Hydraulics Blog

Wouldn't it be better to get a single level condo or apartment? I can't see adding $40K to the cost of a house for an elevator no matter how it is powered. BTW, we just built a new building and it had to have an elevator of the ADA laws. It is hydraulic. The best I can tell is that it is very crude with only a high speed and low speed valve. It takes time to pressurize, is slow and you can feel the bump as the speed changes. I have customers that used hydraulics to open and close off section of their homes or to open very large windows. I don't think this was done for energy efficiency.

How is adding energy consuming equipment to take the place of what we normally do our selves climb stairs an energy efficient solution? The builders are not placing elevators in homes for energy efficiency in mind but to provide for the needs of the owner. The choice of hydraulics is the cost of the equipment and supporting structure.

Looking at Peter's and ozzb's juxtaposed posts... what a difference location—on the one hand where single story (horizontal) housing on flat terrain is the norm—in the latter case where (vertical) multilevel, single and attached (row-house) dwellings are the norm, can make on one's perspective! The westerner might not at first glance appreciate that single unit elevators are not uncommon (typically installed in what would otherwise be stacked closets) in the Baltimore (Balmer) area; nor are they anywhere near as expensive as the post would lead us to believe...typically in the 4-figures range. Perhaps the price alluded to was actually that of a common-use (i.e., more heavily laden than one, maybe two persons) elevator (hydraulic or cable) for use in a high-rise multifamily building.

Actually, Yes, (water) Hydraulics (2000 psi) will play an important part in future home power generation. Having a hydraulic elevator will be an auxiliary function since you will have hydraulic power available already.

Yes I need one right now.

Kids welding up a cage to be lifted by a wench if the old lady will let me have one . http://www.wench.org/

Yes a wench not a power winch. lol