Lift motor room
A lift (or elevator) is a form of vertical transportation between building floors, levels or decks, commonly found in multi-storey buildings.
A lift motor room (sometimes referred to as an elevator machine room), is a room that houses the machinery and electrical controls that operate a lift.
A lift motor room will typically contain:
- Electrical disconnects.
- Machine (geared, gearless or drum type).
- Machine brake.
- Drive motor.
- Encoder.
- Motor generator set.
- Selector.
- Counterweight governor.
- Rope gripper.
- Light fixtures and light control switch.
- Fire alarm devices.
- Hoist beam.
- HVAC equipment.
- Deflector sheaves.
Typically, the entrance to a lift motor room is located in a public corridor, but the room should be fully enclosed or otherwise secured against non-authorised access.
A lift motor room should be well-ventilated and provided with a controlled environment to prevent damage to the equipment. A lifting beam on the ceiling and a floor hatch should be included so that heavy machinery and parts can be winched in and out of the room.
For traction lifts, the room is usually located above the hoistway of the lift that is served by the equipment. This is often on a rooftop of a building or two storeys above the highest storey that the lift serves.
The room can also be found on the ground floor or in the basement if overhead space is unavailable. In this case, the lift cable is a complete chain with an unpowered sheave at the top of the shaft and a powered sheave at the bottom. It may also be on the ground floor or in the basement in the case of hydraulic lifts.
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