I have a job that runs good 6 car group 700 fpm 1970 vintage regulator control # 3 operator but the dispatcher Armor Mark 5 could use some work, this has the potter brumfield telephone type plactic covered relay panel. It does not use a zone type of reliable old Armor Zone system it has a analog type of priority call system. Any tips of working on these systems, thinking of making a card tester for the priority call timer cards. There is almost a thousand relays just for the dispatch, any help other than the modernize ones.

-- Jim (elevator555@hotmail.com), May 06, 2004

Answers

Any mechanic that could even understand the concept of controls like that and a dispatch like that, deserves double time just to even work on it. I get a headache even thinking about having to work on that stuff again. I know you said a MOD is not what the customer wants or can afford, but you deserve some sort of incentive for trying to keep something like this running that they have more than got their money out of years ago.

They will upgrade the computers every 6 months, but wont spend a dime on the elevators. Someone like you that enjoys what you do only prolongs the enevitable. And I don't mean that in a bad way towards you. You take pride in your work or you wouldnt be on this site.

-- (elevatorman_1@msn.com), May 09, 2004.

555, While the system is prime for a modernization being 34 years old. I understand the delima you are in. While testing all the timers is a good start, I'll bet most of your troubles are due to good old contact failure. Why not build a simple relay tester at the same time for all the plug in relays. Than one day sit and test them all several times. Be sure to have a few dozen replacements on hand. This may help eliminate some of the ghost problems that occur.

Good Luck, Wilbur

-- Wilbur (elevatorman@hotmail.com), May 09, 2004.

A mod for this building is a tough sell,I found out right away that they didnt want to mod and then I have got most of the bugs out and rarely get a call maybe once a month and maybe twice a year I get an entrapment. The new stuff you wont get that good of a record and if they did a mod say 100 k a car they would spend about the same a month on a service contract, so why mod, thats what they think. I have allways been interested in the analog based and pre software based controls because they are so interesting such as Otis VIP,Dover T1, Armor Dynaglide, Otis 4-6 Program, Otis Goolean. I am no engineer but that stuff is the most difficult and interesting to work on. Now days its just input and output, service tool, laptop stuff with diagnostic programs that do the work for you. They will mod someday but not soon.

-- Jim (elevator555@hotmail.com), May 09, 2004.