Manual for PQFS

Manual for PQFS

Brand: ABB

Category: Power Supplies

Document Type: Manual

Language: EN

Uploaded: April 20, 2026, 7:48 p.m.

Warranty Information

No warranty information is available in the provided document.

The PQFS active filter is designed to improve power quality by filtering harmonics and compensating reactive power. It consists of a filter controller and a current generator. The controller determines the anti-harmonic current based on line measurements and user requirements entered via the PQF-Manager. The current generator injects this current to compensate for harmonics and reactive power. The system can be configured as master-master or master-slave, with up to 8 units. The PQF-Manager provides the user interface for setup, control, and monitoring. Installation involves mechanical mounting, electrical connections to the supply and network, and configuration via the PQF-Manager. Operation includes starting, stopping, and monitoring the filter's performance and status. Maintenance involves regular checks and component replacement as needed. Troubleshooting guides are provided for common fault messages and symptoms.

Troubleshooting and error codes

Fault message Cause What to do
Unbalanced supply The supply network imbalance is out of range.
  • Measure the three line voltages and check if they are within limits including the imbalance limit.
  • Measure the line voltages (e.g. voltmeter) and compare them with the line voltages given by the filter (PQF-Manager or PQ-Link).
  • Ensure that the AC voltage is properly measured. Do the checks discussed for the 'Loss of phase' fault.
  • Check the earth of the unit.
Undervoltage RMS The RMS value of the supply voltage measured with the AC voltage measurement board is lower than the acceptable maximum value.
  • Measure the three line voltages and check if they are within limits.
  • Measure the line voltages (e.g. voltmeter) and compare them with the line voltages given by the filter (PQF-Manager or PQ-Link).
  • Ensure that the AC voltage is properly measured. Do the checks discussed for the 'Loss of phase' fault.
Unstable mains frequ. The network frequency is varying too fast.
  • Measure the network frequency and its variation, and check if they are within limits.
  • Check the phase rotation (only in case of modification at the installation).
  • Ensure that the AC voltage is properly measured. Do the checks discussed for the 'Loss of phase' fault.
Wrong phase rotation The supply network feeding the filter has the wrong phase rotation.
  • Check the phase rotation of the filter supply.
  • Measure the three line voltages and check if they are within limits.
  • Measure the line voltages (e.g. voltmeter) and compare them with the line voltages given by the filter (PQF-Manager or PQ-Link).
  • Check the AC voltage measurement connectors
Com. Problem (RS-232) Communication problem between the main controller board and the external PC
  • Ensure that the PQ-Link cable is properly connected.
  • Contact your ABB service provider.
Ctrl overtemperature The system detected an overtemperature of the main controller board.
  • Verify the ambient temperature and the cooling of the filter (dust filters, fans, heatsinks ...).
  • If the ambient conditions and the filter cooling is ok, the main control board is suspect. Contact your ABB service provider. The main control board may have to be replaced.
Reactor overtemperature Line reactor thermal switch has open Check the status of the reactors and the PCB output filter
PWM check cooling The thermal switch in the PWM reactor has open Check the "fan out" status
DSP watchdog Internal system error. Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced or the controller software upgraded.
SPI Timeout Internal system error. Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Power supply fault Internal system error. Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Preload time-out The DC capacitors could not be charged.
  • Measure the three line voltages and check if they are within limits.
  • Verify the fuses (PF1 and PF2) and the resistors (R1 and R2) of the preload circuit (A001).
  • Inspect the DC-bus for traces of damage that may have caused a short circuit on the DC-side of the IGBT-module or on the DC voltage measurement board.
Several units same id Two or more units in a filter system have the same CAN_ID.
  • Check the CAN_ID of the different units in the set of filters: each unit has to have one unique CAN_ID on the DIP switch S5-1 to S5-3.
  • Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Com. Problem (CAN Bus) The communication through the CAN bus between units is not working properly.
  • Check the RJ-45 cables between modules.
  • Check the termination for the CAN bus: both (and only) the ends of the bus must have the DIP switch S5-4 in the "set" status.
  • Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Real time clock problem Internal system error Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Watchdog fault Internal system error Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Internal µC fault Internal system error Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Corrupted DSP code Internal system error Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Corrupted µC code Internal system error Reset the filter by switching off and on the power. If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative. The controller card must probably be replaced.
Different firmwares Different units in a filter system have different firmware version (DSP or microcontroller) Upgrade all the units with the same (most recent) firmware.
Symptom: The filter is working at 100% of its nominal capacity because the load requirement is asking this. Cause / State: The harmonic stress on the network is still too high. Install additional filter units to reduce the stress further.
Symptom: The filter is working at 100% of its nominal capacity because the load requirement is asking this. Cause / State: The harmonic stress on the network is sufficiently low. The filter can be kept running in this condition.
Symptom: The filter is working at 100% of its nominal capacity because the load requirement is asking this. Cause / State: The load requirement is only a fraction of the filter size. The filter can be kept running in this condition.
Symptom: The filter is working at 100% of its nominal capacity while the load is only at a fraction of the filter rating. Cause / State: There is a problem in the CT connections or a hardware problem.
  • Check the CT installation (CT location, CT shorts, ...)
  • Check the connection between the CT terminal block X21 and the main controller terminals P5-1...P5-6.
  • Measure the line currents (e.g. ammeter) and compare them with the line currents given by the filter (PQF-Manager or PQ-Link).
Symptom: The filter is working at 100% of its nominal capacity while the load is only at a fraction of the filter rating. Cause / State: There is a software problem.
  • Stop the filter, switch off the power of the auxiliaries and switch it on again. Restart the filter and see if the problem is solved.
  • If the problem persists, contact your ABB service provider.
Symptom: The filter is working at 100% of its nominal capacity while the load is only at a fraction of the filter rating. Cause / State: The filter has been asked to generate static reactive power. Verify the reactive power settings of the filter.
Symptom: The filter is running but it is unstable (oscillating behavior). Cause / State: There is a problem in the CT connections or a hardware problem.
  • Check the CT installation (CT location, CT shorts ...).
  • Check the connection between the CT terminal block X21 and the main controller terminals P5-1..P5-6.
  • Measure the line currents (e.g. ammeter) and compare them with the line currents given by the filter (PQF-Manager or PQ-Link).
Symptom: The filter is running but it is unstable (oscillating behavior). Cause / State: Presence of (detuned) power capacitor banks or plain capacitors (LV or MV). Refer to Section 8.10 for precautions to take when plain capacitors are present in the network.
Symptom: The filter is running but it is unstable (oscillating behavior). Cause / State: The filter is installed on a very weak network.
  • Make sure that the filter is operating in Mode 3.
  • If the problem persists, contact your ABB representative.
Symptom: The filter is running but it is unstable (oscillating behavior). Cause / State: Two master units are fed from the same CTs. The setup guidelines for this installation setup have not been implemented. Interconnect the units with an RJ-45 cable. If this is not possible:
  • Select different harmonics on both filters.
  • If not possible, ensure that one filter is operating in Mode 1 and the other filter is operating in Mode 3.
Symptom: The filter is running with low load indication and the load harmonics are not filtered. Cause / State: The harmonics are not selected, the curve setting is very high or the harmonics are put in standby by the system. (Re)select the harmonics, check the curve levels and ensure that the correct settings are active (Main/Auxiliary).
Symptom: The filter is running with low load indication and the load harmonics are not filtered. Cause / State: The line currents measured by the filter via the CTs are lower than the real load currents.
  • Check the CT cabling for problems (CT- installation, CT-shorts ...).
  • Check the CT settings set up in the PQF-Manager.
Symptom: The filter is running with low load indication and the load harmonics are not filtered. Cause / State: The filter is in standby-mode, the IGBTs are not switching. Check the standby mode settings to ensure that they represent realistic values.
Symptom: The filter is running with low load indication and the load harmonics are not filtered. Cause / State: The filter (CTs) is/are not installed in a central position and therefore the filter does not eliminate the harmonics of all the loads. Check that the CTs are installed at the desired location.
Symptom: When selecting a harmonic, the filter attempts to identify it but after a while it is put in standby. The letter 'S' appears in the harmonics selection list. The harmonic is not filtered. Cause / State: The network conditions do not allow for the harmonic to be filtered at present or there is a CT-problem.
  • Check the CT-setup.
  • Reselect the harmonic to see if the problem persists.
  • Leave the harmonic in standby. The filter will automatically restart identifying/filtering it when another harmonic component is successfully (re)identified.
Symptom: The 'ACK. FAULT'-message is present on the PQF-Manager. The alarm contact switches on after some delay. Cause / State: The filter has stopped due to an error.
  • Acknowledge the fault to see a list of most recent critical errors.
  • Look in the filter event log for more information on which errors have occurred.
  • Refer to the Table 60 and Table 61 for more information on these errors and for guidelines on how to troubleshoot them.
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