A2010 alarm in ABB drive troubleshooting

If you are seeing the A2010 alarm on your ABB drive (common in ACS150, ACS310, ACS355, ACS510, and ACS550 series), it indicates a Motor Overtemperature condition.

Unlike a "Fault" (which stops the drive immediately), an Alarm is a warning that the motor is running hotter than its calculated or measured limit. If the temperature continues to rise, it will eventually trigger a Fault 0009, which will trip the drive to protect the motor. 

 

Common Causes

• Excessive Load: The motor is being asked to do more work than it is rated for, drawing high current and generating heat.

• Inadequate Cooling: The motor fan might be broken, the cooling fins might be clogged with dust, or the ambient temperature in the room is too high.

• Low Speed Operation: If a standard motor runs at very low speeds for a long time, its internal fan doesn’t spin fast enough to cool it down.

• Incorrect Parameter Settings: The drive "estimates" motor temperature using a thermal model.  If your motor data (Group 99) or thermal protection settings (Group 30/35) are wrong, the drive may trigger a "false" alarm.

Troubleshooting Steps

Step A: Immediate Mechanical Checks

1. Check the Load: Ensure the driven machine (pump, fan, conveyor) isn't jammed or overloaded.

2. Inspect Cooling: Clean any dust or debris from the motor's cooling fins. Verify the motor's external fan is spinning correctly.

3. Ambient Temperature: Ensure the room or cabinet where the drive and motor are located has proper ventilation.

Step B: Check the Drive Parameters

If the motor doesn't feel physically hot, the drive's "thermal model" might be misconfigured. Check these parameter groups:

• Group 99 (Motor Data): Ensure the Nominal Current and Nominal Speed match the motor's nameplate exactly.

• Group 30 (Fault Functions): Look for parameters 3005–3009 (Motor Thermal Protection).

  • 3006 (Motor Thermal Time): If this is set too low, the alarm will trigger too quickly.

  • 3007 (Motor Load Curve): Ensure this matches your application (e.g., a constant torque vs. centrifugal load).

• Group 35 (Motor Temp Measurement): If you are using a physical sensor (PTC/PT100), check parameter 3501 to ensure the drive is looking for the right sensor type.

How to Clear the Alarm

1. Let it Cool: You cannot "reset" an alarm while the condition still exists. Allow the motor to cool down.

2. Auto-Clear: Once the calculated or measured temperature drops below the alarm threshold (usually set in Parameter 3503 or internal logic), the A2010 code will disappear from the screen automatically.