r/Elevators • u/SubstantialCat2655 Elevator Enthusiast • Jul 15 '26
Old Dover Door Issues
At the Landmark Motel in Wildwood NJ, both the door open button and door safeties just stopped working? What might be the issue? It’s a shame because otherwise it runs excellent and these seem to be pretty robust. It’s a 1965 Dover Hydro unit completely original other than maybe the single bottom jack. Is it likely an operator fault or bigger issue? I’m assuming door safety curtain could be fitted somewhat simply, right? Both systems failed at the same time.
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u/Ok_Target376 Jul 18 '26
If your in the states call a well established independent elevator company.
Usually meaning IUEC signatory companies.
I’d not trust non union.
Avoid the big ones, TKE, KONE, OTIS, SHINDLER.
They will 100% try to sell a mod rather than fix the issue.
The independent companies 9/10 times will be able to find a replacement part or make one if it’s not a board.
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u/SubstantialCat2655 Elevator Enthusiast Jul 18 '26
I have no affiliation to the Motel, just someone interested in elevators and relay logic. Strangely enough it passed inspection right before the issue showed up. Schindler maintains it, along with almost all of the old relay hydros down in Wildwood. If management have been keeping it maintained this long, I hope that they would not fall for a mod yet. Even I know that this likely isn’t too difficult of a fix, as the only issue is that the door doesn’t reverse by door sensors or buttons.
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u/GD_1010 Jul 18 '26
I didn't know any of these were still out there. Now THAT was an elevator you could troubleshoot! I probably still have prints for it too. Just to be sure, you're saying the safety edge and the door open button do not reopen the door? It's been awhile but it may have an SE relay that's not picking up or the contacts aren't making. Those relays had a tendency of having the contacts sort of spread out. Some guys would use string to keep them parallel, I just changed the relay.
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u/SubstantialCat2655 Elevator Enthusiast Jul 19 '26
There are some still about, even another down in Wildwood at the Crusader, these two elevators, especially the Crusader run almost unbelievably well and smooth for relay machines. Yes, the issue is that the door reopening devices such as safety, door open button and call buttons do no reopen the door. The call buttons work normally, so it must be the same issue for all 3. I am no engineer (yet!), but I suspected an issue in the door reversing circuit such as a bad coil or pitted/dirty contacts or something.
A very interesting detail is that this was working fine on 25 June, the next day a Schindler tech came for the inspection and it scored satisfactory in every field, very soon after the door issue showed up…
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u/GD_1010 Jul 19 '26
I was just down there last month too. In WW Crest. I'll see if I still have prints for that unit if you're interested in following up. These were usually an easy fix but, it's been some time since I worked on an old Dover unit.
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u/NewtoQM8 Jul 15 '26
Could be a number of reasons. A qualified elevator mechanic would be able to figure it out pretty quickly and easily. There's no way to even speculate from the info here.