Generator, motor and battery symbols
Rotating machines are drawn as a circle with a letter: G for a generator, M for a motor. Batteries are a stack of long and short plates. They sit at the ends of a one-line: sources at the top, loads at the bottom.
Sources and machines: ANSI and IEC
On ANSI one-lines a generator is usually a circle with a sine wave and a motor a circle with M. IEC 60617 uses one general machine symbol, a circle (S00819), and puts the letter inside: G for a generator, M for a motor, with a tilde for alternating current.
Next to each machine the one-line gives its rating and voltage, and for generators the neutral earthing arrangement. These are the figures the protection settings and the short-circuit study are built on.
Frequently asked questions
Which sources and machines appear on a single line diagram?
This legend covers generator, motor, battery. Project legends may add more.
Are these symbols different in IEC and ANSI?
2 of the 3 are drawn differently. Each symbol page shows both forms side by side.
Can I download these symbols?
Yes. Each symbol page has free SVG files, and the hub has printable PDF charts.
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