Schneider Electric Altivar 312 Drives – FAQ

To request a quote for one of the Altivar Drives, please email sales@mrodrives.com or call 800-691-8511.

How can I check the Logic inputs are working on an Altivar 312 drive?
Go to the Monitor menu (SUP) then Logic Input Conf (LIA-). Scroll down to LIS. Not LI5A, just LIS. Push enter and you will see 6 hash marks which represent LI1 thru LI6.

If the input is closed the hash mark will be up. If open, the hash mark will be down. You can test the inputs by using a jumper wire from 24V to any Logic Inputs to see if they change state.

What is the maximum motor cable length for an Altivar 312?
The Altivar 312 shows that an output filter or choke is required for any cable distance between the drive and motor exceeding 164 feet (50 meters). Above 164 feet, there is a change with shielded vs non-shielded.

Shielded cables:
From 164 feet to 330 feet (100 meters) you can use the LR filter cell or a motor choke.

Unshielded cables:
From 164 feet to 660 feet (200 meters) you can use the LR filter cell or a motor choke.

How do you set up the Altivar 312 drives for 3 wire control?
Under the I/O menu, set parameter tCC to 3C.
Wire a normally closed momentary STOP switch between terminals +24 and LI1 and a normally open momentary START FORWARD switch between +24 and LI2. If reverse is also desired, wire a normally open momentary START REVERSE switch between +24 and LIx, defined by the reverse assignment parameter rrS in the I/O menu.

What is the part number of the cooling fan for ATV312HD11N4?
The part number is VZ3V3104.

How do you program the Altivar 312 for terminal start stop & speed control via the VW3A1101 remote keypad display?
Hold the MOD button until you see the 3 LEDs on the left of the local display all flash at once.
This is local mode you can not do any programming in this mode.
Now you will need to hold the ESC button for 3 seconds unit you see the same LED’s now flash 1,2,3 or scrolling.
Now you are in local/ programming mode.
Push the enter button or knob.
Scroll down to CTL menu enter
Scroll down to LAC menu enter
Set LAC to L3 or level 3 (you must hold enter for 3 seconds before the parameter will save) ESC
scroll down to FR1
Set FR1 to A1U1
Scroll down to CHCF enter
Set CHCF to SEP enter
Scroll down to CD1 enter
Set CD1 to term for terminal control enter
Once you are done programming you will need to put the drive back in Local run mode by holding the ESC button again for 3 seconds until you see the 3 LED’s all flash at once.
Now you can start the drive in 2 wire control by closing LI1 to +24vdc and use the remote HMIs knob for speed control.

What does the B mean at the end of my Altivar 312 part number? (example: ATV312HU22N4B)
The B indicates the drive was built (and shipped) without the control terminal card installed.
This is done for customers who normally use one of the Serial communication option cards on the Altivar 312 drive. It allows them to reduce their cost and waste by purchasing the drive without the terminal card that would have to be discarded when the option card is installed.

The terminal card is available to order if needed. Part number VW3A31201.

Possible Communication card part numbers are:
VW3A31207 – Profibus
VW3A31208 – CANopen Daisy Chain
VW3A31209 – DeviceNet

What is the maximum amp rating on the Altivar 312 +24Vdc terminal?
There is 100mA maximum available. Note that each logic input, LIx, requires 7mA.

Can the Altivar 312 communicate with Modbus and Canopen at the same time?
No, the drive can only have one communication protocol at a time.

What can cause an OPF or Motor phase loss on the Altivar 312 drive?
Check the motor connections on T1 T2 T3 and verify continuity phase-phase through the motor circuit/windings.

What is the part number of the replacement knob for the Altivar 312 drive?
This is not a replaceable part so there is no part number that can be ordered.

What is the part number for the control card for the Altivar 312 drive?
VW3A31201 is the I/O Control card. The package includes the control board which has the Input/Output screw terminal connections, RJ45 jack and a mounting screw.

What is the part number for the CanOpen cable to fit the Altivar 312 drives?
VW3CANCARR03 is a 0.3 meter cable.
VW3CANCARR1 is a 1 meter cable.

Can a VW3A1101 keypad be used on the Altivar 312 to transfer programs?
No. The VW3A1101 cannot be used to transfer a program file from one Altivar 312 to another. A Multi-Loader or Simple Loader tool can be used to transfer files.

Can you scale the analog input for the Altivar 312 drives?
The ATV312 only has a 0-10V scale for the analog input. The only adjustment is for the current input on AI3 which is selectable as 0-20mA or 4-20mA. Consider the ATV61, ATV71 drives if they need to scale the analog input signal to something other than 0-10V.

How do you change the display on the Altivar 312 drive to show Motor current and not motor hz?
Using the front display knob push enter
arrow down to the SUP menu enter
arrow down to LCR (motor current) enter enter twice.
Please note hitting enter enter twice this will save the parameter so that it will show back up again after your power cycle the drive.

What will cause the Altivar 312 drive to be stuck in local mode showing the three scrolling LEDs?
First check the serial number and firmware. All new drives built in 2016 or later or drives which have firmware 5.1 IE56 or greater can no longer go back and forth between Local and Remote modes. For these newer drives, you will have to reset the drive to a factory default state to return it back to remote mode.
Older drives allowed mode change via the Mode button on the face of the drive.

What is the UL Certication for the Altivar 312 products?
NMMS.E116875 Power Conversion Equipment

Can you reflash the firmware inside the main control board on the Altivar 312 and Altivar 212 drives?
You can not reflash the firmware on the Altivar 312 and Altivar 212 drives.

What is the DC bus level at which the Brake resistor engages for the Altivar 312 drives?
The internal transistor will output to a Brake resistor at the following voltage levels:

For 200-240V drives, the DC bus level is 379V
For 380-480V drives, the DC bus level is 792V
For 575V drives, the DC bus level is 948V

What do I do if an Altivar 312 drive with a remote speed pot is not ramping up to full speed 60hz?
(A customer turned up his pot signal to 100% and he is only getting 8.6vdc on the AI1 input at full clockwise)
Check the Pot make sure its a 1 to 10kohm.
Check the wiring make sure the wiper is on the AI1 and other two legs can wire to 10vdc and com.

How can the type of stop be changed for the Altivar 312 (or Altivar 31) drive?
The default setting for Type of Stop on the Altivar 312 drives is Ramp stop.

The options for stopping are:

Ramp
Freewheel
Fast Stop
DC Injection.

Programming below is showing the drive code and in brackets, (text using the VW3A1101 remote HMI display)
To access the Stop Mode, go to the FUn- (Application function) menu, then StC- (Stop Mode) then Stt (Type of stop). The options are:
– rNP (Ramp)
– FSt (Fast stop)
– nSt (Freewheel)
– dCI (DC Injection)

Please note that nSt (Freewheel), FSt (Fast stop) and dCI (DC Injection) can also be assigned to other logic inputs under the StC- (Stop Modes) menu.