Building An Entire Electrical System For An Elevator And Equipment Room – Miracle Electronics

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Even though an elevator seems to be a simple
room-like structure with just two lights
installed at the ceiling and a panel of numbers
on one side, well let you know that the
multiple codes and guidelines that regulate all
of this can be overwhelming! Lets give you a
basic understanding of the elevator requirements
in the blog below.
What kind of elevator should be installed? An
elevator could either be traction or hydraulic. A
hydraulic elevator comprises of a hydraulic
reservoir, pump, cylinder, and controller,
wherein the pump sends hydraulic fluid from the
reservoir to the cylinder, buried deep down the
elevator shaft. The fluid pressure is what
raises and lowers the elevator cab. There are
limit switches places throughout the height of
the shaft, which communicate with the controller
to stop the cab at each landing. This entire
system works well for small buildings, not more
than those with more than five stories. For
taller buildings, a traction elevator works
better, which comprises of a pulley system,
counter weights, and cables, to raise and lower
the elevator cab. A motor at the main drive wheel
is what controls this system, which could be
traditional DC, or more modern AC or VFD.
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What basic items are to be arranged for? While an
elevator supplier takes care of all the wiring
and related code requirements for the elevator
cab and other controls, it is the client that is
responsible for specifying other items like fire
alarm, and lighting-power to the equipment room
and elevator pit. Lighting in the equipment room
and shaft pit First and foremost, it is very
essential to understand that the circuit for
lighting and receptacles must be dedicated to
the elevator area only. There should be at least
one 120VAC GFCI-protected receptacle at each
location. Luminaries must be lensed or equipped
with wire guards to protect the lamps within the
elevator. The light switch in the pit must be
mounted 42 inches above the seal plate adjacent
to the ladder, and that in the equipment room
must be adjacent to the entrance door on the
latch side. Power for the elevator controller The
power for the elevator controller must first
enter a lockable safety disconnect device,
located adjacent to the door of the equipment
room, which must be either a fused disconnect or
a circuit breaker, because you always need an
additional overcurrent protection device in the
elevator equipment room. A separate 120VAC, 15A
circuit is required for cab lighting and
accessories, which must have its own local
disconnect and overcurrent protection device too.
There should be a separate insulated grounding
conductor with the feeder conductors from the
electrical source to the elevator controller,
because the conduit alone cant act as the
grounding means. Backup power for the elevator
cab lights There should always be installed
emergency backup power for the elevator cab
lights, in the case of loss of available power.
Emergency power can be supplied to the cab
lights, or a battery backup unit can be installed
to power the lights in the event of an
outage. Fire alarm Smoke detectors available in
the lobbies and elevator equipment rooms must be
connected to the elevator controllers directly by
means of auxiliary contacts and wiring, or by
output signals from the fire alarm control panel.
In case of a fire alarm, the elevator, directed
by the controller, will then travel to its
pre-programmed designated landing, open the
doors, and remain stopped there until the alarm
clears.
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In the case that the fire alarm goes on at the
designated landing, the elevator will them stop
at a predetermined alternate floor. The smoke
detector should be located within 21 feet of
each elevator door, and should blow up a horn or
siren. Vents Modern elevator controls can be
sensitive to temperature shifts, which is why the
temperature within the elevator and equipment
room must maintain a temperature between 10 to
32 C. This can be made possible by venting the
room with a fire/smoke damper, and including
smoke detector signals. If you need to install
the vent at the top of the shaft, for venting
smoke, you must provide a key switch with a
pilot light to control the vent. The various
items to be installed need to be carefully
considered and checked before installing, as
they may have many potential pitfalls if they
dont work in tandem. It is thus important to
understand how every item you install fits
together and what purpose they serve. It is also
crucial to verify all the conditions and
requirements with the state and authority where
the installation is to take place. Miracle
Electronics is one trusted supplier of power
control for ceiling cab lighting in India, who
can work up on understanding your conditions and
requirements, and bring to you only the most
worthwhile solutions.