Home Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Power unit mystery

Hello. Doing a mod. It’s a 4 stop hydro. 30’ rise. No short floors.
Current up speed is 138 fpm
Current down speed is 90 fpm
208v 115amp service

No data tags on dry belt power unit. 4 1/2 dia piston.
2 other cars in this complex very similar with new power units besides they are 20’ total travel and 4 dia piston . These are 25 HP motors. They run up and down close to 90 fpm. Canton has a 25 hp motor for this mod to get a 100fpm . Should we be going with a 100fpm car ?

Just to add. This is a 40 year old machine. The controller is a Wico Sci .. There is no records

Is there a crosshead data plate that lists contract speed? I would want to make it run contract speed.

Is there something wrong with the old motor, or can't get a pulley for it? I'm all for new parts when doing mods, but you just need to change the pulley size to change your up speed.

Whats your runbys? At 100 fpm or less you only need 3 inches, at 138 you need roughly 4.25" of runby.

Is there a crosshead data plate that lists contract speed? I would want to make it run contract speed, whatever that is.

Whats your runbys? At 100 fpm or less you only need 3" of runby, at 138 fpm you need roughly 4.25".

Website goofed up, had to remember and retype my post a second time

Also, was this bidded? Are there specs? Did the customer spec a specific speed or performance for the car?

No specs. No way to tell contract speed. No cross head data plate .. it’s up to me to make the right decisions…. existing power unit is almost 40 years old. It has to be changed with the rest of the equipment .. I will check runby

If it’s got a state number or other jurisdictional number/ID, contact that entity and they should have on record what’s what with this machine. The old adage “You know what happens when you assume right?” applies here.

What was the old controller? Manufacturer will have a slowdown switch chart. Then measure the switches and you’ll know how it was set up. A simple pulley change on a dry unit to get the speed you wast

When you say 115amp service what are you referring to? You either have a 100amp or 200amp disconnect switch. What wire size is feeding the disconnect switch? What amp breaker or fuse is feeding the disconnect switch?

Also, with 30' of rise and it being 4 stops that’s 7.5' per floor are you sure that correct? Did someone with engineering knowledge look at this? I only ask because you said “no short floors”.
With that said if you are providing accurate information with the travel then the speed of 100fpm will be more than enough because the elevator floor to floor run is really short. You want the elevator to get up to speed when making a 1 floor trip or you could have some issues. The power needed would be my concern in NYC the for elevator electrical signoff you need motor FLA X 150%= disconnect fuse size. If you run a Canton Dry unit with a 25hp motor that’s 73FLA (73X1.5= 109.5) that right within your 115amp service but it would have to be a dry unit because a 25hp submersible motor is 82FLA and that would put you over the 115amp service.

Hope this helps but I would confirm the travel and floor stops because that’s very odd to me.

Cheers

The original architect came up with blue prints. It was 125fpm with a 25 HP dry belt motor. 208v. 110 amp circuit breaker . The new submersible power unit will be a 30HP motor FLA 90 to reach contract speed. Alpha is now requiring a 125 amp disconnect service

I agree 100fpm would be fine and then the disconnect does not need 125 amp service.

Total travel is 32.5 “. It’s approximately 10’ between g and 1 then 11.5” between 1-2 and 10.9” from 2-3

The issue may be changing to a submersible motor

Actually the circuit breaker still needs to be 125amp. FLA 78.2. So it requires 117.3 amp.

nyc will allow for "under rated" protection but its up to the inspector. We also have to use time delay fuses not breakers. Submersible units use more amps then a dry system. If you can up the voltage to 240V or if the building feed can handle put a 120amp breaker in.

I will ask the inspector if we can keep the 110 amp service with the FLA x 150% is 117.3. We also need fused disconnect .. but in 1983 it was not