What this filter does for the drive line
The Schneider VW3SKMD100I012A is a dv/dt output filter for Altivar variable-speed drives, sized for a 12 A continuous motor current at 690 V. It limits the voltage rise rate (dv/dt) on the motor cable, protecting winding insulation on long runs — especially important for older motors or installations where the drive and motor are separated by more than a few meters. Rated for a maximum drive output frequency of 100 Hz, it covers standard induction motor applications up to 6000 rpm (2-pole) or 3000 rpm (4-pole).
Cable length and thermal derating — the real limits
Maximum motor cable length is 100 m with unshielded cable at 690 V, or 200 m with shielded cable at the same voltage, across the full 2 to 12 kHz switching range. Thermal losses run 7.1 W at those switching frequencies — modest for a filter this size, but the enclosure must allow airflow because the IP20 housing is open to the panel environment, not sealed. Operating temperature range is 0 to 40 °C without derating; above 40 °C up to 60 °C, derate current by 1.5 % per °C. At 50 °C ambient, that knocks the usable current to about 10.2 A — a real constraint if the drive is already sized near its limit.
Altitude and mounting constraints
The filter is rated for operation up to 1000 m altitude without current derating. Above that, up to 4000 m, derate current by 3 % per 1000 m. At 2000 m, that means roughly 11.3 A usable — still close to the 12 A rating, but at 3000 m it drops to about 10.9 A. Dimensions are 194 mm deep, 320 mm wide, 370 mm high — a substantial footprint that needs panel space and gland-plate clearance for the cable entries.