Quick answer
A PowerFlex 70 that faults stops the motor. The LCD HIM shows “Faulted” with the fault number and name (for example F2 Auxiliary Input) and the time since the fault; the LED HIM shows the fault code. Read the code, find it in the table below, fix the cause, then clear it with the Stop key, a power cycle, 240 [Fault Clear] or Clear Faults on the HIM. Type 1 faults may reset by themselves if auto restart is set up; Type 2 faults need the cause fixed before they clear; Type 3 faults can be turned on or off in 238 [Fault Config 1].
Jump to a code:
Safety first: lock out and tag out the drive and the machine before you open the drive or touch the wiring, and follow Rockwell Automation's procedure in the manual. The drive's DC bus capacitors stay charged after power is removed: the manual says to confirm they have discharged before any work, so a qualified person, with a properly rated meter checked on a known source before and after, confirms the DC bus voltage between the +DC terminal on the power terminal block and the –DC test point – it must read zero. A dark display doesn't mean it's safe. Never bypass a safety circuit or switch off a fault to keep a machine running. Only qualified personnel should work on drives, and any measurement on energized equipment follows your site's live-work and arc-flash rules.
Reading and clearing a PowerFlex 70 fault
- Note the code. Press Esc to acknowledge the fault so you can use the HIM. 243 [Fault 1 Code] holds the most recent fault; 245, 247 and 249 ([Fault 2 Code] to [Fault 4 Code]) the ones before it.
- Look it up in the table below or in the manual, and fix the cause first – a fault whose cause is still there comes straight back.
- Clear it: press Stop, cycle power, set 240 [Fault Clear] to 1 “Clear Faults”, or choose Clear Faults on the HIM's Diagnostic menu.
- Watch the restart. If the same code returns, go back through the checks before resetting again.
The user manual covers both Standard Control and Enhanced Control PowerFlex 70 drives; a few codes appear on only one of them, so check the manual for your drive's control type and firmware.
Common PowerFlex 70 fault codes
This list covers the codes technicians run into most often, not every code. The manual has the complete list and the full corrective actions.
| Code | What it means | Likely causes | First checks |
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| F2Auxiliary InputType 1 | The auxiliary input interlock is open. |
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| F3Power LossType 1 / 3 | The DC bus voltage stayed below its power-loss trigger level for longer than 185 [Power Loss Time]. |
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| F4UnderVoltageType 1 / 3 | The DC bus voltage fell below the drive's minimum. |
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| F5OverVoltageType 1 | The DC bus voltage went above the drive's maximum. |
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| F7Motor OverloadType 1 / 3 | The drive's electronic motor overload protection tripped. |
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| F8Heatsink OvrTempType 1 | The heatsink temperature went above 100% of 218 [Drive Temp]. |
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| F9Trnsistr OvrTempType 1 | The output transistors went above their maximum operating temperature. |
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| F12HW OverCurrentType 1 | Output current went past the drive's hardware current limit. |
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| F13Ground FaultType 1 | A current path to earth ground of more than 25% of the drive's rating was found. |
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| F15Load Loss | Torque current stayed below 187 [Load Loss Level] for longer than 188 [Load Loss Time]. |
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| F17Input Phase Loss | The DC bus ripple went above a preset level. |
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| F24Decel InhibitType 3 | The drive is not following the commanded acceleration or deceleration because it is holding the bus voltage down. |
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| F25Overspeed LimitType 1 | A speed correction (such as slip compensation or bus regulation) tried to push the output past 083 [Overspeed Limit]. |
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| F29Analog In LossType 1 / 3 | An analog input set to fault on signal loss lost its signal. |
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| F33Auto Rstrt TriesType 3 | The drive used up its programmed auto-restart attempts without clearing the original fault. |
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| F36SW OverCurrentType 1 | Output current went past the drive's 1 ms current rating, typically 200 to 250% of its continuous rating. |
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| F38 / F39 / F40Phase U to Grnd | A phase-to-ground fault was found between the drive and the motor on that phase (U, V or W). |
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| F41 / F42 / F43Phase UV Short | Excessive current was found between two output terminals (U-V, V-W or U-W). |
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| F48Params Defaulted | The drive was told to write its default settings. |
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| F63Shear PinType 3 | Output current went above the programmed 148 [Current Lmt Val]. |
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| F64Drive OverLoad | The drive's own rating (110% for 1 minute or 150% for 3 seconds) was exceeded. |
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| F70Power Unit | The output transistors did not switch fully on - from too much transistor current or too little gate drive voltage. |
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| F81 / F82 / F83 / F84 / F85Port 1-5 DPI Loss | A DPI port (the HIM, an adapter or another device on ports 1 to 5) stopped communicating. |
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| F100Parameter ChksumType 2 | The drive's stored parameter checksum does not match. |
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| F111Enable Hardware | The hardware enable / Safe-Off circuit is not in the state the drive expects. |
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The fault name is the short text the drive shows. Rarer codes in the same manual chapter that this page doesn't cover: F10, F16, F49, F51, F52, F55, F69, F71, F72, F73, F74, F75, F77, F78, F79, F80, F87, F90, F91, F93, F101, F102, F103, F104, F105, F106, F107, F108, F112, F900–F930 – see the manual for those.
Source: Rockwell Automation, PowerFlex 70 Adjustable Frequency AC Drives User Manual (Standard Control firmware 2.xxx, Enhanced Control firmware 2.xxx to 5.xxx), publication 20A-UM001P-EN-P (February 2018) – Chapter 2, Troubleshooting: Fault Types, Descriptions, and Actions, read on October 17, 2026.
Meanings, causes and checks are summarized in our own words. The manual is the reference: it has every code, the full corrective actions and the safety instructions. A newer revision of the manual may add codes, so check the current revision for your drive.
PowerFlex 70 AC drives in stock
PowerFlex 70 part numbers on our shelves right now. Every item is photographed, so check the nameplate – catalog number and series – against the drive you're replacing.
- 20AD3P4A0AYNNNNNAllen-Bradley 20AD3P4A0AYNNNNN PowerFlex 70 AC Drive 2HP 480V 3 Phase VFD Ser A
- 20AD3P4A3AYYNDNNAllen-Bradley 20AD3P4A3AYYNDNN PowerFlex 70 VFD 2HP 480V 3.4A with HIM Keypad
- 20AD011A3AYNACNNAllen-Bradley 20AD011A3AYNACNN PowerFlex 70 VFD 7.5HP 480V 3-Ph AC Motor Drive
- 20AD014F0AYNANC0Allen-Bradley 20AD014F0AYNANC0 PowerFlex 70 AC VFD 480V 3PH 14A 10HP Industrial
- 20AD3P4A0AYNNNC0Allen-Bradley 20AD3P4A0AYNNNC0 PowerFlex 70 AC Drive 2 HP 480V 3 Phase Series A
- 20AD3P4A3AYNNDNNAllen Bradley 20AD3P4A3AYNNDNN PowerFlex 70 AC Drive 480VAC 3PH Automation VFD
- 20AD5P0A0NYYNECAllen-Bradley 20AD5P0A0NYYNEC PowerFlex 70 AC Drive 3HP 480V 3-Phase Industrial
Fault won't clear?
When the checks point to the drive itself – the manual's “replace the drive” or “replace the control module” – send us the fault code and the catalog number from the nameplate. We check our shelves and our sourcing network and reply with a written quote. Purchase orders are welcome; payment is due before we ship.
Frequently asked questions
How do I clear a fault on a PowerFlex 70?
Press Esc to acknowledge it, fix what caused it, then clear it: press Stop, cycle power, set 240 [Fault Clear] to 1 “Clear Faults”, or choose Clear Faults on the HIM's Diagnostic menu. A fault comes straight back if its cause is still there.
What do fault Types 1, 2 and 3 mean on a PowerFlex 70?
A Type 1 fault can be reset by auto restart (174 [Auto Rstrt Tries] and 175 [Auto Rstrt Delay]) while the drive stays in Run and the condition is gone. A Type 2 fault normally needs drive or motor repair and clears on power-up after the repair. A Type 3 fault can be turned on or off in 238 [Fault Config 1].
Where can I see which faults a PowerFlex 70 had?
243 [Fault 1 Code] holds the most recent fault and 245, 247 and 249 the ones before it. The queue also records markers: F49 Drive Powerup when power was cycled, F51 and F52 when the queue or the faults were cleared.
Does a PowerFlex 70 fault mean the drive is bad?
Usually not: most codes point to the supply, the motor, the wiring, the load or a setting. The ones where the manual's last step is a new drive or board include F38 to F43, F70 and the F900 to F930 fatal faults.
Can you supply a replacement PowerFlex 70 drive?
Send the catalog number from the nameplate and the fault code through our quote form. We check our shelves and our sourcing network and reply with a written quote.