Lift (Elevator) Problem During Power Failure

My solution is to use the stairs. :)

marvelous! You got to be a superman to break off the lift that has got stuck between two floors!!

Power failure brakes are there for a reason. Consider backup power sources to solve the issue. Woody

The simple solution is , as it has been done, is to use battery back up supply. When there is power failure , back up supply kicks in, completing the lift travel , land the lift car and alert maintenance personnal .

Modern elevator/lift manufacturers,I belief, incorporate a safety measure for the lift to reach the nearest lower floor and open the door automatically in case of power failure. Contact lift manufacturers. Also in case of fire lift should go to the ground floor automatically known as "lift-homing".

no, you can't manually drop the passenger car during a power outage or open or close the door.

the elavator manufacturer designed it with safety as their first priority.

I can remember reading it in a 'tender specification' for a project specified by a consultant. My advice is talk to an engineer working for an elevator manufacturing/ installation/maintenance company or to a Consultant for elevator or fire protection.

It's called backup power. Batteries continuously charged by the mains power. Lucky if the elevator is DC powered, otherwise and an inverter would be needed. The system could be arranged to stop at the first available floor to minimize power usage and need for batteries. All the usual safety stuff.

if you can provide a battery to keep the control functional then its very easy to programme the plc or digital circuit to release the brake (its dc coil) till the nearest

lower floor when the floor limit will reach it will isolate the brake power ,also there should be a manual door opening system(indication and knob) to get the passengers out.

If you release the brake the car will not move.

The motor/gearbox input shaft needs to be driven (by motor or hand) to raise or lower the car.

Worm driven gearboxes on drum winches do not permit free spooling. Good thing too.

The brake is there to prevent overrun past floor stops, it's not there to prevent free spooling.

Buildings with elevators are supposed to have backup generators. Right?

What happened in this instance? No generator, no fuel, no starter battery, no maintenance, no motivation.......no playing cards or chess set.

45 minutes in an elevator after a blistering curry. With any luck the minister coughed in his rompers.

This just might be the ticket to get those that are entrusted to ensure that things are done right to actually get on with their jobs.

What actions did the minister take after this incident?

If the passengers were freed by calling in a service mechanic within 45 minutes that's really not too bad. Better if they had a working generator for power cut situations but if there was ever a breakdown then this is an acceptable time.

Thanks to all friends. There was no generator or UPS back up.Which are not available in all buildings here. Other comments are noted.

Since there are no Back up Essential power and are dealing with lives at stake

All of the above are correct .

1. Provide an emergency team to handle rescue or move the lift to the nearest level

2. A battery bank / inverter / Solar or mechanical to energy conversion design by the lift manufacturer

3. For safety reason and cost management you already answered your question

Maybe the solution is to have more ministers get stuck in elevators in blackouts and then they will solve the root cause. (The blackouts)

If there were no blackouts, then there would be not stuck elevators.

Leave the override operation to trained individuals. Could you imagine how much damage some pompous, self important minister could do by providing them access to the controls?

Sorry to be blunt but safe operation of such equipment is not their domain.

This is a problem is very common across all lifts. Solution should be

1) power back up- This is must

2) Through UPS so that there is no poer interruption to lift.

3) Manuual operation should be avoided as far as possible as it is safety hazard.

All the lifts do not have this problem. Modern lifts have emergency escape and "lift homing". Instead of spending money on army and space research it is worthy exercise to invest in safety of machines and persons. Human rights groups,fire department and labour office should implement it.

Lift can't "home" without power.

Provided you're not stuck in an express car at the floors without doors, you can always get out through the roof hatch and the door of the floor above your position, with the fire department's help of course and then only if one isn't too big to fit through the hatch.

Most of the time a floor door will be accessible through the elevator door, most likely misaligned, and you could clamber up/down and out once the floor door is opened from outside. Again with the fire department's help of course.

These are last resort measures.

It is the responsibility of lift manufacturer. If specified properly there will be no problem. If somebody think they can save money by by-passing an engineer/consultant and directly deal with the supplier,they can't blame anyone but themselves.

It's the responsibility of the building owner to comply with local codes.

The lift manufacturer can recommend not compel.

If the building owner is stingy then it's their rap.

When approval is given for buildings what does the government check?. Do they check ventilation,exits,fire safety(including lifts),slope of stairs,width/height of steps,illumination levels etc?. After completion of a building do they check properly or simply sign by accepting a bribe?. The people who elects the government/legislators should be looked after by the government officials. Otherwise democracy becomes a joke like in multiracial third world countries.

At the OP's location? probably grim all around.

With any luck the Minister's brief bout of involuntary incarceration with some of his constituents will promote some brave action.

Step by step.

Very brave Minister.....

One company I worked for had jus the one person trained in lift rescue. It was me. So have a guess who got stuck in the lift?!? I was in there for two hours before a guy from Otis arrived to get me out.

More training followed.

Yes my friend the new model of lifts came with UPS power supply which give enough power to allow the lift (in case of power failure)to go to the nearest floor and provide safe exit for the passengers.

Like this...

Hi, Suresh,

Installation of ARD(Automatic Resque Device ) powered by standby backup battery power is the solution. During grid power supply failure,the ARD system is automatically actuated to drive the lift carriage to the nearest floor slowly and open the door(effect will be better if the lift is driven by VFD).In earlier days there was an operating lever on the top of the carriage which was engaged and operated manually to bring the carriage to the nearest floor and opened the door by defeating the interlock.

Regards,

Manindra

In earlier days there was an operating lever on the top of the carriage which was engaged and operated manually to bring the carriage to the nearest floor...

How can I say this without being impolite? I can't. Bollox!

Unless you can rotate the hoist the car won't move.

That's it! You won my Vote!

(somehow my 'to vote' button isn't working

In an 8 floor condo the lift is lowered down manually during electric cut-offs

by rotating a wheel by the operator. This is very common in Pakistan where the country

is facing acute power shortage.

Where is this wheel located?

Probably in the trunk. :)

I have seen lift operator rushing to the top to manually turn the wheel in order to mechanically lower down the lift.

The top of what?

If the lift operator is stuck in the lift then how can he rush to go anywhere?

Over here, apart from the liftman or no liftman there is a watchman nearby

who rushes up in times of emergencies to the top floor and brings down the lift

mechanically to an exit point on the nearest floor. He does it by moving a worm gear

system fixed besides

It would be wiser to modify the drive with a standby battery for lift-homing.

a mechanical hoisting system is installed at the top end of the lift .... as i said it works on a 8 floor condo, am not sure abt other high rises. Just shout or bang the lift door and theattedent wl take care of the prob. Even if there is no liftman the gateman is usually aleays there

That's a sweet lo tech solution that works.

Totally dependent on cheap labour, but if you have it then it makes sense to use it.

Same happens here in India. There is alarm bell inside lift cabin which is pressed in case of power failure. Watchman rushes to lift machine room on the terrace of building. There is brake release handle which is pulled to free the brake mounted on output shaft of the motor. Small fly wheel is provided on non driving end of the motor shaft which is rotated to bring lift at home location. I hope now matter is clear to all.

Then why did it take so long to rescue the Minister? Did somebody conspire to punish him? He should ask the CBI to investigate expeditiously.

"Then why did it take so long to rescue the Minister?"

That may be by design. :)

Does that alarm run on batteries?

Yes

Probably dead batteries that were never replaced since the earlier blackout.

oh no they are for emergency bell only.

I just stumbled upon this

it says ''Thrustor Electro-magnetic brakes are used for effective braking. The braking effect through two coil springs may be manually released for emergency hoisting under power failure.''

Have a look! http://www.cyplagear.com/products_elevator_drive.asp

Mazhur, Here now a days lifts are provided with VFD drives which automaticaly control the movement of lift and brakes are of electro-magnetic solenoid operated shoe types. In case E.O.T cranes we have E.H brakes for smooth motion.

To-day I read in local news paper that famous actress Mila Kunis of Black Swan fame and her boy friend along with 10 other persons were trapped in lift in New York for 45 mins. Team of fire fighters came and rescued them. They were sizzling inside lift for 45 mins but they quietly waited for rescue.

So it is universal problem and needs some serious thoughts by engineers.

All this talk of winding the lift down, has anyone here tried it? 9 times out of 10 it's easier to wind it up and make use of the counter balance.