The Schneider Electric TeSys F LC3F400V7A64 is a pre-wired star delta starter designed for motor control in the AC-3 utilisation category. It switches three-phase induction motors during start-up, reducing inrush current by connecting the windings in star configuration before transitioning to delta for full-load running. The part is rated for a continuous operational current of 400 A at ≤440 V AC in AC-3 duty, which means it handles the high transient loads of motor starting — not just resistive heating — up to that current. Motor power capability spans the voltage range: 185 kW at 220/230 V, 315 kW at 380/400 V, 355 kW at 415 V, and 375 kW at 440 V, all at 50/60 Hz. That 315 kW at 400 V is the figure most buyers will size against for European 400 V three-phase networks.
The AC-3 rating of 400 A is the headline number for motor switching. AC-3 covers starting and plugging of squirrel-cage motors — the contactor must make and break currents several times the full-load rating. The rated making capacity is 4000 A and the breaking capacity is 3200 A, both conforming to IEC 60947-4-1, so the starter can handle the inrush spike without welding contacts or failing to clear a fault. The control circuit is AC at 50/60 Hz, 400 V nominal, with an operational range of 0.85 to 1.1 Uc for pick-up and a drop-out band of 0.35 to 0.55 Uc. Inrush power is 1075 VA at 20 °C, dropping to 15 VA hold-in — a factor the control transformer must be sized for. The coil pulls hard on start but sips power once sealed. For a star delta starter that cycles on every motor start, that endurance matters in high-duty applications like conveyors or compressors. The starter is mechanically interlocked (3 x 3P poles, 3 NO power contacts) and includes auxiliary contacts: 1 NC + 1 NO on the star contactor, 2 NC + 1 NO on the line contactor, and 1 NC + 2 NO on the delta contactor. This composition supports the standard star-delta control scheme without adding external auxiliaries.
Mounting is plate-based — not DIN rail — so the starter bolts directly to a backplate in the enclosure. Dimensions are 725 mm wide, 180 mm high, and 276 mm deep. Power connections are via M10 bolts or busbars (30 x 5 mm cross-section), and ring terminals up to 150 mm². Control wiring uses screw clamp terminals accepting 1 to 4 mm² flexible or solid conductors. The tightening torque is 35 N·m on the power circuit and 1.2 N·m on the control circuit. The front face achieves IP20 protection with shrouds, conforming to IEC 60529 and VDE 0106 — suitable for enclosed panel installation where no water ingress is expected. Operating altitude is 3000 m with derating, and the unit withstands vibration of 5 Gn (5–300 Hz) when closed and shocks of 15 Gn for 11 ms.
The starter is designed and tested to JIS C8201-4-1, EN 60947-4-1, EN 60947-1, IEC 60947-4-1, and IEC 60947-1. Rated insulation voltage is 1000 V per IEC 60947-4-1 and 1500 V per VDE 0110 group C. Associated fuse protection is 500 A gG or 400 A aM at ≤440 V.