iV5L Commissioning Depends on Firmware and Setup Matching

The iV5/iV5L elevator cases described here involve separate failure paths: one unit runs on SinCos but fails EnDat tuning, another setup uses different parameter numbers across firmware revisions, and a brake resistor heats while the drive is idle because the resistor circuit is grounded. Diagnose each symptom on its own path; matching cabinet hardware does not prove matching firmware, signal integrity, or station sequencing.

Fault routes for an iV5/iV5L elevator package

Compare the failure with the subsystem that can produce it before changing parameters. A drive that runs in one encoder mode but fails in another needs an encoder-interface investigation; a stop or revision problem needs a station/drive sequence check. Idle resistor heating is a power-circuit fault path, not a tuning problem.

Use configuration identification as the entry point, then follow the symptom-specific branch. Do not resolve an EnDat fault by changing deceleration values, or a hot resistor by adjusting the lift profile.

Commissioning configuration record

Before changing settings, capture enough information to distinguish a real hardware difference from a copied parameter set. Two drives can be in the same delivery or cabinet and still have different firmware revisions. Record the drive itself, the motor and encoder, the station, and the actual error sequence.

1. Read the complete drive model marking and serial number from each unit. Record the firmware shown at power-up; the firmware can also be read at DIS_06. Confirm these readings before comparing parameter lists.
2. Read the encoder label and record whether the motor is synchronous or asynchronous. Check the encoder-interface board configuration against the project and the board markings; for the reported FNC50H case, the observed jumpers were JP2 at 5 V and JP1 at LD. Treat those positions as case-specific, not a universal setting.
3. Save the station and drive parameter values before edits. Note the exact command, travel direction, tuning mode, trip number, and displayed fault at each failure. Confirm that the saved data can be read before proceeding.
4. Compare the problem lift with the working lift field by field: model, firmware, motor/encoder type, board configuration, encoder cabling, and stop command path. A statement that the connections are identical is a starting point; verify the signal path and actual values.

This record prevents a common commissioning error: applying a parameter table from a related drive revision because the equipment looks similar. It also makes the first failed trip distinguishable from a failure that appears only on the following trip.

Firmware-specific parameter map

Parameter numbering changed between the iV5 and iV5L revisions. In particular, the stop-control settings present as FUN_79– in version 1.11 are at FUN_94– in version 1.20. The functions were reported in the same order and with the same names, but entering the old addresses on a 1.20 unit will not configure the intended settings.

For the specified UL station and an asynchronous motor without an encoder, the commissioning guidance calls for an iV5L with firmware no lower than 1.11. An older iV5 used with UL/UKL stations was also reported to have stop-related limitations in MP2 and revision operation. Treat the complete station/motor combination as the compatibility unit, rather than selecting a drive solely because it can run the motor.

If a firmware change is required, identify the drive and EnDat board revisions first. The reported programming procedure updates the frequency converter and EnDat board together and requires a programmer; do not attempt a partial field update. Confirm the approved revision and update procedure with the equipment supplier before changing firmware.

EnDat failure sequence and signal checks

Separate a failure during initial tuning from one that occurs only after tuning or after a subsequent start. In one reported case, the EnDat and SinCos first trips were described as identical, with differences appearing no earlier than the second trip. That sequence makes the point of failure diagnostically useful: it is not enough to report that the drive “does not pass EnDat.”

1. Set PAR_28 to Enc tuning and record what the drive does on the first tuning trip. Confirm whether the shaft moves, whether tuning completes, and what the drive displays before the next step.
2. If the first trip completes but the next trip drops out with Spd Dev, check the configured EnDat direction. The reported correction was to reverse PAR_26 EnDat Dir—for example, change CW to CCW—and repeat the tuning sequence. Confirm that the next trip completes without a speed-deviation fault.
3. If the drive reports missing feedback or the tuning trip itself fails, verify the encoder type from its nameplate and inspect the EnDat Data and Clock wiring through the complete path to the interface board. Confirm the signal state at the drive input rather than relying only on a continuity check.
4. Inspect cable shielding, routing, and terminations. EnDat was reported as more sensitive to interference than SinCos. A cable route that works for SinCos can still leave EnDat vulnerable, so verify the actual route and signal diagnostics before accepting a SinCos-only result.
5. Compare the failing drive's readings and setup with the working drive, then change one item at a time. Confirm the same tuning command and trip sequence after each change.

Do not switch to SinCos simply to suppress an EnDat fault unless the lift design supports that encoder mode and the resulting configuration is approved. Successful SinCos operation narrows the fault path; it does not prove the EnDat wiring or interface is healthy.

Stationary and rotating encoder-tuning results

Interpret Encoder Err by identifying which check produced it. In the reported iV5L case, the error could mean no encoder signals or failure to reach a required speed within a configured time. Rotating autotuning also has its own check; a zero value for a separate normal-operation speed-time check does not disable the autotune check.

For a drive that already receives usable feedback, stationary tuning is a valid path in the described setup. The reported no-rotation tune determined the required motor parameters without removing the ropes. Rotating tuning was not required for that case; do not continue repeating a failing rotating test solely because it sounds more complete.

The thermal model uses current and its duration, including pauses, rather than relying only on a motor temperature sensor. If ALL1 ends with an encoder error and ALL2 ends with E-Thermal, first verify motor nominal current and thermal parameters, then inspect actual current during the test. Do not treat a cold motor as proof that the trip is spurious.

Base lift profile and repeatable parameter transfer

Use the station's base profile as the starting point instead of manually entering a large set of values from memory. In the described UL arrangement, the controller selects intermediate speeds; the drive profile and station settings still have to match the actual equipment. A baseline profile provides a controlled starting configuration for shaft mapping and normal operation.

1. Load the base profile for the specified lift/station combination. Confirm the profile has populated the intended station and drive parameters before moving the lift.
2. Run the commissioning travel required for shaft mapping and verify that the lift reaches its intended travel points without a drive fault. Do not proceed to comfort adjustments until this basic travel check passes.
3. Enter normal operation and check floor stopping. If the car consistently misses between floors, adjust the inter-floor travel coefficient only after confirming the base profile and encoder direction.
4. Save the commissioned station settings in LiftStudio. On a subsequent lift, load the saved profile and verify the resulting values rather than assuming all hardware packages are identical.
5. Transfer drive parameters separately with the removable panel: read the source drive into the panel using command 02, then connect the panel to the destination drive and write the saved values using command 03. Confirm the target drive values after writing and before running it.

Drive parameter copying does not remove the need to adapt values to a different drive revision: parameter numbering can differ. Keep the exact firmware record with the saved profile and verify addresses and function names on the destination unit.

Controlled deceleration and contactor timing

A cabin that travels roughly 0.5 m after a direction button is released may be following the configured deceleration ramp rather than coasting solely from inertia. The correct adjustment depends on who commands the stop and how the station handles the output contactor. A drive that is still producing PWM when a contactor opens can damage the contacts.

For the reported UL setup, connecting the Selt chain enabled forced braking. Reducing the drive's second-ramp deceleration time made that forced stop more aggressive. Station parameters p4/04 and p3/03 were also identified as capable of producing a sharp stop, but the guidance was to retain their defaults or restore base values through profile 2 after installation. Change these only after validating the station sequence and the approved baseline.

For version 1.20, one reported setup used the following 0 Dec Time values. These are a commissioning example, not universal values for every lift, motor, speed, or station.

The reported profile produced a smooth normal stop and a faster MP2/revision stop when the crawl speed was appropriate; approximately 90 rpm was cited for a 1 m/s example. Confirm the actual deceleration and contactor sequence at the installed speed before accepting any such values. If the contactor drops immediately in a scheme that requires a delay, diagnose station wiring or logic rather than trying to hide the problem with a drive ramp. Another described UL mounting-mode circuit had no contactor-off delay and could chatter its jog contactor; its solution used a safe stop with output-off time set to zero. These are different control schemes, so follow the actual circuit and approved stop design.

Idle brake-resistor heating and DC-link checks

A brake resistor that becomes hot at first power-up, before tuning or travel, is not behaving as a resistor used only during commanded motion. The resistor connects to the DC link through the braking chopper; in the described arrangement, B1 is tied to the positive DC bus and the other resistor terminal is switched through the chopper. Continuous current points to a chopper conducting continuously, a failed switching/control component, or a short/ground path in the resistor wiring.

1. Isolate power and follow the equipment's discharge procedure before resistance checks. Confirm the DC link is safe to work on using the approved method before touching terminals.
2. Disconnect the resistor from the drive and measure the resistor and cable insulation to earth. In the reported case, the resistor itself had continuity to ground; replacing it resolved the identified ground path. Confirm the replacement resistor is isolated from earth before reconnecting it.
3. With the drive de-energized, check the specified chopper path for a low-resistance short. The drive's P and N terminals are the DC bus; the bus need not be visually exposed inside the drive to identify those terminals.
4. After ruling out resistor and cable grounding, have the drive checked for a shorted chopper or failed control/driver module. A simple resistance reading cannot prove the chopper operates correctly under power; confirm operation through an approved service test.

The reported 50 V AC reading across B1 and B2 did not identify the cause. Do not infer chopper health from that reading alone. Operation without a resistor was reported during a low-speed, unloaded mounting revision test, with the possibility that the drive would stop on OverVoltage; that is not a general operating recommendation for an elevator. Use a resistor-free test only when the approved commissioning procedure permits it, and stop if the drive faults.

Other drive and station fault indications

For the reported autob oost workaround, manual boost was set at approximately 1% for each 10% of automatic boost. This is a case-specific field heuristic, not a general conversion. Manual boost can prolong high current at starting or crawl speed; monitor current and verify the motor starts reliably after power has been removed and restored.

Frequently asked iV5L commissioning questions