Elevator doors shall remain fully open in response to a car call for 3 seconds minimum.
- What happens if you hold an elevator door open too long?
- Why do elevator doors close so slowly?
- Why do elevator doors take so long to open?
What happens if you hold an elevator door open too long?
Assuming that the elevator is properly designed and maintained, holding the door open will cause no damage. The manufacturer knows that elevator doors are sometimes held open and should design the mechanism accordingly.
Why do elevator doors close so slowly?
The safety code allows a maximum kinetic energy for the door. Since we can't change the door mass or time, we have to slow the door down to achieve code compliance. This energy maximum was designed to minimize the number of times that elderly people get knocked off balance and injured by a door strike.
Why do elevator doors take so long to open?
This happens because of the wear and tear of the components. Skipping routine maintenance of the elevator aggravates the damage, which can be expensive to fix later. It also overburdens the elevator's motor system and increases electricity consumption.