Adjust a commercial door closer in an apartment complex

[loninappleton]

Not strictly a home repair question but I have nowhere else to go.

Where can I find an exploded diagram of how thse things work: backswing, speed of closure and so forth?

The closer here has one visible adjustment for speed in the end of the cylinder.

Also at the end of the cylinder are 3 equal spaced indents which look like sockets for some custom tool.

I know how the screw works to adjust the speed.

1.) How is the back swing adjusted?

2.) Are there separate adjustments at each end of the cylinder? The cylinder has those 3 indents at both ends.

any leads to manuals pdfs on such devices would help.

I'm going to make a simple makeshift tool of a stick of wood and 3 screws from a tracing of the end of the cylinder. But I still need to know what to do with it.

[DanG]

First, you need to find out what brand and model closer you are looking at.

One of the big names in closers is LCN. Their website is here:

I am not sure that the site has instructions on setting the closer.

Another major player is Norton:

.PDF file shows the adjusters. Swing and latch on one end, back check on the other.

Almost all brands do something similar. The adjustments will be Allen wrench recessed socket head screws. Not all closers have a back check valve. They will all tend to have a swing speed and latch speed adjustment. Some will have a power level adjustment, which is what I suspect you are calling a speed adjustment.

All the closers I know of slow their motion by turning the adjustment clockwise. One full turn is a huge adjustment, it will usually be more like a 1/4 or 1/2 turn adjustment to fine tune a feature, at least once it is in the ball park. Most are shipped in the ball park. ______________________________ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) [e-mail]

[Mark D]

While I'm unsure of the brand you have, in many cases, those little holes you note might contain recessed Allen Screws for adjustment.

Usually, one will adjust the ease of opening the door, another will adjust the closing speed of the door for the large portion of it's travel, and the other may be for adjusting the closing speed for the last 12 inches of closure.

When adjusting, adjust one screw at a time, and make note of approximately how much turning you do with each of these screws. Then test the door by opening, noting its resistance upon opening, and noting the speed of how the door now closes, If the door closure operation becomes worse in any respect, return the recently adjusted screw back to it's original state, and then try another.

With a little experimentation, you should be able to get it just the way you want it to be. Hope this helps, Mark

[buffalobill]

use it to dial the apartment complex maintenance department. you may get by with an adjustment or hours of monkeying with the thing after it's due for replacement. i've been there. it probably has oil inside. read on.

"Closers Closers - hydraulic and pneumatic - control the closing of doors and reduce shock to doors and hardware. Hydraulic closers, common in commercial applications, contain an oil reservoir and cylinder with an adjustable nut that controls flow of oil into the cylinder to adjust the closing speed and the impact against the door frame when closing. Pneumatic closers have an adjusting nut to control the air flow and rate of closing.

Door closers are required on fire-rated doors so the door will close after someone has passed through it. Most closers have a sweep and latch adjustment. Sometimes, facilities need the door to close quickly and then slow down right before closing to avoid slamming. Other applications require the door to close slowly and then speed up at the very end to ensure it actually latches. Closers control a door throughout its opening and closing swing." so says

let a pro do it says:

[Stormin Mormon]

I can't help you with an exploded diagram.

That said, I've adjusted a lot of door closers, and I can tell you how to do it. But, you didn't ask.

[loninappleton]

Ok, I'm asking.

To the rest that answered, thanks for your replies. I haven't brought a stool out there yet to get the mfg info... I have to do that on the sly. This is a _personal_ job. :-)

I can't figure out how to subscribe to this thread.

Where's the subscribe button?

[loninappleton]

Didn't find the subscribe button yet, but I did get the info on the mfg of the door closer.

It is International Door Closers-- IDC? This outfit is not mentioned above.

Maybe there is a way to get to diagram from here (?)

I am going to explore the links while I am near a printer. I don't have a printer.

[Stormin Mormon]

The door closers I've served, here is the wisdom:

• Sometimes there is a plastic or metal cover, you need to loosen a phillips screw to get the cover off.

You'll need a two or three step stool, so you can get up to the closer and make the adjustments. Generaly only turn an adjustment half a turn (180 degrees). And then move your stool, and open the door wide open. Let it close on its own, and see that's what you wanted to happen. Let the door close two or three times to see how much you changed it, and if that's more what you wanted.

The adjustments are typically labelled L, S, and BC. The tool you need is an allen key (six sided wrench).

Sweep adjusts how fast the door swings from wide open to nearly shut. Turn the adjuster in (clockwise / right) to make the door swing slower. Never try to swing the door while the screw is completely cranked in.

Latch adjusts how fast the door swings when it's almost closed to when it is closed. Clockwise is slower. It is possible to set a door to sweep quickly, and then suddenly slow down right before it closes.

BC / Backcheck sets how much the door resists being over -opened, or opened past 90 degrees. I've never needed to adjust this.

If these adjustments don't work, it is because the closer has lost all the hydraulic fluid, and needs to be refilled or replaced. Closers which slam the door very often need to be refilled. And that's another news group post for later.

Put the plastic cover back on.