Adding a pendant controller to two post lift

[inane2]

Good evening all,

Thought I would run my ideas / questions by the members here. Got a really good deal on a Challenger E10, 2 post lift. I was noticing the motor is made by Stone for SPX. I looked around online about wanting to add a pendant controller and ran across a SPX Stone KG13 for real cheap on eBay so I picked it up. This is it right here:

http://www.autoliftsandparts.com/kg13-spx-stone-handset-control/

SPX's website defines it as : Control Handset for Double Solenoid, Double-Acting Units

Four wires - start, power, up and down.

My lift has a manual down so I won't need the "down" function. My question, assuming this pendant will work, is how to wire it in. Motor has two wires, cut off bar has two wires and I have two hots coming in. When I ohm the controller out, holding the up button joins the start, power and up together. Holding the down button joins start, power and down together.

I've noticed some other lifts, while they do have a higher HP motor, have pendant controllers wired up to a solenoid. I don't think my little motor will need that.

I did download the install guide for a much beefier, more pimped out Challenger lift and it has two pendant controllers, one at each column. It was wired back into the raise button assembly with the incoming power and the cut off micro switch, no solenoid.

Controller is on an 18-2, SJOOW cord. The shop I work in only has 4 post lifts so I'm very new to the whole two post lift. I wanted this pendant to be able to walk around the car as I'm spotting the arms.

Thank you!

 

[dw1]

I dont think this is going to work on your unit, I would call the phone number listed and ask, the switch you posted says its for use with DC Low Voltage Units, looks to me the E10 is line voltage on the raise and a mechanical lower with the arm.

 

[nehog]

I dont think this is going to work on your unit, I would call the phone number listed and ask, the switch you posted says its for use with DC Low Voltage Units, looks to me the E10 is line voltage on the raise and a mechanical lower with the arm.

You'd have to create a circuit with a small low voltage transformer (or power supply) and a contactor (coil voltage to match the transformer/power supply) to actually control the lift's motor.

I could do this in a couple of minutes in my shop, but without the switch I don't know which wires you'd end up using.

 

[inane2]

Thanks guys.

I called SPX tech line today. They were great and super easy to talk with. SPX advised I burn up the controller pretty quickly. He suggested a relay or solenoid to handle the high power and get the low voltage down to the pendant.

Any thoughts or suggestions here? I'm picturing an old Ford starter solenoid. I know service trucks with lift gates often use continuous duty solenoids. But now I'm discussing DC.

 

[dw1]

First you need to convert to DC, see what the difference is from your Challenger lift to this one:
http://www.challengerlifts.com/CL10series3stagearms.shtml
I would make sure you have an Emergency Stop button. You could make a 24 VDC, xfmer/rectifier/contactor, have you asked Challenger do they have a "Kit" to do what you want? and convert your lift.

Is this lift at your work or at your house?

 

[inane2]

Thank you dw1 for all your input. This lift is at my house. I'm new to the two post. Been working on four posts of all size my whole career as a wrench. I saw some advantages to the 2 post and I wouldn't have to buy the additional scissor jack that rides in between the frame of the 4 post. I figured the pendant would help me with spotting the arms. My pendant only has a 9' lead. Providing I make it work, I'm going to lengthen the SJ cord a bit.

Check out this link, pages 6 and 7:

http://www.aescosc.com/challenger/2-Post_.pdf

This is a seriously pimped out Challenger lift. It has dual pendant controls and an electric lowering valve. If you look at the wiring on page 6, it looks like the micro switch has a built in relay. On page 7, the parts diagram, part #2 is the cover with the raise button and the relay. This may be what I need. The Challenger pendant has a stop button on it. I only gave $18 for mine, used on eBay. I'd certainly consider buying the Challenger unit.

My wiring directions are on page 8 here :

https://www.flamingoshopserv.com/portals/2/news/partsbreakdown/challenger e10.pdf

 

[inane2]

Just noticed also, it looks like they're utilizing a 10-3 with ground wire on the fancy lift with the dual pendants and lowering valve. Looking at the directions for my lift, it looks like they're going with 10-2 with ground.

I haven't ran my wiring yet. I'm next to the panel and will run the wire up to the truss and mount a 240 receptacle and put an SO pigtail on the motor.

 

[inane2]

Ok, more research. Part #2 for the lift with the dual pendant controls is the "motor wiring box cover with relay". This is the piece that has the push button. The cheapest I can find it online is well over $100.

I went and grabbed my cover to look at my cover and relay. My wiring schematic I linked above shows the relay as "240 VAC Coil". The relay itself is a Schneider Electric relay, part # RPF2AP7.

RPF2AP7 - power relay plug-in - Zelio RPF - 2 NO - 230 V AC - 30 A








Looking on Schneider's website, they offer my relay and two more in AC, one at 24V and the other at 120V, both at 30 amps. I'm thinking that the relay is the only difference in my cover panel vs the cover panel on the lift with the pendants. I can source this much cheaper and swap it out (two screws holding it to the cover).

RPF2AB7 - power relay plug-in - Zelio RPF - 2 NO - 24 V AC - 30 A

RPF2AF7 - power relay plug-in - Zelio RPF - 2 NO - 120 V AC - 30 A


http://www.schneider-electric.us/en...F2AP7&conf=US&scp_id=Z018&xtmc=rpf2ap7&xtcr=1

What are your thoughts on switching this in efforts to not burn up the controller?

 

[pattenp]

You really must want that pendant control to go to all this trouble. I have a Challenger lift and looked at modifying it with the pendant controls but after seeing the cost and the trouble to do it, I said screw it, it wasn't worth doing it.

 

[dw1]

You really must want that pendant control to go to all this trouble. I have a Challenger lift and looked at modifying it with the pendant controls but after seeing the cost and the trouble to do it, I said screw it, it wasn't worth doing it.

Yes, I agree, specially if you do it like they have done on their "Upper Level Models"
The main thing is, do it safely, make sure you add an E Stop Button and that it does stop motion in the downward travel.

 

[inane2]

You really must want that pendant control to go to all this trouble. I have a Challenger lift and looked at modifying it with the pendant controls but after seeing the cost and the trouble to do it, I said screw it, it wasn't worth doing it.

Thanks guys. Really hasn't been much trouble. That's the beauty of doing a Google search and finding a company with a squared away website. Insulation company started spraying closed cell foam today so I have a couple days left to play with the idea before I can get back to wiring.

After looking at the CL10 lift and my E10, it seems like it would take very little to do this mod. That's why I'm interested. If it's going to be a huge PITA or $$$, I'll abort mission. Hence, why I came here to ask for advice.

Briefly spoke with SPX today. Their tech advised to go with the 24V relay.

Pattenp, what model lift do you have?

I'm about 30 mins from Challenger's HQ, so I paid them a visit before I bought mine. Good people, gave me a tour of the whole place. Snap On just bought Challenger this summer and they're going to move everything to a new facility over near the airport.

 

[pattenp]

I have a CL9.