The difference between elevators and lifts

 

What is the difference between an elevator, elevator lift and platform lift?

An elevator, elevator lift and platform lift are alll elevator solutions which can be installed indoors as a substitute for a back stairway, kitchen stairway, or in a durchsicht (free area) by the main stairway, or outdoors as free standing or mounted on a storey building up to a balcony, hallway, with own repos or with direct access from the building.

So how do you know which is the right solution? It depends largely on which parameters are the highest priority for you. Is it the price? The speed? Comfort and automation? Or future-proofing and increasing the accessibility to you property? Below in the overview you quickly compare the specifications for each product category.

Elevator, elevatorlift og platformlift overview:

Type Elevator without shaft Elevator with shaft Elevatorlift with shaft Platformslift with shaft
Series MSC InLet HSC AluLet LSC AluLet LSP AluLet
Model Starter / Rise / Heavy HSCI / HSCO LSCI / LSCO LSPI / LSPO
Placement Indoor Indoor / Outdoor Indoor / Outdoor Indoor / Outdoor
Load (max) 1000 kg / 2000 kg / 2000 kg 630 kg 400 kg 400 kg
People 4-13 / 8-26 / 14-26 8 5 5
Speed 1 m/sek / 1,6-2 m/sek / 1 m/sek 0,63 m/sec 0,15 m/sec 0,15 m/sec
Chair Cabin Cabin Cabin Platform
Chair call Impulse Impulse Impulse Hold
Floor call Impulse Impulse Impulse Impulse
Norm EN81-20,EN81-21, EN81-70
& EN81-28
EN81-20 2006/42/EF 2006/42/EF
Grube 1000 1000 70 70
Top height 3500 mm 3500 mm 2400 mm 2400 mm
Max height 45 meter / 90 meter / 45 meter 30 meter 30 meter 30 meter
Datasheets Starter / Rise / Heavy HSCI / HSCO LSCI / LSCO LSPI / LSPO

Standard for all: Standard installation, persontransport, CE-certified.(2006/42/EF = Machine Directive.)

Price difference

Elevators are traditionally the most expensive elevator solution, the elevator lift is a medium priced solution, and the platform lift is the most economic solution. There are several factors that influence the price difference, such as the amount of changes to be made in the surroundings, cabin / shaft size, lift height, number of floors and doors, as well as customer specific adjustments to the look of the product.

What most often makes the elevator the most expensive solution is that it must live up to the Elevator Directive's standards for thicks (pit below the shaft) and top height (space above the shaft) for safety reasons. This means that a larger excavation must be carried out where one can encounter unexpected challenges such as old drainage and electricity supply. Space must also be made in the ceiling for the extra top height. Read more about our elevator solution here.

What makes the elevator lift the second most expensive is that there is no requirement for large pit and top height on it. Therefore, many of the adaptation costs are saved by installing an elevator lift. However, one still has the same price as the elevator regarding the doors in the cabin and on the floors. Read more about the elevor lift here.

What makes the platform lift the most economic elevator solution is that, like with the elevator lift, there are no requirements for a large Thick and Top Height, and thus adaptation of the surroundings. In addition, you save cabin material and doors as the platform lift consists of an open platform which runs in the shaft, and not a closed chair cabin. Read more about the platform lift here.

Speed difference

The MRL InLet elevators are our fastest indoor products with a speed between 1-2 m/sec depending on the model. The HSC Elevator is our fastest product suitable for both indoor and outdoor installation, with a speed of 0.63 m / sec, which is why there are extra safety requirements for a larger thick and top height on this product. Both the LSC elevator lift and the LSP platform lift run at a slightly lower speed of 0.15 m / sec and therefore avoid falling under the same standards, which means that they can be installed directly on existing floors.

All 3 AluLet products can be installed up to 30 meters, however, the elevator can be adapted to an infinite amount of floors, whereas the elevator lift and platform lift are best suited for lifts up to 5 floors, to avoid that the lower speed cause waiting time at the floors.

Comfort and automation

All our units for passenger are equipped with soft start and stop. That is, they do not start with a jerk but excelerate slowly up to the max speed and slow down before stopping. We have the market's largest chair measurement in relation to shaft dimensions, our products can be adjusted to extremely narrow spaces, but the cabin / platform space is always optimized.

Manual and electric sliding doors can be installed on all systems. However, electric folding doors can only be installed for elevators and elevator lifts. As a standard, we do not use telescopic doors as we optimize our interior cabin / platform dimensions in relation to external shaft dimensions.

All three run with standard elevator buttons, also called impulse-controlled operation from the floors, the elevator and elevator lift also do from the cabin. The platform lift, on the other hand, has a holding pressure button from the inside, also called dead man's pressure, that is, you have to hold the button while driving. This is a safety requirement as it is not a closed chair / cabin, but an open chair / platform.

Future-proofing and increasing accessibility 

Whether you choose to install an elevator, elevator lift or platform lift, you increase the value of the building, as well as the accessibility to people with disabilities, families with children, and future-proof it for existing residents in their old age. In addition, all our 3 products have the advantage that they are suitable for being built directly into or on existing buildings without huge building costs. Our elevator solutions all come with their own shaft as opposed to the traditional rope-borne elevator solutions, where you first have to make room and build a wall from scratch to create the shaft that the cabin can be placed in.

All three elevator solutions come in a wide assortment of shafts and cabine / platform dimensions, and your requirements determine how accessible your property will be. Should there be room for wheelchair users, bicycles, ambulance people with stretchers etc.? In addition, one must keep in mind that the platform elevator is controlled with the manual holding pressure on the button from the load.

Read more about the different elevator solutions here:

 

CHECK

PRODUCED IN DENMARK

CHECK

+ 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE

CHECK

HIGH QUALITY

CHECK

LONG LASTING SOLUTIONS

 

Latest News Articles

Updated safety and maintenance regulations | HYDRO-CON Elevator A/S

Updated safety and maintenance regulations

HYDRO-CON updates safety and maintenance instructions for all products

At the end of 2023, HYDRO-CON has started the rollout of updated regulations for safety and maintenance. Read more

Kick-start of digitization | HYDRO-con Elevator A/S

Kick-start of digitization

HYDRO-CON kick-starts the digitization in collaboration with Erhvervshus Hovedstaden.

Through a collaboration with Erhvervshus Hovedstaden, Hydro-con elevator has kick-started activities for, among other things, the development of the company's digitalisation.

Read more
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year | HYDRO-CON Elevator A/S

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

All our HYDRO-CON customers, suppliers and business relations are hereby wished a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

We have had an exciting year, with many internal changes that we look forward to presenting to you in 2023.

Read more