SI-WX-0611

File In/With: None

Issue Date 3-May-11

Equipment Affected: YK VSD Chiller Units

Service Information
Subject: Troubleshooting of VSD Single Phase Fault

Case Study-Troubleshooting of VSD Single Phase Input Power Fault

Service Background:
There is an YK chiller manufactured in October 2010. It was equipped with a 658HP VSD. It is used
at a photovoltaic project to cool production lines 24 hours a day. It was commissioned in November 2010.
After running for 1393 hours, it began to encounter “VSD-Single Phase Input Power” Fault on Mar. 9,
2011.

Troubleshooting Process:
On Mar. 10, Factory and service attended job site together. Checked fault history and found there
were 8 numbers of “VSD-Single Phase Input Power” faults among recent 10 histories. Tried to clear out
the fault, but failed. Checked the circuit and components around SCR trigger board (as figure 1), including
checking if fuses 4FU, 5FU and 6FU were burnt out, checking if there was power supply at TB1, TB2 and
TB3, checking the continuity between terminal J4 of SCR trigger board and terminal J6 of logic board and
so on. All were normal. Finally, we replaced the SCR trigger board and the fault disappeared. When
observing the operation of the chiller, we noticed that its vibration was bigger than normal.

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 Fig. 1 Circuit around SCR Trigger Board
The chiller tripped on “VSD-Single Phase Input Power” fault again at 22:00 on that night. But this time,
the system could start. Since this fault often happened on nights, we thought of that the quality of the
customer’s power supply might be not good enough. So on Mar. 11, we changed resistor R17 on the SCR
Ω
trigger board into 105K in order to decrease the sensibility of phase loss detected circuitry on the SCR
trigger board to the burrs of power supply. After replacement, the chiller ran normally. The position of R17
is shown as figure 2.

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 R17

Fig. 2 Position of R17

However, such good operation lasted only four days. On Mar. 15, the same failure recurred. This time,
we found the indicating lamp on the SCR trigger board not illuminated. We inspected the circuit and
components around the SCR trigger board for the second time. There was no abnormality. Replaced the
SCR trigger board and the failure was eliminated.
But, it tripped on VSD single phase again when the chiller operated till about 21:30 on that night. It
couldn’t be reset. The indicator on the SCR trigger board was extinguished.
In the next morning, we took a careful inspection of the two replaced SCR trigger boards and
discovered a crack at foot No. 1 of input transformer on both boards (See figure 3). It was estimated that
this had something to do with the vibration. We repaired one board by welding the transformer, brought it
back to the job site and made replacement, at the same time taking some vibration-absorbed measures at
its four mounting feet. The third failed trigger board also cracked at the same location. After the
replacement, the chiller resumed normal operation. So far, no more faults have been reported.

Crack

Fig. 3 Foot #1 of input transformer on SCR trigger board cracked

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 After the chiller returned to running, we measured its vibration level with a vibration meter. The data
show that the vibration level of four base anchors of the chiller (measured at points 1#, 2# and 3# in figure
4) is equivalent to that of the foundation of the chiller (measured at points 4#, 5# and 6# in figure 4). The
vibration isolator nearly does not work. The rigidity of the chiller is weak. Suggestion was made to the
customer to make improvement in the foundation, vibration isolator and the connection of water pipes as
per the scheme we provided.

Fig. 4 Existing Installation of The Chiller

Conclusions:
The chiller has weak rigidity and vibrates dramatically, making one foot of the transformer on SCR
trigger board broken continuously three times, causing the 115VAC power supply circuitry of the trigger
board to open. The indicator of power supply was extinguished and the chiller frequently tripped on
“VSD-Single Phase Input Power” fault.

What We Learn from This Case:

We gain the following enlightenments from this case to share with everybody.
1. When there is something wrong with the 115VAC power supply circuitry of SCR trigger board,
the fault of single phase will occur as well. That is, it is one of the possible causes of single
phase. When doing troubleshooting, please pay attention to observing if the indicating lamp on
the trigger board is illuminated or not. If extinguished, it means that the power supply circuitry
has a problem and it is necessary to check the components on the board one by one along
terminal J5.

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 2. The fault of single phase sometimes is more than an electrical issue. It may be connected with a
mechanical factor such as vibration or an external factor.
3. Before the installation of chillers, maybe we JCI/York, mainly sales and service, can offer our
customers more instructions to make sure the chillers will be installed in accordance with
regulations. For this project, the local service has already found the problem with the installation
of the chiller during commissioning and asked the customer in written form to make modification,
but the customer failed to do so. So, it would be better if we could let the customers know how to
install properly York chillers in advance.
4. When a single phase fault happens but the system can start, generally, there is no part faulty. It
is possibly due to poor power supply quality. To make VSD not so sensitive to the power supply
Ω
quality, we can change the resistor R17 into 105K or replace SCR trigger board (P/N:
031-01472) for TMIII D model VSD (658HP, 790HP, 900HP & 1100HP); for VYPER VSD (292HP,
351HP, 419HP & 503HP), we can upgrade the software (P/N: 031-02065-001) on SCR trigger
board to version C.VTB.01.02 or later.

-----------------------------The end---------------------------

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