Door Reopening Device Timing

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Elevator Problem Discussion : One Thread

ADA 4.10.6 requires the door reopening devices to remain effective for at least 20 seconds. Anyone have the definitive answer as to just what "effective" means?

-- Wade Smith (wades17@cox.net), June 06, 2004

Answers

More specifically, the question I have is whether "effective" means the doors to remain open for 20 seconds after each time being tripped or only the first time? To allow the reopening devices to constantly reset door closing to the 20 seconds will cause elevators to be stranded where in high use areas as people will either give up waiting and leave, (resetting the 20 seconds on the way out of the cab) or new people will enter the cab again resetting the timing. What does ANSI 17.1 actually require?

-- Wade Smith (wades17@cox.net), June 06, 2004.

It all depends on local codes. I spent some time down in Michigan and there you are not allowed to have nudging at all. State codes prohibate it. My suddestion would be to contact your inspector or equivalent and see what their interpratation of the code is. Every person you ask will probably have an answear that is a little diffrent then another. I would say it means the door reopening device should not go into default(nudging) until after 20 seconds. Until next time work safe and work union.

-- fixalift (fixalift@yahoo.com), June 07, 2004.

That is interesting about Michigan State codes prohibiting nudging. Does every elevator in Michigan have Automatic Emergency Recall or are there some that only have Manual Recall (or even no Recall at all) because that guy died in Toronto when the car stopped at the fire floor and they could not get the doors closed because of the smoke in the detector, even after 20 seconds, without the nudging. Then, when the Manual Recall switch was finally turned and the door started closing, his unconscious body had blocked the door. They do not permit detectors without nudging on cars without Automatic Emergency Recall in Canada.

-- Barry Finch (barryfin@telus.net), June 11, 2004.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ