Motor control indicator lights

Bert Hendrix · Nov 3, 2004

Can anyone direct me to the proper documentation for specifying the proper colors for motor control indicator lighting. There is considerable argument here whether motor on should be indicated as red or green.

akreel · Nov 3, 2004

This may seem strange, but:

It is common to use green to indicate OFF or READY state in a process environment. Red is used to indicate an energized, or running condition. It makes sense if you think of it as "DANGER: I'm active. Do not service."

AK

khalil · Nov 3, 2004

Bert Hendrix said:
There is considerable argument here whether motor on should be indicated as red or green.

in my opinion, it depends... well if the motor is a for example, a ventelation fan I would use Grenn light as the vent is working "ON".
whereas if motor is moving for axample, a grinder that can cause damages to personel then I would use a red light

this is only my opinion, and please dont think of it as standard, I am sure the guys here will give detailes about standards..

good luck

Ken Moore · Nov 3, 2004

I don't think there is a real standard. We have a corperate standard on controls, which covers lights, graphic screens etc...
However, most smaller places don't have anything.

I have seen both colors used for motors.
Green = Go
Red = Stop

We use:
White = power on
Green = run or open
Red = emergency
Amber = alarm

Ken

BobB · Nov 3, 2004

There is an IEC standard. Not sure where you get it but
Green "On" or active
Red "Stop" or safe
Amber "Fault" or alarm
If amber not available use yellow
White "Power available" or OK
Phase cplours for power Red, White, Blue

Then there are all the colour schemes certain factories, consultants etc have adopted.

I use IEC.

rsdoran · Nov 3, 2004

NFPA 79 Chapter 13.1.2 Pushbutton operators, indicating (pilot) light lenses, and illuminated pushbuttons shall be color coded in accordance with Table 8.

RED: Estop, Stop or Off
Green: Start or ON except that Black, White or Gray are permitted.
Pushbuttons that act alternately for OFF/ON shall be Black, white or gray.
JOG or a button that causes movement when pressed and stops when released shall be Black, white, gray or blue with prefernce on black.
Yellow or amber light is for alarm or warning.
Thats just a basic overview, Table 8 shows more detail.

Bruce99 · Nov 3, 2004

lights

It depends on the company...Teck Cominco says Green = Run Amber = Alarm and Red is Ready.
The company I now work for says Green = ready Amber = alarm Blue = Hyd or Oil system Run Red = Run Clear = reset.

Im told most men have a certain level of red & green color blindness. Green shows up brighter and is better to use as an indication of "on".

What is right? I guess what ever the company policy is. I have no idea as to how accurate the colour blindness thing is.

We buy super bright LED lamps now. This solves the dim red light thing. They are annoying they are so bright. They last much longer than other lamps.

Just htought Id though my 5 cents CDn in. Have a good week!!

Bruce

gbradley · Nov 3, 2004

Just about all of the presses we have use a steady green light to indicate Press motor is running.
Amber illuminated is used for Clutch engagement whether in Inch mode or Run mode.
I would never consider a red light to mean that a motor was running.
Red means

.

Jim Dungar · Nov 3, 2004

Way back when, I was taught "the color of the illuminated light is the color of the button to push to change the state of the machine".
Red PL = On/running -> push the red button to stop the machine.
Green PL = Off -> push the green button to start the machine.

I think the standard for Allen-Bradley, Cutler Hammer, and Square D is to use Red=running on all of their NEMA starters.

Now on my panels, I am trying to use the NFPA79 as my standard for all wiring/equipment choices.

jdbrandt · Nov 3, 2004

depends on the industry

In the printing industry, RED means ready, GREEN means safe.

SAFE= can't start, can't accellerate.
READY= can start

Isnt it true that the power generation industry has their own color codes, as well.

Regardless, the general rule I try to follow is:
Be Consistent.

CaseyK · Nov 4, 2004

Anybody know what black lights are for???

gbradley · Nov 4, 2004

Anybody know what black lights are for???

For illuminating brightly colored posters.

dale1627 · Nov 4, 2004

jdbrandt, you are correct. Several years back I had to install stack lights on our printing presses. Green=machine stopped safe, Flashing Red=machine about to move also signal horn sounds, Solid Red=machine either moving or stopped unsafe. Also had to install new horns, one sound for fwd alarm, another for revrs alarm. No two sounds in the pressroom could be the same. At the time we had 8 printing presses, too many sounds blarring. I cannot remeber the standard that was used but I also changed all PB colors at the same time. I need to try too find my papers on it. This was before I knew how to program plc and had to use relays and timers. It was intersting to say the least.

dale

BobB · Nov 4, 2004

Anybody know what black lights are for???

Or brightly painted bodies

DonsDaMan · Nov 5, 2004

I don't think there is a true "standard." I've worked in plants from power companies to paper mills to sewage treatment (and quite a few others).

Some plants had "standards," while others just took the lamps as designed. I've seen red meaning "running" and red meaning "stopped."

Generally, the lenses set the color and the lenses are interchangeable, so I'd just swap them to match the customer's standard, whatever it might be (assuming he had a preference).

If you REALLY want to get an argument started, though, ask the following:

Should emergency stops be push to shutdown or pull to shutdown?

Motor control indicator lights

Bert Hendrix

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akreel

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khalil

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Ken Moore

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BobB

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rsdoran

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Bruce99

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gbradley

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Jim Dungar

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jdbrandt

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CaseyK

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gbradley

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dale1627

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BobB

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DonsDaMan

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