|
|
While it is out of our area (Hounslow, south west London), it's only just an hour away by car.
On Sunday (this weekend just gone) I popped up to see a lady (who knows my wife and shares a similar disability to her) who lives in Hounslow.
She has had a small extension added to her home and has had a second hand through floor lift (a Wessex VM36 or VM 56 model) installed by someone (not sure who). This was installed before last Christmas and they never managed to get it working, claiming something was missing. I'm not overly technical in that department, but I printed out some service manual diagrams and electrical and electronics wiring schematics and was able to track down a misplaced wire that once fitted correctly was able to trigger the lift to move up.
We were pretty excited but once the lift reached the first floor level it refused to allow the door to open (it was able to be opened manually) and no matter what we tried we couldn't get the lift to come back down.
There were a couple more wires that hadn't been fitted but we ran out of time and had to come back home. I managed (out of sheer desperation) to speak to a Jason from Hounslow Men's Shed quite late on Sunday and he passed my info to a chap called Paul (who is the Chairman of Hounslow Men's Shed) who kindly visited the lady yesterday (bank holiday Monday) to take another look (by himself). Through speaking to me on the phone and by investigating on his own he was able to figure out that one of the loose wires tests at 0v with no buttons pressed but registers a voltage once the down button is pressed. This wire should connect to the hydraulic control but we're not sure exactly where. The printed diagrams do give a few clues but don't conclusively make it clear.
Unfortunately, 5 minutes after he switched everything off and was about to leave a pop was heard and a hydraulic leak sprayed the fluid all over the wall behind the lift, and also caused the lift to very slowly descend back to ground floor level. He contained the fluid as best as he could (it's very difficult to access, being so close to the wall behind the lift). We don't know if this is a split hydraulic hose or a connector that has come loose.
So, we need an expert, or two or three to all go up en masse to figure out what is going on.
Considering that Wessex Lifts is/was based in Romsey and considering the Men's Sheds are full of retired people, there's a strong chance that one of those retired chaps may be an ex through floor lift installer or service engineer, or knows of one.
Please help. I think that because the lift is second hand and has most likely been installed by someone who doesn't know the lift and isn't an authorised installer that any authorised installer/service personnel wouldn't touch it as there's too much liability so it's going to have to be looked at through unofficial channels such as the Men's Shed.
If you'd be kind enough to reply here, or alternatively I can be reached on 023 9226 5466 or 07982
606039.
Simon Ferré
Secretary at Havant Men's Shed (Bedhampton)
|
Locked
