Overload relays used in elevators are self-resetting.

• A. True
• B. False; they must be manually reset
• C. Sometimes they reset automatically
• D. Only after a fixed period

Answer: (B)

The key idea is safety-oriented control: after an overload condition, you don’t want the system to restart automatically. In elevator circuits, an overload causes the motor starter to drop out, stopping the car. If the protection were self-resetting, the control could reenergize as soon as the fault clears, potentially restarting with a lingering fault or while the car and doors are not in a safe state. A manual-reset overload relay requires someone to acknowledge the fault and physically reset the protection before the motor can be energized again. This ensures a deliberate check of the elevator, its load, and the landing conditions before movement resumes, reducing the risk of sudden or unsafe operation. While other equipment might use automatic reset in different contexts, the standard practice for elevator protection is manual reset, which is why the statement that overload relays in elevators are self-resetting is not correct.