Build your own bin lift system? We have the right lifting columns for it
If you would like to build a bin lift system yourself, for example, we will show you here how you can build your own bin lift system for up to 1-4 240-litre bins.
We have put together a set of lifting columns that you can use to build a bin lift system yourself, for example. All you need is an insulated floor shaft to be constructed on site, which can be made of concrete or bricks.
This illustration shows how you could use the 2x 3 Linak DL2 drives for a self-built waste bin lift. The shaft is shown in transparent yellow. The red transparent components shown are the steel crossbars and the brown transparent components shown are the waste bin base and the system cover made of chequer plate. All the transparent parts mentioned must be produced on site and are not part of the Linak DL2 drive solution.
Here we explain the lifting columns required for a self-built waste bin lift system for up to 4 waste bins of 240 litres each
The lifting column set that we have put together for you consists of 6 Linak lifting column drives, which have sufficient lift and power to lift up to 4 x 240-litre bins out of the ground, for example. The drives are fully electric and completely maintenance-free. The drives are made of anodised aluminium.
Installation design for 1-3 waste bins
If you want to move 1-3 waste bins, you can, for example, reduce the size of the crossbars and the corresponding plates and adapt them to your required dimensions; you must also adapt the chute to the reduced installation dimensions yourself.
Important information in advance: the specified filling weight of the 240 litre waste bins is not equivalent to the volumetric filling weight with water. The filling weight is limited by the waste disposal company
The volumetric filling weight of the waste bins is not the same as the weight if they were filled with water, for example. Imagine that if they were filled with water, the bins would weigh 240 kg each. With 4 tonnes, that's almost 1000 kg! You wouldn't be able to move the bin filled with water on your own and that's not what bins are designed for. It is simply an indication of the volume capacity of the bin. The filling weight is therefore limited.
The regional waste disposal companies or the waste disposal companies in your municipality or city often have the maximum filling weight available on their websites. However, here is a small list of how much the brown, black, yellow and blue bins may weigh on average:
120 lit re bins may weigh a maximum of between 50-60 kg
240 lit re bins may weigh a maximum of 70-80 kg
The correct force design of the lifting columns of the self-assembly waste bin lift
These weight specifications for the bin capacity are important basic information for correctly designing the self-assembly bin lift system and its lifting capacity. Of course, we have done this for you in advance and have designed our available drive set with a maximum load capacity of 500 kg.
We have specified the following weights for each area
With 4 waste bins, you have a total weight of 320 kg (4 x 80 kg) according to the above-mentioned maximum filling quantity weight specifications of the waste disposal company. This means you still have 180 kg for the other components to be lifted.
You will need approx. 30-40 kg for the chequer plate lid and the chequer plate base.
The traverse component, which connects the two lifting drives, may then weigh another 50-80 kg. This gives you a total weight to be lifted of approx. 440 kg. We recommend that you do not fully utilise the lifting weight of the drive system, as reducing the lifting load has a positive effect on the service life of the drives.
With this solution, the chequer plate cover cannot be covered with paving stones, as the total weight is very quickly exceeded. The frame planned and manufactured by you may only be mounted on the drives in a fully aligned and tension-free manner. You can place rubber plates (min. 10 mm material thickness) the size of the plate between the crossbar and the drive unit to allow for any tension that may occur during production (approx. 1-4 mm max.). This gives you a little "play" in the system at the fixing points and compensates for slight manufacturing and synchronisation-related tension.
The bin platform on which the bins stand and connects the lifting columns to each other
You can manufacture the connecting platform (steel crossbar components) on which the waste bins stand according to your own plans. Please ensure that your construction fits on the drives and does not hinder or restrict the function of the drives. This platform must be manufactured by you on site and can be made of S235 structural steel. It is important that this traverse steel component is then galvanised. It is then protected against the effects of the weather.
If you are unable to build the truss steel component yourself, we recommend that you order this truss steel component from a metalworker. As this is a simple welded construction, the price will be manageable at a few hundred euros. However, you can also have the platform made of stainless steel, which saves you the trouble of galvanising. As we know, stainless steel is somewhat more expensive to purchase than galvanised steel, but offers very good corrosion protection.
The aluminium chequer plate bin base
An edge plate made of chequer plate is then mounted on the galvanised steel crossbar component to form the closed base for the waste bins. You are responsible for producing or supplying the base, which can be configured and ordered from www.blechking.com according to the component drawing. However, you can also order or commission the chequer plate components from your local metalworker. Like the cover, the shelf must be ordered from 2.5 / 4 mm aluminium chequer plate.
The lid design for a self-built waste bin lift system. What materials can the lid be made of and how high can it be loaded?
To cover the self-built waste bin lift system, you also need a chequer plate lid. This chequer plate lid should be a tray that is open at the bottom. You can configure and order the chequer plate tray online here at www.Blechking.com. It is best to use a material thickness of 2.5 / 4 mm for the configuration. However, you can also order the chequer plate tray from your local metal construction company. The bends around the tray have shown that the chequer plate cover can definitely be walked on by one person. If you want the lid to be more stable, build a square tube strut under the lid to support the crossbar component. However, the cover itself must not be covered with paving stones. Covering it with paving stones would exceed the load-bearing capacity of these drives many times over.
The control unit for the self-built bin lift system
In addition to the Linak lifting columns, the set for building a bin lift yourself also contains the Linak control technology to control the lifting columns, all the necessary cables and cable extensions and the remote control.
This is how it is operated
You can control the DIY bin lift system using the Linak Bluetooth remote control, the Linak app or a KNX room controller via potential-free contacts.
As shown in the screenshot above, you can set the lifting height exactly to the desired removal position using the Linak software or the Linak app. The drive system then stops at the set height and you can remove the bins. Programming via app or laptop is very easy by entering numerical stroke values in millimetres in the predefined input field "Max stroke length".
This is what the shaft for the DIY bin lift system should look like
The shaft in which you install the self-built bin lift system can be made of concrete or bricks or filling stones (still have internal iron bars and are filled with concrete). Make sure that there is a sufficiently dimensioned foundation under the shaft and that it is insulated from the ground. Moisture and groundwater are an enemy of metal structures and electronics. Therefore, the shaft and the foundation must always be impermeable to the ground. The shaft must be dry. Use state-of-the-art sealing materials for sealing structures in the ground. You can find these, for example, by searching Google for professional waterproofing for cellars and shafts or for cellar waterproofing DIN.
Installing the self-built bin lift system in the manhole
Drive attachment to the shaft foundation
Once you have completed the shaft and the insulation, you can start positioning the drive units at the sides according to the plan. Transfer the drilling pattern of the Linak lifting columns to the foundation and then fasten the Linak drives using concrete screws from Fischer, Hilti or Würth. You can also use concrete expansion anchors or the familiar adhesive anchors.
Attach the crossbeam steel component to the lateral drives
Once you have aligned the side drives according to the plan and attached them to the foundation, you can attach the steel traverse component, on which the waste bins will later stand, to the two side lifting systems. Then place the C-ribbed planking (base for the waste bins) on the traverse component and secure it with this.
Mounting the lid on the steel cross member
Once you have attached the steel crossbar component to the side lifting drives, you can screw the chequer plate tray onto the crossbar using the fastening options provided. Please note that you can open the screws from the outside with a tool in case of inspection. Once you have fastened the cover, you can start with the electrical wiring.
Electrical connection of the self-built waste bin lift
The side drives are from the manufacturer Linak and are fitted with twist-proof MOLEX plugs. These can only be plugged in in one direction. Incorrect connection is completely impossible. Before you connect all the plugs, we recommend that you insulate and shield them with adhesive cable shrink tubing. This will give you very good shielding and insulation against any unexpected moisture.
System can be operated in battery mode, during a power failure, or in stand-alone mode, without mains connection
You can also set up and connect the LinearDirect lifting column set with 2 optionally available Linak rechargeable batteries. This saves you cabling and allows you to operate the lifting columns even in the event of a power failure.
Moisture protection of the control unit thanks to IP 65 housing
The Linak control unit for the drives is not suitable for outdoor use , so we recommend the following procedure for using this control unit outdoors, shielded from moisture: you can place the Linak control units in an IP 65 housing and route the motor cables of the drives inside the IP 65 housing using terminal connectors. The fact that the cables are then sealed in the IP 65 box means that the control unit is well protected and also functional in the long term.
Mains voltage supply of the self-assembly waste bin lifting system
The controls of the Linak lifting drives for the DIY bin lift require 230 V / 240 V. It would therefore be ideal if you had an electrician install a row of sockets to which you can connect the controls and supply them with mains voltage. A specific fuse is not required; the fuse and residual current circuit breaker (RCD) required according to the current state of the art is sufficient. In your case, however, ask your electrician about the regional connection and electrical safety requirements. Your local electrician can give you comprehensive advice on this.
Who can implement such a project and what professional qualifications do you need to fulfil?
We only recommend realising such a project if you are a good to very good DIY enthusiast with certain technical and manual skills. If you are less skilled, we recommend that you realise such a project together with a craftsman, a technically skilled person or a company. The specialised company should come from the trade. It is also possible for you to commission a professionally competent caretaker service. Caretaker services have proven to be very good all-rounders in the past for such projects. The shaft can be excavated by hand and shovel. However, you can also hire a mini excavator and play"Bodo" yourself.
Garden landscapers (GALA builders) or the local civil engineering company are also very good partners when it comes to excavating and constructing the shaft. They are very familiar with the current state of the art and can construct the shaft for you professionally.
Click here for the right lifting column set
Operator safety through dead man's switch, exclusion of liability
For reasons of pinch protection and environmental safety, the bin lift system you have built yourself may only be activated by an operator who is also present during use (movement phase up or down) and has a direct view of the system. If the operator of the system recognises that there is an obstruction, a person or an object in the hazardous movement area of the system, he can immediately stop the system and secure the hazardous area by releasing the hand-held remote control or the wired hand switch. After securing the hazardous area, the operator can then reactivate the system by pressing the remote control.
Exclusion of liability: Lineardirect and Flatlift TV Lift Systeme GmbH are not liable for damage, property damage and personal injury caused by improper and unprofessional implementation and operation. Automatic impulse operation at the touch of a button is prohibited. The same applies to pulse control by pressing just one button on the room control unit. If you convert the entire system you have built using impulse (one push of a button to activate) or control it with a continuous signal, you do so at your own risk. If you use your own higher-level control system, for example Arduino, any type of room control system, a control system of any type developed by the operator and unknown to us, or a Siemens logo control system to connect additional safety features such as an anti-trap strip or a motion detector, you do so at your own risk.
Lineardirect / Flatlift TV Lift Systeme GmbH is only a supplier of unfinished components which are CE compliant. The system you create is a self-construction with technical components and has no CE conformity or insurance-worthy properties. The installation of our CE-compliant components does not transfer our CE conformity to your self-built system. The operation of your do-it-yourself / self-built system is entirely at your own personal risk. The warranty for the drives and the control unit is immediately void if the following points are found: If the shaft is not sealed or there is moisture in the shaft. If the drives and controls are opened. If the insulation on cables, plugs and connections has not been carried out correctly. If the drives are overloaded or overloaded. In the event of non-compliance with the IP 65 DIN-EN specifications and all points not mentioned here which change or extend the system before and during operation and its installation. In the event of a steel structure installation that impairs, restricts or distorts the function of the drives.
