Current Limit [Current Lmt Sel]

[Current Lmt Val]
[Current Lmt Gain]

There are 6 ways that the drive can protect itself from overcurrent or overload
situations:

• Instantaneous Overcurrent trip

• Software Instantaneous Trip
• Software Current Limit
• Overload Protection IT
• Heatsink temperature protection
• Thermal Manager

1. Instantaneous Overcurrent - This is a feature that instantaneously trips or

faults the drive if the output current exceeds this value. The value is fixed by
hardware and is typically 250% of drive rated amps. The Fault code for this
feature is F12 “HW Overcurrent.” This feature cannot be defeated or
mitigated.

2. Software Instantaneous Trip - There could be situations where peak currents

do not reach the F12 “HW Overcurrent” value and are sustained long enough
and high enough to damage certain drive components. If this situation occurs,
the drives protection scheme will cause an F36 “SW Overcurrent” fault. The
point at which this fault occurs is fixed and stored in drive memory.

3. Software Current Limit - This is a software feature that selectively faults the
drive or attempts to reduce current by folding back output voltage and
frequency if the output current exceeds this value. The [Current Lmt Val]
parameter is programmable between approximately 25% and 150% of drive
rating. The reaction to exceeding this value is programmable with [Shear Pin
Fault]. Enabling this parameter creates an F63 “Shear Pin Fault.” Disabling
this parameter causes the drive to use Volts/Hz fold back to try and reduce
load.

The frequency adjust or fold back operation consists of two modes. In the
primary mode of current limit operation, motor phase current is sampled and
compared to the Current Limit setting in the [Current Lmt Val]. If a current
“error” exists, error is scaled by an integral gain and fed to the integrator. The
output of this integrator is summed with the proportional term and the active
speed mode component to adjust the output frequency and the commanded
voltage. The second mode of current limit operation is invoked when a
frequency limit has been reached and current limit continues to be active. At
this point, a current regulator is activated to adjust the output voltage to limit
the current. When the current limit condition ceases or the output voltage of
the current regulator attempts to exceed the open loop voltage commands,
control is transferred to the primary current limit mode or normal ramp
operation.

66 Rockwell Automation Publication PFLEX-RM001H-EN-P - June 2013