4 Essential Factors to Bear in Mind When Buying Car Elevators for Apartment Buildings

Car elevators enable vertical movement of vehicles from one level to another, ensuring smooth and safe transportation, especially in high rise parking. Car lifts are ideal for large parking areas because they guarantee timely delivery of cars to upper levels of a building. When buying a vehicle lift, ensure that you consider factors such as the weight of cars, size of lift cabin and handling system. Here are some fundamental considerations to bear in mind when shopping for a car elevator for your apartment building. 

Power -- Different lifts have different power requirements depending on size, make and model. Furthermore, speed and load capacity are crucial factors that determine power needs for a car elevator. For instance, a 3,000 kg capacity lift with a speed of 0.5 m/s will require more power compared to a 2,000 kg capacity lift of the same rate. Remember that the power rating of a car elevator is that which is produced by the motor in the lift's axle, and it is also known as useful power.

Mountings and Fixations -- Most lifts come with pre-mounted guides that are strengthened by welding industrial laminated frames. For parts that are mounted directly on concrete walls, it is recommended to use welding or industrial anchorages. Work with lift installation experts to choose the right anchorages to support your car elevator. Furthermore, select mountings and fixations that can be installed faster if the right equipment is available. For example, the cost of lift installation can rise significantly if lack of appropriate machinery hampers mounting speed.

Oil Cooler -- Apartment parking areas that experience high traffic might require a lift with an oil cooler. Continuous operation of the elevator with double-digit starts per hour can cause the system to generate excessive heat in the hydraulic unit. The size of the oil cooler should vary based on the weight to be lifted and the kind of lift usage -- either intensive or moderate. Most importantly, ensure that a car elevator supplier provides the right oil cooler size for seamless operation of the car lift.

Automatic Rescue Device -- The automatic rescue (ARD) device is an accessory that can be installed with a car lift to operate the elevator temporarily when an apartment building experiences a power failure. When there is the power outage, and the lift is still between two levels, the ARD makes sure that the elevator gets to the next level where the door eventually opens. The ARD is ideal for buildings without backup power.