ABB ACS550-01-038A-4 AC Drive 18.5 kW 38 A

Where the ACS550-01-038A-4 fits

Rating 18.5 kW, 38 A, frame R3: those three facts identify the ACS550-01-038A-4 in ABB’s ACS550-01 table, with 31 A available for 15 kW heavy-duty loads. The base measures 203 x 231 mm. An 18.5 kW motor is a regular size for cooling-water pumps, extraction fans and conveyors, and the heat loss rises to 562 W in the same R3 housing.

Commissioning is helped by the assistant control panel, which has a built-in help function, a real-time clock and a parameter copy function. The family also has an on-board Modbus EIA-485 interface. See AC drives for neighbouring ratings and the ABB ACS550 overview for the series.

Technical specifications

Choosing and installing the ACS550-01-038A-4

For a pump or fan, check that the motor current does not exceed 38 A. For a mixer or crusher with frequent overloads, check it against 31 A instead; that class is rated for about 46.5 A during a one-minute overload. These ratings apply at ambient temperatures up to 40 degrees C, with derating up to 50 degrees C.

Allow for 562 W of heat dissipation, equal to 1919 BTU/hr, and for 134 m3/h of cooling air. The input fuse is 50 A gG (50 A in UL installations). To go beyond 200 m of motor cable, ABB lists the NOCH-0030-6X output choke, which allows 250 m at a 4 kHz switching frequency.

Option codes for the ACS550-01-038A-4

Reading ACS550-01-038A-4: ACS550 names the series, 01 means wall-mounted (02 is free-standing), 038A is the rating and 4 selects 380 to 480 V. The catalogue appends plus codes, for example +B055 for IP54 / UL Type 12, +J404 for the ACS-CP-C basic panel, +0J400 for no panel, +L511 for OREL-01 relay outputs and +K454 for RPBA-01 PROFIBUS DP.

Standard IP21 / UL Type 1 form: 583 mm with cable connection box (490 mm without), 203 x 231 mm, 16 kg. IP54 / UL Type 12 form (B055): 629 x 257 x 254 mm, 17 kg. Fieldbus adapters such as RPBA-01 use the single fieldbus slot, and the drive keeps its built-in Modbus port.

Mounting and cabinet preparation

The ACS550-01 is a wall-mounted unit, so the mounting surface must carry its weight and let cooling air pass freely through the drive. Leave the clearances above and below that ABB gives in the user manual, and do not mount the drive directly above another heat source such as a second drive or a transformer. When it goes inside a larger enclosure, size the ventilation or cooling for the full 562 W heat loss plus everything else in the panel. Choose the IP54 form where the drive stands outside a closed panel in a dusty or damp area, and keep the standard IP21 form for clean, dry electrical rooms.

Cabling and earthing

Use a symmetrical shielded motor cable and terminate the shield with a 360-degree clamp to keep interference low. Run motor cables apart from control and communication cables, crossing them at right angles where they must meet. Fit the recommended input fuses, and test the insulation of an older motor before connecting it to the drive, particularly where the motor cable is long. Stay within the motor cable lengths listed above, and add the output choke where a longer run cannot be avoided.

Commissioning with the assistant control panel

Enter the motor nameplate data, including rated current, voltage, frequency and speed, and work through the start-up steps that the assistant panel offers. Check the direction of rotation with the motor uncoupled where possible, set acceleration and deceleration ramps to suit the process, and set the current limit with the normal or heavy-duty rating in mind. Once the settings are proven, use the parameter copy function to keep a copy, so an identical drive can be set up quickly if a replacement is ever needed. If the Modbus port or a fieldbus adapter is used, test communication with the controller before handover.

Operating in Oman’s heat and dust

Pump stations, water treatment plants and industrial sites in Oman see summer temperatures that put electrical rooms under strain. The ratings above apply up to 40 degrees C ambient with derating up to 50 degrees C, so if the room or panel can exceed 40 degrees C, apply the derating when selecting the drive or improve the cooling. Dust and sand reduce cooling performance over time, so clean the heat sink and air path at planned intervals, check that the cooling fan runs freely and change enclosure filters before the hot season begins. Altitude also affects rating at elevated inland sites, so state the installation altitude in your enquiry.

Routine maintenance planning

Add the drive to the plant maintenance schedule with a visual inspection of terminals, cable glands and the cooling path at each planned stop. Note fault and alarm history from the panel before resetting it, since repeated overcurrent or overtemperature events often point to a mechanical problem in the pump or fan, or to a blocked air path, rather than to the drive itself.

Documents and RFQ

For a quotation on the ACS550-01-038A-4, contact Seven Star LLC with the motor nameplate and supply details. Ratings, dimensions, fuses and options above were taken from ABB catalog 3AFE64792857.

Confirm before ordering: type code with option codes, motor rated current, enclosure class, and installation temperature and altitude.