Do-it-yourself gas bed lift repair

06/09/2018 08:04 | Category: General tips Modern double beds are most often equipped with a lifting mechanism.

This system is called a gas lift; it ensures a smooth lifting of the bed along with the mattress into a vertical position. This feature of the beds makes it possible to remove them if necessary, which significantly saves space during the day. If the bed is in the bedroom, then with the help of such a mechanism access to the linen drawer is provided.

Gas lift for bed does not compress: what to do

The new generation bed differs from its predecessor in its improved design and versatility, thanks to which it has gained great recognition and demand among consumers. The main feature of a folding bed is to save living space and create additional storage space for various household items. Currently, for ease of operation, the structure is equipped with a gas lift - a special lifting mechanism. The longevity and reliability of beds with lifts depends on proper operation, the rules of which are sometimes violated, which leads to some malfunctions in the mechanism. Other reasons, which depend on many factors, are also involved in the malfunction. But what to do in such a situation?

Accordion doors for closets: saving precious space

Since each bed has individual characteristics, there are no general recommendations. But there is a large assortment of lifts that take into account not only the financial capabilities of the buyer, but also specific requirements, operational parameters and expected load.

Lifting and transformation mechanisms are used everywhere. Take, for example, folding armchair beds or mainly a children's loft bed, where full-fledged sleeping places are also formed with simple movements, and additional furniture possibilities are revealed.

Beds with lifts are frankly comfortable and functional. These are the same standard beds, but with expanded capabilities. An alternative to them can be models with drawers.

Thank you all for your attention!

Subscribe, leave comments and ask relevant questions!

The gas lift on the bed does not compress: reasons

The main difficulty that users have to face is that the gas lift does not compress. Reasons for this problem include:

1. Insufficient weight of the structure.
2. Poor quality assembly and installation.
3. Lack of parts.
4. Poor quality of spare parts.
5. Incorrectly adjusted gas pressure.

It should be noted that ignoring any deviation in the operation of the mechanism can lead to its complete failure, therefore, at the first sign of a breakdown, it is necessary to inspect and repair the structure. You can deal with defects yourself, taking into account all the nuances.

Attention! When folding the bed, do not allow the elements to “jerk”; this will cause the elements to suffer.

When to contact specialists

You need to contact professionals in two cases:

• If there is no desire or time to identify the malfunction using your own resources and resources.
• If you were unable to identify the defect yourself.

With the first option everything is clear. As for the second, we are most likely talking about incorrect distribution of gas in the piston. Its excess or deficiency often leads to problems in work. There are two possibilities here: the base of the bed either lowers too slowly, it has to be pushed down, or it “shoots out,” which can also lead to rapid wear of the part.

It is unlikely that an unprepared person will be able to cope with this problem on his own. To do this, you will need to replace the gas cartridge in the furniture unit using special tools that are available only to repair team workers.

Bed Furniture

How to repair it yourself

If the gas lift has stopped working and the mechanism needs to be repaired, to do this it is necessary to establish the true cause of the breakdown.

1. First of all, you need to pay attention to the weight of the structure, since with a small load the mechanism will not work. The spring is compressed in the structure only under full load conditions.
2. Elimination of errors made during the assembly process is carried out by dismantling the entire structure. Re-installation is carried out taking into account the correct selection (adjustment) of parts to each other.
3. The quality of the fittings influences the good functionality of the bed. Therefore, for gas lift installation, it is better to purchase spare parts from trusted manufacturers.

Important! When installing and repairing, you should use the manufacturer's instructions.

In order to make repairs yourself, certain skills and knowledge are required, the absence of which can lead to poor quality work. To ensure that basic repairs do not spontaneously become major repairs, you need to contact experienced craftsmen to do the repairs.

Tools

Gas lifts are installed on beds, both during their production and after production. The first option is preferable, since factory models last a little longer.

However, if you correctly develop an installation strategy and also follow the manufacturer’s instructions, then the design will turn out no worse

To solve this problem you will have to stock up on several tools:

1. Saw and hammer. They will be needed to assemble the main frame.
2. Electric drill and set of attachments of various sizes.
3. Fastening elements. This includes screws and metal corners.
4. Gas lift.

How does the lifting mechanism work?

Gas lifts come in two varieties with almost identical operating principles:

1. Automatic – when the bed is raised, the nitrogen in the cylinder expands. When gas pressure is applied to the piston, the rod attached to it pushes the surface of the bed upward. To slow down, a stop damper is used, which is an oil plug. The stopper allows you to move the bed smoothly.
2. Frictional - such a gas lift is not equipped with a damper and has a slightly lower nitrogen pressure. It differs from automatic by the ability to stop the surface of the bed at any angle.

Basic Concepts

A gas elevator is a special mechanism that is used to lift surfaces attached to it. Many people compare this design with car shock absorbers. Externally, the design has the shape of a small cylinder with several clamps and a moving arm.

This mechanism consists of several main elements:

• A cylinder containing gas. Often the container is filled with nitrogen. It should be noted that the mixture inside is under very high pressure, so it is not recommended to disassemble gas lifts yourself.
• Oil damper.
• Piston with rod. These elements are used to transmit force to the external environment.

The gas lift on the bed does not compress: reasons

The main reasons for gas lift failure include:

• Incorrect installation of the gas lift with the rod up, which causes a sharp jerk when lifting. As a result, the components of the equipment wear out much faster.
• Tightening the nuts during installation to the frame.
• The load on the mechanism was incorrectly calculated, for example, a gas lift of greater power than required was installed.
• Installation of cheap elements of unknown brands.
• Insufficient gas pressure in the piston.
• Lack of parts.
• Incorrect operation due to the use of force when lifting/lowering. By default, the lifter performs these processes independently. The user only needs to gently push up or press down on the surface.

Important! If you detect a creaking, too sharp or slow movement of the mechanism, you should immediately inspect it, and, if necessary, repair it yourself or call a specialist. Otherwise, the gas lift will soon have to be completely changed.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of a gas elevator:

• ease of operation;
• silent raising and lowering of the surface;
• when using liquid nitrogen in the shock absorber, the metal parts of the bed do not rust and the rubber gaskets do not deteriorate;
• convenience and ease of use (no effort required, as is the case with spring furniture);
• reliability (rare breakdowns of gas lifts);
• minimal risk of injury - moving parts are hidden under the casing;
• a wide range of.

The gas lift mechanism allows you to fold and unfold the bed about 20 thousand times, which is an approximate service life of several decades.

Flaws:

• unaesthetic appearance of the bed - gas lifts are partially visible;
• It is impossible to immediately determine the quality of the parts.

The conditional disadvantage of gas lift is the high price . However, it is compensated by a longer service life provided that it is installed correctly.

Advantages of lifting beds

Compared to standard beds, lift-up models are practical, multi-functional and ergonomic. Such designs are convenient to use in limited areas. They have a spacious interior space where you can store bed linen, home clothes, bedspreads, pillows and blankets.

Other advantages include:

• high reliability and durability;
• easy to use;
• dust and dirt do not collect under the bed;
• saving money when purchasing;
• different configurations.

When choosing a bed, it is important to consider not only the quality of the product itself, but also the lifting mechanisms. If the installed elements are not the best, you can replace them with gas ones. They are more durable and provide long-term and comfortable use of the bed.

Application

Initially, gas lift became an extremely useful solution in the automotive industry. Its installation was carried out on trunks and hoods. The driver himself does not hold the structure, since the elevator performs this function instead. The lifts lifted and held a certain weight, preventing sudden falls, damage, etc.

But today these elements have gone much further. The main areas of application include:

• furniture industry;
• construction;
• production of doors, frames and showcases;
• medical industry;
• production of office equipment;
• weapon;
• aerospace structures;
• robotics;
• household appliances and more.

Elevators can have different sizes, they differ in their design and structure, which allows you to find the optimal mechanism for each specific case.

But we are interested in gas lift as furniture fittings. If you look around furniture stores in St. Petersburg or Moscow, or look through the pages of catalogs in Hafele Shop Ru, you will find a huge number of variations and manufacturers of gas elevators.

How to select, assemble, install and press by hand?

Since the operation of the bed is required to be reliable and long-term, you need to choose the right mechanism. It is necessary to calculate the load that it will withstand. To calculate, you need to find out the weight of the structure, take into account the density of the material of the bed and mattress (characteristics are noted by the manufacturer).

Gas lifts have different markings, indicated in Newtons:

1. Approximately 10 N can support 1 kg of weight.
2. Step marking – 200 units (600 N, 800 N, etc.).
3. The load must be distributed evenly. It is recommended to install 2 devices on both sides of the bed.

As an example, we can imagine that a gas lift needs to be installed on a bed, the weight of which together with the mattress is 60 kg.
This means that two mechanisms are needed with a minimum marking of 600 N. Theoretically, two elevators will lift 120 kg of mass, but given the distribution of force at an angle, this does not happen. The device is chosen with a small margin, since during active use it weakens. You should not install an overly powerful gas lift on the bed - raising or lowering the frame will require a lot of effort.

To install the mechanism yourself, you will need to prepare tools such as:

The installation algorithm is as follows:

1. The furniture body on which the device is planned to be installed is assembled. To securely fix the elements and strengthen the entire structure, metal corners are used.
2. The gas elevator is screwed to the body using self-tapping screws. They are included in the mechanism kit. 4 holes are drilled in the housing for fasteners. The lower part is fixed with bolts, then the corner plate of the gas elevator is screwed on. The device is screwed down, fixing the surface of the bed in a raised position to avoid damage to the mechanism due to errors in calculating the length of the arm.
3. The surface of the bed is lowered onto the base of the frame, in which 4 holes are drilled to secure the upper part of the mechanism. The drilling points must be correlated with the location of the fixed bottom strip.
4. The frame is lifted and the bolts are screwed into the upper part of the gas elevator.
5. The assembly is completed by connecting all parts of the gas lift with a piston, fixing it from the bottom and top of the mechanism.
6. After installation, check the serviceability of the gas shock absorber: compress and release it several times. The movement of the gas elevator should be silent and soft.

Selection rules

When choosing a furniture gas lift, you need to rely on two criteria: the compression force of the spring and the dimensions of the door to which the device will be attached.

In terms of compressive force, to withstand a load of 1 kilogram, a force of 10 Newton is required. Thus, by measuring the weight of the door, you can calculate the required value. Most gas lift manufacturers produce devices with a fixed load from 60 to 140 Newton. Knowing the weight of the door, you can easily select a suitable lift.

In addition to weight, the choice is influenced by the size of the door. The length of the device will depend on it. The longer you need the gas spring, the thicker its body should be.

Also, gas lifts allow the use of step-by-step and automatic design of locker doors. The step design is the most common mechanism with a handle on the door. Automatic design involves opening doors at the press of a button and closing them automatically after a certain time. For this purpose, the facades of cabinet furniture are equipped with an electric drive. Such devices are suitable for people who forget to close cabinets or cannot reach the handle when the door is in the open position.

Specifications

If the bed is equipped with a gas lift, the surface of the product can be easily raised and returned to its original position. Everything will go smoothly and without unnecessary noise. The main characteristics of such lifts are:

1. The main substance that ensures the functionality of the structure is inert gas (most often the cylinders are filled with nitrogen).
2. The chamber, rod and support tips are made of steel.
3. The minimum thickness of the walls of the cylinder, which is filled with gas, must be 1 mm, otherwise it will be unsafe to use the structure.
4. Any gas elevator can be compressed by applying force.
5. For the device to function properly, the room temperature must vary between -30/+70 degrees.

How to choose an adult and children's mattress for a bed, tips for housewives

It must be taken into account that the pressure in the cylinder is very high. That is why, if an element is deformed or another malfunction is discovered, it is strictly not recommended to disassemble it and try to repair it yourself. Below is a table showing the calculation of forces for vertical beds.

If you purchased a horizontal type bed, the power of the lift should be different. This is due to the fact that the load in this case is distributed differently. For horizontal beds, you can use less powerful gas elevators.

If a person does not know how much a bed weighs, one can be guided by average values. A single design weighs about 30 kg. The weight of an orthopedic mattress varies from 30 to 40 kg. Therefore, a single bed weighs on average about 60 kg.

How to properly remove a gas shock absorber?

Removal of the gas lift from the mounting points is carried out with the utmost care so as not to damage the cylinder.
Before unscrewing and removing the gas lift, it is fixed in the open position. Due to the high pressure inside the cylinder, the gas elevator must not be compressed, bent, heated, opened or drilled.

The removed gas lift must be protected from exposure to dyes, dust, chemicals, mechanical shocks, and scratches . Such impacts will lead to deformation of the rod seals, which will reduce the performance and service life of the gas shock absorber.

If the presence of negative factors in the design cannot be avoided, possible damage is minimized with an additional protective tube - a cover for the rod.

How to check the work?

After installing the gas elevator, the surface of the bed is raised and lowered several times to check the operation of the device. When the mechanism is installed correctly, lifting and lowering occurs easily, smoothly, silently, without jamming.

If difficulties arise with operation, the cause should be sought in faulty fittings or installation errors.

The gas shock absorber is simple in appearance, but requires careful attention to installation and operation. It should be installed extremely carefully and competently. Correct installation of the mechanism will allow you to use the furniture for a long time without worrying about safety and reliability.

Variety of species

Today, there are many types of lifting devices installed in bed structures. Their differences lie in cost, design features and service life. Also, a feature of each lift is the possible force that can be applied to a specific structure.

Depending on the principle of operation, all lifts can be divided into the following types:

• a manual mechanism on hinges is the simplest and cheapest option presented. Today there are very few beds with such a mechanism, since it requires more effort when lifting and can also deform the bed frame;
• The spring type lifting system is very simple and convenient to use. Doesn't require much effort. The service life of the mechanism lasts no more than 5 years. As a rule, later the springs begin to stretch and become unusable;
• The mechanism based on gas shock absorbers is very easy to use. The mechanism operates smoothly, silently and reliably. With proper calculation and selection of a shock absorber, it can last more than 10 years. For the bed cabinet, the equipment includes a pneumatic gas lift equipped with two stops.

In order to ensure the most comfortable and convenient lifting of the bed, you should opt for a lifting mechanism with gas shock absorbers. Its cost, compared to other analogues, is high, but this is fully compensated not only by convenience, but also by safety.

The gas elevator itself is divided into 2 types:

• automatic, which does not require human effort and control;
• friction, which has less pressure, allowing the device to stop in different positions.

Automatic designs are most suitable for beds.

How to repair a gas lift bed yourself

Independently identifying defects in the operation of the piston mechanism requires some knowledge and skills, otherwise eliminating the malfunction will end very badly.

To understand the reason for the poor quality of the gas lift, you need, at a minimum, to arm yourself with the manufacturer’s instructions. Or you can watch videos on the Internet on this topic.

The algorithm of actions includes the following steps:

• It is necessary to make sure that the load and power thrust of the mechanism correspond. This item mainly applies to newly purchased models. It is important to understand that the gas lift only works correctly at full load. Therefore, it is imperative to place a mattress on the base.
• Visual inspection of the correct installation of the mechanism. If necessary, completely or partially dismantle it, adjust the elements relative to each other, loosen/tighten the fastening parts.
• Complete replacement of low-quality fittings without identification marks with proven ones from well-known brands.

If, as a result of the operations performed, the result remains the same, it is recommended to contact a specialist.

What difficulties may arise during assembly?

In the absence of experience in this matter, as a rule, you may encounter the following difficulties:

- sometimes it becomes necessary to drill an additional hole;

— installation of a gas lift, this stage of work is one of the most difficult and requires accuracy and precision;

— incorrect markings on the furniture frame, a mistake made will not allow you to assemble the bed, so it is important to check all measurements several times;

— excessive pressure on the slats during installation is unacceptable;

— too much tightening of fasteners;

- use of fasteners of inappropriate length.

Is it possible to fix a gas lift with your own hands?

Repairing such a part of the structure of any chair is not justified due to the high cost of repair labor - it is easier to replace it with a new one than to repair the old one. But, if you don’t want to waste time on a new mechanism, you can try to fix the problem yourself. This does not require special skills or knowledge - just follow the instructions.

The Ukrainian manufacturer Barski provides all its customers with a 5-year warranty on mechanisms and 2 years on upholstery materials. There are no similar offers on the market. In addition, the main misconception of the consumer is that the warranty cannot be “knocked out”; this judgment does not apply to the manufacturer Barski - all breakdowns due to the manufacturer’s fault are eliminated after the consumer’s request.

What is a gas lift?

Installing a gas lift on kitchen furniture ensures the correct and smooth functioning of any piece of furniture in the kitchen. What is gas lift? To fully understand this issue and learn how to properly install a gas lift, it is worth determining that a gas lift is a shock-absorbing mechanism that is intended for doors that open horizontally. In other words, this is a cantilever supporting part, a holder that fastens protruding horizontal parts on a vertical surface.

This is a sealed unit filled with nitrogen. When nitrogen gets inside the cylinder during use, it will be impossible to repair such a breakdown.

Source