I am looking at a large apartment complex and the site has three elevator, TAC20, hydraulic elevator equipment.
Each of the three has a pan below it. All pans are full of oil. One has an empty 55 gallon drum of oil next to it. All elevators are circa 2002.
Is this oil in the pan normal? I have never noticed this before.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzyG...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzyG...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzyG...it?usp=sharing
This is typical of three elevators from 2002. Do you think it is a problem or a has it just not been cleaned correctly?
As for the pans, I don't think they would be normal but in my time at TKE I did mainly traction elevators. Where exactly are the pans located? Is there a certain piece of equipment above said pans?
I ain't seen many hydros that don't drip some way some how
Don't get your panties in a wad ask your service guy about it in passing, non aggressively and he should rectify it
Oil in a drip pan isn't a large concern. Many units will drip after years of use. However what concerns me is the 55gallon oil drum you have in the mechanical room.
Why is there an empty drum in the room?
When was the last pressure test performed?
Where are the repair or inspection reports?
As others have said oil in drip trays under rams are par of the course for hydro lifts. Remember that the oil that is used for the lifting medium is also used to lubricated the ram and caisson, hence it can/will dribble out the bleed valve/port at the top of the caisson. It normally then has a plastic tube that then goes to the floor in which a container is used for the excess oil that then you pour back into the oil tank. We have always used the 20 litre drum the oil comes in as the container of choice as its easy to handle and if you don't get to site for a while then you don't get many over flows which you have to clean up. In some circumstances you try to feed the drip line directly thru the shaft wall(with/near the hose hole) and directly back into the tank eliminating the need for a drip container.
Either way this is very minor stuff and you shouldn't be that worried unless your filling a 20 litre drum in a week!