Dual Fuel Scissor Lift - Is it safe to power down while up?

[BruceWard]

I am buying an Upright XRT27 to use building my house. The engine noise will make it hard to talk to the crew on the inside of the wall. The manual talks about an emergency brake release for the wheels and a lever to lower the platform in an emergency. From that I believe that it stays in position when powered down. Can I raise it to position then kill the engine. I expect to be in the same position for 15 to 20 minutes.

 

[Putter]

I work in an aircraft hangar and that is all we do. It is a JLG scissor lift and runs on gas and propane. We only use the propane in the hangar. Start the engine to move and raise then kill it. Mind you sometimes we are elevated for two hours between breaks. Then you don,t even start up to lower it just drops by pressure relief.

Good luck hope yours is the same setup.

 

[BruceWard]

Great, glad to hear it.

It should be delivered tomorrow. It is a 2007 model with a little under 2,000 hours. It is 4wd and weighs around 7,000 pounds. I needed to rent it for at least 3 months and was able to buy it for the same cost as renting for 5 months. I hope to use it until the house is complete and then sell it. Maybe someone needs a deer stand on wheels

This is a picture of it

 

[mikeinwi]

You can turn the engine off on units like this and it will stay up. There is a solenoid operated valve that holds fluid in the lift cylinder. That valve is closed when there is no power to the coil. You generally do no need to start the engine to lower with machines of this type since the system uses the pump to raise the platform and gravity to lower the platform. You will have to turn the power switch back on to get the controls in the platform working so that you can gravity lower with the down/lowering switch.

Remember to power down the machine after gravity lowering. If you walk away from it for a while with the power on, it is possible to drain the battery with the ignition on for long periods of time.

Some machines have an ignition lock out or timer of some kind to prevent this but that depends on the model and manufacturer.

 

[BruceWard]

Is there an advantage to using propane over gas?

 

[mikeinwi]

Generally, Indoors=Propane Outdoors=Gasoline.

 

[BruceWard]

My usage will be outdoors and gas is easier to get.

 

[mikeinwi]

Then gasoline is your best bet.

 

[BruceWard]

The scissor lift arrived today. It was running on gas and did not have a propane tank.

The first thing I did was take it all the way up (after checking the hoses, engine, etc).

Then I drove it down the driveway and went up in an area where I plan to work on walls

Here it is parked

The engine was very clean. The hoses look new. 3 of the tires look new. It felt much more stable than the concrete version I tried. My only concern was that it juddered a little when I started lowering it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Very cool. Congratulations. I've only used electric ones, and absolutely love them for working in high ceilings.

Eddie