Absolutely awesome. I was very interested in this line of work when I was younger due to an (almost) obsession with elevators. But I got into the IT field and self taught myself through my middle and high school years in the 90's and was able to get into the IT Engineer side of things thankfully with just a high school diploma and I had dropped out of college since it was not helping to further my career any, and I needed to be available as much as possible to gain more experience. Sometimes I wish I got into this line of work, or with structural engineering especially though I heard you are in school for almost the same amount of time it takes to become a doctor.
Hey uncle Otis you should check out some of the lifts in Atlantic City, NJ. Especially Borgata and Ocean Resort. Ocean just opened a new bank of elevators that haven’t been used in over ten years (floors were never finished)
@@UncleOtis_Colorado purely out of curiosity what would be involved in getting a set of high-rise elevators running again that sat for 10 years. Granted they were installed Brand New and then just never used so I’m sure they weren’t in bad shape or anything.
Depends. But generally, they would certainly need to have a five year inspection as a minimum to ascertain if they might safely carry passengers. You mentioned that they are about a decade old - then odds are they are microprocessor controlled. The only complication might be that if the system was powered down for that length of time, then the "keep alive" battery for the memory might have discharged. If the parameters are not stored on EPROMs, they units might need to be reprogrammed. Other than that, I'd say throw the switch and let 'er rip!
@@UncleOtis_Colorado interesting, if your ever bored and want something to do, google the history of “revel resort”. What a fiasco. Originally started right before the recession by Morgan Stanley… The original original master plan was to have two 700 foot tall hotel towers with almost 4000 hotel rooms. Only about half of that got built. It ended up going bankrupt in 2014 and being closed until 2018… It reopened ocean resort, and is now wildly successful. The hotel tower has five banks of Otis elevators 🛗. One of which was never in use until recently like I was saying.
@@UncleOtis_Colorado also ironically Schindler got the contract for the 12 story podium of the building… they did all the escalators and elevators in that part of the building. I thought that was kind of odd/funny
Hi there! Sorry for the late response; however, things have been pretty intense on my end these last couple of weeks. Anyway, to answer your question, you can email me by going to the "about" section of my page. That said, you must go there using a standard web browser on a PC or MAC. The App itself won't bring up the contact info, for some weird reason. RUclips doesn't seem to allow you to post email addresses in the comments - but I'll give it another shot. If it works, you should see my email in your second response.
thanks for yet another interesting and informative video, from the man who KNOWS the equipment. I have a question On DC gearless machines, that are now running SCR or ty hyrister drives, what is the purpose of the armature brushes and commutator? I thought it is now "electronically commutated? Thanks. I noticed an old Haughton machine on that freight car. I rode some cool old Haughtons up in Cincinnati many moons ago.....Auto-Signamatic!
Simple answer: Because all DC electric motors use brushes and commutators simply because that is how they operate - and have operated for the past 150 years since their inception. Involved answer: Direct Current motors operate by flipping electromagnetic polarity between a fixed magnetic field as they rotate. Think of the brushes as contacts and the commutators as switches. The commutator is designed so that every other pole is positive and every other pole is negative. Therefore, the field >CYCLES< each time a pin on the commutator contacts a brush. The speed of a DC motor is determined by the amount of voltage applied to it. The direction they rotate can be reversed simply by reversing the power leads connected to the motor. Additionally, DC motors are extremely “torquey” - especially during low RPM operation (so much so, in fact, that DC motors rarely need a capacitor to start their rotation). This makes them PERFECT for use in electric elevators, trains, and even cars! This is far different from how an Alternating Current motor operates. AC motors do not use commutators and brushes. They are not necessary. Because AC current vibrates at a set frequency (expressed as CYCLES per second, or Hertz), electromagnetic polarity within the motor CYCLES at whatever frequency rate is provided by the AC generating source. For example, all commercial power in North America is generated at 60 Hz. This means that polarity is reversed 60 times per second. The speed and direction of an AC motor may be controlled in one of two ways: Either by having separate windings in the motor (one for each speed and/or direction) or by varying the frequency of the AC current applied to it.
By their very nature, the startup speed and torque of an AC motor is extraordinarily difficult to control. That is, most AC motors start and build torque very quickly. Once operational, they turn at their designed RPM so long as power is provided to the motor. This isn’t a huge problem when they are used to turn fans, or compressors in refrigerators, and etc. However, it makes them practically useless for machines (such as elevators) that require very precise, intricate, and slow startup speeds coupled by a high degree of torque. Therefore, DC drive machines have simply been the most economical and reliable means of powering electric elevators for the first 100 years of their existence. As such, a method had to be found to convert publicly available Alternating Current into controllable Direct Current for the drive machines. Enter the motor generator set, or genset for short. Think of a genset as a spinning amplifier. Also called the Ward-Leonard System, this method uses an AC motor coupled directly to a DC generator. The AC motor turns at a near-constant rate. A low voltage DC current is applied to the field coils of the generator. What is output is a high voltage/high current feed which powers the DC drive machine. For obvious reasons, this is not a very efficient process. Two mechanical machines (a genset and drive machine) are needed, creating double the maintenance required to keep the elevator operational. Also, a great deal of energy is wasted in the form of friction and heat by utilizing this method. However, for the first 100 years, this was really the best (if only) way to do it. By the late 1960’s, high-current TRIAC transistors had been introduced. These allowed for the development of high-power rectifiers (A rectifier is a solid state electronic device that converts AC current into a regulated DC current). Throughout the 1970’s, development progressed on these and by the early 1980’s, the SCR (Silicone Controlled Rectifier) was born, thereby offering an alternative to the genset.
A SCR is simply a type of regulated electronic AC-to-DC power supply that utilizes transistors to convert and regulate the current. It took over ten years of development to create one that could handle the high current draw of the drive machines. However, they have now become the de facto means of DC motor current and speed control. Having said all of that, it is the reason ALL DC drive machines (even those produced today) have commutators and brushes - and always will. BUT… I think what is confusing you on this is the fact that AC drive machines have all but replaced the traditional method described above. Indeed, DC drive machines are only used on new installations that require extremely high speed service for the elevator, such as rises greater than 25 floors. For low- and mid-rise applications, AC drive machines are generally deployed. This was made possible by the same advancements in solid state power control from the 1970’s that gave us the SCR. I won’t go into all the details here; however, engineers discovered that an AC motor’s torque and speed could be reliably controlled by adjusting the frequency of the voltage applied to the motor. For example, an AC motor rated to run full speed at 480 VAC @ 60 Hz would turn at half-speed if provided 30 Hz. At 0 Hz (which is DC), they won’t turn at all. I am GREATLY simplifying this. If you wish to learn more, research VVVF (Variable Voltage / Variable Frequency) AC control systems. ;-) However, suffice it to say that AC motors have now begun to eclipse DC drives as they are smaller, more reliable, more energy efficient, and require far less maintenance.
If you would like some further reading on this, I have provided links to two Elevator World magazine "white paper" articles which explain generator field control as well as power regeneration. I hope you find them useful! :-) www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW0407.pdf www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW0610.pdf
You know, I thought of doing that at some future point. They are Elevonic E2 controllers (the blue ones) and Gen2 Mod Controllers (the silver ones). If I ever get back there, I'll take a look - though things happened lately that might make it quite some time.
You know, I am not certain. I assume you are describing the disc brake on the machine? It is pretty cool! If I ever find out, I'll take a look and let you know.
1 year "on paper" - Was in the NEIEP program for a year. 8 years total (Ran around with an Elevator Mechanic that served with my father in Vietnam. Did that from 1987-1994)
Absolutely awesome. I was very interested in this line of work when I was younger due to an (almost) obsession with elevators. But I got into the IT field and self taught myself through my middle and high school years in the 90's and was able to get into the IT Engineer side of things thankfully with just a high school diploma and I had dropped out of college since it was not helping to further my career any, and I needed to be available as much as possible to gain more experience. Sometimes I wish I got into this line of work, or with structural engineering especially though I heard you are in school for almost the same amount of time it takes to become a doctor.
Can you please get some more videos of some awsome high speed, old, or rare elevator systems? I LOVE elevator videos like this!
Hey uncle Otis you should check out some of the lifts in Atlantic City, NJ. Especially Borgata and Ocean Resort. Ocean just opened a new bank of elevators that haven’t been used in over ten years (floors were never finished)
Thanks for the tip! I'll need to do that next time I make it to the East Coast! :)
@@UncleOtis_Colorado purely out of curiosity what would be involved in getting a set of high-rise elevators running again that sat for 10 years. Granted they were installed Brand New and then just never used so I’m sure they weren’t in bad shape or anything.
Depends. But generally, they would certainly need to have a five year inspection as a minimum to ascertain if they might safely carry passengers. You mentioned that they are about a decade old - then odds are they are microprocessor controlled.
The only complication might be that if the system was powered down for that length of time, then the "keep alive" battery for the memory might have discharged. If the parameters are not stored on EPROMs, they units might need to be reprogrammed.
Other than that, I'd say throw the switch and let 'er rip!
@@UncleOtis_Colorado interesting, if your ever bored and want something to do, google the history of “revel resort”. What a fiasco. Originally started right before the recession by Morgan Stanley… The original original master plan was to have two 700 foot tall hotel towers with almost 4000 hotel rooms. Only about half of that got built. It ended up going bankrupt in 2014 and being closed until 2018… It reopened ocean resort, and is now wildly successful. The hotel tower has five banks of Otis elevators 🛗. One of which was never in use until recently like I was saying.
@@UncleOtis_Colorado also ironically Schindler got the contract for the 12 story podium of the building… they did all the escalators and elevators in that part of the building. I thought that was kind of odd/funny
What could be interesting about elevator motors? Well, everything.
Any idea how much that replacement armature weighed?
Epic video man! I have some questions for you, what is the best way to reach you?
Hi there! Sorry for the late response; however, things have been pretty intense on my end these last couple of weeks. Anyway, to answer your question, you can email me by going to the "about" section of my page. That said, you must go there using a standard web browser on a PC or MAC. The App itself won't bring up the contact info, for some weird reason.
RUclips doesn't seem to allow you to post email addresses in the comments - but I'll give it another shot. If it works, you should see my email in your second response.
I may be emailed at uncle.otis@icloud.com
thanks for yet another interesting and informative video, from the man who KNOWS the equipment. I have a question On DC gearless machines, that are now running SCR or ty
hyrister drives, what is the purpose of the armature brushes and commutator? I thought it is now "electronically commutated? Thanks. I noticed an old Haughton machine on that freight car. I rode some cool old Haughtons up in Cincinnati many moons ago.....Auto-Signamatic!
Simple answer: Because all DC electric motors use brushes and commutators simply because that is how they operate - and have operated for the past 150 years since their inception.
Involved answer: Direct Current motors operate by flipping electromagnetic polarity between a fixed magnetic field as they rotate. Think of the brushes as contacts and the commutators as switches. The commutator is designed so that every other pole is positive and every other pole is negative. Therefore, the field >CYCLES< each time a pin on the commutator contacts a brush.
The speed of a DC motor is determined by the amount of voltage applied to it. The direction they rotate can be reversed simply by reversing the power leads connected to the motor. Additionally, DC motors are extremely “torquey” - especially during low RPM operation (so much so, in fact, that DC motors rarely need a capacitor to start their rotation). This makes them PERFECT for use in electric elevators, trains, and even cars!
This is far different from how an Alternating Current motor operates. AC motors do not use commutators and brushes. They are not necessary. Because AC current vibrates at a set frequency (expressed as CYCLES per second, or Hertz), electromagnetic polarity within the motor CYCLES at whatever frequency rate is provided by the AC generating source.
For example, all commercial power in North America is generated at 60 Hz. This means that polarity is reversed 60 times per second. The speed and direction of an AC motor may be controlled in one of two ways: Either by having separate windings in the motor (one for each speed and/or direction) or by varying the frequency of the AC current applied to it.
By their very nature, the startup speed and torque of an AC motor is extraordinarily difficult to control. That is, most AC motors start and build torque very quickly. Once operational, they turn at their designed RPM so long as power is provided to the motor. This isn’t a huge problem when they are used to turn fans, or compressors in refrigerators, and etc. However, it makes them practically useless for machines (such as elevators) that require very precise, intricate, and slow startup speeds coupled by a high degree of torque.
Therefore, DC drive machines have simply been the most economical and reliable means of powering electric elevators for the first 100 years of their existence. As such, a method had to be found to convert publicly available Alternating Current into controllable Direct Current for the drive machines.
Enter the motor generator set, or genset for short. Think of a genset as a spinning amplifier. Also called the Ward-Leonard System, this method uses an AC motor coupled directly to a DC generator. The AC motor turns at a near-constant rate. A low voltage DC current is applied to the field coils of the generator. What is output is a high voltage/high current feed which powers the DC drive machine.
For obvious reasons, this is not a very efficient process. Two mechanical machines (a genset and drive machine) are needed, creating double the maintenance required to keep the elevator operational. Also, a great deal of energy is wasted in the form of friction and heat by utilizing this method. However, for the first 100 years, this was really the best (if only) way to do it.
By the late 1960’s, high-current TRIAC transistors had been introduced. These allowed for the development of high-power rectifiers (A rectifier is a solid state electronic device that converts AC current into a regulated DC current). Throughout the 1970’s, development progressed on these and by the early 1980’s, the SCR (Silicone Controlled Rectifier) was born, thereby offering an alternative to the genset.
A SCR is simply a type of regulated electronic AC-to-DC power supply that utilizes transistors to convert and regulate the current. It took over ten years of development to create one that could handle the high current draw of the drive machines. However, they have now become the de facto means of DC motor current and speed control.
Having said all of that, it is the reason ALL DC drive machines (even those produced today) have commutators and brushes - and always will. BUT…
I think what is confusing you on this is the fact that AC drive machines have all but replaced the traditional method described above. Indeed, DC drive machines are only used on new installations that require extremely high speed service for the elevator, such as rises greater than 25 floors. For low- and mid-rise applications, AC drive machines are generally deployed. This was made possible by the same advancements in solid state power control from the 1970’s that gave us the SCR.
I won’t go into all the details here; however, engineers discovered that an AC motor’s torque and speed could be reliably controlled by adjusting the frequency of the voltage applied to the motor. For example, an AC motor rated to run full speed at 480 VAC @ 60 Hz would turn at half-speed if provided 30 Hz. At 0 Hz (which is DC), they won’t turn at all. I am GREATLY simplifying this. If you wish to learn more, research VVVF (Variable Voltage / Variable Frequency) AC control systems. ;-)
However, suffice it to say that AC motors have now begun to eclipse DC drives as they are smaller, more reliable, more energy efficient, and require far less maintenance.
If you would like some further reading on this, I have provided links to two Elevator World magazine "white paper" articles which explain generator field control as well as power regeneration. I hope you find them useful! :-)
www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW0407.pdf
www.elevatorbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EW0610.pdf
@@UncleOtis_Colorado Thank you, great article
Nice job! Would love to see inside controller finished product.
You know, I thought of doing that at some future point. They are Elevonic E2 controllers (the blue ones) and Gen2 Mod Controllers (the silver ones). If I ever get back there, I'll take a look - though things happened lately that might make it quite some time.
Who made the Ebrake adapter? Nice addition!
You know, I am not certain. I assume you are describing the disc brake on the machine? It is pretty cool! If I ever find out, I'll take a look and let you know.
Why does the “lobby” voice in Otis elevators always sound like a phone sex operator? The other floors all sound normal.
Oh my God, she DOES sound like that, doesn't she?! }-D LOL!
How long have you been an elevator tech?
1 year "on paper" - Was in the NEIEP program for a year.
8 years total (Ran around with an Elevator Mechanic that served with my father in Vietnam. Did that from 1987-1994)
@@UncleOtis_Colorado Very nice!
а ведь есть и 22 метра в секунду)
What is special about this place