Danfoss VLT Soft Starter MCD 500
Soft starter for three-phase motors: state, trips, currents, power and start and stop.
The Danfoss VLT Soft Starter MCD 500 starts and stops three-phase motors of pumps, fans, compressors and conveyors and protects them against overload and phase faults. This Modbus RTU template reads starter state, trip code, currents, voltage, power and motor temperature, and lets you start, stop and reset the soft starter from ModbusCloud.
- Protocol
- Modbus RTU
- Connection
- RS485, 9600 baud
- Registers
- 28, read and write
- Brand
- Danfoss
- Key readings
- Starter state · Trip code · Phase currents · Average voltage · Power and power factor · Motor temperature · Digital inputs
- Available commands
- Start and stop · Reset · Quick stop · Motor parameters
- Compatible models
- VLT Soft Starter MCD 500 (all MCD5 models) with MCD Modbus Module 175G9000
- Last updated
Registers (28)
27 read, 7 write
| Name | Unit | Access | Address (Hidden until you enter your email) | Function (hidden) | Type (hidden) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Current | A | Read | |||
| Phase 1 Current | A | Read | |||
| Phase 2 Current | A | Read | |||
| Phase 3 Current | A | Read | |||
| Current Percent of FLC | % | Read | |||
| Average Voltage | V | Read | |||
| Power | Read | ||||
| Power Factor | Read | ||||
| Motor Temperature Word | Read | ||||
| Starter State Word | Read | ||||
| Digital Input State | Read | ||||
| Starter Status | Read | ||||
| Trip Code | Read | ||||
| Motor Current | A | Read | |||
| Motor Temperature | % | Read | |||
| Command | Write | ||||
| Motor FLC | A | Read and write | |||
| Locked Rotor Time | s | Read and write | |||
| Start Mode | Read and write | ||||
| Current Limit | % | Read and write | |||
| Initial Current | % | Read and write | |||
| Start Ramp Time | s | Read and write | |||
| Changed Parameter Number | Read | ||||
| Changed Parameter Value | Read | ||||
| Product Information | Read | ||||
| Serial Protocol Version | Read | ||||
| Version | Read | ||||
| Parameter List Version | Read |
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Use cases
- Show phase currents, power and motor temperature of a pump or fan on a dashboard next to the starter state.
- Get an email as soon as the soft starter trips, with the trip code that tells you which protection acted.
- Track the current as a percentage of motor FLC to see when a pump or fan runs heavier than normal.
- Reset a trip or stop the motor remotely when the process allows it, without a visit to the panel.
Installation
Switch off mains and control power, clip the MCD Modbus Module onto the comms slot of the MCD 500 and switch control power back on.
Set address, baud rate and parity with the DIP switches on the module, and connect the RS485 terminals of the module to the ModbusCloud Gateway.
For control over Modbus, fit links on terminals 17-18 and 25-18 and put the soft starter in Auto On mode.
In ModbusCloud, add a Modbus device (RTU) with the same address and settings, import this template and check that the currents arrive.
Things to watch for
The soft starter does not answer on Modbus.
The DIP switch settings of the module only take effect after the soft starter has been powered up again. Check that the address, baud rate and parity match, and that the master uses 2 stop bits with no parity and 1 stop bit with odd or even parity.
Start and stop commands are ignored but readings work.
The MCD 500 only takes start and stop from the network in Auto On mode, with links on 17-18 and 25-18. Parameter 3-2 Comms in Remote must be set to enable control in remote, otherwise only reset and monitoring work.
The currents look ten times too high.
On models MCD5-0053B and smaller the soft starter sends currents in tenths of an ampere. Set the scale of the current registers to 0.1 for these models.
Can I write parameters from ModbusCloud?
Yes, once writing registers is switched on for your gateway, the first motor parameters such as current limit and start ramp time can be written. Further parameters follow the parameter list of the firmware, so check the parameter list version before you extend the template.
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