We
are going to do a series on how an elevator should be maintained. Though all elevator companies have a different
process for maintenance, each should have a specific
Maintenance Control Plan (MCP) in the elevator machine room for every elevator
they have under maintenance. Each of
Colley Elevator’s 2500+ elevators has a book on how that elevator is to
be maintained, more importantly this is a code requirement to have in the machine room.
A
typical elevator maintenance visit should take 20-35 minutes if everything is
in good working order and clean. If the
elevator technician has to make adjustments, equipment replacements or clean, the maintenance visit will be longer.
These tasks are only to be completed by licensed elevator personnel.
If
your elevator company is coming to your building and only spending 6 minutes a
month, or so infrequently you do not know when they actually come, they may not
be maintaining your elevator correctly.
Frequency
of visits – Every building has a different requirement for actual maintenance
visits. Over the years we have seen flat
maintenance pricing driven by OEM multinational companies removing the most
important and expensive part of elevator maintenance from the equation; the
labor. We have gone from monthly visits
for each elevator to quarterly to “as needed”, “systematic”, or “periodic”
visits. The basis of how much time per
elevator that is needed is based on elevator type, equipment, environment and
use among other variables. A building
with 6 residential units installed in 2010 needs different maintenance than a
building with 30 residential units installed in 1995. We still have code requirements to
check, such as exercising and documenting the phone and firemen recall every month.
Remote
monitoring/maintenance devices – There is a newer trend that larger OEM
companies have so they can “monitor” elevator systems. We are not convinced that this “monitoring”
actually captures any maintenance information or can perform maintenance tasks. If you read below, you will see what items a
monitoring device on your elevator controller can complete. I am not seeing many; most still require a mechanic.
This
post will focus on steps for elevator car top maintenance.
4.1 Stop switch
After obtaining permission, post car out of service signs
and follow the procedures in the elevator industry field employee's safety
handbook. Before entering the top of
car, place the stop switch in the off position. Then allow the doors to close and verify that
the car will not run.
4.2 Top of car operating device and light
Examine the top of car operating device and test for proper
operation. Any needed repairs must be
made to the top of car operating device, stop switch and light before
proceeding with other maintenance.
Always maintain the guard on the top of car light. If the guard is missing, it must be
replaced. Make any necessary repairs.
4.3 Cleanliness
Clean all debris and any oil stains or puddles from the car
top. Never store anything, including tools, parts or lubricants, on the car
top. Verify that the top of car exit is
secured so that it cannot be opened from the inside of the car.
4.4 Top of car guides
Examine roller guide tire conditions as well as fit and
alignment with the rails. Examine and
adjust rollers for firm contact with the rails so they can be barely
turned by hand. Lubricate the pivot bushing with a couple of drops of machine oil through the hole in the housing.
4.5 Guide rails
Examine the guide rails for loose fastenings and fit at the
joints.
4.6 Selector tape
Examine the stationary selector tape by shining a
flashlight beam parallel with the tape and sighting to detect any bends or
cracks. Examine the sensor guides on
stationary tape for wear. If the guide
groove is twice the width of the tape thickness, it should be replaced. Examine the magnets on the tape for grime
buildup or materials that may interfere with their operation.
4.7 Traveling cables
Examine the traveling cables for wear, chafing, kinking and
alignment. Examine attachment points for
secure fastening and looseness. Examine
for chafing points, i.e. beams, bolts, rough wall, etc. If found, protect as necessary. Examine the automatic tightening means for
slippage of the cable through the grips.
4.8 Door operator
Examine door operator for:
a. Loose parts
including all fastenings
b.
Lubrication in gear reducer and shaft bearings; use Mobil ADT machine oil
c.
Condition and tightness of "V" belts
d. Setting of
screws, keys and pulleys that have been moved out of position
e. Clean
the drive chain with brush to remove dust accumulation. If necessary, lubricate lightly at the sprocket with special chain
lubricant[White lightning]. Wipe off excess.
f.
Condition of cams and switches
g. Clean
control boards, cams, etc with brush and vacuum
h. Door
operator motor brushes and condition of commutator
i. Sound
isolation mounting for damage, if used
4.9 Door hangers, locks, etc.
a. Attempt
to open hoistway door without unlocking to verify that the interlock is functioning properly.
b. Move
the interlock pick up and manually open the door. Then verify that it will close when released at any position.
c. With
the door open, attempt to move the car using top of car operating device.
d.
Manually open the door and allow it to close to observe any roughness in the roller bearings, tires or tracks. Also listen for noise that may indicate
dragging or binding.
e. Check
the upthrust clearance and adjust for .0008 inches clearance.
f.
Visually examine the upthrust, hanger and relating cables for damage and need for adjustment.
g. Note
the overlap of door panels, the door frame and multiple speed panels when the door is closed. It should be at least 5/8". Worn or missing resilient stops, adjustments or relating devices can
affect the overlap. Adjust and/or replace resilient stops as needed.
h. Move
the car down and examine the sill guides for wear, looseness and damage. Tighten the mounting brackets when
necessary. Verify that the guides and metal parts engage the sill track at
least 1/4 inch. Also, verify that the clearance between the bottom of the door
panel and sill is less than 3/8 inch and that
the panels are not dragging on the sill.
i. Examine
the astragals for wear and damage
j. Examine
the sight guards for damage and secure fastening to the door panels
k. Examine
the fascia plate fastenings for tightness
l. Examine
door closing device, including air cord and attachments, for fraying and damage.
m. Attempt
to move the bottom panel open. It should move no more than one inch per panel with 30 lb. If it moves
more, the upthrust roller probably needs to be adjusted
to run closer to the track. The
clearance between the upthrust roller and the
track should be adjusted to .0008 inch.
n. Examine
the hoistway door unlocking device brackets and tabs for proper position.
4.10 Car fan
Clean car ventilation and fan opening. If necessary, remove the fan and clean the
blades or squirrel cage. At six months,
place one drop of oil on each end of the fan motor shaft.
4.11 Hoistway cleaning
Clean dirt and trash from all horizontal surfaces including
car and entrance sills. Pick up large
pieces with a dustpan and brush. Use a
shop vacuum to remove small items and dirt when necessary. Do not clean by blowing the trash. Be on the lockout for any hazardous objects
or materials in the trash. Dispose of
the trash in the building garbage.
4.12 Other
Note and report any problems with or within the hoistway
that should be addressed such as:
a.
Unauthorized equipment installed in the hoistway such as electrical wiring, telephone wiring, grounding from roof
antennas, antenna wiring, water piping, etc.
b. Damage
to the hoistway enclosure that would affect its fire resistance rating.
c.
Evidence of intentional acts such as pouring or sweeping liquids and trash over the entrance sills into the
hoistway.
d. Any
evidence of unauthorized people entering the hoistway.
4.13 Leaving car top
When leaving the car top, remove all tools and supplies and
observe all safety precautions in the Elevator Industry Field Employees’ Safety Handbook (EIFESH).
Never store lubricants, tools, supplies or anything on the car top. Always clean your shoes to prevent tracking
oil or dirt on the building floor. Allow
the door to close, place a call and verify that the car operates correctly
before removing the out of order signs.
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.
