r/mildlyinteresting • u/DirectorZB • 1d ago
These hotel elevators are on pistons instead of being suspended by cables.
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u/alwaysfatigued8787 1d ago
It's because they're hydraulic elevators. Better for low-rise buildings.
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u/powertoollateralus 1d ago
I remember reading that low-rise elevators are more likely to fail catastrophically than high rise elevators because the hydraulic ones have less failsafes.
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u/SeanAker 1d ago
The fun thing about a hydraulic system is that even if it fails relatively catastrophically, you won't fall rapidly. Hydraulic oil takes time to flow, so even if a pipe ruptured the elevator would settle to the bottom fairly serenly as the system drained instead of just plummeting like a cable break in a traction elevator, assuming all other failsafes failed in both cases.
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u/FrancoManiac 1d ago
Meanwhile it would be absolute chaos wherever the rupture occurred.
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u/MJR_Poltergeist 1d ago
That's a problem for the maintenance guys, I'll be getting off at the first floor safe and sound
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u/FrancoManiac 1d ago
I wish you could see the way I'm imagining it:
SCENE: Man in elevator, listening to typical elevator music, experiences sudden slight shudder, a brief pause, and starts slowly descending.
CUT TO: industrial work area, with engineers of both sexes drinking coffee, pouring over schematics, getting ready for the day. Suddenly, a little ping! as a thin tendril of hydraulic fluid hits a closed locker door, leaving a trail down to the floor. The engineers all look up, confused, before suddenly taking a collective, alarmed gasp.
Engineer 1: SHIT!
CUT TO: elevator, where the man is absentmindedly humming along to the music and scrolling his phone as the elevator continues its languid descent. He yawns.
CUT TO: complete and total chaos in the industrial work area. Engineers are covered in oil, running around, knocking over things, yelling. One has lost half their arm; blood squirts out in a pumping rhythm. A close-up of an engineer screaming in distress.
CUT TO: the elevator, slowly settling on the bottom-most floor. A polite little ding! sounds as the doors open. The man walks out, still humming and on his phone.
END SCENE
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u/sasquatch_melee 1d ago
People don't work in elevator equipment rooms unless they are actively servicing the elevator lol
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u/FrancoManiac 1d ago
SCENE: u/sasquatch_melee ruining the suspension of disbelief >:(
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u/RevoZ89 1d ago
It tracks. Every old head (45+) elevator tech I’ve met has no sense of humor, personality, imagination. Some of the driest people on the planet.
Once had a tech called out for an over-travel. He proceeded to go on about how the “bombs” in the lower floors of the twin towers were the elevators crashing down. Really made it seem like that was his personal 9/11. Really added some gravity to him adjusting a sensor and resetting the main board.
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u/sasquatch_melee 1d ago
Lolol, well written even if highly implausible.
Some poor elevator drawings would probably get the soaking of a lifetime though
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u/Im_eating_that 1d ago
Using a traditional gasoline engine you could almost get off on both floors at once
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u/aircooledJenkins 1d ago
Elevator shafts have pumps in the bottom that remove any fluid that gathers there. Hydraulic elevator sump pumps will route that fluid through a sand/oil interceptor to prevent the not water from entering the wastewater system.
A burst hydraulic system will be a mess, but it's not going to flood the building or anything like that.
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u/TrippySubie 1d ago
The amount of failsafes that would have to fail in either application..not even worth thinking about
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u/Difficult_Target4815 1d ago
You've never seen a cylinder rupture hey? Cause i have lmao it's comes down preeeeetty quickly
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u/TheIronSoldier2 1d ago
The hydraulic cylinders used in elevators have notably different construction compared to those used pretty much anywhere else in industry.
The amount of things that would need to go wrong for a catastrophic failure like that to occur is so high that you'd probably have better odds hitting a bullseye with a .22LR at 500 yards in the middle of a hurricane. With ironsights.
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u/Gareth79 1d ago
I remember seeing one many years ago and they had a couple of huge springs mounted on the floor at the base. I assume that in most failures the drop speed would be limited by the hydraulic fluid leaking out of wherever.
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u/Honeybucket206 1d ago
And by Better, you mean Cheaper.
They are reliable and low-tech, but noisy and slow
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u/doyoubelieveincrack 1d ago
Does one come down while the other goes up connected by the same hydraulic system, or why are they more efficient?
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u/RicoViking9000 1d ago
you don’t need an additional floor on top of the elevator for the beefy machine equipment for a building that’s only 3-4 floors, and this would be before machineroomless traction elevators came out. there’s no counterweight, it’s hydraulics. same story for how your car gets jacked. these are significantly cheaper than overhead for buildings that don’t need the additional speed and efficiency
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u/fiendishrabbit 1d ago
He said they're "better". That doesn't necessarily mean "more efficient", and indeed hydraulic elevators use more energy than a traction elevator.
The advantage of hydraulic elevators is that they take up less space, cost less to maintain, can use machine room-less designs and handle heavier loads.
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u/Marcos340 1d ago
No, there are dual systems (don’t recall the actual nomenclature) for hydraulic system, where you have pressure constantly on the system with a valve that changes the flow on the piston. The piston are independent so one can come down while the other goes up. You just have to properly dimension the hydraulic pump to account for the pressure and flow needed for both elevators operating at max capacity.
The better for low rise is that they don’t need a machine room above the elevator, due to not enough room or the building not being design for the extra weight for cables and counter weight, all in the roof since on low rise building the mechanical room is probably focused on water management. With hydraulic you just need a pump somewhere in the basement and some lines connecting to the pistons (along side some control valves either near the piston or leaving the pump)
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u/OXYmoron_115 1d ago
Each elevator uses their own tank and pump they don't share a tank. Not saying they don't exist with one tank supplying two elevators but each elevator gets its own pump and tank and controllers. They don't share systems. Source in the IUEC (elevator union)
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u/ForsakenSun6004 1d ago
Where’s all the restone at? That’s at least a triple piston extender
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u/calebdarlin9 1d ago
They did a good job at hiding the redstone. These elevators were crafted by professionals
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u/lechecondensada 1d ago
Well I would expect nothing less! Amateurs really shouldnt be crafting elevators
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u/AgentNose 1d ago
I deal with elevators in my line of work. Most low rise buildings will use this method.
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u/torx822 1d ago
How is it being in the elevator business?
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u/Iamjacksgoldlungs 1d ago
One of the best paying trades possible unless you want to do something crazy like underwater welding
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u/SanchoRancho72 1d ago
Really? Im involved in building wood framed apartments (typically 4 stories, sometimes 5) and they're ALWAYS electric cable elevators w/ side rails
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u/TheFlyingBoxcar 1d ago
Firefighter here, these are actually very common in low-rise buildings. Theyre a lot simpler than cable hoist elevators, which i would assume makes them cheaper. Theyre also easier to rescue people from 😬
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u/False_Leadership_479 1d ago
Do you just release the oil drain plug and laugh at the screams?
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u/Bystander5432 1d ago
Hey, why is firefighting not in your list of services offered?
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u/TheFlyingBoxcar 1d ago
The services I offer are complimentary. You want a fire fought its cash up front. I dont like to mix business and pleasure.
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u/spidermans_ashes 1d ago
American dad in a hotel lobby? Hell yeah
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u/PenguinDeluxe 1d ago
Take the song Love in an Elevator. The reason it’s so good is that Steven Tyler lived in an elevator the summer he wrote it.
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u/Cheesy_Fork 1d ago
But the songs called love in an elevator
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u/PenguinDeluxe 1d ago
Steve, he’s a rockstar living in a kickass elevator. You think he isn’t getting laid? Oh, and it’s summertime.
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u/guiltyofnothing 1d ago
They’re hydraulic elevators. They’ve been around forever. There are also not many manufacturers who make them anymore.
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u/Zvenigora 1d ago
Hydraulic elevators. Quite common if fewer than five floors are being served. Beyond that the lift cylinder becomes impractically long.
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u/Different-Fold-9141 1d ago
They should make pneumatic elevators, would be fun
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u/Crimson_Rhallic 1d ago
Air is compressive, so it takes more time to fill the piston. It also has the problem of moisture in the chamber when the compressor draws in ambient air, which needs to be evacuated.
Hydraulic fluid is non-compressive and is sealed, allowing it to lift and hold more weight. Hydraulics are heavy while pneumatics are lighter weight (portable by comparison).
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u/rage10 1d ago
Most importantly, as air compressible. So when a fat person steps off the elevator and it rises 12 inches and the little old lady that was behind them falls out the elevator the lawsuit will prevent pneumatic elevators from ever being used again.
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u/Crimson_Rhallic 1d ago
If we leave a hole in the ceiling, maybe it could launch her to the next floor. 2 exits with 1 stop!
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u/Different-Fold-9141 1d ago
Completely agree, that was satirical. Minor leaks can cause catastrophic failure, not to mention the need of a huge backup air tank, regular maintenance. But you could instantly transport people between floors, may have to put cushioning on the top of the lift
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u/BelethorsGeneralShit 1d ago
If you've ever taken an elevator in a building less than six stories, odds are it was hydraulic lift, just like this.
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u/CheapTale9824 1d ago
Am I crazy or is this a double tree by Hilton?
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u/Sir0inks-A-Lot 1d ago edited 1d ago
Too nice to be most Doubletrees - probably an Embassy Suites with a center atrium. Newer ones don’t have the hallway that’s open to the middle.
Edit: I'm wrong: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh - Cranberry. Only about 10 years old.
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u/2People1Cat 1d ago
I'm glad I found this comment, I've stayed here before after a convention. I know most hotel chains can look identical, but the carpet was definitely choice. No EV charging though 😡.
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u/cyberentomology 1d ago
Hydraulic elevators are typically used for anything less than about 5 levels.
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u/JerryKook 1d ago
These have been around forever.
Source:
I am a boomer. My dad designed elevators for a living. I made elevators for science projects.
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u/cageordie 1d ago
Common and very safe for short buildings. Especially in quake country. If they fail the loss of pressure just lowers them to the bottom. The downside is that they tend to be slow.
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u/Creative_Garbage_121 1d ago
I hate them, slow af, but I understand that price and limited space in the building might make them somewhat useful
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u/GotenRocko 1d ago
this must be what they use at my local mall, because they have the slowest elevators I have ever used.
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u/Paul_The_Builder 1d ago
Most elevators that are 2-5 stories tall are hydraulic. They're generally cheaper to build and maintain than cable driven elevators.
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u/tfdriller805 1d ago
These are common and I have worked on installing the jack system quite a bit. There is a borehole that the jack sits in below the elevator and it must be as deep as the elevator goes high, typically 4 stories max but we have done 6. They do need to be replaced and that is quite the operation, elevator suspended above, old jack removed through elevator doors, sometimes new borehole drilled because old borehole failed or new jack has wider diameter, PVC or steel casing installed and new jack installed.
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u/AllegedlyElJeffe 1d ago
They had a couple in the university I went to. Pretty fun. If it fails, it can only fall as fast as fluid can escape the system, which is not fast. Super slow, only went 4 stories. Best for short building with low traffic.
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u/AcanthaceaeFast9379 1d ago
Hydraulic Pistons are used for elevators in low rise buildings (7 stories and under), cable driven elevators are used in high rise buildings. This is due to the constraints of the hydraulic cylinder as it can only move the cab at 150ft/minute
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u/HowlingWolven 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hydraulic elevators are extremely common for small installs like that, because they don’t need a hoist room atop the shaft like a traction elevator and can get away with a small bore for the ram below (or sometimes even without that). It’s only fairly recently that machineroomless cable traction elevators became available from the usual suppliers, which only need a tiny bit of extra space atop the top floor.
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u/halandrs 1d ago
If the elevator is 4 floors or under there is a 95% chance it’s on hydraulic pistons due to reliability and cost savings over a cable and counter weight system any taller and you can’t get a large enough piston
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u/Connorthedev 1d ago
Fun fact: this is how that really tall room effect in the haunted mansion is achieved! It lowers you slow enough so that your senses don’t get set off by the descent
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u/MrBarraclough 1d ago
True for Disneyland, but not at the Magic Kingdom, where the ceiling rises instead.
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u/weasel_face 1d ago
Every recently built holiday inn express uses these. You can always smell the hydraulic oil.
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u/ranfur8 1d ago
Very standard setup for 3/4 storey buildings here in Europe. Main advantage is that they are super silent, super efficient, and you don't need a machine room.
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u/HowlingWolven 1d ago
You do, but it can be little more than a broom closet with the controller, reservoir, and pump in it, and it can be at the bottom of the shaft.
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u/PeevedValentine 1d ago
I like how they've made an inconspicuous viewing deck for slenderman on the first floor of the elevators. Very kind.
I'd also like to ride these in turbo mode.
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u/CumbersomeNugget 1d ago
Feels like the Die Hard guys gon come in any second, my dude. Stay vigilant.
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u/StrikeAcceptable6007 1d ago
Was this at the Westin hotel at the Detroit airport? I was just there a few days ago and this looks identical
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u/Star_BurstPS4 1d ago
I have seen pistons blow without safety cables which I dont see it's gonna be one painful ride
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u/Observer951 1d ago
If you ever get a chance, hop on a paternoster. My wife and I went out of our way in Frankfurt to ride one. It’s freaky. Also, a small chance of life altering injuries.
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u/Friendly_Engineer_ 1d ago
You have to picture that in the down position, the entire hydraulic shaft has to sit below grade. So an elevator that can rise 30 feet has to have at least 30 feet below the first floor to house this equipment.
(Unless it’s telescoping, but it doesn’t look like that)
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u/NotOutrageous 1d ago
I worked in a 3 story building that had hydraulic elevators. They were smooth and quiet, but they were ungodly slow. It was faster to just take the stairs, even if they elevator was already on your floor with the doors open and waiting.
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u/managerzilla 1d ago
We had one of these in a hotel I worked in, but it was covered up so guests couldn’t see the mechanism. It was soooo slow, I asked the elevator technician why once and he explained how it worked. Every time guests complained after that I explained why, but they rarely cared lol. Thank you for being interested.
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u/SavageCucmber 1d ago
I love the look of exposed mechanical work! I'd be the idiot who was watching it come down and gets his hand smashed or something.
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u/PrinceVoltan1980 1d ago
That’s called a hydraulic elevator and it’s quite common. Usually you can tell by the distinctive smell of hydraulic fluid
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u/Firefly_Magic 1d ago
I’m not sure which scares me more to think about, cables or pistons. Can we have both? As a (somewhat) fail-safe back up?
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u/agha0013 1d ago
this is a somewhat common method for low rise building elevators. Can't be done for higher buildings for obvious reasons.
The other option is lula lifts that use all side mounted systems instead of overhead cables above the cab.