The VW3A46146 is a passive filter from Schneider Electric's Altivar accessory range, designed to reduce current harmonics on the line side of variable speed drives. It is rated for 48 A input and 50 A output at 480 V +/- 10 %, 60 Hz, and delivers a THDI of 10 % to 16 % depending on the specific Altivar model it is paired with — ATV61W, ATV61H, ATV71H, ATV71W, ATV650, ATV630, ATV950, or ATV930, all at 30 kW / 40 hp.
The THDI figures — 10 % for ATV61W, ATV650, ATV630, ATV950, ATV930; 16 % for ATV61H, ATV71H, ATV71W — tell you the residual harmonic distortion after the filter, not the raw line distortion. That 10 % level meets IEC 61000-3-12 and G5/4 engineering recommendation limits for most industrial networks, so it keeps the drive installation compliant without an active front end. Rated 48 A input / 50 A output at 480 V, the filter is sized for a 30 kW / 40 hp drive. The 1.5 x nominal current overload capability for 60 seconds handles the inrush and transient loads during motor acceleration without nuisance tripping. Efficiency is 98 %, meaning 274 W of thermal losses to manage in the enclosure. At 45 °C ambient it runs at full rating; above that, derate 3 % per °C up to 60 °C. The IP20 body is fine for a clean panel; IP55 when enclosure-mounted covers washdown areas.
Deployment Context
One filter per drive — it mounts on the line side of the Altivar, not the motor side. The 1.5 to 25 mm² terminal capacity on the main connections suits standard panel wiring for this current class. Vibration resistance per IEC 60068-2-6 (0.7 gn, 13.2–150 Hz) means it holds up on a machine-mounted panel, not just a wall.