User's Manual
For Operation in the Control Cabinet
SIRIUS 3RA6 Compact Starters
General data
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SIRIUS Innovations Supplement 2011
6
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Overview
3RA6 compact starters and infeed system for 3RA6
3RA62 reversing starter
Integrated functionality
The SIRIUS 3RA6 compact starters are a generation of innova-
tive motor starters with the integrated functionality of a motor
starter protector, contactor and solid-state overload relay. In
addition, various functions of optional mountable accessories
(e. g. auxiliary switches, surge suppressors) come standard
with the SIRIUS compact starter.
Application
The SIRIUS compact starters can be used wherever standard
induction motors up to 32 A (approx. 20 HP/460 V) are directly
started.
The compact starters are not suitable for the protection of single-
phase AC or DC loads.
The Compact Starter carries IEC, UL, and CSA approvals.
Low equipment variance
Thanks to wide setting ranges for the rated current and wide
voltage ranges, the equipment variance is greatly reduced
compared to conventional motor starters.
Very high operational reliability
Thanks to the high short-circuit breaking capacity and weld-free
capability when the end of service life is reached, the SIRIUS
compact starter achieves a very high level of operational reliabil-
ity that would otherwise have only been possible with consider-
able additional overhead. This sets it apart from devices with
similar functionality.
Safe disconnection
The auxiliary switches of the 3RA6 compact starters are de-
signed as mirror contacts. It is thus possible to use the devices
for safe disconnection, e. g. emergency-stops, up to Category 2
(EN 954-1) and together with other redundancy switching de-
vices up to Category 3 or 4.
Communications integration with AS-Interface
To enable communications integration through AS-Interface
there is an AS-i add-on module available in several versions
which can be mounted on the SIRIUS compact starter in place
of its control circuit terminals.
The design of the AS-i add-on module permits a group of up to
62 starters to be connected to the control system using just 4
cables. This reduces wiring work considerably compared to the
conventional wiring method.
Communications integration using IO-Link
Up to 4 IO-Link compact starters (reversing and direct-on-line
starters) can be connected together and conveniently linked to
the IO-Link master through a standardized IO-Link connection.
The SIRIUS 4SI solid-state module is used for example as an
IO-Link master for connection to the SIMATIC ET 200S distrib-
uted I/O system.
The IO-Link connection enables a high density of information to
be passed from device to PLC.
For details on the communications integration using IO-Link see
Chapter 2 "Industrial Communication" --> "IO-Link".
The diagnostics data of the process collected by the 3RA6 com-
pact starter, e. g. short-circuit, end of service life, limit position
etc., are not only indicated on the compact starter itself, but also
transmitted to the higher-level control system through IO-Link.
An optional operator panel, which can be installed in the control
cabinet door, allows for easy control of the 3RA6 IO-Link com-
pact starter from the control cabinet door.
Permanent wiring / easy replacement
Using the SIRIUS infeed system for 3RA6 (see page 6/52) it is
possible to carry out the wiring in advance without a compact
starter needing to be connected.
A compact starter can be very easily replaced simply by pulling
it out of the infeed system without disconnecting the wiring.
Regardless of whether the infeed system is mounted to a flat sur-
face, or on a DIN rail, there is no need to disconnect any wiring
(on account of the removable main and control circuit terminals)
in order to replace a compact starter.
Consistent solution from the infeed to the motor starter
The SIRIUS infeed system for 3RA6 (with integrated PE bar) is
offered as a user-friendly possibility of supplying up to 100 A to
attached starters with a maximum wire cross section of 2/0 AWG
while connecting the motor cable directly without additional
intermediate terminals.
Screw and spring-type connections
The SIRIUS compact starters and the infeed system for 3RA6
are
available with screw and spring-type connections.
System configurator for engineering
A free system configurator is available to further reduce the
amount of engineering work for selecting the required compact
starters and matching infeed.
Types of infeed for the 3RA6 compact starters
In total, four different infeed possibilities are available:
• Conventional wiring
• Use of three-phase busbars (combination
with SIRIUS motor
starter protectors and SIRIUS contactors possible)
• 8US Fast Bus busbar adapters
• SIRIUS infeed system for 3RA6
(see page 6/52)
Screw terminals
Spring-type terminals
These terminals are indicated in the corresponding
tables by the symbols shown on orange backgrounds.
© Siemens AG 2011