Shoutout to the building manager at 44 Spring Street

I rode an elevator there last Tuesday that had a 1940s Otis controller still running original relays. Everyone I talk to says rip it out and put in a new MCE board. But that thing ran smooth with zero ghost calls. The building manager told me they spend maybe $400 a year on contact cleaning and a few relay swaps. I disagree that old gear is always a liability. Has anyone else found an old controller that actually works better than the replacement options?

2 comments

2 Comments

caseyclark1mo ago

In my experience that banjo sound was probably just a loose relay or a contact that needed cleaning, not a sign the whole system was shot. I had a similar old controller in our building back in the '90s that the modern guys swore was a fire hazard, but with a little maintenance it ran quieter and smoother than the replacements they were pushing. Your mileage may vary, but I think people underestimate how well simple electromechanical gear can hold up if you just keep the dust out.

elizabethf851mo ago

I once lived in a building with an elevator that sounded like it was tuning a banjo every time it moved. Probably cost less to fix than my phone bill too.