ELEVATOR MECHANIC REVIEW /023
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Linear Induction Motor.
Answer: To change direction, you change the phasing to the stator windings
◍ On mechanically linked swing-arm door operating mechanisms with two
speed doors, how is the slow door driven?.
Answer: Driven by a secondary link on the swing arm
◍ Based on ASME requirements for horizontal sliding gates, what is the
maximum distance the gate can be from the full closed position and actuate
the gate switch?.
Answer: 2 inches
◍ What is the required clearance between the car door and the return jamb?.
Answer: 1/4"
◍ What type of freight door has two different panel size to accommodate a
shallow pit?.
Answer: Compound door
◍ You are adjusting the closed position gap between the metal edges of
vertically sliding, bi-parting freight doors. What size gap/overlap should you
have?.
Answer: You must set the gap to at lest 3/4 inch
◍ Interlocks send what kind of signal to the controller?.
Answer: The doors are closed and locked
,◍ You need to adjust the retiring cam on a new freight installation. What is a
properly adjusted retiring cam?.
Answer: The movement of the retiring cam will be at least 1/2 inch more
than the average interlock movement.
◍ You are working on a dumbwaiter that is at the maximum height allowable.
The floor area is 9sqft and the rated capacity is 10.5lbs/ft3. What is the
capacity of this dumbwaiter?.
Answer: 378lbs
◍ Combination mechanical locks and electric contacts are installed on hand
and power operated dumbwaiters that you are servicing. To ensure the doors
are locked when the car leaves the floor, what adjustments are required?.
Answer: Lock the doors when the car is no more than 3 inches from the
floor
◍ What is the requirement for using hoist way access switches on
dumbwaiters?.
Answer: They are required at the terminal landings when the rise is 25' or
greater
◍ How should you install the dumbwaiter car after all of the entrances are in
place?.
Answer: Because one door frame is larger than the rest, you don't need to
take any additional steps to install the car
◍ When making final adjustments to a dumbwaiter hoist way door, where
should you be positioned to accomplish this task?.
Answer: Partially in the hoist way, with power off
◍ Class A loading freight elevator loads must be loaded....
Answer: Manually loaded on and off.
◍ What is the name of the scientific principle that allows for operation of a
hydraulic elevator?.
Answer: Pascal's Law
, ◍ When calcuating hydraulic system pressure, the force is expressed in pounds
and the area of the plunger is measured in square inches. How is pressure
expressed?.
Answer: In pounds per square inch
◍ If a gauge is used to measure system pressure with the elevator at rest and
the size of the plunger is known, how can the total weight of the elevator be
calculated?.
Answer: Multiply pressure times area
◍ How many cubic inches are there in one gallon?.
Answer: 231
◍ What is the area of a 6" plunger.
Answer: 28.27 square inches
◍ A weight (force) of 5000lbs is placed on a hydraulic plunger having an area
of 25 square inces. WHat is the system pressure?.
Answer: 200 psi
◍ How many gallons of oil will be needed to raise a 4" plunger 25 feet?.
Answer: 16.3 gallons
◍ How is a hydraulic elevator rated?.
Answer: Speed and Capacity
◍ When a hydraulic elevator is at rest at floor level, which valve is open?.
Answer: Up valve
◍ What is another term for up slowdown?.
Answer: Up transition
◍ Why is a check valve required?.
Answer: To prevent oil from flowing from the jack to the reservoir
◍ What determines the full speed of a hydraulic elevator?.
Answer: Rate of flow in GPM
◍ What is the definition of "working pressure".
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Linear Induction Motor.
Answer: To change direction, you change the phasing to the stator windings
◍ On mechanically linked swing-arm door operating mechanisms with two
speed doors, how is the slow door driven?.
Answer: Driven by a secondary link on the swing arm
◍ Based on ASME requirements for horizontal sliding gates, what is the
maximum distance the gate can be from the full closed position and actuate
the gate switch?.
Answer: 2 inches
◍ What is the required clearance between the car door and the return jamb?.
Answer: 1/4"
◍ What type of freight door has two different panel size to accommodate a
shallow pit?.
Answer: Compound door
◍ You are adjusting the closed position gap between the metal edges of
vertically sliding, bi-parting freight doors. What size gap/overlap should you
have?.
Answer: You must set the gap to at lest 3/4 inch
◍ Interlocks send what kind of signal to the controller?.
Answer: The doors are closed and locked
,◍ You need to adjust the retiring cam on a new freight installation. What is a
properly adjusted retiring cam?.
Answer: The movement of the retiring cam will be at least 1/2 inch more
than the average interlock movement.
◍ You are working on a dumbwaiter that is at the maximum height allowable.
The floor area is 9sqft and the rated capacity is 10.5lbs/ft3. What is the
capacity of this dumbwaiter?.
Answer: 378lbs
◍ Combination mechanical locks and electric contacts are installed on hand
and power operated dumbwaiters that you are servicing. To ensure the doors
are locked when the car leaves the floor, what adjustments are required?.
Answer: Lock the doors when the car is no more than 3 inches from the
floor
◍ What is the requirement for using hoist way access switches on
dumbwaiters?.
Answer: They are required at the terminal landings when the rise is 25' or
greater
◍ How should you install the dumbwaiter car after all of the entrances are in
place?.
Answer: Because one door frame is larger than the rest, you don't need to
take any additional steps to install the car
◍ When making final adjustments to a dumbwaiter hoist way door, where
should you be positioned to accomplish this task?.
Answer: Partially in the hoist way, with power off
◍ Class A loading freight elevator loads must be loaded....
Answer: Manually loaded on and off.
◍ What is the name of the scientific principle that allows for operation of a
hydraulic elevator?.
Answer: Pascal's Law
, ◍ When calcuating hydraulic system pressure, the force is expressed in pounds
and the area of the plunger is measured in square inches. How is pressure
expressed?.
Answer: In pounds per square inch
◍ If a gauge is used to measure system pressure with the elevator at rest and
the size of the plunger is known, how can the total weight of the elevator be
calculated?.
Answer: Multiply pressure times area
◍ How many cubic inches are there in one gallon?.
Answer: 231
◍ What is the area of a 6" plunger.
Answer: 28.27 square inches
◍ A weight (force) of 5000lbs is placed on a hydraulic plunger having an area
of 25 square inces. WHat is the system pressure?.
Answer: 200 psi
◍ How many gallons of oil will be needed to raise a 4" plunger 25 feet?.
Answer: 16.3 gallons
◍ How is a hydraulic elevator rated?.
Answer: Speed and Capacity
◍ When a hydraulic elevator is at rest at floor level, which valve is open?.
Answer: Up valve
◍ What is another term for up slowdown?.
Answer: Up transition
◍ Why is a check valve required?.
Answer: To prevent oil from flowing from the jack to the reservoir
◍ What determines the full speed of a hydraulic elevator?.
Answer: Rate of flow in GPM
◍ What is the definition of "working pressure".
