"One of my locations has consent broad failure."

Many guys often experience failure with gaining "consent" from "broads". (It could be their dandruff) 😆

MP1230s also may have "constant board" failures!

The only thing that you really want to do in this case, is to rip out that old troublesome controller, and put something good in, like an MCE M2000.

But maybe someone else will know of an upgrade for the MP1230?

The 1200 series were way ahead of their times. Now its time to make them part of your past 🙂 There really isnt much you can do that makes any financial sense other than rip them out

The 1230 were Hydo controllers so that may be why they dont work so hot on traction machines.

oops, traction, right.

In that case, it would be an MCE4000 for mod, or similar.

I used to work on MP1200s or 1220s, that had a MDU (?) drive, for the generator field s-curve profile, and motor field. The edge connectors of the boards had too much current going through them, so they fried a lot. Also, the current going through the board traces was high, and sometimes it would peel a circuit trace right off the board.

Very "under engineered", and always a problem. That was at the LAX Marriott. Real bag of worms.

We no longer have any 1200 stuff but still have several 1220 and 1230 units. So I am always looking for boards. On the 1220 stuff we use to solder wires from the power relay board on the 220vac that fed the SSD1 to bypass the undersize traces. And keeping the generators compounded can really be a hassle till you find that almost always when you keep having problems it is the roll up leaf springs on the brush holders that are killing you. So replace all the brush holders every 5 years or so. All the boards have edge connectors that must be kept clean but mostly the spingloaded female connector get hot from loose connection and then stay stuck back and you loose contact pressure. But as long as you have a supply of good boards and smaller groups of elevators. (always seemed the bigger the group the more problems) It is all in all not bad equipment for its age. The main problrm was that US elevator didnt know that hinges had been invented about 1000 years ago. Or that limit switches shouldnt clunk or that roller guides should be ajustable. But if you put a car on test it runs out car calls before it is out of service or any car could be the group controller. Stuff companys still cant seem to do today.

I have both 1220 and 1230 boards I have both traction and Hydraulic elevators too. Just picking up on this stuff. Is it hard to upgrade to a different more reliable controller. The motor and genrator on most of the units were rebuilt within the last year.

If parts are not the problem then what seems to be? We have alot of these units that run with only a couple calls a year and some of those calls are doors ect. Lets hear your symtoms and see what the guys here have to say to help you out. But we need alot more to work with. You can get upgrades on fireservice to meet more current codes from Electrodyne but the system you have will run with the right maintenance and parts.

I've worked on a few of these through the years. Like a few other elevator systems of this era, the software is absolutely brillian.

(I've actually seen the source code for the 1200. If memory serves me correctly it was an Intel based processor..Don't think it was motorola or DEC. But what I do know it was written entirely in Assembly code. No higher level language. After TK bought them out, there is NO ONE there that took over the code. so if you need upgrades..Good Luck..)..

But the absolute position encoder, similar in operation to a big O ppt, was pretty well thought out except for the rubber bands driving the little encoders. (1200 Gearless)..
It was also spooky watching these cars stop and not set the brake.

But as I said..The software was absolutely brilliant. Unfortuantely most of the hardware looks like it was bought at your local Radio Shack though..That's where the flaw is on this, General Elevator's ill Fated "Vanguard", Value Mod, stuff, Thames Valley...etc..

Good luck with it..

If my memory serves me.

1200 Tach Feedback, some say motor control similar to Haughton Model 5. Right on about Intel based processor again some said same computer used during Americas cup. Back in the early 80s we could call up the machine room and get a printout of everything the majors are so proud of nowadays. What does Otis call that?

1210 Same as above except used SSD1 motor control.

1220 traction(last one out the door)

1230 hydro (Always thought it should visa versa)

As mentioned above, guys like Mike Salish and others were way ahead of the pack in designing smart elevators. These guys designed beautiful equipment, but "Purchasing screwed up the whole deal by buying the cheapest components available. Another point some of the other engineers that were lower on the Totem pole failed to take into consideration just how much current had to travel through those tracks.

Right on all the above Christy.

I agree. Michael Salish, is indeed an engineering treasure of this industry. I met him back in the 80's on a modernization job. Brilliant guy..

Besides the Thames Valley/Salish conglomeration, I believe he was also involved with the IPC closed loop generator product, and the also the IPC 6970 closed loop operator. Both of which I've installed and can say are excellent products.