# Does your vortek?



## HillJonathan (Jun 11, 2010)

If this breaks any tos or anything let me me know. We currently have a 1200lb vortek system somewhat newly installed in our space. Over this year we have gone over the 1200lb limit on many occasions. As we were told by Vortek we should gang two batons together to cut the added weight. The problem we run into is they batons do not want to run at the same speed and pop and go slack and than the system shuts down. Vortek has come down and checked the program and keep telling us everything is fine and than they wont come when we are in a setup thats causing it. I'm not in charge of any of this stuff they just asked us to ask people we know if they too have these sorts of problems with there system. The brakes like to drag on a regular bases as well but thats a different problem. 

THANKS


----------



## MPowers (Jun 11, 2010)

Johnathan,
This concerns me a great deal, which theatre are you at? Not the Wyly, Dallas Theater Center, ??? Please contact me directly [email protected] about this as you have a serious problem. if not with the system, then with the people you are dealing with. 

It sounds like you are dealing with several problems here. First, if you are consistently going over the limit of the system, perhaps your designer(s) and TD need to rethink the way your shows are designed and built. How much over the 1200# are your loads?

However, that doesn't solve the mechanical problem. Who told you to gang battens? The Factory rep or the dealer/installer? When you say they won't come out to examine the system, are you talking about factory reps, or the dealer who installed the system? As you are, in your words, exceeding the load limit "on many occasions", has anyone considered double purchasing the heavy loads? Your line speed would be half, but your load capacity would double. Just out of curiosity, if you are constantly exceeding the limit of the winches, are you exceeding the safe loading of your grid?

BTW, the brakes SHOULD drag. That is the type of primary brake used on the Vortek system. It is called a "drive through" brake and was originally invented and developed for heavy loads carrying people in inclined railways ascending the sides of mountains as in Pittsburgh. The original design was then configured specifically for theatrical loads over people's heads. The brake is always engaged so any failure of the system results in a stop. (factory blurb follows) "Vortek’s unique, patented brake, specifically designed for theatre applications, is a continuously applied, variable-load, back-up brake that eliminates over-speed brake and "shock-load"-type problems. The brake is connected to the drum, and operates independently of any electrical or drive-train system. In the event of all other elements in the drive-train system failing, everything stops within 3mm. The mechanical Vortek back-up brake also remains fully functional in the event of a power failure. "

Anyway, contact me!!!

Michael Powers, Project Manager, Vortek Dealer/Installer
ETCP Certified Rigger - Theatre
Central Lighting & Equipment Inc.
675 NE 45th Place, Des Moines, Iowa, 50313


----------

