Elevator Picture Hall of Fame 2024 – Volume 2

 

The Hall of Fame posts are typically some of the more popular blogs in the Colley blog history. We get to see a lot of elevators during the year during our initial visit for pricing or during engineering for projects.  Of the hundreds of elevators, and thousands of pictures, these are some of the gems I've seen from this past year.

 

Lucky Dime – When I was younger, there was a cartoon on called Duck Tales which was about Scrooge Mc Duck and his nephew's adventures.  Uncle Scrooge had his lucky dime; this interlock had its lucky penny.

 

Old Balls – I have a friend in the elevator business who I call Old Balls. He is pretty old (20 days older than me) and I'm sure he doesn't like the name.  These pictures remind me of him.  There is a lot going on in here and a pump I may have only seen once before this picture.  I hope to see Old Balls at the upcoming NAEC Convention.  

 

Super Hero Caught – I think the reason we like super heroes is because we all think they're special and have magical powers.  If you're a Marvel, or DC, or whatever else (I don’t acknowledge because I was an early 1990’s comic fan and that other stuff is for the birds), super heroes are an integral part of your life.  We caught this valve with his cape and mask on trying to be something everyone did/does/should do; try and live out your super hero dream.  Can an inspector please write up these buildings?

 

Should Know/Should Learn – Everyone has a "thing", one of my "things" is over-lubricated cables from these lubricating devices.  It drives me bananas when I see grease all over the cables.  If we go to buildings on a regular basis, we should know to take off the lubricator. We should also know how to put them on.  They wick. You don’t bury the felt on the cables.  If you don’t know what wick means, look it up or go to this link.

 https://www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW0615.pdf

Side Hustle – Some of us are doing elevators as a job.  Since it is just a job, and not a career or a passion, we have other things in our lives we try to explore.  We stumbled on this resident mechanic's passion when walking into the machine room.  Follow your dreams!!!  But if you are going to follow them, do a great job with the elevator. Otherwise another contractor may walk in on them because the elevator is having issues.

 

Lord Of The Rings – I didn’t catch this at first glance.  Not sure what to think of this one other than maybe the project team didn’t want Schmegal to get his hands on this ring?

 

Periodic Maintenance – I know there are alarms you can put in pits that would prevent this situation.  But…  If we are going to buildings on a regular basis, we would catch these situations quickly.  I would imagine the OEMS will make it a code item to have a water alarm in all elevator pits so they don’t need to visit buildings. That way Oscar, or Revit, or whatever the name of their predictive modeling system is that counts irregularities in noises or voltages can write the maintenance ticket [these predictive modeling devices are taking your labor hours away].  So far there is no code for water sensors in pits so you should still make your elevator contractor come to the building and actually look at your elevator. You may find someone that is important.  Watson, eat my shorts!  Building owners - pay for and demand someone actually coming to your building. 

 

Hanging with Mr. Cooper – I think this show was on after a show I actually watched on Friday night TV in the early 90s late 80s.  Come on man!  Just 'cause someone else did it, doesn’t mean you have to leave it.  This elevator had “maintenance” on the elevator on a regular basis.

Cleaning Up – Whenever we have people over we [when I say we, I mean my wife] "clean up". This means we take all of our mess and throw it in a different room.  It could be bills we have to pay, important documents, whatever, if it is on the counter, it is going in the room that is a mess.  One day I will clean up that room.

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.

Traction Elevator Modernization – Indian Head Park, IL

 

In the late 1970s/early 1980s US Elevator installed a good amount of elevators in a complex in Indian Head Park, IL.  We have had the opportunity to modernize 4 so far in the complex and these last two were numbers 5 & 6.  This was a cool project because we not only replaced the elevator controllers, we also replaced the machines as they where worn to a point that refurbishment would not suffice.  

Existing elevator & project scope – We replaced the elevator controller, machines, fixtures and door operator. 

New equipment providers

Controllers – Motion Control Engineering

Door operators – GAL

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Roller guides - SEES

Visual communication - Rath w/Kings 3 cellular & answering service

Elevator controller – The existing controller was a US Elevator controller with motor generators.  We installed Motion Control Engineering's elevator controls with a KEB F5 motor drive.

[Old US Elevator Traction Controller]

[New Motion Control Engineering Traction Controller]

Elevator fixtures – The US Elevator fixtures had been replaced with Innovation Industries fixtures. However when they were initially replaced, they did not account for the upcoming code changes[visual text & FEO]. That required us to install new fixtures during this most recent modernization which included a Rath phone, visual hardware and Kings III cellular & answering service. 

 

[New Innovation Industries car station with visual text capabilities]

Elevator traction machine – We removed the existing US Elevator machines and installed new Hollister Whitney traction elevator machines and Rope Grippers.

 

[Old US Elevator traction machines]

[New Hollister Whitney traction machines]

Machine room[see above] – Before the elevator modernization, we had the elevator controllers in the middle of the room which cramped mobility.  We installed the new controllers on the front walls of the machine room, which opened it up considerably.  

Roller guides – We replaced the existing US Elevator roller guides, which have welded rollers, with new SEES assemblies with replaceable rollers.

[Old US Elevator roller guides]

[New SEES roller guide assemblies]

Car ID tags – This is a very small piece of the modernization, but we now have to label each elevator with a 2” or larger car ID tag at the main fire floor and alternate landing.  The tags need to be on both sides of the door frame. 

Take away – The reality is that the older elevator equipment in this building was harder and harder to maintain, while the people who understand it at a high level are retiring.  If a building can get ahead of these challenges and plan to replace the equipment before it cannot be repaired, or before they have to call 3 or 4 companies to find someone who still can resolve controller issues quickly, is a great thing.  The building did wait a few years too long to get rid of the US Elevator equipment, but we are happy they did.

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 14 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!  Let’s not forget our great material supplier participation!

Finishing touches – The project team did a great job on the finishing touches to this project.  Machine room painted, car tops cleaned and elevator pits painted.  Love seeing this!

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.

Oak Park, IL New Elevator Certification Process

We started getting calls and emails from our Oak Park, IL customers asking questions about their elevator's annual inspection.  The customers stated that Oak Park is requiring them to get this information.  After the 4^th request for information, thinking this was unusual, I talked to the Oak Park elevator inspector, Thompson Elevator Inspection, and they said that Oak Park, IL was moving towards a system where the building owner would have to upload their inspections.   We bumped into our first instance where we needed to help our customer last week. Oak Park’s Permits & Development Department was nice enough to give us some information to share.

From Oak Park’s Permits and Development Department:

You will need to register each elevator and pay the inspection and upload the passing inspection. Every elevator will have a separate registration. Once completed and the inspection reports are reviewed, a certificate will be generated and emailed to you. It will remain available on the portal also. Please see steps below for the process:

The Village has implemented a new elevator licensing system.  All Oak Park properties with an elevator are being required to register each elevator for this first year of implementation by April 30, 2024. To facilitate a smooth renewal process, please review the following steps:
 
1.    Go to the Village's web portal at www.oak-park.us/villageview.
2.    If you have an existing registered email account, click ‘Sign In’ and go to step 6 below.
3.    To register a new account, click ‘Register’ and follow the prompts.
4.    Once you have finished entering registration information – STOP.
5.    Go to your email and use the link to validate your registration.
6.    Under ‘Licensing,’ click ‘Elevator Certificate’ and complete the registration and payment process.
7.    Repeat step 6 for each additional elevator.

Thank you for your cooperation. For more information, please contact the Permits & Development Division at 708 358 5430 or permits@oak-park.us or visit https://www.oak-park.us/village-services/permits-processing-division

 This is the document the Village is looking for - "Left in Machine Room"

This is a very new process for us as elevator contractors because we will be leaned on to help out the buildings we maintain.  Previously the Village and Elevator Inspector handled most of the certification process.

Challenges – It will be up to the building to know when the elevator inspector is at the building.  The elevator inspector does not let the building know when they are at a building, they rely on the elevator company to let the building know.  The building will have to get the elevator inspection form from the machine room or have the elevator company send them picture, the elevator inspector does not give the elevator contractor a copy of the annual inspection, it is to remain in the elevator machine room.  When the building has a passing inspection, they will need to upload it into the portal. 

What happens if we do not submit our inspections? – We had a building pass their inspections and testing in March and they got a sticker put in their building.  We, the elevator company, got word very quickly about this and sorted it out with the Village of Oak Park and they got their certificate.  Oak Park was great about responding and assisting the building to complete their process to get their permit. 

We all have a lot to learn about the process and the elevator contractor is going to be the conduit for the information to the building owner.  The building owner will most likely need a lot of assistance at first to complete their tasks required to get a certificate.

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.

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, 2022 and now as we approach 100 degrees in 2024.

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.

 

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.

Identification of Elevator Equipment – Labeling Elevator Hoistway Door Frames - A17.1 2019

 

In our area we have had more attention paid to labelling our elevators on hoistway door frames.  In the past we had labeled our elevators with what we thought where good ID tags, but they didn’t meet the letter of the code.  We have changed to a new label and put them directly below the Braille tags.

The code states:

2.29.1.2 – The identification assigned in 2.29.1.1 shall be a minimum of 50mm(2 inches) in height unless otherwise specified, and a contrasting color to its background.  The identification shall be painted on, engraved on, securely attached to, or adjacent to the following equipment associated with each elevator or the enclosure housing the following equipment associated with each elevator;

(i)             On both door jambs of every elevator entrance at the designated level, the alternate level, the level where means necessary for tests are provided(see 2.7.6.4) and the level where an inspection and test panel is provided (see 2.7.6.5); this identification shall be a minimum 50mm(2 inches) in height and shall be located immediately below the floor designation, where provided(see Nonmandatory Appendix E, Clause E-17)

 

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 Modernization – Downers Grove, IL

 

In 1985 we installed 2 elevators at an office building and then provided the maintenance until the early 2000’s.  We received a call last year that the building needed a new cylinder so we replaced the cylinder.  During the FAID testing, we discovered the elevator could not become compliant to our JHA’s expectations for Fireman’s Recall.  We pitched a modernization to replace the obsolete Vertitron control systems and we got a chance to replace the equipment at the building.

Existing elevator & project scope – We replaced the elevator controller, fixtures, door operator and hydraulic power unit.  We also replaced the cylinder before this project started.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Smartrise Engineering

Door operators – GAL MOVFR 

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Power unit – MEI w/Maxton valves

Cylinder – ITI Hydraulik

Elevator controller – The existing controller was a Vertitron VH-40 elevator controller that is no longer supported and parts are not available.  We replaced it with Smartrise Engineering C3 controllers.

 

[Existing Vertitron elevator controllers]

[New Smartrise Engineering elevator controllers]

[New Smartrise Engineering elevator controllers]

Elevator fixtures – We installed Innovation Industries hall and car fixtures to replace the original Inland fixtures.  You can see that our new car station has the 2019 compliant visual text component by Rath Microtech.

 

[Old Inland car station]

[New Innovation Industries car station]

[New Rath Microtech visual communication]

Hydraulic power unit – We removed the Colley Elevator power unit and replaced them with an MEI power unit with a Maxton UC4 valve.

 

[Old Colley submersible power units]

[New MEI submersible power units with Maxton UC4 valves]

Elevator door operator – We removed the GAL MOD door operator and replaced them with a GAL MOVFR closed loop door operator.

 

[Old car top with GAL MOD door operators]

[New car top with GAL MOVFR elevator door operators]

Elevator cylinder – We replaced the EECO cylinder with an ITI Hydraulik cylinder

 

[Old EECO cylinder]

[New ITI Hydraulik elevator cylinder]

Car ID tags – This is a very small piece of the modernization, but we now have to label each elevator with 2” or larger car ID tags at the main fire floor and alternate landing.  The tags need to be on both sides of the door frame.  In this case, there is no door frame but rather brick entrances.

 

Take away – We are seeing more and more elevator control systems become obsolete and are not supported.  The elevators may work well, but there are severe limitations on programming or making changes.  If there is a board that goes out on the control system you get into the repair game which can take 4-6 weeks and you have a coin flip of a chance[50%] that the repair will actually fix the board.

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, 14 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!  Let’s not forget our great material supplier participation!

Finishing touches – The project team did a great job on the finishing touches to this project.  Machine room painted, car tops cleaned and elevator pits painted.  Love seeing this!

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 Maintenance – Hydraulic Elevator - Car Tops

 

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.