There's quite a lot of dust buildup there. I wonder if it would be worth it to wear a mask and try to blow some of that excess out. I wonder if there could be a problem with overheating or contact issues due to this.<br>
<br>~Griffin<br><br>On Tue, 2011-02-01 at 06:12 -0800, Jake wrote:<br>> Okay so Monday night, Rachel and I climbed through the hatch in the <br>> cieling of the elevator, just like in the movies, and stood on top of the <br>
> thing to figure out why it doesn't let itself be called when it's there.<br>> <br>> I was right that there is a switch activated when the elevator is at the <br>> top of its travel, but that's like a foot higher than our floor and is not <br>
> being triggered. �The button that is being triggered is the same kind <br>> however, and is in a metal junction box and its arm has a roller bearing <br>> on it and is very serious like you would expect.<br>> <br>
> <a href="http://spaz.org/~jake/pix/elevator.jpg">http://spaz.org/~jake/pix/elevator.jpg</a><br>> <br>> My theory now is that inside that junction box is either one Dual-Pole <br>> microswitch (two sets of contacts) or two separate microswitches, and one <br>
> of them is failing intermittently.<br>> <br>> One of them makes the elevator stop at our floor, and is working. �The <br>> other tells the system the elevator has arrived and is ready to go and is <br>> not making contact all the time. �Apparently this also happens on the <br>
> second floor.<br>> <br>> I say the solution is to open either the safety switchbox above and <br>> examine the microswitches inside, and order two or three of them, or do <br>> the same to the actual switchbox that stops our elevator which presumably <br>
> has the same switches in it anyway.<br>> <br>> When we open the switchbox below it, whether to examine it or to put in <br>> the new switches (buttons technically) we will do so by moving the <br>> elevator down from our floor, hit STOP after a couple of feet, and then <br>
> climb out the ceiling hole to access the switchbox of our floor by <br>> standing on top of the elevator again. �Because we can't access the <br>> switchbox while the elevator is properly stopped on our floor.<br>
> <br>> There is a mechanism to prevent opening the internal gate of the elevator <br>> when not on a proper floor but it doesn't work, and if it did we could <br>> easily bypass it by tugging a cable on top of the elevator while opening <br>
> the gate, so that elevator repairpersons could take a break and get a <br>> kombucha while not finished fixing the elevator, while it's 2 feet low.<br>> <br>> Note that when i say switches, i am talking about momentary switches also <br>
> known as buttons, most likely "micro switches" made of Bakelite with a <br>> lever arm and a clicky noise, but we won't know until we open one of the <br>> boxes. �I should have done that Monday night (the topmost box) and taken <br>
> pictures so that someone could go to the elevator parts store. �Whatever.<br>> <br>> Someone should make an elevator repair wiki and put these posts on it.<br>> <br>> -jake<br>> <br>> > Wait you debugged the elevator? �Let's fix it then! �Having it actually<br>
> > work properly would be the best solution. �I'll be happy to be the one<br>> > to Do it if you can show me this microswitch of which you speak.<br>> <br>> i am just mentally picturing the problem. �The elevator comes to our<br>
> floor, which is the top floor, and there's a button "A" on the rail to<br>> keep it from going too far. �There is another button "B" which tells the<br>> system that it's on the third floor, and is ready to be called to another<br>
> floor because it's done moving around. �The button "A" is being triggered<br>> before button "B" and the elevator stops moving before it really "arrives"<br>> at the third floor.<br>
> <br>> When one goes in there and presses the 3 button again, the button bypasses<br>> the stop switch for long enough to run the motor enough to bump it up a<br>> quarter-inch until it presses button "B" telling the system it's arrived<br>
> at the third floor and everything is okay.<br>> <br>> It might not be as simple as adjustment however, because it could be that<br>> the capacitor or diode protecting the buttons' contacts from the inductive<br>
> kick of the relay it triggers has failed to protect the button contacts,<br>> and the button needs to be replaced. �Only an elevator-repairfolk will<br>> have the exact correct replacement button, and really know how to adjust<br>
> it.<br>> <br>> As much as I would be okay with getting covered in grease and mouse-shit<br>> trying to find both buttons and adjusting them, and hoping that the<br>> problem is only adjustment (which is slightly unlikely) i think it's<br>
> probably better to have the repair made by the professional. �However if<br>> the landlord/property owner flat-out says that they'd rather us try to fix<br>> it first, we should go for it.<br>> <br>> But at this point, with the elevators' behavior properly sussed out (the<br>
> note on the door is excellent) it should be easy for a repairperson to do<br>> the job without wasting too much time.<br>> <br>> -jake<br><br><br><br>Be the change you want to see in the world.<br>~Mahatma Gandhi<br>