Braking resistor for the Altivar 68 line — the 5.74 Ohm value and what it means
The VW3A68711 is an enclosed braking resistor from Schneider Electric's Altivar range, designed specifically for the Altivar 68 series of variable speed drives. Its 5.74 Ohm resistance value determines the peak braking torque the drive can achieve — lower ohms means higher current and more aggressive braking, but the value must stay within the drive's internal braking transistor rating. For the Altivar 68, this 5.74 Ohm figure is the matched value for the standard braking kit. The resistor is rated for 28.4 kW average power dissipation. This is the continuous thermal load it can shed during repeated deceleration cycles, not a one-shot peak. If your application requires frequent, high-inertia stops, this average rating is the number that governs the duty cycle — exceeding it will cause the resistor to overheat and the drive to fault on braking overload.
IP23 enclosure — indoor use only, not washdown rated
The IP23 protection rating means the enclosure is protected against solid objects larger than 12 mm (fingers, tools) and against water spray up to 60 degrees from vertical. It is not sealed against hose-down or outdoor rain. Mount this resistor in a clean, indoor panel or machine cabinet where it won't see direct water jets. Thermal protection is handled externally — either by the Altivar 68 drive's own braking transistor monitoring or by a separate temperature control switch wired into the resistor circuit. The resistor itself does not have an internal thermal cutout, so the drive or an external thermostat must manage overtemperature to prevent fire risk.
Obsolete — sourcing reality for the VW3A68711
Schneider Electric lists the VW3A68711 as obsolete. The Altivar 68 drive series itself is a legacy product line, so the resistor is only available through independent surplus and broker channels. For a line-down situation or a BOM freeze, the only path is to source the exact VW3A68711 from the remaining surplus inventory. There is no direct pin-compatible drop-in from Schneider's current Altivar range — a retrofit to a newer drive series would require a different braking resistor matched to that drive's specifications.