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I used to think a little slack in the governor rope was fine
For years I'd adjust them to maybe a quarter inch of play, thinking it was safe enough. Then last month I was working on a 15 story office building in Tacoma and saw a rope jump the sheave during a test run. The building manager showed me the maintenance log and the previous guy had it set exactly like I always did. That was the moment I realized 'close enough' isn't good enough with safety devices. Now I follow the manual to the letter and aim for zero slack. Has anyone else had a close call that made them change a routine practice?
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oliver8551d ago
Guess that quarter inch of play was just the rope's way of asking for a little vacation time. So much for thinking it was just being relaxed and easygoing. My wake up call was watching a gearbox eat itself because I thought 'hand tight' was a real measurement. Turns out the manual really does mean 'until it strips' sometimes.
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leom741d ago
Until it strips" seems like a stretch for most manuals. They usually give a torque spec for a reason. I've never seen one that actually tells you to break the hardware.
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williamw7521h ago
Hold up, you saw it JUMP the sheave? On a 15 story drop? That's not a close call, that's a full-on horror movie scene. A quarter inch of slack on a governor rope is basically an invitation for disaster. I get chills just picturing that cable popping off and whipping around. That logbook note from the last guy is the scariest part, like a ghost from bad habits past. Makes you triple check everything now, doesn't it?
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