Ok his may be a weird question but I have to ask anyway. Our elevator company is modernizing our two elevators. The replaced the old dover or Otis geared machines with new Hollister Whitney geared machines. They have set the first one in place and the machine is 6" longer than the old machine, and now we do not have proper code clearance at the machine room door. When I looked at the machine, if we just flipped it (180 degrees) the clearance issue would go away.

So the question is, can this be done?

Thanks for your help in advance

Machines can be "flipped" 180, are there any other clearance issues that might be created when the machine is flipped? would you then have electrical clearance issues?

Unfortunately there's no simple answer.
If you turn the machine you will change the way load is distributed on the machine room floor. First you will need to have a mechanical engineer verify in writing the floor can handle the change. If not what options do you have? And at what costs!

You could apply for a variance to allow for the new clearance of the Hollister-Whitney machines or bite the bullet and put in another type.

Let us know how you make out. And if you can post a few pictures as well...

E311 .......We have no idea as the elevator contractor never submitted the required machine room layouts........but from a visual inspection, no it does not appear we would have any other clearance issues that we are currently aware of (we know we have to relocate the existing disconnects)

bilys22,

How did he get the permit?

Are you changing out the old Otis units you posted about earlier?

If the machine is flipped, this would put the rope drop in a different place- machines are left hand/ right hand. Now that the rope drop is in a different location, the machine will have to be moved to allow the rope drop to be ceneter over the holes/ rails again. This new location of the machine may not allow the new machine to be sitting on the building supports properly.

can you move the door entrance 6" just a thought

Or make the in swinging door, into an out swinging door? Just change the door jamb and door, cheap, easy, done.

Thanks for all the responses. The elevator company has now agreed that all changes to the machine room will be borne by them as they did not submit the required machine room layout prior to setting the machine and controls.
As usual your help is greatly appreciated