- This topic has 21 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by
.
stannah 215
-
-
Hello again Gents
Its my pleasure to post the first technical question on the forum!
i have an old Stannah 215 and found the safety gear engaged on a call, the chain looks like it has stretched over time and has no more adjustment.
if i remove a chain link and correctly make the ends off i think this would solve the problem.
obviously the best solution would be to replace the chain, but i’m asking really if anyone has done this before??
GC
-
If it’s a 215 there is a tensioning bolt in the bottom end of the track.
Put the lift in slack chain, then release the top chain fixings and the wind through about a foot of chain below the carriage (or physically ease the carriage down a little) this will give you some free chain to work with.
Remove the bottom end cap and there will be a 5mm allen bolt holding the chain fixing in place, undo it and ease out the bottom chain bracket.
On the bottom is a 13mm nut on a threaded bar which adjusts the chain tension, or, if required, links can be removed as the final link is a joiner.
Just don’t tension the old thing too highly as all you will do is increase roller wear, aim to have the chain forming a slight bow when the lift is at top limit and for the chain to be just clear of touching track at all times during travel.
If it’s a 205 the the spring in the bottom track fixing will have broken – try fitting the footrest holdup spring from a 250 or 260 as a fix on one of these. -
Thanks for the reply Kevin, you obviously know your stair lifts!
While i have you, i have and old 205 i think that’s the model
it has grey paint and is chain driven and looks as old as the hills
i have to change the trailing flex but never done it on one of these before.
Does the chair hinge over like the slightly later bench seat model?wana be prepared for this one because i think its guna be a pain in the ass
-
Sorry my minds gone blank on the 205, it’s been a while but iirc then you can access the trailing flex cable clamp from within the pcb panel I think its a couple of 8mm nuts at the top of the frame which holds the pcb in place.
The 215 clamp is down near the limit switch assembly and if you’re lucky with small hands you can get in and ease the clamp off by just taking off the back panel not so sure about the 205 – I do remember that everything is push on crimp connectors though and always worth taking a photo on your mobile before starting just in case you knock a few extras off. -
Thanks Kev yes thats the one with the push on crimps
Not looking forward to it!
-
The best way to spot a 205 is the rail is generally gold in colour and looks like no other stairlift rail Stannah has built. Changing a cable on one is easy enough just drop the pcb plate cover screw out to gain access. Clamp the trailing cable above the lift so it don’t go into the rail and cut it off. The rest is standard.
-
Si are you thinking of a golden rail – the curve precursor to the 229?
I’ve never seen a gold rail 205 thay are all bog standard alloy finished rails afaik -
The 205s I’ve worked on some have had the gold colour rail and some have been standard. The majority have been gold. Def not the 229 or 228 precursor.
-
15 years ago they were not too heavy, if you knew how to cheat and slide just half the lift off the rail at the bottom. 15 years on and think i will need 3 Shreddies now!
-
Never thought of adding the extra 1/2″ asa link, if needed to remove … always took it off the track at bottom then bumped the track up one step and secured on bottom halfen bolts, saved disconnecting the trailer or carrying down the stairs if removing completely. this can even work with 230’s nothing worse than nicking the cable when i doubles over. Once the the lift was refitted to the track, slightly slacken the halfen bolt then wiggle it to and fro for a controlled descent of the installation back into place..had the benefit you could still run the lift when off the rail….
-
I think your best bet is to be honest with your new employer as to your weaknesses, get someone on the staff to give you a bit of on the job training on these models as you are fairly unlikely to get the manuals – out of date and they were always protective about who got to look at them. If the firm is any good and you show a good work ethic then they will do everything to get you up to speed.
Let’s face it it won’t look to good on them for you to be dropping a 225 down someones stairs! -
I agree with Kevin on this. Doing is better than just reading it out of a book and if you have only ever worked on dc equipment then the ac stuff will be a risky eye opener if your not trained.
-
Not quite dropping one down the stairs, but I was once called in to remove a 215 which had gone into free-fall when the previous company (no longer in business thank god) had levered the chain out without ensuring it was held on the slack chain.
Good job she had a storage heater at the bottom to arrest its travel! -
I have a Stannah 215 and the trailing cable came off the roller and got damaged. The repair man said you need a new stair lift but we have had this one ages and its been brilliant . Is it repairable?
-
If it is just a trailing flex then yes it’s repairable, but I would strongly suggest you look at getting it replaced.
-
My neighbour has a Stannah 215 with an intermittent fault. I was fiddling with a small lever on ‘upstairs’ side of the seat, and the stairlift started working again, but I don’t know if this was just a coincidence as I don’t know what this lever actually does – it has very little travel and doesn’t seem to do anything when you tug on it. Does anyone know what this lever is supposed to do? It can be pulled out and pushed in a little, but it goes through a hole so there is no travel in any other direction.
Thanks. -
Sounds like the slack chain reset, get someone in who knows what they are doing. That lever resets the primary safety gear and there must be a reason why it activated.
Don’t use it till it’s been chaecked. -
Thanks for the info, and I would not attempt to fix anything as I am no expert on these things, especially since it is not my stairlift! On further investigation, the problem seems to be with a relay – there are 4 on the PCB and when you hold the switch down, one of the smaller relays starts clicking, the clicking gets more rapid and louder then the motor suddenly starts up. Makes no difference whether I use the lever or not. Seems to go upstairs OK but gets stuck at the top sometimes, but when running, the thing works very well.
If it is just a faulty relay then can you still get parts for these old stairlifts and is this a fairly easy fix? Or is the system toast and not worth bothering with? -
Its unlikely a relay fault – more liklely a broken or worn cable or resistance in one of the directional circuits as you say it works ok on the up but sticks coming down. I dont advise bypassing or defeating any ciruits to return the stairlift back to operation.
-
Sounds like it’s worth trying to get someone in to fix it, then, presuming I can find anyone who will be prepared to have a look at it. I could probably replace the relays myself but I won’t risk that, if it’s not likely to be the problem.
Thanks for the info. -
Hi
I know its a long time after the last post, but I am looking for some help. I have an old 215 with the same issue, goes up OK, but not always down. after a lot of clicking sounds does eventually work and go down. Did you manage to get yours fixed? If yes what was it? I have found a replacement PCB for £125, but TBH its not worth spending that on a lift that’s 30+ years old, but I am loathed to junk it if I can get it working again. Any help appreciated Thanks
-
Sounds like bad contacts on the down relay – try swapping them over and see if the fault moves to the up drive.
-
-
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
