Light for air compressor.

[dmittz]

Hey Friends I have a how too wiring question for you all.

For my air 240v 60gal compressor I would like to wire a light that is on when the compressor is turned 'on'. The purpose is so that I don't forget to turn it off, and i figure if a light was on in a high visability place i'd be less likely to forget.

I think I know how I could do it, but not really sure if its safe and code complient so i'm looking for thoughts and suggestions.

Since its a 240v compressor on a 30amp circuit I imagine I could just tie into just one of the 'hot wires' after the the conpressors on/off switch. I would likely also need to run a 8/3 wire in place of the current 8/2 wire to gain a neutral for the light. which would be easy as the compressor is only about 4ft from my panel. Also i'm having trouble finding a small 120V light and fixture rated for 30amps...

But the question really is: is this safe or is there a better way to do it or should I just abandon the whole idea because it can't be done within electrical code?

 

[The Cobbler]

I would run a 240 volt light rather than spending the $$$ on 8/3 .also include small circuit breaker or inline fuses

 

[no704]

Why would you need a 30A light bulb? Just tap into the 120 side of the contacts, just use some cheap lv wire and run an led.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Search "220v led pilot light"

 

[dmittz]

Thank you guys for the feedback.

I was a little uncertain if what I was thinking of was allowed by electrical code, or how to do it code compliantly.

So if I understand correctly, I have 2 options regarding a 'pilot light' foe the compressor.

1.) Get a 240V light and wire it after the compressor on/off switch, so it gets power when the compressor is on.

2.) If using a 120V light essentially create a 120V circuit with its own breaker (mini subpanel i guess) which is powered from the 30amp 240v compressor circuit wired in after the compressor on/off switch so that the light is only energized when the compressor is on.

 

[Walkers]

Does your compressor have a motor starter (contactor)?

 

[infinkc]

Thank you guys for the feedback.

I was a little uncertain if what I was thinking of was allowed by electrical code, or how to do it code compliantly.

So if I understand correctly, I have 2 options regarding a 'pilot light' foe the compressor.

1.) Get a 240V light and wire it after the compressor on/off switch, so it gets power when the compressor is on.

2.) If using a 120V light essentially create a 120V circuit with its own breaker (mini subpanel i guess) which is powered from the 30amp 240v compressor circuit wired in after the compressor on/off switch so that the light is only energized when the compressor is on.

Don’t over complicate it. Just get a 240v led pilot light, wire it so it’s on when the compressor is on.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Why would you need a 30A light bulb? Just tap into the 120 side of the contacts, just use some cheap lv wire and run an led.

And how would you complete the circuit with only 1 side of it? There is no neutral.

 

[Reborn]

Personally, I would just tape a sign up on the exit that says "turn the compressor off!" or put a calendar reminder in my phone when I decide to go out and do some work. The time investment is negligible and worth a shot.

 

[nadogail]

There is a danger in over complicating this; in my shop there is no need to remind me when the compressor is running; it is so loud that only the dead won't hear it.

A better choice would be to remind me when the compressor is energized and cabible of starting automatically when the tank pressure drops. Because the compressor is plugged into a wall socket, simply unplugging it or a lamp wired to the hot side of the pressure switch will be sufficient.

It wont take but a few "Oh ****" trips back to the shop to educate you to remember to shut down the Air Compressor when you don't need it.

 

[N_Jay]

Wire your compressor through a 30A 220V WiFi pool timer ans set up routines to turn it off with the lights.

 

[jacks2000]

I put a 120V under cabinet light over the door. Can't miss it. I tapped into one leg of the 240 2-pole breaker and and ran the ground and neutral just like a normal 120V circut. I had a brand new compressor motor catch fire right after I installed it so I'm a little goosey about leaving the compressor turned on.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Wire your compressor through a 30A 220V WiFi pool timer ans set up routines to turn it off with the lights.

That would need to be rated for the same or higher horsepower rating as the compressor. Amperage rating is inconsequential on a motor circuit

OP- what is the HP rating on the motor? Tank size and ampacity mean nothing for a motor circuit

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I put a 120V under cabinet light over the door. Can't miss it. I tapped into one leg of the 240 2-pole breaker and and ran the ground and neutral just like a normal 120V circut. I had a brand new compressor motor catch fire right after I installed it so I'm a little goosey about leaving the compressor turned on.

What size wire did you run to the light?

 

[ycgoat]

you could also run a new or tap off of an existing 120v circuit for the light and put in a 240v relay to switch the light on and off with the compressor.

 

[Walkers]

Well, since the op did not answer about having a motor starter I will just state what I did. I just ran an MC cable from my motor starter to a switch that will open/close the starter circuit. It is right next to my phase converter switch in the same arrangement. Walk in the door, turn on the lights and compressor, phase converter, as needed, flip all the switches off when leaving.
If you just run a pilot light then you have to walk back to turn the compressor off.

 

[dchawk81]

I would install a board across my doorway at forehead height with a note on it that said "turn off compressor."

 

[The Cobbler]

There is another thread on here re compressor timers, and the guy had a clock timer with just off trippers set to every so many hours , that way the most the compressor would run is the amount of time before the off tripper hit . it had no on trippers.

 

[exranger06]

I did it. See below for pics and wiring diagram:

 

[ycgoat]

I did it. See below for pics and wiring diagram:

Is that switch rated for the motor or a standard 20 amp light switch?

 

[exranger06]

Is that switch rated for the motor or a standard 20 amp light switch?

It's a standard 2-pole switch. It's not motor-rated, but since it's not switching the motor, it doesn't need to be. It only switches the coil on the contactor/starter.

 

[N_Jay]

I put a 120V under cabinet light over the door. Can't miss it. I tapped into one leg of the 240 2-pole breaker and and ran the ground and neutral just like a normal 120V circut. I had a brand new compressor motor catch fire right after I installed it so I'm a little goosey about leaving the compressor turned on.

Now you have a low current wire extending a high current source.
Sounds like you also have two wires on the same breaker (compressor and light).
If you wanted to do this (somewhat) properly

That would need to be rated for the same or higher horsepower rating as the compressor. Amperage rating is inconsequential on a motor circuit

OP- what is the HP rating on the motor? Tank size and ampacity mean nothing for a motor circuit

True, I would have to look at the rating, but I am sure there are similar boxes for pump motors.


EDIT: 30A one I saw was 1 1/2 HP, but 50A one was 10HP

 

[N_Jay]

It's a standard 2-pole switch. It's not motor-rated, but since it's not switching the motor, it doesn't need to be. It only switches the coil on the contactor/starter.

What is the current rating of the circuit, Guessing the contactor was already 220V, or it would have been easier to use a 110 V circuit.

 

[dmittz]

That would need to be rated for the same or higher horsepower rating as the compressor. Amperage rating is inconsequential on a motor circuit

OP- what is the HP rating on the motor? Tank size and ampacity mean nothing for a motor circuit

5hp, 22Amp peak, proabbly a fair bit less running.

 

[dmittz]

Thanks for all the replies friends i think I will keep it simple and use a 220v pilot light, i did not know such a thing existed before.

 

[Steve W.]

I managed to do something COMPLETELY different.

I have my compressor energized virtually all the time. If I leave for a few days, I might turn it off, but otherwise, it's active. I have a quarter-turn shut-off valve between the tank and a regulator that then feeds the copper lines that run along the ceiling. One side of the regulator block has a gauge, the other had a plug (so you could put the gauge on either side). I removed the plug and put a hydraulic brake switch for a motorcycle in its place. I then use a 12-volt wall wart to power an LED trailer marker light beside my exit door, right at eyeball height. If there is pressure in the air lines, the light is ON.

I can get away with this setup because my compressor tank is VERY air tight. With the valve OFF, it does not lose enough air to cycle the compressor for over a week. With the main valve ON and the valves at the four drops OFF, it will cycle after about three days.

 

[PoorUB]

But the question really is: is this safe or is there a better way to do it or should I just abandon the whole idea because it can't be done within electrical code?

This gets talked about fairly often.

I went a different way. My compressor uses a motor starter. I added a relay, run of the shop ceiling lights with the relay contacts in line with the pressure switch. The compressor runs only when the lights are on.

No motor starter? Buy a contactor with a 120 volt coil, put it in a metal electrical box and wire it in on the incoming power to the compressor.

 

[Metal-Marc]

I went a different way. My compressor uses a motor starter. I added a relay, run of the shop ceiling lights with the relay contacts in line with the pressure switch. The compressor runs only when the lights are on.

No motor starter? Buy a contactor with a 120 volt coil, put it in a metal electrical box and wire it in on the incoming power to the compressor.

That's not a bad idea. Or is it?

What if you turn on the lights, and the compressor starts right away. What if you don't need to use compressed air? It could end up being more annoying than usefull in the long term.

 

[exranger06]

What is the current rating of the circuit, Guessing the contactor was already 220V, or it would have been easier to use a 110 V circuit.

Yes, the contactor was already 240v. But wiring the circuit would've been pretty much the same if it was 120v. I ran #12 wire for the switches and light. There are no supplemental fuses or breakers; only the 40A breaker that feeds the compressor protects it. This is permitted by 430.72. In fact, according to Table 430.72(B)(2), I could've used #14 wire. But if I had to upsize the breaker to 60A due to nuisance tripping, then I would've needed #12, so I used #12 to be safe. But the 40A breaker has never tripped, so that was a non-issue.
I do have supplemental fuses for the automatic tank drain valve, since the cable for it only has #18 wire. I installed fuse holders with 7A fuses for that.

Below are pics of the junction box I mounted on the compressor. Conduit on bottom right goes to the contactor, conduit on top right goes to the pressure switch. Cable on bottom left goes to the tank drain valve. Fuse holders on left are for the tank drain. Yellow wire is the switched leg from the toggle switch, which feeds the tank drain, and also goes to the pressure switch. Red wire is the switched leg after the pressure switch. Black wire is the other hot leg, which is always hot, for the other leg of the tank drain. Green, of course, is ground.

 

[PoorUB]

That's not a bad idea. Or is it?

What if you turn on the lights, and the compressor starts right away. What if you don't need to use compressed air? It could end up being more annoying than usefull in the long term.

I keep the compressor pumped up. I have had a compressor pumped up for over thirty years, no plans to change my methods now. It takes about week for my air system to drop far enough for the compressor to kick in so it isn't much of an issue. Plus it takes just a couple minutes to recharge the tank. If I used air daily or a couple times a week it would not matter. A couple times over the years I have turned on the shop lights and was in hurry to leave. If I was going to be back in the shop in a an hour or two so I just left the lights on.

A couple times I wasn't going to be back so just shut off the lights and the compressor. The only short coming is the compressor stops with out the pressure switch unloading the head. It doesn't seem to matter as my compressor starts right up with head pressure anyway.
Many smaller compressors do no use the pressure switch to unload the head so for those models it does not matter.

I have had it set up this way for a few years and zero regrets. I like that it is a "no brainer", no thought needed to make sure the compressor is off. Sure, notes by the door and idiots lights work for some, but often I would leave by the overhead door and forget to shut off the compressor. I rarely leave my lights on when I am not going to be in the shop, pus I can see my shop windows from the house so either my wife or I noticed the few times the lights have been left on so the shop lights are one huge idiot light.

Some what to turn it into an argument. This works for me, and I like it better than anything else I have tried, and I did idiot lights and signs by the man door. They didn't work consistently for me, so I toss out this option.

 

[ArcReactorKC]

Way over complicated in this thread

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[RAYJAY]

Don’t over complicate it. Just get a 240v led pilot light, wire it so it’s on when the compressor is on.

not bright enuf ...

 

[alfredeneuman]

not bright enuf ...

Say what? This fixture could be the indicator light.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MVX8ZMP/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Sumboodie]

Personally, I would just tape a sign up on the exit that says "turn the compressor off!" or put a calendar reminder in my phone when I decide to go out and do some work. The time investment is negligible and worth a shot.

Or just leave it on?

My compressor never got shut off in the 12 years I had it setup (recently moved)

 

[infinkc]

Or just leave it on?

My compressor never got shut off in the 12 years I had it setup (recently moved)

You ever drain it? I have mine on an auto drain so it he times I do forget to shut it off, scares me when it kicks back on to fill.

 

[Sumboodie]

You ever drain it? I have mine on an auto drain so it he times I do forget to shut it off, scares me when it kicks back on to fill.

Yeah, every few months when it was above freezing (compressor in.umheated building) Never had more than a cup or two of water/oil mix.

 

[RAYJAY]

Say what? This fixture could be the indicator light.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MVX8ZMP/?tag=atomicindus08-20

link no work ...


need it bright enuf to see it across the room .... just added mine to one side of the disconnect switch been installed since 1-17-2007 and yes the motor needs to be re wired waiting on a pressure switch .......

 

[alfredeneuman]

link no work ...

This>>>>

HOOK 100W Led Flood Light AC 220V 230V 240V Outdoor Floodlight Spotlight IP65 Waterproof LED Street Lamp Landscape Lighting (Cool White)​

 

[dchawk81]

This>>>>

HOOK 100W Led Flood Light AC 220V 230V 240V Outdoor Floodlight Spotlight IP65 Waterproof LED Street Lamp Landscape Lighting (Cool White)​

100% not a link.

 

[cabranch47]

I keep the compressor pumped up. I have had a compressor pumped up for over thirty years, no plans to change my methods now. It takes about week for my air system to drop far enough for the compressor to kick in so it isn't much of an issue. Plus it takes just a couple minutes to recharge the tank. If I used air daily or a couple times a week it would not matter. A couple times over the years I have turned on the shop lights and was in hurry to leave. If I was going to be back in the shop in a an hour or two so I just left the lights on.

A couple times I wasn't going to be back so just shut off the lights and the compressor. The only short coming is the compressor stops with out the pressure switch unloading the head. It doesn't seem to matter as my compressor starts right up with head pressure anyway.
Many smaller compressors do no use the pressure switch to unload the head so for those models it does not matter.

I have had it set up this way for a few years and zero regrets. I like that it is a "no brainer", no thought needed to make sure the compressor is off. Sure, notes by the door and idiots lights work for some, but often I would leave by the overhead door and forget to shut off the compressor. I rarely leave my lights on when I am not going to be in the shop, pus I can see my shop windows from the house so either my wife or I noticed the few times the lights have been left on so the shop lights are one huge idiot light.

Some what to turn it into an argument. This works for me, and I like it better than anything else I have tried, and I did idiot lights and signs by the man door. They didn't work consistently for me, so I toss out this option.

I agree with this solution as I too have my compressor wired this way. No problem. Lights on - compressor on, Lights off-compressor off.