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Keeping Your Elevator Machine Room Cool

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It's not unusual for an elevator drive and control system to get too hot — especially in traction elevators where the equipment sits in a penthouse on the roof. Typically such penthouses aren't heated are cooled. Instead, ventilation is provided by louvers mounted on the penthouse walls.

The problem is that the temperature in the mechanical room tracks with the outside air temperature. On a warm summer day, the temperature in that rooftop room can easily exceed 100 degrees. And as the temperature increases, so too does the chance of a breakdown. There is another problem with that approach: Using outside air brings in dust and variations in humidity. Dust acts as an extra layer of insulation, which makes overheating worse. Humidity accelerates the corrosion of contacts.

The best solution to this problem is to install a dedicated cooling system for the elevator equipment room. The system should be designed to keep the temperature and humidity within the recommendations of the elevator manufacturer. Seal outside openings to limit the dust and dirt that can enter the machine room.