# motor control help



## budman715 (Nov 8, 2013)

ok heres the situation, I have a generator. I have a pilot light mounted in the control room. I would like to energize the pilot light when the generator starts.....I would also like to light that same pilot light when the generator shuts down.....and by the way I have a reset button to reset the pilot light. I know I can come off the gen start contact to energize my pilot light and then reset it. ,,,,,but I cant figure how to wire for second alarm.....any help? thank you in advance


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

it would depend on the generator output
rather than wiring it to the starter
wire it to the output
this gives a true state of things (generator running or not)
wiring a normally closed relay to a pilot light will energize when the generator goes down but you would need a power source for the pilot light
by the way i would use 2 different colored pilot lights to save confusion.:laughing:


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## Chrisibew440 (Sep 13, 2013)

Use a ice cube relay. When the genny starts, fires relay closing the no contacts turning on the light. Using the same "other power source" jump to the nc contacts and fire another light like he said. You should use two different lights for sure.


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## budman715 (Nov 8, 2013)

lets just go with it.....if i was only going to use 1 light......my situation is not exactly this but it best describes it.......


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## kreddad (Oct 24, 2013)

need more info about generator


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## EB Electric (Feb 8, 2013)

If the pilot light is going to come on when it starts and also be on when it shuts down what is the purpose? If it's only a single light, it may as well be on the entire time. That sounds like a running indicator to me. I would think you need one light for start, and a separate one for shut down otherwise it is not exactly clear what the light is telling you, so why then install it in the first place.


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## beardie (Sep 12, 2013)

Do you have change over contactors


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## buddhakii (Jan 13, 2011)

Run power to the light off your generator panel. It will be on when the generator is running and on when it is not running which is what you want. Put a switch in if you want to shut it off at anytime.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Let me get your logic straight and make one suggestion on semantics:

No generator running, no pilot light.

Generator STARTS, you want the pilot light to come on.

You ACKNOWLEDGE (not Reset) that you saw that the generator started by pressing a push button. 

Once acknowledged, the pilot light goes out.

Then when the generator shuts DOWN, you want the pilot light to turn on again.

Then you ACKNOWLEDGE again that you know the generator has changed state again by pushing the same button.

The pilot light goes out again, then becomes enabled to start the sequence over.

Is that right? I see some potential flaws in the logic that might need discussion and maybe tweaking, but I wanted to firmly establish the desired sequence first.


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## KennyW (Aug 31, 2013)

I assume the genset has it own 24vdc battery and electrical system? If so you can use the B+ terminal on the alternator to run a relay. It would operate like the alternator idiot light on your car (turns on when the engine switches off) granted you'd get a false alarm if the alternator failed, but that is arguably a feature as much as a problem. 

That said I still don't really get the description of operation either.


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