Light to show when air compressor is "ON"

[signcrafter]

My air compressor is in the back corner of the shop. I like to turn the power off when not using it. Compressor is 220 volts and I use this switch to turn it on and off, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MPQ51O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Would like to wire up some sort of indicator light to be lit up when compressor is on so I can see it's on and remember to turn it off. What would be the best way to do this?

 

[Kevin Essiambre]

I would use a 240 volt indicator light. Problem is you'll need a couple inline fuses. Where did you want to mount the light?

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[AntonLargiader]

How big is the box that the switch is in? For instance is it a surface mounted 4x4 with only that switch in it, or what?

 

[exranger06]

How is the wiring run? Individual conductors in conduit? Do you have a neutral at the switch (or can you pull one?) If so, you can add a 120V light bulb. You just run a jumper from the switch to the bulb. Connect it to one of the poles, on the load side. Then connect the light to the neutral. This is what I did for my compressor:

Materials used:
Leviton 2152 lampholder: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/2152
Leviton Green jewel (also available in red) 405-gr: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/405-gr
Hubbell-Raco 805C switch cover: https://www.hubbell.com/raco/en/Products/Electrical-Electronic/Boxes/4-in-Square-Boxes-Covers/805C/p/1670689
Westinghouse C7 (night-light) LED light bulb (suitable for use in fully enclosed fixtures): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-7-Watt-Equivalent-C7-Frosted-LED-Night-Light-Bulb-Soft-White-Light-2-Pack-5510900/308770524

 

[gungatim]

^that's pretty much what I did, but I used a regular lamp socket. had originally planned to run a 220v bulb off both legs but they are harder to find that I thought, not to mention expensive...so I just went with a 120v tapped off one of the legs and a neutral.

 

[cabranch47]

I put mine on a 40 amp, 240V contactor with a 120 V coil. Wired the coil to my light circuit. Lights on = compressor on, light off = compressor off. Works great and I don't have to think abut it when I leave.j

 

[signcrafter]

How big is the box that the switch is in? For instance is it a surface mounted 4x4 with only that switch in it, or what?

Right now the switch is in a 4 square metal box and is the only thing in it. Right now the switch is back by the air compressor but I am going to move it over by the door so it's easier to see and turn on and off. Should still meet the within site disconnect part of the code I believe. Otherwise I will just get another switch and keep the one by the compressor and add a new one by the door. So power would go to the first switch and would put the indicator light there and then from that switch to the second switch by the compressor.

How is the wiring run? Individual conductors in conduit? Do you have a neutral at the switch (or can you pull one?) If so, you can add a 120V light bulb. You just run a jumper from the switch to the bulb. Connect it to one of the poles, on the load side. Then connect the light to the neutral. This is what I did for my compressor:

Materials used:
Leviton 2152 lampholder: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/2152
Leviton Green jewel (also available in red) 405-gr: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/405-gr
Hubbell-Raco 805C switch cover: https://www.hubbell.com/raco/en/Products/Electrical-Electronic/Boxes/4-in-Square-Boxes-Covers/805C/p/1670689
Westinghouse C7 (night-light) LED light bulb (suitable for use in fully enclosed fixtures): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-7-Watt-Equivalent-C7-Frosted-LED-Night-Light-Bulb-Soft-White-Light-2-Pack-5510900/308770524

That looks perfect. Thank you for the links also.

I put mine on a 40 amp, 240V contactor with a 120 V coil. Wired the coil to my light circuit. Lights on = compressor on, light off = compressor off. Works great and I don't have to think abut it when I leave.j

Interesting. Not sure I want to go that route but it is another option.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My air compressor is in the back corner of the shop. I like to turn the power off when not using it. Compressor is 220 volts and I use this switch to turn it on and off, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MPQ51O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Would like to wire up some sort of indicator light to be lit up when compressor is on so I can see it's on and remember to turn it off. What would be the best way to do this?

Whats the HP rating on the compressor?

How is the wiring run? Individual conductors in conduit? Do you have a neutral at the switch (or can you pull one?) If so, you can add a 120V light bulb. You just run a jumper from the switch to the bulb. Connect it to one of the poles, on the load side. Then connect the light to the neutral. This is what I did for my compressor:

Materials used:
Leviton 2152 lampholder: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/2152
Leviton Green jewel (also available in red) 405-gr: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/405-gr
Hubbell-Raco 805C switch cover: https://www.hubbell.com/raco/en/Products/Electrical-Electronic/Boxes/4-in-Square-Boxes-Covers/805C/p/1670689
Westinghouse C7 (night-light) LED light bulb (suitable for use in fully enclosed fixtures): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-7-Watt-Equivalent-C7-Frosted-LED-Night-Light-Bulb-Soft-White-Light-2-Pack-5510900/308770524

Whats the HP rating on your compressor?

Also, did you use inline fuses?

 

[exranger06]

Whats the HP rating on your compressor?

Also, did you use inline fuses?

5 HP compressor. I have a magnetic starter/contactor hooked up. The toggle switch just controls the coil of the contactor, wired in series with the pressure switch. The light is also on that control circuit. I didn't install any fuses.

 

[signcrafter]

Whats the HP rating on your compressor?

Also, did you use inline fuses?

Mine is 3 HP, plate says FLA is 14.4-15A. And no inline fuses, just the breaker.

And no blue wires in that circuit at all.

 

[bamawildcat]

How is the wiring run? Individual conductors in conduit? Do you have a neutral at the switch (or can you pull one?) If so, you can add a 120V light bulb. You just run a jumper from the switch to the bulb. Connect it to one of the poles, on the load side. Then connect the light to the neutral. This is what I did for my compressor:

Materials used:
Leviton 2152 lampholder: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/2152
Leviton Green jewel (also available in red) 405-gr: https://www.leviton.com/en/products/405-gr
Hubbell-Raco 805C switch cover: https://www.hubbell.com/raco/en/Products/Electrical-Electronic/Boxes/4-in-Square-Boxes-Covers/805C/p/1670689
Westinghouse C7 (night-light) LED light bulb (suitable for use in fully enclosed fixtures): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-7-Watt-Equivalent-C7-Frosted-LED-Night-Light-Bulb-Soft-White-Light-2-Pack-5510900/308770524

That's a very elegant solution. I too have a remote mount compressor and sometimes forget I left the switch on.

 

[penright]

I was just going to ask this question. I will be wiring up a 240V compressor. The one I currently have is 110V. So I added a switch for the outlet and plugged a 12V brick, and used it to power a light. Switch on, the outlet on, light on. I thought about the contactor, but too complicated and expensive.

What kind of inline fuse would you use to light a 110V low amp light from a 30amp 240v circuit?

 

[teamextreme]

I just used a 240V, 22mm red indicator light tied to the load side of my switch (same or similar to the one OP is using). No, I didn't use fuses, I know that's a violation (or is it, can the tap rule be used?), but I'm not that concerned about it since it's a 3 foot length of 14-2 feeding only an indicator light mounted at 7 feet off the floor. If there's a short it will still trip the compressor breaker and there's no chance of any kind of overload. I view it like having #18 wire in a strip fixture that's connected to a 20A breaker.

 

[TRWham]

A motor control circuit tapped off the motor circuit, including the light, probably does not need supplemental overcurrent protection as long as you follow 430.72.

 

[exranger06]

A motor control circuit tapped off the motor circuit, including the light, probably does not need supplemental overcurrent protection as long as you follow 430.72.

That is why I didn't add any fuses to mine. All of the wiring from the contactor to the toggle switch was already sufficiently protected according to 430.72, and all I did was add a jumper to the indicator light in the same box. I couldn't find anything in the code specifically about indicator lights on control circuits.

 

[The Cobbler]

could always add an AC glass fuse holder if you wanted for a few dollars