I finally swapped out the old MRL controller in a 2012 Otis lift at a building in downtown Denver last month. The building manager kept getting nuisance door reversal calls every afternoon. I decided to try the new elevator control software patch from a different supplier instead of just cleaning the door tracks again. The difference was huge. The old controller was giving false signals from the door edge sensors when the sun hit the glass lobby doors. The new software actually ignores those brief light spikes. It took me about 3 hours to flash the firmware, and we went from three service calls a week to zero in the past 30 days. Has anyone else had luck with software fixes over hardware swaps for intermittent door issues?
Back in 2019 I was working on a Otis Gen2 at St. David's hospital in Austin. An older mechanic named Ray walks up while I'm shimming the guide rails and just says 'you're chasing the bubble, son.' I had no idea what he meant at first. Turns out I was so focused on getting that level perfectly zeroed that I was overcompensating for frame flex and slightly warped rail sections. He showed me to rough it in within a 32nd and then check the car's actual ride feel instead of staring at the level. Changed my whole approach to rail work. Has anyone else had a vet tell you to stop relying on tools and start using your gut more?
Got a call Thursday afternoon for an old Otis in a 12-story office building downtown. The car was jerking bad on the top floors. I had to pick between greasing the guide rails as a quick bandaid or swapping out the worn bushings on the slippers. Took the extra hour to swap bushings because I knew the grease would just attract dust and make it worse. Took me until 6PM but the ride was smooth as silk after. Anyone else deal with this choice and regret the quick fix later?
Elevator in a 12-story office building downtown kept throwing a door zone fault at random times, no pattern at all. I swapped the door locks, checked the wiring, even replaced the door operator belt (which was fine). Turned out to be a loose ground wire on the controller cabinet door, of all things. Has anyone else had a gremlin that took way too long to find just because of a bad ground?
I finally tried using a simple water level across the shaft instead of my laser kit and got within 1/16 inch on the first try, has anyone else ditched the fancy tools for the old school method?
Tbh I tried to save a few bucks on a replacement controller board for a 1996 Otis elevator. Found one on Amazon for $200 instead of going through the usual supplier. It took three weeks to arrive, and when I finally got it installed, the thing was dead on arrival. No lights, no response, nothing. Now I'm stuck waiting for a refund and still have a parked elevator. Anyone else get burned buying elevator parts from random online sellers?
I was fighting a set of elevator doors in a 1980s building in Denver last month. The header was sagging just enough to make the doors drag on the sill. I tried shimming the track and adjusting the hangers for two hours but nothing worked. Then an old timer I was working with told me to try a cheap laser level from Harbor Freight. I set it up on the sill and shot a line across the header. Turns out the whole frame was twisted by about a quarter inch. I just loosened the tie bolts and gave the header a solid whack with a deadblow hammer. Doors closed smooth after that. Has anyone else fixed a door bind issue with just a laser and a hammer instead of tearing everything apart?
I used to be one of those guys who swore by the old phenolic brake shoes. Thought magnetic ones were just a gimmick for new builds. But last month I had to do a full traction test on a 6-car gearless Otis in a 15-floor office tower downtown. The old shoes were grabbing uneven and we were getting this weird chatter on the governor. My buddy who runs the service contract on that building convinced me to swap in a set of magnetic shoes he had in his truck. After we adjusted them and ran the car for about 3 days, the difference was night and day. The stops were smooth, no chatter, and the test results came back way more consistent. Now I'm rethinking every old-school method I've been stubborn about. Has anyone else seen a big change after switching shoe types on an older elevator?
My mentor from the local IUEC hall swore by heat instead of PB Blaster on controller bolts - tried it last Tuesday on a stubborn MRL governor and had it loose in 2 minutes. Has anyone else made the switch away from liquid penetrants?
I was looking through some old ASME A17.1 standards last month at the union hall, and found a study from 1998. Turns out when they tightened the step gap tolerance from 4mm to 3mm, the number of entrapment incidents went up 12% for three years after. Nobody talks about this because everyone assumes tighter is always safer. Has anyone else run across old data that flips conventional wisdom on its head?
I was reading through some old ASME A17.1 code notes last night and found out that traction elevator hoist ropes can actually last 20+ years in low-traffic buildings. I've always heard 10-15 years max from the guys in my local union hall in Austin. Has anyone else run into ropes going way past what you'd expect?
I had this one controller that kept throwing a fault code every few weeks. Drove me nuts. Replaced boards, checked wiring, the works. An old mechanic I was working with on a modernization job watched me for a minute and said "back off that adjuster an eighth of a turn." I thought he was full of it. Did it anyway and the fault hasn't come back in 6 months. Turns out I was riding the brake just barely and it was overheating the resistor bank. Has anyone else had a fix that was that simple after you tried everything else?
I was doing a service call on a 1983 Otis in a downtown Seattle building last month and when it ran I barely felt it level at all. Compared it to a 2019 Schindler I worked on the day before that jolts every time it stops. I think the older gearless DC setups just had better speed control built in, even if they chew through brushes like crazy. Has anyone else noticed vintage DC drives ride nicer than the modern variable frequency setups?
Was checking out a 1970s office building in Springfield and saw an original Otis relay logic panel still running. No PLCs, no computers, just pure mechanical timing. Anyone else ever run into those old relay systems still in service?
Been doing elevator work for 8 years in St. Louis, always used WD-40 on the guide rails thinking it kept things moving smooth. An older mechanic from Schindler watched me one day and said I was basically just attracting dust and making a mess. Switched to a proper lithium grease stick they recommended and the car runs way quieter now. Anybody else get corrected on something they thought was fine for years?
I got called to an old building downtown to fix a car that was dragging on the door sills. Usually those old rails are so warped it takes all day just to shim stuff right. But after about 2 hours of measuring and adjusting the pick-up rollers, it snapped into level and the doors slid perfect first try. The building manager even said 'wow that's the quietest it's been in years.' Anyone else have those rare days where everything just lines up without a fight?
I was servicing a 1960s Otis in a building near downtown Chicago last month, and a building super told me they'd been adding random cast iron weights from a scrap yard. He said, 'they work fine, what's the problem?' That's a huge safety issue for anyone working on the rails later.
Last Tuesday I got a call about a stuck car in a 12-story office tower downtown, figured it was a simple door lock issue. Spent three straight days chasing intermittent faults on a 20-year-old controller, only to find a corroded wire nut hidden behind the selector tape. Has anyone else dealt with phantom faults that vanish the second you open the cabinet?
Was grabbing lunch at the Laketown Mall yesterday and saw the elevator call button was stuck again for like the 3rd time this month. Spent my break cleaning the contacts and adjusting the spring tension - been solid for 24 hours now lol. Anyone else have to deal with those moisture issues in high-traffic spots?
I just spent 45 minutes tucking in 3 extra feet of cable on an Otis Gen2 install because the last guy left loops like he was making a damn extension cord, and it takes no extra time to cut it clean.
I read all the hype online about ultrasonic cleaners for small elevator parts like relays and switches. Picked up one of those mid-range ones from Grainger last month thinking it would save me hours of hand scrubbing. Spent a whole Saturday running parts through it and they still came out greasy and dirty. Had to break out the old solvent brush and do it by hand anyway. Anyone else try one of these and just end up feeling ripped off?
I had to pick between keeping the old steel guide rails or swapping to aluminum on a mid-rise in Denver. The aluminum was way lighter to haul up 8 flights but cost me an extra $400. Has anyone else made that switch and regretted it?
I used to spray WD-40 on every sticky rail and call it a day. That old mechanic showed me how a dry silicone lube actually lasts 3 times longer on the guide shoes. Anyone else have a specific lube they swear by for certain elevators?
I had to choose between a hydraulic system and a traction system for a 6-story office building we were updating. The building manager wanted something quiet and energy efficient, so traction seemed like the obvious pick. But the budget was tight and the shaft was already built for a hydro setup from the 80s. I went with a machine-room-less traction from a brand I won't name here, and honestly it was the right call. The install took about 3 days longer because we had to reinforce the guide rails, but the ride quality is way smoother than any hydro I've worked on. Has anyone else had luck swapping old hydro shafts for MRL setups without too much headache?
I was doing a mod job there last fall and saw how those old relays worked perfectly for 70 years compared to the board swaps I do now. Anyone else feel like the older stuff was built tougher than what we install today?