Is it possible to connect one earth leakage circuit breaker with multiple ATV12 drives? How should that work?
Resolution:
An earth leakage breaker can typically be used with up to two or three drives connected to the same circuit. However, the total leakage current of all connected drives must be considered when selecting the protective device.
Why might the earth leakage breaker trip unexpectedly?
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) naturally generate leakage currents due to their internal filters and switching frequencies. When multiple drives are connected, the combined leakage current can cause nuisance or random tripping of standard earth leakage breakers.
What type of protection device is recommended?
To minimize nuisance tripping and prevent reduced sensitivity ("blinding") of the protection device, it is recommended to use a fully immunized Residual Current Device (RCD), such as a Type A SI (Super Immunized) RCD. These devices are specifically designed to withstand the electrical disturbances and harmonics commonly generated by VFDs while maintaining reliable earth fault protection.
Usually we recommend using one RCD by drive as describe in our catalogue (link here: https://www.se.com/us/en/download/document/8800CT1301/ )
If this article does not answer your question, check out our FAQ database that has answers to more commonly asked questions:
Frequently Asked Questions - Schneider Electric (se.com)
If this FAQ did not solve your issue, you can call us at 1-888-778-2733 Option 2 and then 4 or e-mail us at drive.products.support@se.com to create a case with our Technical Support Team.
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