It’s something no one wants to think about—getting stranded in a malfunctioning elevator.
Elevators are crucial to the smooth functioning of all multi-story businesses. But there are common elevator problems that appear every once in a while. Resolving these is important for the safe and efficient operation of these machines.
Let’s examine five of the most common elevator problems that multi-story businesses should always be aware of.
- Contamination
One of the most frequent elevator problems is simple contamination.
This results from the unavoidable wear-and-tear that elevators experience throughout their lifetime. The abrasion produces small particles and grit, which are caught in the lubricating oils or the motor, and interfere with an elevator’s smooth functioning.
A lack of proper lubrication, together with degraded seals, can also contribute to excessive contamination in an elevator’s motors. Conducting an oil analysis is a good way to catch this problem and prevent it from becoming any worse.
- Power Failure
The last thing anyone wants is to experience power failure in an elevator.
Elevators draw a tremendous amount of power from commercial building power systems. It’s also one of the common inclinator elevator problems (such as the inclinators at the Luxor in Las Vegas), again simply because elevators draw so much power to operate.
If an elevator has a history of power failure problems, then it’s a good idea to perform a thorough power quality inspection. This is where elevator service contracts prove their worth.
- Software Problems
Yes, computer software is an important part of the efficient functioning of elevators.
And as with all software, occasional malfunctions occur in an elevator’s programming that can affect its operation. An elevator coding problem is not something that a simple maintenance checkup will fix. This is where elevator service contracts come in handy, as it’s something only the manufacturer can handle.
- Misaligned Motors
Poor alignment in drive motors is another of the more common elevator problems.
When the motor shafts are misaligned, this leads to cascading wear and degradation of motor components, or even greater problems down the line. This is an easy one to catch, however, and a simple inspection should be able to discover any evidence of misalignment before it becomes an issue.
- Bearing Malfunctions
Finally, it’s important to be aware of bearing issues as one of the more frequent elevator problems.
Noisy and clanging bearings are a good indicator that a motor’s bearings are misaligned and are potentially causing dangerous vibrations. This can also be a frequent byproduct of the use of variable frequency drives.
Inductive absorbers can help with this problem, as well as frequent motor inspections.
Look Out for These Common Elevator Problems
If you have a multi-story business, and you use an elevator, these are the top elevator problems that you need to be aware of.
With proper preventative maintenance, there’s no reason why an elevator should ever malfunction or experience a breakdown. Whether it involves software problems or misaligned motors, these issues can be easily fixed if spotted early.
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