At our volunteer firehouse we have a Cheney Stair Lift with a Welcolator data plate with follwing info:
MFG date 02/29/1988
Ser # LN-35823-035-99
WD No 1001- WEC
The chair had stopped operating and we have gotten quotes on a new from $8,000 to $15,000. Our department raises our own my and is pretty much self sufficient, so this definitely puts a dent in our budget for equipment and training.
One of our members who has limited expierence with electronincs ( mostlly dealing with older automobile dash electronics) did partially disassemble the unit and using a jump wire was able to move chair up using the handheld remote; however it would not go down. We then removed a bracket holding a transformer and "terminal block". Underneath was a mechanical switch (I would describe but have no knowledge of this stuff !!) and pressing one side the chair would climb up, and pressing other switch the chair would go down.
So were happy that the chair moves, but are at a loss with the wiring when it comes to the remote. Tracing the wires, they are connected to a brass terminal before being split separately to two individual resistors before going into the remote.
Would anyone have a better idea of the problem that I'm trying to explain and where to go from here?
Also would anyone have a wiring diagram that they would care to share?
Thank you very much for ANY help!!
Jeff
Hard to believe that is it so difficult to find much information about this company since it seems to be well made
On older Cheney/Wecolator units, it's worth checking the pendant wiring, the connections at the terminal strip, and the direction relays or limit switch circuits that could be preventing the "down" command from reaching the relay. After years of service, it's fairly common to find corroded terminals, brittle wiring, or a faulty switch rather than a major component failure.
If you have access to a multimeter, tracing whether the down command is actually reaching the relay coil can help narrow the fault down much more quickly. Hopefully someone in the community still has one of the original Cheney wiring diagrams, as those have become increasingly difficult to find over the years.
If it does turn out that the lift is beyond economical repair and a brand-new replacement isn't within budget, it's also worth looking into professionally refurbished stairlifts. For many straight staircases, they can be a much more affordable alternative, provided they're supplied, installed, and supported by a reputable company with a warranty and ongoing servicing. Sometimes that's a more practical solution than trying to keep a 30+ year-old unit running.