Which drive to use?
Is often confused.
This is caused by salespeople who want you to buy what they sell.
Rather than what is best for you.
Learn for yourself..
Disabled Access
For disabled access, winding drum and screw drive are often chosen because these lifts are a must have compliance satisfying legal requirement for two floors. Price is the decider.
Home Lifts
Electric traction and hydraulic are usually chosen as they are simply much better. For your own house, you get what adds value rather than is functional. (what do you drive personally? Or wear?)
| Type | Biggest Pro | Biggest Con | Image | Max Floors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Traction | Quick and Smooth | Higher Cost |  | Virtually unlimited 200 floors is achievable with special Kevlar cables (1000m) |
| Hydraulic | Quick and fair value | Machine space required |  | 7 Floors (21m) |
| Winding Drum | Cheap and basic | Slow, nosier and needs more power to travel |  | 3 floors (6m) |
| Screw Drive | Very Cheap | Slow, limited travel and hold to run |  | 2 floors (4m) |
Electric Evolution
1857
Electric Traction were the first drives in lifts. They were expensive and required machine space overhead.
1977
Other technologies that did not require overhead machinery space and were lower cost, like hydraulics became common.
2000
MRL electric drives which were Machine Room Less were developed. They were still expensive.
2017
MRL electric drives cost drop to the level that they are now a good option for home lifts and for lower numbers of floors.