IndustrialDriveDataDrive Board & Diagnostic Database
Danfoss fault record

Warning / Alarm 13: Overcurrent During Start, Ramp or Load

The compact VLT reports Alarm 13 or Warning 13 when the motor is started, during acceleration, under load or immediately at PWM output.

Fault route10 min read

Scope of this technical record

Alarm 13 overcurrent route for compact VLT cases where load, ramp, motor sizing, current feedback and output-stage evidence must be separated.

Safety boundary

Qualified personnel only. Stop repeated reset attempts until the output path and load condition are known.

VLT 2800 Alarm 13 route

1Timing
→
2Motor shaft
→
3Load / ramp
→
4Current feedback
→
5Output stage

Alarm 13 is split by timing so load cases do not become premature module claims.

VLT 2800 Alarm 13 route

Danfoss VLT 2800 Alarm 13 overcurrent route timing motor load current feedback output stage
Alarm 13 is separated by timing and load evidence before output-stage repair.

Alarm 13 is decided by timing

The manual definition is peak-current related, but the service route depends on when the peak occurs. An Alarm 13 at the first PWM pulse is not the same as Alarm 13 after several seconds of loaded running.

Start with the machine evidence: motor shaft, ramp, torque demand, current limit, load and motor/drive match. Only move inward when the trip happens without a credible external current cause.

Alarm 13 timing map

TimingLikely first branchBoard boundary
Enable / first PWMMotor cable, wiring, output short, current feedbackGate-driver and output-stage evidence if external path is clear
AccelerationRamp, starting torque, locked load, motor dataCurrent feedback only after load proof
Constant speedProcess load, bearings, mechanical dragOutput stage is secondary unless current evidence is impossible
No motor connectedFalse current feedback or drive-side output problemDB1-DB4 current-feedback / driver route
After repairRepeat driver/module stress or unresolved motor cablePre-power gate-driver workflow

Field record checklist

  • Trip timing
  • Motor shaft condition
  • Motor and drive ratings
  • Ramp/current-limit settings
  • Load condition
  • No-motor behavior
  • Output static check
  • Board repair history

Technical basis and reference documents

This is an independent editorial technical reference. Original manufacturer documentation remains controlling for installation, repair and commissioning decisions.

Danfoss service tips for VLT alarm boundariesDanfoss

Confirms Alarm 13 overcurrent, Alarm 14 earth fault, Alarm 16 current short circuit, input-phase and DC-link alarm boundaries used to structure the first service routes.

VLT 2800 Series instruction manualDanfoss

Documents VLT 2800 warning and alarm text including Alarm 13 peak current, Alarm 14 ground fault, Alarm 15 switch-mode supply and Alarm 16 short-circuit cautions.

Danfoss earth-fault service notesDanfoss

Provides practical Alarm 14 separation between motor/cabling evidence and drive-side current-sensor evidence, including no-motor current observations and manual-initialization caution.

Diagnostic workflow

Workflow
Danfoss VLT 2800 Alarm 13 / Alarm 14 Output-Fault Isolation Workflow

Alarm 13 overcurrent or Alarm 14 earth fault on a VLT 2800 / 2900 compact drive during start, ramp, run or bench test.

Open →Workflow
Danfoss VLT 2900 Alarm 16 / Gate-Driver Pre-Power Verification Workflow

Alarm 16 short circuit, repeat output-stage failure or post-repair uncertainty on compact Danfoss VLT 2900 hardware.

Open →
Evidence intake

Turn this record into a qualified service request

A repair decision is much more reliable when the request includes the exact identity of the drive, the first fault evidence and the machine condition when the symptom appeared.

  • Complete drive type code / MLFB or nameplate model
  • Fault code, fault value and first event before reset
  • When the event appears: power-up, enable, ramp, run, decel or stop
  • Motor/cable connected or isolated during the symptom
  • Visible board, option-card, module and connector identifiers
  • Previous repair history, replacement parts and repeat-failure pattern
Prepare request →