Hydraulic Home Elevators
Hydraulic elevators are heavy-duty elevators built for frequent, long term use. They also have an ultra-smooth ride quality and are typically very quiet. They are one of the best elevators for durability, larger weight capacities and serving a higher number of floors.
The system operates with a hydraulic pump connected to a cylinder that will raise and lower a piston to move the elevator cab. The elevator will lift under pressure of the hydraulic fluid pumped into the cylinder when a call button is pressed from a higher floor.
To travel in the down direction, the controller will open a valve in the hydraulic tank slowly releasing this pressure after a lower floor call has been placed. Since this type of elevator can travel down by simply opening a control valve and pull from gravity it is also what makes them efficient in the use of power. They can even be lowered by battery backup in the event of a power failure with automatic operation.
The elevators will also include a flow control switch to prevent overspeed in the down direction and a pump-run timer to monitor the travel time between landings. The rated speed for a in-home hydraulic elevator is 40 fpm, traveling 20 feet will take approximately 30 seconds. The cabs are supported with two 3/8” diameter steel cables rated for thousands of pounds. The cables are connected to an instantaneous braking system that is also continuously monitored by a PLC based controller. Hydraulic elevator control valve and tank enclosed with submersible pump monitoring fluid pressure. The manual lowering valve and gate valve are easily accessible for service.
