dry test for a soft starter

N

Thread Starter

Nabil Shehadeh

I need urgently how exactely shall make the dry test for a soft starter,since I faced many problem with a TELEMECANIQUE ATS48 which gives alarm and fault as we energize the 220v supply.
We connected a small pump 7.5 KW to do the test, where the original size is 110KW.
 
M
Some soft starters are sized to operate in a given range of current to the motor, if that current is to low or high, the starter will fault. Also, most require a maintained stop connection, you open this terminal to stop the motor and have to re-apply the start connection to re-start.

Really go over the setup and configuration of the soft starter, check power connections and incoming voltage, rotation, current, ramp time settings, bump start or not.
Make sure you're configured for 3 or 2 wire start setup as required and it is correct. Heck, you could have a 480vac (3 pahse) unit and your only suppling 240vac (2 pahse), make sure your motor is correct voltage (don't put 480vac motor on a 240vac supply, or a 240vac motor on a 480 vac supply).

If the soft starter is faulting without a load connected and it has not been commanded to start, could be a primary voltage problem (480 vs 240 or 240 vs 480). Most also require 120 vac for the control circuits to operate, not 240 or 480). So get out the manual and read the fine print.

Some specifics about exactly what is happening would be of help for those of us who respond to help you out.

matt
 
Many of the telemecanique soft starters need the bypass contactor connections in separate terminals provided for it. Else the unit will give false alarm. Did you check this?

Sekar
 
R

Robert Bowman

Some of the newer soft starters will have a setting to let you test an unloaded motor and will reset after the test. They don't need the bypass contactors installed as this is only for heat reduction.
 
Dear Nabil,

In ATS48, there is one feature of starting a softstarting at low power, to do so you have to switch on SST parameter on in the drive menu. This parameter will switch off as soon as you turn on the control power, it is a temporary setting for the testing.

I have used it for the low load testing for several times but I used to use a motor of 1/3 of the size, not lower than this. So in your case I suggest to use minimum 30KW motor.

Regards
 
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