Control Techniques / Nidec fault record

OI.AC: AC Output Overcurrent Trip

Unidrive SP or Unidrive M trips on OI.AC during enable, acceleration, load change or unstable closed-loop operation.

Deep fault page batch 19 min read

Scope of this technical record

This record handles Unidrive OI.AC overcurrent trips by separating output-current protection from motor cable faults, braked or stalled load conditions, closed-loop feedback problems, motor-data issues and true output-stage faults.

Safety boundary

Secure the driven machine before testing. A closed-loop Unidrive axis, hoist or winder can move unexpectedly if command, brake or feedback evidence is wrong. Do not repeatedly reset into a suspected short, ground fault or held-brake condition.

OI.AC overcurrent route

1Enable / ramp timing
2Motor cable
3Brake / load
4Encoder feedback
5Output stage

Closed-loop and brake evidence must be checked before a power-stage conclusion.

OI.AC overcurrent machine route image

Unidrive OI AC overcurrent brake motor feedback and output route diagram
The image separates brake/load, motor data, feedback and output-stage evidence before a power-stack conclusion.

Searcher intent coverage

OI.AC users need machine evidence: motor map, brake, feedback and load timing. The fault label alone is not enough to justify power-stack repair.

Observed situationDecision neededEvidence that satisfies the search
Trip at enableMotor/output or current feedback boundaryDisconnected-output result and motor data
Trip at brake releaseBrake/load problemBrake contactor and shaft-release evidence
Closed-loop instabilityFeedback routeOpen-loop comparison and encoder cable evidence

Field interpretation of OI.AC

OI.AC should be treated as a route into the output-current system, not as proof that the drive stack has failed. The first question is timing. A trip at enable points to motor cable, output device, pre-existing short, incorrect motor connection or a brake/load state that prevents current from building normally. A trip during acceleration points toward ramp, load, motor data, current limit, brake release or feedback direction. A trip during loaded running may point to mechanical overload, intermittent cable damage, feedback noise or thermal drift in the current path.

Closed-loop installations need special discipline. If the encoder direction, feedback scaling, shield, option module or motor data is wrong, the drive can command excessive torque while trying to correct a position or speed error. The symptom may look like a power fault even though the first cause is feedback quality or machine setup.

Fast triage before hardware replacement

The repair route begins outside the drive. Record the trip timing, machine state and brake state, then prove that the motor and cable are not shorted or grounded. Only after the external output path and feedback path are credible should the current feedback, gate-drive or output module boundary become the leading suspect.

A good field note states what changed when the motor/cable was isolated, whether the machine can rotate freely, whether the brake released, and whether the fault follows open-loop or closed-loop operation. Without those details, the repair desk cannot distinguish a failed drive from a drive correctly protecting itself.

OI.AC triage table

Trip timingLikely first boundaryWhat to record
Immediately on enableOutput cable, motor connection, power stage, brake/load lockedMotor disconnected result, phase-to-phase checks, brake command and mechanical free movement
During accelerationRamp, current limit, motor data, load torque, brake releaseRamp value, load condition, motor nameplate data, brake release proof
When switching to closed loopEncoder direction, feedback option, shielding, tuningEncoder type, option module, direction check, cable route and noise exposure
Only under loadMechanical overload, intermittent cable, torque demandActual machine load, cable movement, temperature and production condition
Still present after proven external isolationCurrent feedback, gate-drive, output stageStatic output checks, board photos, previous repair history

Repair boundary

Escalate to board or power-stack work only after field causes are removed from the evidence chain. The strongest internal-drive evidence is a repeated OI.AC with the output path safely isolated, abnormal static output measurements, visible damage, current-sense irregularity, or repeat trips that do not follow motor, cable, brake or feedback changes.

Do not close the case after a simple reset. The close-out note should identify the corrected boundary: motor/cable insulation, brake release, encoder/option module, motor-data/tuning, mechanical overload, current feedback or output-stage hardware. That record prevents the same machine from returning with the same trip after a drive replacement.

Field record checklist

  • Exact Unidrive type code, frame and control mode
  • Trip timing: enable, acceleration, load, deceleration or closed-loop transition
  • Motor and cable isolation result recorded with the drive disconnected correctly
  • Brake release and mechanical free-movement evidence
  • Encoder/feedback option type, cable route and direction check
  • Motor nameplate data, ramp/current-limit settings and prior 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.

Unidrive OI.AC diagnostic workflowIndustrialDriveData

Linked workflow record for output-current and feedback boundary checks.

Diagnostic workflow