Traction Elevator Modernization - Wilmette, IL - Westinghouse Elevator

 

We started working with 2 buildings very close to one another on the Northshore, both had Westinghouse equipment from the early 1960’s.  We modernized one building 8 or 9 years ago and encouraged the other building to do so as well.  The "other" building took a bit longer than we would have liked to replace their equipment, but finally came around and got rid of their headaches and here it is.

Existing elevator & project scope – We updated the elevator control system, motor, door operator, door tracks and fixtures.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Smartrise Engineering

Machine – Westinghouse Elevator w/Imperial Motor

Door operators – GAL MOVFR

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Elevator controller– The elevator controller from time to time would give us repeat shut downs and it would take a bit longer than we would like to resolve the issues.  The elevator controller was a Westinghouse traction elevator controller from the early to mid 1960s.  We replaced it with a Smartrise Engineering C4 elevator controller.

[New Smartrise C4 Traction Elevator controller]

Elevator machine – We removed the DC motor and installed an Imperial Electric AC motor, flushed and cleaned the gear case, repacked it, and gave it fresh paint job.

[Old Elevator #1 machine room layout]

[New Elevator #1 machine room layout]

[Old Elevator #2 machine room layout]

[New Elevator #2 machine room layout]

Door operators – The elevator had a Westinghouse Elevator door operator and we replaced it with all new GAL door equipment.

Elevator fixtures – We removed the Westinghouse Elevator fixtures and replaced it with a sharp looking set of Innovation car and hall fixtures with all code requirements included.

[Old Westinghouse elevator fixtures]

[New Innovation Industries Elevator Fixtures]

Take away – The building probably was a few years late on modernizing the elevator controller before they started to have some real nuisance issues, but they eventually came around.  Five years prior to signing a contract, we had a meeting and they wanted to wait. We patiently and persistently reminded them of the need to consider this capital expense and when they were ready, we were too.  We are all very happy with the outcome of this modernization. We had 16-17 Colley Elevator employees involved in this project, great work to our sales team, engineering team, IUEC elevator constructors and everyone in-between that helped make this a successful project. 

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.

Hot Weather & Elevator Machine Rooms Will Affect Your Elevator's Ability to Service the Building - Summertime! HOT! TOO HOT!

 

We have had some blistering hot and humid days, that hit all of a sudden, and have gotten a lot of calls from equipment failure due to hot weather, no ventilation, controller failure, relay failure, door operator failure, motor failure, etc. Our elevator mechanics have been chasing calls since the heatwave began.  The original post was from 2017, reposted in 2018, 2021 and now edited for 2022.

This summer we have seen more frequent failure of solid state boards and equipment that has been exposed to extreme heat and cold.  Building owners frequently ask “why is this occurring”.   I always like to give some research and background when explaining to building owners, so they can be better educated, and came across a great article from which I have taken some of the high points.  When reading this, be aware that most issues with machine room environments will result in a shut down or needing a replacement board. However incorrect machine temperatures can also cause malfunctions which could result in an elevator operating in an unsafe condition.

The subject of the operation of an elevator in an elevated high ambient machine room temperature is one of concern for elevator manufacturers, code writes, enforcing authorities, building owners and operators, elevator consultants and fire safety personnel.  Today’s solid-state design elevator control systems are able to maintain rated performance over a wide range of normal design operating temperatures but are vulnerable to elevated temperature conditions.

NEII Vertical Transportation Standard calls for machine room/or machinery spaced temperature to be between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

NEMA has established a maximum temperature limit of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

National Electrical Code[NEC] has published 86 degrees Fahrenheit as the standard ambient for conductor ampacity ratings.

Computer manufacturers recommend an ambient temperature of 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  Your elevator's microprocessor controller is a computer.

The effects on solid state components due to temperature may be classified in two areas; operating[reliability] and failure[life].  The manufacturer's recommendation for ambient temperature will allow the devices to operate in a repeatable and predictable fashion.  Temperatures above or below the recommended temperature will decrease the life of the solid-state system. 

Hydraulic fluid - Heat will affect your hydraulic fluid as well as your electronic components.  Hotter oil means thinner oil, means different leveling, means potential for unlevel conditions and trip and falls. 

Please note - Elevator controller temperatures are 10 to 15 degrees warmer inside the controller with the cover on. If an elevator machine room is 105 degrees, the temperature when you open the door to the controller could be over 120 degrees.

[Keep your equipment cool!]

Causes of machine room over temperature

1.   Failure of machine room ventilation or no ventilation

2.   Failure of cabinet ventilation system – air condition or fan

3.   Increase in the elevator duty cycle beyond design criteria

4.   Sustained operation at low AC input levels

The recommendation of machine room temperature control comes from a few different areas

1.   Normal temperature in room – in Chicago we have hot summers and cold winters

2.   Amount of heat released from the elevator equipment in the machine room – depends on the equipment you have and amount of traffic in the building

3.   Amount of ventilation and/or air conditioning/heating provided in machine room.

Take away – Be aware of the machine room environment and make preparations i.e. air conditioning[best case] or ventilation in summer and heating in the winter.

Reference – “High temperature operation of elevators” by Nick Marchitto 

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.

Hydraulic Elevator Oil Filtration – Tank Cleaning – New Hydraulic Fluid – Hydraulic Elevator Valve - 2022 Version

 

We take care of over 2000 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.  

We all have driven and cared for a automobile, right? 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.  Take a look at the picture below of what your elevator valve looks like and keep in mind all the small ports oil travels through when you get further down the page.  All of the built up sludge and grime can clog your valve and cause performance issues and consequently your elevator will not level properly.  When your elevator does not level properly, you have a potential for a trip and fall accident.

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 a 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 and then the 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 an additive to help restore some of the fluid's original characteristics.  The two photos below are what we find on the bottom of tanks. 

Dry power unit – Here are some before and after pictures of a dry power unit we cleaned.  Dry units are a bit easier to clean out as there are not big items in the way to work around.

[Elevator dry power unit before]

[Elevator dry power unit after tank cleaning]

Submersible power unit – Here is a before and after of a submersible power unit.  Since the pump and motor are in the thank it creates a few more challenges trying to get the entire tank clean.

[Submersible elevator power unit before]

[Submersible elevator power unit after tank cleaning]

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 12 years the way hydraulic fluid was produced has changed, 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 sediment in the oil which some people consider contamination.  It is a good idea if you burn out a motor or if you hydraulic fluid that has been over heated to have it replaced.  The overheating of the oil also changes the characteristics of the fluid.  Elevators with tank heaters also have a lot of particulate created due to the oil getting too warm around the filament.

Internal power unit tank heaters – If you cannot heat your machine room during cold weather sometimes you are forced to put tank heaters in your oil.  Beware.  These tank heaters can do a number on your power unit while you are not looking.  A tank heater will attract impurities and burn them and consequently burn other parts of your hydraulic fluid creating more impurities.  If you look at the picture you can see all the impurities left after the tank was drained.

Valves – Valves can last a very long time.  Leading valve manufactures 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.

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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.

Hydraulic Elevator Control Modernization – Skokie, IL

 

There are some buildings that call and I have to look back to see how long ago I went there. In this case, we originally visited them in 2008 and they decided to stay with their original equipment manufacturer.  When the building called in 2021, we jumped at the chance to see what we could do for them.  We went there and found that the elevator wasn’t in the best condition with a lot of deferred maintenance and a controller platform that was not something we were exactly excited about giving full maintenance to.  We introduced modernization and the building was interested in it in exchange for getting a full maintenance agreement.

Existing elevator & project scope – We replaced all of the original electrical and mechanical equipment; controller, fixtures, power unit, door operator.  The building really needed the upgrade to be able to service their aging population which depends on their 1970s vintage Dover Elevator elevator to run 24/7.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Smartrise

Door operators – GAL MOVFR

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Power unit – Quality Elevator Products

Elevator machine room – This room was filled with the old Dover controller and power unit, it took up the entire room.  Our new Smartrise/Quality gave us more space to stand in the room.

[old machine room - jammed!]

[New machine room - invite your friends we have a ton of room!]

Elevator controllers – The existing elevator had a Dover IBM relay set up with some solid state boards and other items that are not popular with elevator mechanics who did not work at Dover in the 1970s or 1980s.  We replaced it with a new Smartrise nonproprietary elevator controller.

 

[Old Dover Elevator controller - 1/4 of it]

[New Smartrise Engineering hydraulic elevator controller]

Elevator door operators – We replaced the Dover Elevator door operator with a GAL MOVFR and all new Dover car and hatch equipment.

Elevator hydraulic power unit – We replace the original Dover Elevator dry unit with a Quality Elevator submersible hydraulic power unit with Maxton Valve.

[Old Dover Elevator hydraulic power unit components]

[New Quality Elevator power unit with Maxton UC1 hydraulic control Valve]

Elevator fixtures – We installed Innovation Industries hall and car fixtures to replace the original Dover Elevator

[Old Dover Elevator car station]

[New Innovation Industries car station]

[Old Dover Elevator main landing hall station]

[New Innovation Industries main landing hall station]

Take away – In this case we had a proactive building who was educated and understood that their existing equipment could cause a huge headache for them in the future.  It was great to see a building learn about their current equipment and want to be ahead of the problems that would inevitably manifest with the Dover Elevator IBM relay control equipment.  Now the building has some great new nonproprietary elevator controllers and a fully nonproprietary elevator system.

Team work– The sales person and the project team who finishes typically get the glory on a project.  In between the initial contract sale and the final acceptance are many other people who work on the project to make it successful.  From the truck driver to the engineer to the billing department to the assist when needed 9 Colley Elevator employees where involved in the project and we had tremendous team work on it.  Thank you everyone without you we would not have had such a successful delivery!

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.

Colley Cares – Colley Elevator Gives Back – 1st Quarter

Today is Memorial Day for the heroes that gave their lives so we could have a better one.  We have empowered our Colley Employees to pick organizations that help a great cause.  So we'll never be on a Normandy Beach, jungle, rice field, desert, or urban setting getting shot at for freedom, but we can use our day to day grind to help those who need it more than we do.  Pay it forward, pay it backward, say thanks to a vet, remember the fallen, do something great today.

History on Colley Cares - Colley Elevator has had a history of making donations to our customer’s causes, foundations, fundraisers, etc. During the last 2 years Colley Elevator has done several additional philanthropic initiatives to give back to our communities amid the Covid 19 pandemic.  During one of our sales meetings we came up with a new way to give back; we will be making an additional donation when we book each one of our projects to one of five different organizations.  

Bensenville Food Pantry – https://www.bwdfp.org/ - Our local food pantry.  We work with several on the elevator side and the great work that goes on here to help people make it to the next paycheck, or to take care of them during a rough patch, warms my heart.

Toy Box Connection - https://www.toyboxconnection.com/- Connecting children in need and less fortunate with toys and experiences.  

Howard Brown - https://howardbrown.org/ - I knew this group as an HIV/AIDs service provider from my time in the City.  They do so much more!  Great group!  Happy we get to be their service provider at a few locations.

Lurie Children’s Hospital  - https://www.luriechildrens.org/ - One of our great Chicago children’s hospitals.  Always a good choice to help!

Ronald McDonald House – https://rmhccni.org/ - Giving families the ability to focus on their sick or injured child.

2nd Quarter group – These are groups slated for our 2nd quarter Colley Cares initiative: 

Boy Scouts of America – Troy F.

Boys & Girls Club Impact Center – Cathy H

Red Cross – Ukraine Support – Craig Z

Gateway Green – Linda F.

Toy Box Connection – Fritz N.

Other groups we previously supported through Colley Cares

4Ocean

American Cancer Society

Elmhurst York Food Pantry

Greater Chicago Food Depository

Haymarket Center

Maryville Academy

NEDSRA

One Tail at a Time

Pillars Community Health

Ray Graham Association

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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 Education - Educating our Customers and Facility Managers

 

Last Friday we had an opportunity to present to a group of school facility managers. Elevators have been an increasing point of interest for school systems, or any facility manager, in the last 10-20 years.  What we have found is that many of the decision makers lean on their current vendor for what they need to do.  Sometimes we, as an elevator industry, can do better at relaying code changes, new requirements, capital planning, understanding how the building needs to address their elevators moving forward; this year, next year, 5 years, 10 years, etc.

We were invited to speak to this group of facility managers and went through items that they need to know:

• Elevator regulations
• Required testing
• New testing requirements
• Paperwork requirements
• What to expect during an elevator inspection
• Best practices
• Building responsibilities
• New technology
• Obsolescence

Many of the facility managers were not our customers, but were taking notes and had some really good questions.  Each school district had a different challenge they were dealing with and you could tell a light went off in their heads when that topic was covered during the presentation.

Each time our code changes and yields more and more requirements, it is important to get out and help the teams that work to keep buildings current. It is also good to have a general understanding of what will be required of buildings in the future.

If you have a group of people that are interested in receiving a presentation on elevators, codes and the impact to your building, let us know. We can put together a continuing education program for your group.

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.

Community Associations Institute [CAI] – Condo-HOA conference & Expo

We were back in person at the CAI condo-HOA conference & expo this year.  On Friday 5/13/22 we had the opportunity to set up our booth and visit with homeowners, property managers and other trades who do work for associations.

The Community Associations Institute [CAI] is an international membership organization dedicated to building better communities.  CAI has over 40,000 members and 64 chapters worldwide and provides information, education and resources to homeowner volunteers who govern communities and the professional who support them. 

Colley Elevator has been coming to the show for the last 10 years and has a very positive experience at these conventions.

Two of our great Colley ambassadors spent the day talking to existing customers, potential customers and other trades that where showing there who we have mutual interests.  We heard a lot of compliments of our service and fielded questions on new codes, requirements and talked about potential leads.  The show also had opportunities for homeowner education which we got a chance to sit in on.

One of the cool things about the show is to bump into people that you may have traded emails with or talked on the phone with and meet them in person.  I heard a “I just want to let you know that you guys are great and made our transition into managing this building very easy when we took over at XXXX Street.”  That is great to hear!  Go Team Colley!

Thank you again to the CAI for having us at the show and we look forward to working with you more in the future.   

We also are giving away a few Colley Elevator Yeti Day Trip Lunch Bags for those who sign up for our newsletter before 5/31/22, so get your name on the list! 

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.