External Fault (Communication)

What does EPF2 mean?

An external interruption detected from a communication board. This indicates that a fault condition was received from an external system via a communication interface, causing the drive to trip. It implies an issue with the higher-level control system or communication link.

• Loss of communication with the master PLC or control system via the drive's communication board (e.g., Profinet, Modbus).
• Watchdog timer on the master system expires, indicating no response from the drive and triggering an external fault.
• Incorrect communication address or protocol settings (e.g., Parameter P8-01 for Profinet IP address) on the drive.
• External system (e.g., safety PLC) sending a specific fault command or data byte via the communication interface.
• Firmware mismatch or incompatibility between the drive's communication board and the external system's driver.

Click steps to track your progress.

1. 1

   1. Verify the physical network cable connection (e.g., Ethernet RJ45) to the drive's communication option card and the master system.

2. 2

   2. Check the status LEDs on the drive's communication board for indications of link activity, errors, or data exchange.

3. 3

   3. Use the communication master's diagnostic tools (e.g., PLC diagnostic buffer, network analyzer) to identify the specific communication error.

4. 4

   4. Confirm that the drive's communication parameters (e.g., IP address, node ID, baud rate) match the master's configuration exactly.

5. 5

   5. If possible, send a test command from the master to the drive (e.g., read a status word) to verify communication integrity.