This FAQ gives details about the M.CARTRIDGE error which can sometimes occur for Sepam 2000 relays, especially on sites where the Sepam has already been in service for several years or more.
The "M.CARTRIDGE" error appears if Sepam detects a fault condition with the cartridge that is presently installed. Unlike the "CARTRIDGE" and "MAINTENANCE" errors, this error does not indicate a mismatch between the application type in the installed cartridge, or an incorrect configuration of the cards or boards in the rack.
In order to confirm that a faulty cartridge is to blame for this error, the best method is to first obtain a spare cartridge from your local Schneider Electric representative that corresponds with the Application Type of the affected Sepam relay. For example, if the M.CARTRIDGE error has appeared on a Series 6 S26 relay of the "S02" type, then this is the type of spare cartridge that you should order.
*** Please note that as of January 2016, Schneider Electric can no longer replace Sepam 2000 cartridges for customers, as the end-of-life announcement for this legacy range was already made several years ago. If you have encountered this error, it is recommended that you replace your Sepam 2000 relays as soon as possible with a relay from the present Sepam range (Series 20, 40, 60, or 80). The end-user may also check their own stock or warehouse for spare cartridges.
If you have spare cartridges available, follow the instructions in the user documentation to install it and then power on your Sepam to verify that it is working. In case of problems, you may try to contact Schneider Electric Support for assistance. However, we have officially stopped providing support for the Sepam 2000 range.
Important Notes:
a) if you have spare cartridges, and you had been using a customized Ladder Diagram (Logipam) previously, then our team in France may be able to assist you with programming of your spare cartridge. However, there is no guarantee that we can provide this service, and each request would be treated on a case-by-case basis only.
b) for cases where the "NOL" string is displayed in your cartridge identification when it is inserted into the PER2901 reader and you were running a customized ladder diagram, this may indicate that your source file is not saved in the cartridge. In this case, you can either try to recover your logic by referring to archived printouts of the ladder logic, or you can ask your Schneider Electric representative to return the faulty cartridge to the factory in France so that the original logic can be extracted.
To summarize, this error is caused by a fault inside your Sepam 2000 cartridge. It is recommended that you replace any old Sepam 2000 relays with a relay from the current range as soon as possible.
AEDL3