1907 WATER-POWERED ELEVATORS - Full Tour

[@davidkimmel5153]

Thanks for sharing. Very interesting

[@musiclabmn]

Wow absolutely awesome, thought I’ve seen them all at this point

[@upanddownadventures]

I would love to understand how this system works. I would definitely consider this "museum piece" equipment that is VERY close to extinct. The fact that this building has TWO of these elevators IN SERVICE is even more incredible. I am aware of "city pressure" hydraulic elevators, which are non-electric (NO motor), and are powered purely by city water pressure. Water flows into the piston to push the elevator up, and is allowed to flow into the sewer to go down. I am also aware of early "hydroelectric" elevator installations (though maybe not THIS early) that use water instead of oil, but seem to operate similarly to modern hydraulic elevators (in that the pump unit pushes the elevator up, and water is allowed to flow back into the tank to go down). I have also heard of "accumulator" hydraulic elevators. I'm very curious if that's what these elevators are. I observe that these elevators are shipper rope (pull rope) operated, they DO have counterweights, and appear to have MECHANICAL valves (!!!), but DO have electric pump units. My main questions are... Is the system connected to water mains & sewer (like a city water hydraulic elevator), or is it a recirculating system? Does the pump unit run whenever the elevator is going UP (like a modern hydraulic elevator) or is it PURELY based on the pressure in the tank, and only indirectly based on the movement of the elevator? (9:04 this may be the elevator pump unit starting up while the elevator is mid-travel?)

[@Cmbgo98]

I think these are an accumulator type hydraulic system as there is a second high-pressure tank in addition to the storage tank in the machine rooms. It does seem like the pumps only run when the pressure in the accumulator tanks drop below a set level, which would make sense. It's probably set to the pressure needed to move the elevators maximum capacity at a set speed with the counterweight used to counter-balance the weight of the cab and ram to further reduce the overall pressure of the system. This is probably also why they seem to be super fast going up, since there's basically no load on the system at all haha. With that sort of system it could be closed loop or an open into a sewer system, I'd think closed since the water usage would be astronomical and probably would have led to their replacement a long long time ago unless this building is directly piped into a canal or river of some sort and the elevators just use water from there. Though even then usually state resource management departments aren't super chill with water being used and polluted with lubricant willy nilly for something like this.

[@dcf8978]

I am fairly certain that these are accumulator-type systems, and that the pump only runs when the accumulator pressure goes below a certain threshold, regardless of car movement. At about 12:35 he mentions that one tank is pressure and the other is holding. He elaborates that the right tank is air and water, indicating that it is the accumulator. At 11:32 we see what may be the pressure switch that switches the pump on (the right gauge is labeled "electrical gauge" and has wires and a pipe running to it). At 9:03 we can hear (what I think is) the pump turning on mid-ride, indicating that the pump does not need to run to make the elevator move. I find it very interesting that the machine room for the second elevator is above the shaft, despite this being a hydraulic system. It would seem to make more sense for it to be located on the lowest floor, next to the hydraulic ram.

[@VernonElevator]

Here I am thinking that the fully original piston pump I found was a great Christmas special... This is just WHOA

[@Jowevator3219]

Great video!!! Those were awesome elevators!!!!!

[@Cmbgo98]

Whoa… So those are insane. And an original Steam dynamo? That building needs to be preserved tbh

[@elevatorsoflakecountyTV]

@@Cmbgo98 yeah, this guy basically has a museum on his hands at this point! Haha

[@kurtismckemmie4850]

This is really cool. I'm wondering if the freight elevator at the grocery store I used to work at was water powered.

[@neohistoryfan1014]

cleveland's West Side Market originally had these, but have since been upgraded with regular hydraulic pumps

[@TheTheo58]

I have seen a similar hydraulic fright elevator like this one w/the vertical tank mounted on a base. The power unit is below There is a water tap at the top. The elevator has 3 landings basement 1st and 2nd floor. It's located in an older building in the PNW. I've seen a few water powered hydros elevators with counterweights. The freight elevator at my former job building was constructed in the early 1900's elevator added in 1930 was an Otis hydraulic. water and an lubricant additive, power unit was a large vertical "pedestal sump pump" in a steel tank. 3 phase 208V 5 HP manually controlled constant pressure buttons. Controller relay solenoid valve 3 landings, Steel vertical gates on 1st floor and basement, wood on mezzanine

[@bsvenadam]

Merry christmas

[@charelevation]

I have never seen one of these in KZbin before

[@tterb1979]

It seems that it's very similar to a hydraulic elevator, which is what it is. However instead of using is hydraulic fluid it uses water. So cool

[@statecollegewx4060]

Awesome!