Soft Starting with Powerboss

Powerboss Soft Starting

Powerboss provides a reliable and economical Soft Start solution by delivering a programmable controlled release of power to the motor, thereby providing smooth stepless acceleration and deceleration - also enabling more frequent starting and stopping. Powerboss will give increased protection to the life of the motor and peripherals also reducing high shock load, backlash, belt stress etc. Noise and vibration will decrease and motor life can be extended as damage to windings and bearings, is reduced. Once the motor has reached full speed, the Motorboss optimizing mode will search for the minimum power required to ensure the maximum continuous rating of the motor is matched exactly to the load as it varies. Thus improving power factor and ensuring minimum running costs.

Powerboss Programmable Parameters

Powerboss provides the most flexible programming parameters you will find in a soft start/soft stop solution. The following are the programmable components and the breadth of their programmability:

PEDESTAL VOLTAGE (A)

The Pedestal Voltage is the initial voltage supplied to the motor at the beginning of the start routine. The Pedestal Voltage within the application sets has been carefully chosen to provide the best performance within know criteria for the given application. You can change the Pedestal voltage by either selecting a more suitable application set or by connecting the software programmer, which is available separately. The Pedestal Voltage is adjustable in increments of 1% between 25% and 80% of the line voltage.

RAMP UP TIME (B)

The Ramp Up Time is the time taken from the Pedestal Voltage to reach full voltage. The Ramp Up Time controls the availability of acceleration torque available to the motor and therefore controls the acceleration time of the motor. The motor will not necessarily accelerate to full speed as per the Ramp Time; this is due to the miss match of motor torque and the load torque requirements which often prevail. You can change the Ramp Up Time by either selecting a more suitable application set or by connecting the software programmer, which is available separately. The Ramp Up time is adjustable in increments of 1 second between 0 and 255 seconds.

STARTING CURRENT LIMIT LEVEL AND TIME

The Starting Current Limit is useful when a ceiling is placed on the current that can be drawn from the mains supply by the supply authority. Typical use of the current limit feature would be to start a large, unloaded axial fan with minimum current possible. The Current Limit Level is adjustable in increments of 1% between 25 and 80% of the direct on line (DOL) starting current. The Current Limit Time is adjustable in increments of 1 second, between 0 and 255.

KICK-START LEVEL AND TIME

The Kick-Start feature can be useful on high static friction loads such as a slurry pump and is used to break the static friction between the material and the motor. The Kick-Start feature should not be used on any other type of load. The Kick-Start Time is adjustable in increments of 0.1 second, between 0.1 and 25 seconds. The Kick-Start Level is adjustable between 25 and 80% of the line voltage in 1% increments.

RAMP DOWN TIME(C)

The Ramp Down Time controls the torque available to the motor during the stop phase. This feature should only be used on high static friction loads such as centrifugal water pumps to reduce water hammer. The Ramp Down time is adjustable in increments of 1 second between 0 and 255 seconds.

STEP DOWN VOLTAGE (D)

The Step Down Voltage is only used in conjunction with the Ramp Down feature and is set at a level to enable the load to immediately begin to slow the motor down. The Ramp Down then begins at this level. This feature should only be used on high static friction loads such as centrifugal water pumps to reduce water hammer. The Step Down Voltage is adjustable in increments of 1% between 100 and 40% o the line voltage.