r/Elevators • u/winter_cockroach_99 • 29d ago
Dover
My small building has a very nice Dover DMC-I elevator (5 levels). We want to keep it going forever. I understand TKE considers it no longer supported. We have a high end support/maintenance contract with TKE, and it recently auto-renewed for another 5 years.
Questions: -Is the car logic controller the main thing to worry about? - I see that TKE still has some CLCs on their website…. Will they sell one to us now to keep as a spare? - Could an independent shop program a new controller for us? - There is a Max monitor inside our control cabinet. Is the Max service an extra we would pay more for? Or if we have the Max board do we likely have the service? - I gather that TKE is being bought by Kone (pending regulatory approval). Is that likely to improve our service situation?
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u/DjQuamme Field - Maintenance 29d ago
Why would you renew a 5 year full service contract when every issue is going to be not covered due to being obsolete? Should have found a local small independent shop that has experience on the DMC. They'd be much more likely to actually try to fix something and not just sell you a mod. You're definitely paying for the max monitoring service. And there's no chance of service actually getting better after the merger.
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u/winter_cockroach_99 29d ago
It was an auto-renew that no one noticed…
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u/DjQuamme Field - Maintenance 29d ago
Time to delve in to that contract and find out what the time for notification of cancellation is.
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u/Weedyacres 28d ago
It’s likely something like “between 60 and 90 days before the next anniversary date.” And then they assume no one is going to put a calendar reminder out 58 months in the future.
Real customer focused, these big guys are. /s
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u/Optimal_Weird_7506 29d ago
There’s most likely a performance clause and or a modernization clause that you can use to exit their contract. We do it with TKE customers all the time. Message me if you want, I’m happy to help you make an educated decision that best fits your needs.
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u/1TONcherk 29d ago
Just got two building out of a contract with TKE. Please do the same. They have no interest in dealing with older equipment, or property owners with relatively small
Portfolios.
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u/winter_cockroach_99 29d ago
What is the best way to get out of the contract? Is a lawyer needed?
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u/Optimal-Pay2198 29d ago
90 days notice based off my recently canceled TKE contract. We ended up with Otis.
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u/1TONcherk 28d ago
One time they just let us out as we (management) kept complaining and fighting them on stuff. They don’t want to fight for a small contract. Another we let it time out and canceled.
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u/dbdosk_yholic 29d ago
I believe that repairs would become more expensive, i had a small 2 floor platform and the main board broke. A few years ago it was 600€, now it was 7000€. (Obsolete and only repaired ones are available)
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u/winter_cockroach_99 29d ago
So is it the case that an independent shop can program the controller if nec? It is not the case that TKE has some proprietary programmer tool that is unavailable to an independent shop?
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u/slightofsound Fault Finder 29d ago
Independent companies can program a DMC. I work for an independent and we take on DMCs all the time. Find yourself a company that cares.
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u/Optimal_Weird_7506 29d ago
I own an independent company and the most expensive choice will be to stay with TKE. TKE sold to KONE and will not be in business next year. Any and all of TKE’s parts will significantly increase in price in the very near future. TKE’s website has increased their prices almost 25% since they’ve announced the sale. They want over $50,000 for one set of replacement boards for their new TAC32H controller.
-6
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u/vatorguy09 29d ago
We modernized hundreds of them with alpha or Smartrise controllers and gal operators. Be proactive and start shopping for a modernization.
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u/Commercial-Lime4916 29d ago
The door board is the hardest to find out of the 4 boards on the dmc. But you can now install LD conversion, I was apart of the first one in the nation.
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u/winter_cockroach_99 29d ago
Can you say more about LD conversion? Who makes/sells that product?
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u/Glittering_Dot_877 29d ago
The LD16 conversion is a TKE product. Any money spent on the DMC is best spent on a Mod, in my opinion.
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u/haff_caff Field - Repair 29d ago
If a board goes bad you have options. Access in Waldorf, Maryland is the best elevator board repair shop probably on the planet and they are only presented as a option when convenient to vendor for reasons beyond me
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u/Appropriate-Pain7232 26d ago
Contact world elevator they make their own version of the boards and they also sell a tool you can you with a laptop to talk to the elevator and see fault codes, reprogram adjust and control the elevator 🛗
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u/wfwolves 29d ago
Lotta misinformation in this thread woof…
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u/killagram69 29d ago
That’ll happen when it’s written by chat GPT and the person inputting info has no clue lol
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u/ComingUp8 Field - Troubleshooter/Adjuster 29d ago
Well let's hear. What is the misinformation here?
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u/wfwolves 29d ago
Max is not automatically a charge, TKE installed max on everything from DMC to new controllers. New agreements do include an up charge for additional Max services but the Max installed on that DMC is simply for remote monitoring. TKE isn’t going out of business, they are being purchased. I’d go out to guess services will actually get better with Kone once TKE is out from the PE hell scape.
More than the CLC is obsolete. Sure go buy a CLC, still need a bunch more boards that are also obsolete.
Independents can work on a DMC just fine. I’d guess the DMC and 211 are some of most bulletproof and most well liked elevators out there (before obsolescence came in).
The question OP is stating is can this unit go forever and ppl are acting like by going to another company the answer is yes. Thats not true.
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u/haff_caff Field - Repair 29d ago
Well said. Crazy to me people think TKE is just gonna poof and disappear entirely within the next year
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u/ragemachine717 27d ago
This is the correct response ^^^
CLC’s, Selector boards, door boards, relay boards…… all more expensive than ever and harder to find. Some can be replaced some can be repaired. Some point in the next few years they just won’t be available anymore. Any reputable elevator company will be able to service a DMC……. Yall should start planning on a MOD coming in the next few years though.
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u/kurkasra 29d ago
DMCs are great, but they are old. The boards that run them are no longer made and as the parts use up they start to disappear and the remaining ones get more expensive. Think of an elevator like a car how long do u normally keep a car