Elite Lifts Technical Blogs
Welcome to Elite lifts technical blogs pages, here we discuss anything lift related. As the page evolves other topics will be raised and discussed, so lets being.... To a passenger, a lift is a lift. If it gets them from floor destinations A to B, it does the job. But for businesses, they need to know what lift is right for them depending on the size of the building and what the business entails, i.e. a hotel, a hospital, a high-rise company, etc. So what passenger lift is right for you?
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Traction Lifts
Traction lifts are driven by AC (Alternating Current) or DC (Direct Current) electric motors and incorporate a lift car and the counterweight connected to different ends of a cable to balance the load of the lift car. These then move over a large wheel called a Sheave at the top of the lift shaft.
Traction lifts are typically faster than hydraulic lifts which means that they are most likely to be used with tall, modernised buildings. They are also more energy-efficient because the counterweight balances the lift car, whereas a hydraulic lift needs gravity to help push the lift car.
On the downside, traction lifts are significantly more expensive than hydraulic lifts, typically 15 – 25% more expensive.
Hydraulic Lifts
Hydraulic lifts work on the principle of a pump that electronically generated to push oil into a cylinder (lifting system) and pushes the piston which pushes the lift car up and down. These lifts are typically cheaper than traction lifts and effectively take up less space in the building than traction lifts do like the lift shaft in a hydraulic lift usually needs around 10% less area space. They also carry heavier weight more efficiently than traction ropes as hydraulic consists of a greater lifting force. This kind of lift is typically used for buildings of 8 floors or less as its speed is significantly lower than a traction lift.