Sizing a 15 kW VFD for a 480 V line
The ATV212HD15N4 is a 15 kW drive from the Altivar 212 family, designed for three-phase 480 V input with a line current of 22.8 A at 480 V and 28.5 A at 380 V. It includes an integrated Class C2 EMC filter, which covers most industrial installations without an external filter — saves a DIN-rail slot and a wiring step. The drive measures 13.0 in high by 9.6 in wide by 7.5 in deep (330 x 245 x 190 mm), so it fits a standard 600 mm deep enclosure with room for the heat sink airflow of 206 m³/h.
Fieldbus and I/O for pump and fan duty
The drive ships with a 2-wire RS-485 physical interface running Modbus RTU at 9600 or 19200 bps — no option card needed for basic PLC communication. Two analogue inputs are available: VIA is switch-configurable for 0–10 V DC or 0–20 mA (10-bit resolution), and VIB handles 0–10 V DC or up to six PTC probes for motor thermal protection. An adjustable PI regulator is built in, so closed-loop control for pressure or flow is handled without an external controller.
Protection coverage and compliance
The ATV212HD15N4 protects against overcurrent, short-circuit between motor phases, earth faults, DC bus overvoltage, input phase loss, motor phase break, and thermal overload — a full list that covers most fault modes on a motor branch circuit. It meets IEC 61800-3 environments 1 and 2 categories C1 through C3, plus IEC 61800-5-1 and UL Type 1 — suitable for both European and North American panel builds. CE marked, pollution degree 2 per IEC 61800-5-1, and rated for 50/60 Hz supply with a 47.5–63 Hz network frequency window.
