Ken;
Regarding cameras and recorders in elevator rooms.
I am sure the laws vary from state to state but in my experience NO ACCESS to elevator machine rooms is allowed except by a licensed elevator mechanic or the building maintenance staff.
Therefore you would not be able to INSTALL, SERVICE or even ACCESS the equipment.
When cameras have been installed in elevators the closest thing to equipment in the machine room is the pipe from the elevator came extending OUTSIDE the room for access to the video in a telephone room etc.
In some jurisdictions you can appeal to the State Hoistway department (Or the AHJ for elevators in your state) but you stand a better chance of a powerball win before they will bend.
Joel Kent
FBN (CT).
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Ken,
While I do not have the applicable statutes in front of me but I have read them and I can assure you that in Florida an elevator equipment room is zealously protected by the state elevator gods. In MOST cases no other equipment may be installed in an elevator equipment room particularly if it is a hydraulic elevator. There are some exceptions where the room is large etc. In addition, devices serving the room such as smoke or heat detectors, a camera etc would be allowed but not the head end equipment for a camera system or a fire alarm panel etc. The issue is access to the space, they only want elevator people in the elevator equipment space.
See the ANSI elevator code, Fl Statutes and Florida Administrative Rules re Elevators.
Mike Fletcher
Heeth LLC
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Ken,
On the issue of the elevator room in Florida, the National Electric Code (NEC) states that no other equipment except for such equipment serving the elevator or that space shall be in the elevator machine room. Although his idea about adding a camera in that room might be the loop hole needed to comply. I am an electrical engineer by trade (alarm installer on the side) and have designed electrical panels in machine rooms but I make sure that I feed the elevator or the lights in the room from that panel so I comply. Also just make sure that any penetrations throught the machine room walls are minimum two hour fire rated penetrations. Hopefully this helps.
Matthew Sotherden
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Nothing but elevator equipment is allowed in the elevator equipment in NY either
Scott Diamond
Electrical Solutions
Marlboro NJ