Federal Freight Elevator Replacement: Modernizing a 1968 Hydraulic System
Updated: 3 days ago
Location: West Virginia
Industry: Research & Laboratory
Service: Occupied Space & Facility Renovation
The Situation
The freight elevator replacement modernized existing equipment at an active research and laboratory facility, replacing the principal operating systems of a hydraulic elevator original to the building’s 1968 construction. The 5,000-pound, 8-by-8-foot elevator served passengers and freight between the ground and fourth floors, but age-related functionality and safety concerns were increasing, and some repair parts were no longer available.
The facility needed a turnkey solution that included field verification, engineering, equipment selection, installation, testing, and commissioning. The existing hoistway, machine room, and electrical service were retained, while the controls, hydraulic equipment, cab systems, doors, wiring, safety devices, and fixtures were modernized to meet applicable ASME A17.1 and West Virginia Division of Labor requirements.
Other areas of the active research and laboratory facility had to remain operational, and elevator downtime had to be limited to the critical installation window.
The Challenge
This was more than an equipment changeout. The new elevator systems had to fit and function within a building constructed nearly six decades earlier. Existing landing openings in concrete masonry walls and concealed conduit conflicted with the intended recessed hall-station configuration, requiring field coordination and an adjusted installation detail for the new controls and wiring.
The controller also had to interface with existing building power, fire-alarm functions, and life-safety systems. Electrical upgrades, recall devices, machine-room work, pit requirements, and sprinkler coordination all had to be completed within the same shutdown sequence.
Work was limited to normal business hours and performed under the facility’s controlled-access and personnel-screening requirements. With very limited on-site laydown space, equipment, debris, and deliveries also had to be carefully coordinated. All work had to be performed without unnecessarily disrupting the research, laboratory, and administrative operations continuing elsewhere in the building.
How We Worked
JBrennon managed the turnkey design-build effort from field verification and submittal coordination through removal, installation, inspection, and final commissioning. The team removed the aging controller and hydraulic power unit and installed a field-programmable, non-proprietary Smart Rise microprocessor controller.
The new controls included emergency battery lowering, a motor starter, Phase I and Phase II fire-service recall, voice-annunciation capability, and updated selector and limit-switch systems. If normal power is interrupted, the battery-lowering system allows the elevator to descend to the designated landing, open its doors, and shut down safely.
The hydraulic package included a new submersible pump-and-tank unit, Maxton UC-4 valve, hydraulic piping, muffler, hydraulic oil, and seismic shutoff protection. New wiring was installed throughout the machine room, hoistway, and elevator car, together with a new traveling cable, magnetic switches, mechanical limit switches, and vane-type landing system.
The elevator’s door system was comprehensively renewed with a master power operator, two-speed side-slide hangers, nonmetallic rollers, a retractable zone-lock clutch, auxiliary spring closers, stainless steel sills, tracks, door interlocks, and sight guards. An infrared curtain system was installed across the elevator entrance to detect obstructions and reopen the doors without requiring physical contact.
Where the new hall fixtures encountered existing masonry openings and concealed conduit, JBrennon coordinated a field-fit solution that preserved the surrounding wall construction while providing new buttons, wiring, fire-service functions, and accessible controls. This work allowed the upgraded equipment to be integrated into the existing building without unnecessary demolition or disruption beyond the elevator work areas.
Electrical, fire-alarm, and sprinkler work was coordinated as part of the elevator installation. This included the required machine-room and pit devices, fire-recall interfaces, power connections, electrical disconnects, lighting, outlets, and life-safety components necessary for the completed system.
The elevator cab received satin-finish stainless steel wall panels, stainless steel trim, dual ADA-compliant handrails, commercial-grade stainless steel diamond-plate flooring, and upgraded ceiling and lighting components. These improvements created a durable interior suited to frequent passenger use and the movement of freight and equipment.
A new car operating panel was installed with illuminated controls, a digital floor-position indicator, emergency lighting, two-way communication, key switches, automatic voice announcements, and required fire-service features. New directional lanterns, hall stations, and raised-character and braille jamb markings were also installed at the served levels.
The work was sequenced to concentrate the elevator shutdown around critical removal, installation, testing, and inspection activities. Equipment staging and deliveries were coordinated around the facility’s limited laydown area, while completed work was protected as the remaining trades finished their installations.
After construction, the elevator underwent functional testing, weight testing, jurisdictional inspection, and final commissioning. JBrennon also delivered the final wiring diagrams, operating and maintenance information, inspection records, and as-built documentation needed to support ongoing maintenance.
The Outcome
JBrennon returned the elevator to service as a modern, maintainable hydraulic freight/passenger elevator suited to the daily demands of an active research and laboratory facility.
The project replaced obsolete operating systems while retaining the usable hoistway, machine room, and electrical infrastructure. This minimized unnecessary reconstruction while providing the facility with non-proprietary equipment that can be maintained without dependence on exclusive programming devices or a single service provider.
Original 1968 hydraulic elevator systems comprehensively modernized
5,000-pound, 8-by-8-foot freight/passenger cab returned to service
Non-proprietary Smart Rise controls installed with emergency battery lowering
New hydraulic pump-and-tank unit, valve, piping, muffler, and seismic shutoff protection installed
Hoistway wiring, traveling cables, selector equipment, switches, and safety devices replaced
Complete door operating and infrared obstruction-detection systems installed
Stainless steel cab completed with dual ADA handrails and diamond-plate flooring
New accessible car controls, hall stations, directional lanterns, and braille markings installed
Electrical, fire-alarm, and sprinkler systems integrated with the new elevator controls
Testing, inspection, and commissioning completed while the surrounding facility remained operational