Bruno VPL-3100 and VPL-3200 Series Vertical Platform Lift: Planning Guide

What are the Bruno VPL-3100 and VPL-3200 series, and where do they fit?

Both series are two-stop, unenclosed vertical platform lifts for private residences, driven up a steel tower by an Acme screw.

Both series are vertical platform lifts (VPLs): an unenclosed platform with 36 in side walls that travels up and down a steel tower. The drive is an Acme screw with a bronze nut and a bronze safety back-up nut. Every model serves two landings.

At the lower landing, a 16 in (406 mm) self-lowering ramp bridges from the slab to the platform, so no pit is needed. As the platform rises, the ramp folds up into a barrier that stops a mobility device from rolling off. An obstruction sensor under the platform stops the lift if it meets an object.

Bruno names porches and decks as the most common locations, for access into the house from outside, and in some cases a garage.

Where it does not fit:

• Public and commercial buildings. Bruno lists residential applications only, and its spec sheets list only Section 5 of ASME A18.1 (the private residence section), with no public-use section.
• Through a floor, or inside a hoistway. Every current Bruno drawing shows an unenclosed lift, and the steel safety pans under the carriage are "for unenclosed applications only". Bruno publishes no enclosed or hoistway layout.
• More than two landings, or more than 123 in of rise.
• Same-side entry and exit. The current drawings cover straight-through and 90 degree (adjacent exit) platforms only. A same-side gate alignment appears only on a 2013 gate drawing for the 3200B series (ILS-00938 sheet 4). Confirm any same-side layout with Bruno before design.

Bruno also calls this product a porch lift or wheelchair lift. It is not a home elevator: it has no cab and no hoistway. For enclosed lifts or more stops, compare the other guides on the wheelchair lift category page. For a public building, see the Savaria V-1504 guide.

Which Bruno model fits the rise?

The VPL-3153 covers up to 53 in of rise, the VPL-3175 up to 75 in, and the VPL-3210B up to 123 in, floor to floor.

Bruno's platform lift page describes 4 ft, 6 ft and 10 ft lifts. The 4 ft and 6 ft lifts come standard with AC power and can be upgraded to battery power; all 10 ft units come standard with battery power. The spec sheets give exact values by model number, and a "B" suffix marks a DC battery-powered unit.

Notes for the specifier:

• Battery 3100 models. The spec sheet gives lifting heights only for "model VPL-3153" and "model VPL-3175", and the drawing height tables list only the VPL-3153, VPL-3175 and VPL-3210B. The VPL-3153B and VPL-3175B use the same series drawings. Confirm their rise limits with Bruno.
• Minimum rise. Below 28 in of rise, the VPL-3175 does not fit; the VPL-3153 covers 11 to 53 in. Bruno does not publish a minimum rise for the VPL-3210B; confirm it with Bruno for a rise near 75 in.
• Pit applications. Bruno measures maximum floor-to-floor from the bottom of the pit to the upper landing, so the pit depth counts against the rise.
• Older drawings. Bruno's 42 in high gate framing sheet (ILS-00804, Rev. 4, January 2019) still prints rises of 147 in and 171 in. The current spec sheets and the 2022 framing sheet list 53, 75 and 123 in only. Plan from the current sheets.

Standard features and options

Every model has the automatic lower ramp; key switch control with an up-and-down rocker switch or paddle controls; a red 1.55 in (39 mm) mushroom-head emergency stop; upper and lower limit switches and an upper final limit switch; and formed-steel safety pans under the carriage. The VPL-3210B adds keyed battery emergency lowering (section 05).

How big is the lift, and how much slab does it need?

The smallest platform needs a 66 x 54 in slab and the largest a 79 1/2 x 60 in slab, depending on platform size and gate.

Bruno's four application drawings (Rev. 0, November 3, 2022) cover straight-through and 90 degree platforms, each with ramp entry and no pit, or in a pit with a platform gate. Each shows a right-hand unit; the ramp and platform gate can be mounted on either side. Where the span of a lettered dimension is read from the drawing, it is marked "as drawn". Bruno prohibits reproduction of its drawings, so download them from bruno.com (links in Sources).

The drawings do not tie a platform size to a model. Confirm with Bruno that the size you want is available on the chosen model.

Heights by model

Spans of A and B are as drawn. On the pit drawings, C is labeled "max pit to floor".

Ramp-entry (no pit) footprints

Straight-through platform without a platform gate (ILS-01557, sheets 2 and 3):

Bruno does not dimension the width over the side walls; lay out the lift from the overall depth and the minimum slab.

Straight-through platform with a platform gate (ILS-01557, sheets 4 and 5):

A 90 degree (adjacent exit) platform (ILS-01558) has the same overall lengths and minimum slabs, with and without a platform gate. Its overall depth is 51 11/16 in on the 36 in wide platforms and 57 11/16 in on the 42 x 60 in platform, and it takes one optional handrail instead of two.

• Clear width with handrails. On a 36 in wide straight-through platform, the drawing shows, as drawn, 33 1/2 in with the first optional handrail and 30 3/4 in between two handrails; on the 42 x 60 in platform, 39 1/2 in and 36 3/4 in. Check the user's mobility device against these widths before you order handrails.
• Slab layout. As drawn, the minimum slab starts at the upper landing face, and the platform stops 3/8 to 3/4 in from it. With a platform gate, the open gate swings beyond the minimum slab (compare the gate-open length with the slab length), so keep that swing area clear.
• Slab layout, offsets. The drawings also give the tower offset from the platform end, the distance from the back of the tower to the platform centerline and the anchor offsets from the slab end; take them from the sheet for the chosen configuration.
• Anchors. Four 9/16 in holes, spaced 24 5/16 in between the two tower-side anchors, 33 3/16 in between the two front anchors and 39 7/8 in between the rows, as drawn. On the ramp-entry slab sheets, the tower anchor line is 4 1/8 in from the rear edge of the slab. Bruno calls for four 1/2 in (3/8 in bolt) concrete anchors, 2 1/2 in long minimum, suitable for the environment, installed to the anchor maker's guidelines.

What does the site need: slab, pit, wall, gate framing and headroom?

The site needs a 4 in, 3500 psi reinforced slab, 80 in of headroom, and, for the VPL-3210B, a backed wall for 200 lb of wall loading.

Slab and loads. Bruno says a platform lift must rest on concrete, so a pad may need to be poured. Bruno gives unit weights and the 750 lb rated load, but no slab design loads. The design professional sizes the slab from the unit weight (up to 1190 lb for the VPL-3210B with batteries), the rated load and the gates.

Gate weights: platform gate 68 lb (31 kg); top landing gate 70 lb (32 kg) at 36 in high and 99 lb (45 kg) at 42 in high; wide top landing gate 93 lb (42 kg) at 36 in high and 108 lb (49 kg) at 42 in high.

Fascia. Bruno's spec sheets state that ASME calls for smooth, non-perforated fascia that guards the full length and width of the platform, fastened from the upper landing sill down to the lower landing sill, and able to withstand a 125 lb side load over any 4 in square area. Bruno adds "Follow applicable local codes."

Pit option

Bruno publishes pit drawings only for platforms with a platform gate, with a 3 in minimum pit depth. No ramp is drawn on them, and the whole unit, tower included, sits inside the pit.

The pit drawings show running clearances of 3/8 to 3/4 in and 2 to 3 in between the platform and the pit walls. Bruno lists a pit switch as an option only for the VPL-3210B, so confirm the pit requirements for a VPL-3100 Series pit installation with Bruno.

Top landing gate and framing

Bruno sells the top landing gate as an option, but its Platform Lift Basics page says "there should always be a landing gate or door" at the top landing to prevent falls when the lift is lowered. Plan the gate and its framing from the start.

• Heights. The 36 in high gate is 36 1/4 in tall with an 18 GA steel sheet panel (ILS-01561 and ILS-01562, 2022). The 42 in high gate is 42 1/4 in tall with a 16 GA steel sheet panel (ILS-00938, 2013, and ILS-00804, 2019). Bruno does not state when each height applies; confirm it with Bruno and the AHJ.
• Framing. Framing is supplied by others: 4 x 4 posts, 2 x 4s anchored to the concrete slab and double-framed 2 x 4s, all able to withstand a 200 lb concentrated load in all directions. Bruno recommends a fascia board of 3/8 in minimum thick panel. Two 11 GA installation brackets are supplied for mounting the gate to the support structure when needed. For the 42 in high gate, leave 4 7/8 in open from the top of the finish floor to the fascia board for the gate's 5 in mounting flange below the sill (overall gate height 47 1/4 in, as drawn); Bruno's alternative for a flush finish is a 3/16 in deep pocket routed into the fascia board where the flange covers it. On the 36 in high gate, the sill flange sits flush with the fascia board.
• Alignment. The platform sits 3/8 in minimum to 3/4 in maximum from the gate sill. On a straight-through platform, the inside face of the tower-side gate support post sits 10 1/4 in or 8 1/2 in from the back of the tower housing (dimension E, as drawn), depending on the hand of the unit and the gate. Both alignment sheets also give 2 in, labeled "face of ramp to gate post". On a 90 degree platform, the framing sits 1 3/4 in outside the platform, and a right-hand unit takes a left-hand gate (and the reverse).

What power and controls does the lift need?

AC models need a dedicated GFI 120 V, 15 A circuit; battery models need 120 VAC for a 3 A charger, on a GFI circuit where code requires one.

• GFI. Bruno's spec sheets state: "National Electrical Code requires a GFI is used in all outdoor or wet environment applications." Confirm GFI and circuit requirements with the electrical inspector.
• Connection. Bruno says the most common way to power a home platform lift is a standard household outlet. A hardwire kit is listed for the VPL-3100 Series only.
• Gate operators. Bruno does not publish the power needs of the gate operators. Get them from Bruno before the electrical layout is final.
• Lighting and phone. Bruno asks that the area be sufficiently lit, and lists no light, telephone or emergency communication device for these lifts. Confirm any requirement with the AHJ.

Controls and interlocks. The top landing gate carries a call/send control and keyed switch in its frame, and a Bruno electrical mechanical interlock (EMI) or electric strike interlock (ESI) releases it only when the platform is at the upper landing. The platform gate's mechanical interlock releases it only at the lower landing. Sensors stop the platform unless each gate is closed.

Emergency lowering and power outages

Bruno adds that under normal use the batteries "will last for several days after the loss of power". It does not publish the capacity of the standard battery set.

Can the lift go outdoors, and what about cold and flooding?

Yes; Bruno recommends the cold-weather package below 20°F and offers a flood sensor kit, with a flood zone tower option on the VPL-3210B only.

Yes. Bruno lists the applications as "Residential, Indoors, Outdoors".

• Finish: exterior grade powder coat, champagne as standard, with an anti-skid graphite gray platform floor and ramp; E-coated legs, platform and landing gate parts.
• Cold: Bruno recommends the cold-weather package if the operating temperature is below 20°F (-7°C), and an insulation sheet under the slab where the temperature can fall below freezing.
• Flooding: a flood sensor kit is an option on every model. The flood zone tower, with the electronics and batteries on the top section of the tower, is listed for the VPL-3210B only.
• Not published: an operating temperature range, an ingress rating, a flood or submersion rating, and guidance for coastal or corrosive sites. Where a site floods or faces salt air, get Bruno's written guidance on the flood options and finish before you choose the model.

Which codes apply in New Jersey and Pennsylvania?

New Jersey treats the lift as an elevator device needing a construction permit; Pennsylvania exempts single-dwelling lifts but permits others through the Department of Labor & Industry.

For forms, procedures and the full picture, see NJ and PA code requirements.

What Bruno states

Bruno's spec sheets list as performance standards ASME A18.1 (Sec. 5) in the 1999, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023 editions, CSA B355 and B613, and CSA B44.1/ASME A17.5 for electrical equipment, and state an ETL (Intertek) C-US listing, control number 4004689. Section 5 is the private residence division of A18.1 for vertical platform lifts.

Bruno lists no public-use section and does not claim ADA compliance. Bruno's 2025 brochure adds that the lift "can be used in most applications to meet ANSI A117.1"; whether an installation meets A117.1 is the building code official's decision.

New Jersey

• A wheelchair lift is an "elevator device" under the Elevator Safety Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-12, and needs a construction permit to install (5:23-12.1(e); 5:23-2.14).
• The 2024 codes (IBC/2024 and IRC/2024 NJ editions, NEC 2023) took effect August 17, 2026, with a six-month grace period for applications under the prior code (5:23-1.6(a)). IBC/2024 Chapter 35 lists ASME A18.1-2023, which is on Bruno's list.
• Where the State has elevator subcode jurisdiction, DCA reviews the elevator plans, and the layout drawings are signed and sealed by a New Jersey licensed architect or engineer. Check the town on DCA's Elevator Subcode Jurisdiction list.
• A lift in a Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 building that is not accessible to the public is exempt from periodic inspection and from registration (5:23-12.3(a)5; 12.4(b)). Where DCA is the elevator subcode official, acceptance is by a sealed report from a New Jersey licensed engineer or registered architect (DCA policy SLCI-Admin 001-2020).
• A licensed elevator mechanic, or a person working under one's supervision, installs, services and maintains the lift (N.J.S.A. 45:14H-5a).

Pennsylvania

• A lift used only by the occupants of one dwelling unit in a solely residential building is outside the Uniform Construction Code's elevator chapter (34 Pa. Code § 405.1(b)(3)). Ask the municipal building code official about permits for the slab, framing and wiring.
• Other lifting devices need a Department of Labor & Industry permit, acceptance inspection and certificate of operation (§§ 405.3, 405.5, 405.6), under A18.1-1999 with addenda for applications before December 20, 2026 and A18.1-2017 from that date (§ 405.2). Pennsylvania does not adopt the private residence parts of A18.1 (§ 405.2), and Bruno lists only Section 5 of A18.1, for residential use. For any lift under the Department's jurisdiction, get written confirmation from Bruno and the Department first.

The elevator subcode official (NJ) or the Department or municipal official (PA) decides the permit path and the enforced edition, including for a grace-period application. The architect or engineer designs the slab, wall backing and landing layout. Bruno confirms model, size and configuration availability.

Who does what on a Bruno VPL project?

The owner, architect, general contractor, electrician, Bruno's dealer network and the AHJ each own a piece, from model selection through slab, wiring, installation and acceptance.

Plan in this order: confirm the lift serves one private residence and the permit path; measure the rise and choose the model and power; lay out the platform size, entry type, hand, pit or ramp, and gate; design the slab and framing; then build, wire, install and accept.

What planning mistakes cause rework?

Common mistakes include ignoring the pit when sizing rise, undersizing the slab, building a pit for the wrong gate configuration, and specifying AC power where an outage matters.

• Ignoring the pit when choosing the model. Bruno measures the maximum rise from the pit floor. A 73 in landing over a 3 in pit is 76 in of rise, beyond the VPL-3175's 75 in, so the job moves to the VPL-3210B (confirm its minimum rise with Bruno).
• Pouring the slab to the drawing minimum. Bruno notes the slab may need to be longer and wider for the gate framing and site. An undersized slab must be extended before installation.
• Building a pit for a lift ordered without a platform gate. Bruno's pit drawings all include a platform gate, so confirm with Bruno before building a pit for a lift ordered without one; the order or the pit may have to change.
• Setting a VPL-3210B with no wall to fasten to. Without a backed wall near or above the upper landing, the lift cannot be installed as Bruno specifies.
• Light gate framing. Framing that cannot take a 200 lb concentrated load in all directions must be rebuilt before the gate is hung.
• Specifying an AC model where the lift must run in an outage. AC models have only an optional hand crank. Specify a battery model instead.
• Designing a same-side, enclosed or hoistway installation. No current Bruno drawing covers these. Expect a redesign unless Bruno confirms the layout in writing.

Planning checklists by trade

These checklists let the architect, general contractor and electrician confirm the model, slab, gate framing and power before the lift is ordered.

What does Bruno's warranty cover?

Bruno covers parts for one year, major components for two years, and labor for only the first 30 days after installation by an authorized dealer.

Bruno's Limited Warranty for the Residential Platform Lift (file dated October 29, 2024; the document carries no printed date) names models VPL 3153, 3175 and 3210B. It does not name the VPL-3153B or VPL-3175B.

• Parts: free of defects in material and workmanship for one year after the date of installation.
• Major components: two years after installation. They are the motor, Acme screw and drive nut, brake, pulleys, belt and screw bearings.
• Labor: labor to address a product defect by a dealer Bruno authorizes is covered for the first 30 days after installation, and not after that.
• Dealer network: the one-year parts term is stated to run from installation by a dealer Bruno authorizes, and all service and warranty issues are handled through the dealer that installed the unit.
• Not covered: misuse, abuse, accidents, neglect or modifications not made by a dealer Bruno authorizes; consumables; reasonable wear and tear.
• Limits: Bruno may replace or repair, or, if that is not commercially practical, refund the purchase price, at its sole discretion; it excludes indirect, incidental and consequential damages, and covers the original buyer.

Bruno's web pages headline a "2-Year Limited Warranty"; the warranty document limits the two-year term to the major components. Bruno routes warranty parts, labor and service through the Bruno-authorized dealer that installed the lift. The current VPL owner's manual is available from the manufacturer or a dealer on request.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and revision history