Power Electronics VFD User manual

Power Electronics® VFD

Troubleshooting Guide and FAQs

 
2 
© Copyright 2016 Power Electronics®International Inc. 561-8 Plate Drive, East Dundee, Illinois 60118-2467 USA 
 
Contents 
Drive Selection Help................................................................................................................................................................ 4 
How do I select the right PE®VFD or Multi-Vector®drive for my application?................................................................... 4 
Should I select a drive that is over-sized for my motor rating?.......................................................................................... 4 
Will PE®drives work with single-phase motors?................................................................................................................. 4 
Can I use PE®drives with two-speed motors? .................................................................................................................... 4 
Installation Help ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 
How are PE®drives supposed to be mounted?................................................................................................................... 5 
What does it mean if P.C. 22 is flashing on the display of my drive? ................................................................................. 5 
How do I perform a Gang-Set®with my drive? ................................................................................................................... 5 
How can I adjust the motor speed settings of my drive? ................................................................................................... 6 
General Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 
What is the unlock code for PE®drives? ............................................................................................................................. 7 
What is typical behavior of a PE®drive when a trip event occurs? .................................................................................... 7 
How do I begin to troubleshoot a PE®Variable Speed Drive? ............................................................................................ 8 
How can I see the event code history on my drive?........................................................................................................... 8 
How can I use the drive’s event codes to help me diagnose and fix system issues? ......................................................... 8 
How can I reset my drive after an event code is displayed? .............................................................................................. 9 
Event Code Help (F1 - F47).................................................................................................................................................... 10 
What does F0 indicate?..................................................................................................................................................... 10 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F1? ............................................................................................... 10 
Does the drive trip out with an F1 code immediately (before moving the motor)? ................................................. 10 
Does an F1 occur when accelerating?.......................................................................................................................... 11 
Does an F1 occur when decelerating? ......................................................................................................................... 11 
Does F1 occur while travelling a constant speed, or when a certain speed is reached?........................................... 11 
Does the drive ramp up in frequency, but the motor does not turn, and then an F1 occurs?.................................. 11 
What else can cause F1? .............................................................................................................................................. 12 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F2? ............................................................................................... 13 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F3? ............................................................................................... 13 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F4? ............................................................................................... 14 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F5? ............................................................................................... 15 

 
3 
© Copyright 2016 Power Electronics®International Inc. 561-8 Plate Drive, East Dundee, Illinois 60118-2467 USA 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F6 or F7? ...................................................................................... 16 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F8? ............................................................................................... 16 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F9? ............................................................................................... 16 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F10? ............................................................................................. 17 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F11? ............................................................................................. 17 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F12? ............................................................................................. 17 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F13? ............................................................................................. 18 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F14? ............................................................................................. 18 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F17? ............................................................................................. 19 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F18 or F19? .................................................................................. 19 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F20? ............................................................................................. 20 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F21? ............................................................................................. 20 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F22? ............................................................................................. 20 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F23? ............................................................................................. 21 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F24? ............................................................................................. 21 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F25? ............................................................................................. 21 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F26? ............................................................................................. 22 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F27? ............................................................................................. 22 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F28? ............................................................................................. 22 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F33? ............................................................................................. 23 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F34? ............................................................................................. 23 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F35 or F36? .................................................................................. 24 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F45? ............................................................................................. 24 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F46? ............................................................................................. 25 
What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F47? ............................................................................................. 25 
 
 

Drive Selection Help

How do I select the right PE®VFD or Multi-Vector®drive for my application?

Drive selection is mainly dependent on the answers to the following questions:

1. Will the drive be used to control a travel motion (bridge, trolleys, rotation, etc.) or to control a hoist? Many of

our drives are now “pre-programmed” to control either a traverse motion or hoist motors. Our drives that are

programmed to control hoist motors will usually have a model number ending in “H”.

2. If the drive will be used to control a hoist motor, does the hoist have a mechanical load brake, or is a closed-loop

system (with an encoder) required?

3. What are your motor specifications (HP or kW rating, FLA, RPM, Voltage)?

4. How many speed control settings would you like?

5. Do you require analog speed control?

6. How many other user Auxiliary inputs or controls are required?

Once you have this information, compare your specifications to our list of products. Contact PE®if you require any

further help with selecting the correct drive for your application.

Should I select a drive that is over-sized for my motor rating?

No. Unlike many of our competitors, PE®drives are built so that over-sizing is not necessary. Our drives are built from the

ground-up with the demanding requirements of electric overhead cranes and material handling in mind. As long as you

select a drive that meets (or slightly exceeds) your motor HP and FLA requirements, our drives are built to handle the

size motors specified.

Will PE®drives work with single-phase motors?

No, our Soft-Starts and VFDs are designed to work with three-phase motors. However, if your facility does not have

three-phase power available, PE®VFD drives can be used to convert single-phase line voltage to three-phase output for

use with a three-phase motor. In this case, call PE®for special drive sizing concerns.

Can I use PE®drives with two-speed motors?

Yes. If you have a two-speed motor and you are using one of our Micro-Speed®VFDs for speed control, hook up the PE®

drive to the motor’s high-speed windings only. Be sure to size the VFD based on the high-speed winding HP/Amp rating.

If you plan on using a Smooth-Move®Soft-Start unit, be sure to select the model that works with two speed motors.

Installation Help

How are PE®drives supposed to be mounted?

PE®drives are designed to be mounted vertically on an electrical panel (mounted so the print on the device is upright).

The heat sink fins in the unit are designed to cool best with that orientation. However, if the drive is mounted in an area

where the normal ambient temperatures are much lower than the maximum temperature rating of the unit, it may be

mounted in other directions –consult PE®for further help in this scenario.

Mount the drive out of direct sunlight or radiant heat with spacing in an enclosure that allows adequate ventilation of

the heat sink (refer to the drive’s manual for Clearance and Wiring specifications).

What does it mean if P.C. 22 is flashing on the display of my drive?

Note: You will only see this code on Ver 2.2 or 4.2 drives (or higher). If the display on your drive alternates between “P.C.

22” and “rOFF” or “cOFF”, this means the drive’s U22 parameter has not yet been set. This is typically the case when

you are installing a new drive. The drive will not accept control input, and will not send power to the motor or brake

output until U22 is properly set.

IMPORTANT:

U22 must be set to total motor FLA, and U26 must be set to “ON” or “1” unless separate motor thermal protection is

provided by user. Refer to your drive’s manual for more information about the U parameters.

CAUTION: Do not set U22 greater than total motor nameplate amps.

Before you can enter your motor (or group of motors) FLA value at U22, the unlock code must first be entered at the U0

parameter. This code is 369. After holding the “Scroll” button to arrive at the U0 parameter, you can enter the unlock

code by pressing and holding the increase button until the number displayed scrolls up to 369. If you go past this

number, you can press the decrease button to adjust. Once 369 is displayed, you can now poke the scroll button to

reach U22 and then use the Increase/Decrease buttons to enter your value. If you have not unlocked the U parameters

properly, you will see the word “code” displayed. In that case, return to U0 and re-enter the unlock code.

More information about how to perform the programming steps (including a video of the procedure) can be found

HERE.

How do I perform a Gang-Set®with my drive?

If you have just installed a PE®drive, or if you would like to return your drive to some recommended default values, you

can perform a Gang-Set®to help you get up-and-running quickly. When the drive is Gang-Set, each “A” parameter is

programmed to a factory chosen value. Since each A parameter is reprogrammed each time a Gang-Set®is initiated, all

previous custom adjustments to the “A”parameters will be lost. Therefore, it is recommended that all fine-tuning of

individual “A”parameters must be done after a Gang-Set, and not before.

Performing a Gang-Set®is simple and quick. Make sure your drive is in the idle state, and displays either “rOFF” or

“cOFF”. From there, press and hold down all three buttons on the drive, until either “Pb” or “Ph” appears. Then use the

increase or decrease buttons to choose the desired program using the Gang-Set®descriptions found in your manual.

Next hold the scroll button until you are back to the OFF screen. It’s a simple as that! The settings from the Gang-Set®

have now been loaded into your drive.

A video of the Gang-Set procedure can be viewed here.

How can I adjust the motor speed settings of my drive?

Nearly all of the motor speed and acceleration/deceleration settings can be adjusted within the “A” parameter group.

The most common adjustments can be performed by changing the following parameters:

A1: This is your default acceleration time in seconds. The value of this parameter determines how long it will take for

your drive to ramp your motor from zero to full speed.

A4: Default deceleration time in seconds. This value determines how long it will take to ramp down from full speed to

zero.

A12: This is usually your default low speed setting, in Hz.

A13-A16: Speed settings associated with inputs S2-S5, respectively.

More information about basic programming procedures, as well as a more complete list of the “A”parameters can be

found HERE. You can also refer to your drive’s manual for more information about the other parameter groups.

General Troubleshooting

What is the unlock code for PE®drives?

To prevent accidental or unintentional changes, Micro-Speed®drives require a code to be entered at the L0 and U0

parameters before any adjustments are allowed in the respective “L” or “U” parameter groups. (Also, the C and CL

parameter groups are locked on MX™and MV™ units.)

The unlock code is 369.

Before changes can be made in the L or U parameter groups, you must enter this code when you are at either parameter

L0 or U0. When you are at this parameter, change the default value of “0” to the unlock code by pressing and holding

the increase button until the number displayed scrolls up to 369. If you go past the code number, you can press the

decrease button to adjust. Once 369 is on the display, you can now poke the scroll button to get to the parameter you

wish to change, and then proceed to make the desired change to the parameter value using the Increase or Decrease

buttons. If the previous steps were not performed correctly, you will see “CodE” on the display when you try to change

the parameter value. This means the parameter group was not unlocked correctly, and you will need to repeat the

above steps. A demonstration of how to unlock the U parameter group can be viewed in the video shown here.

There is another type of “Lock” on PE drives, where the LCD display will say “LOC” if you try to change any of the

parameters (even the “A” parameter group, which is normally unlocked). If you see this code, start from the “rOFF” or

“cOFF” home screen, and press and hold both the Increase and Decrease buttons simultaneously. After a few seconds,

the LCD display will read L–U. Use the increase or decrease buttons to change the setting to either “LOC” to lock the

unit, or “UnL” to unlock it.

Call or contact PE® if you need any further assistance.

What is typical behavior of a PE®drive when a trip event occurs?

How the Micro-Speed®Smart-Move, Micro-Speed®CX™, and Micro-Speed®MV™ drives respond to a trip

condition:

When a trip condition occurs, four events will happen:

1. The Smart-Move, Micro-Speed®CX™ or Micro-Speed®MX/MV™ removes power to the motor, and will

stop accepting control input from pendant/radio.

2. The brake outputs, B1 and B2, will open. This will bring the crane motion to a stop using the brakes.

3. An event code will be displayed on the drive display. Event codes begin with the letter “F” and are

followed by a number.

4. The event code will be stored at E1–if there was a previous event code, it will be pushed to E2 and so

on. If an event code was in E4 it will then be pushed out of memory.

How do I begin to troubleshoot a PE®Variable Speed Drive?

All of the products manufactured by Power Electronics®have similar programming and the event codes are also very

similar across the Micro-Speed®Product Lines.

The first thing to do is check the fuses and Event Codes on your unit. If the fuses are blown, do not just replace them

with new fuses. Just replacing them may make a problem worse or damage the drive. Check for wiring or other shorts

first. When a problem arises, such as excessive current draw, often the unit will protect itself by shutting down, then

displaying and recording an Event Code. The code reveals information about the most recent condition. See the FAQ

named What is typical behavior of a PE®drive when a trip event occurs? for more information.

If the fuses are okay and the drive can power up (display is on), check for an Event Code to be displayed on the screen

and check the Event Code FAQ’s below, as well as the troubleshooting steps listed in your manual. If you do not have an

F-code displayed, check the “E1-E4” parameters to see the Event Codes which may have recently been displayed. To do

this, press and hold the “SCROLL” button until “E” is displayed, then let go of the “SCROLL” button. “E1” will be displayed

briefly, then it will display the most recent F-code recorded (newer models –Version 2.1 and higher –will also display a

number in front of the F-code, indicating the number of times that particular trip has occurred). To view the previous

Event Codes (in order of occurrence), tap the scroll button to read the next three recorded Event Codes at E2, E3 and E4

respectively. The presence of F-codes does not necessarily mean that the unit has been damaged.

Refer to the Event Code list below to help diagnose and troubleshoot issues with your system.

To exit from the “E” parameters, press and hold the scroll button again until “cOFF” or “rOFF” is displayed then let go.

How can I see the event code history on my drive?

Automatic storage of event codes

The Micro-Speed®Smart-Move, Micro-Speed®CX™ and Micro-Speed®MX/MV™ models all automatically store the last

four different types of event codes the drive has seen. They are stored in the Diagnostics memory locations E1, E2, E3,

E4. Memory location E1 contains the most recent trip code (newer models also have a number in front of the code,

indicating the number of times that type of trip has occurred). This history can help diagnosis a problem –including

motor and other mechanical conditions.

How can I use the drive’s event codes to help me diagnose and fix system issues?

Interpreting Event Codes

When a trip occurs, one of the codes listed below will be displayed, and action should be taken to correct the cause. The

list of event codes on this site and in your manual will explain each trip condition, and give some possible causes. If the

recommended changes do not relieve the problem, then please contact the factory for further assistance. If calling, it

will be helpful to have a complete list of the recorded event codes (E1-E4) available along with the model and serial

number of the product in question.

How can I reset my drive after an event code is displayed?

Resetting the drive after a trip

The drive will not accept any control input while an event code is displayed. The event code can be cleared by resetting

the drive. The method by which the Micro-Speed®Smart-Move, Micro-Speed®CX™, or Micro-Speed®MX/MV™ drives

may be reset is determined by a specific programming parameter. For the Smart-Move®and CX™ models, it is parameter

L27; and for the MX/MV™ models, it is parameter C10. By default, all of the drives are programmed to reset when the

directional button on the pendant station is toggled (press-release). No matter what method is programmed in the

above parameters, you can always perform a reset by removing power from the drive (disconnect mainline) and then

wait for the charge light to go off, then turning on the line power feeding the drive.

**Please Note** that the F2 code does not reset like most other event codes. If an F2 code is triggered, the drive will

need to remain powered on, and may need several minutes to allow for the motor to cool. After sufficient time has

passed, the drive will need to be reset one last time - this is the normal functionality of this code.

Event Code Help (F1 - F47)

What does F0 indicate?

F0 –No F-Code Recorded

Code Meaning: This value will be seen when checking the stored event codes (in parameters E1-E4) if no fault was

stored, or after the memory was cleared. See How do I begin to troubleshoot a PE Variable Speed Drive? for more

information about checking the event code history.

What troubleshooting steps should I perform if I see F1?

F1: Current Trip

Code Meaning: Current has risen to over 300% of the rated output current. The current trip is a common fault and has

many potential causes. Observing how the drive and the machine it is driving act at the moment this trip occurs will help

the user in diagnosing the cause of the fault. CAUTION: Continued starting into a condition that causes F1’s could

damage the drive!

Use the following questions and recommended troubleshooting steps as a guide to help you resolve the issue:

Does the drive trip out with an F1 code immediately (before moving the motor)?

If yes, check the following potential causes:

1. An output semiconductor in the drive is shorted. An output semiconductor short can be tested for by

disconnecting the motor leads from the drive and running the drive at some speed. The drive will trip out with

no motor attached if there is an output short. If you DO see an F1 code in this case, the drive will need to be sent

back to the factory for repair. If you DO NOT see an F1 code while running the drive with no motor leads,

continue checking the following potential causes.

2. Motor problems. Specifically, check the following: A) The motor bearings (Can the motor shaft rotate freely?) B)

A short in the motor (Check for shorts in the motor leads, leg to leg, and leg to ground.) C) Verify the motor

windings are wired correctly (Are you properly hooked up for 230 or 460V?) D) Verify the motor is the correct

voltage/Hz (Call PE®if you have a 120Hz motor.) E) Check to see if the current rating of the motor (or group of

motors) is too large for the drive. F) Does the motor have internal brakes that receive power from the three

motor leads? This type of motor should not be used with inverters unless the brake power leads can be brought

out separately and powered from the line and not the drive.

3. Mechanical brake not operating properly. Make sure that any mechanical brake that is used is releasing cleanly

without any dragging. Some motors have internal brakes; make sure these are also operating.

4. Large current draw when accelerating. The voltage boost setting A8 (C74 on the MX™drives) may be too high

and/or if the ramp down option is off, the pulse start boost setting (L31) may be too high. Solution: Lower the

setting(s).

5. Mechanical binding. Solution: Investigate source of binding and fix.

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