.
[This building owner was resourceful putting a heater on the valve]
[Two heaters on one elevator power unit]
[One heater in the elevator pit]
Recommended solution – use a tank heater. Pay an elevator company to install a tank heater on the elevator with an on/off switch. This is a safe alternative to space heaters. But! Turn the tank heater off in the summer or you will smoke your oil and burn it, if you burn your oil you will have different issues.
Take away – If you are having winter issues, talk to your elevator company. If you are not getting the right answers, call Colley Elevator. I went to a building for a nuisance issue[not a Colley maintenance account], they described what was occurring, without even walking in the elevator room I told them it was cold oil, they told me they had a space heater in the machine room, when we looked, they did have a space heater and it hadn’t worked all season. The valve was ice cold. I’m sure they will go get a new one and when it is in the machine room their inconsistencies will go away.
Salt – When we start getting cold and start having snow we use a lot of salt on the side walk. That salt gets on our feet and comes in the building. Have someone vacuum out the door sills because salt loves to live there and we will come out for a overtime call and charge you a lot of money for a few pieces of salt. If you can do prevention, that is the best, but we are also always available.
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.
