Meet ABB's New IP66 Drives

We’re excited to announce that Beta Power Engineering is now stocking ABB’s brand-new IP66 / UL Type 4X drive range, purpose-designed to support reliable motor control in some of the harshest industrial conditions.

The brand-new range includes three specialist drives, tailored to specific industries: one for food and beverage processing, one for HVACR applications, and one for water and wastewater applications. Although each drive has been developed with its own industry-specific software and features, they all share one thing in common: exceptional protection against the environments that cause conventional equipment to fail.

A lot of variable speed drives spend their lives hidden away inside electrical cabinets, protected from the elements. These new ABB drives have been designed differently.

With an IP66 and UL Type 4X enclosure, they’re fully sealed against dust, water ingress and high-pressure hose-down cleaning, allowing them to be mounted much closer to the application itself. This can significantly reduce installation costs by eliminating the need for large remote-control cabinets and simplifying cable runs and maintenance access.
Across this new range, the drives offer:

• IP66 / UL Type 4X protection
• UV-resistant housings suitable for outdoor installation
• Operation in ambient temperatures from -20°C to +50°C
• Coated circuit boards for additional durability
• Integrated EMC Class C2 filters
• Built-in DC chokes to reduce harmonics
• Safe Torque Off (STO) safety functionality certified to SIL 3 / PL e
• Three-phase operation from 380–480 V
• Power ratings from 5.5 kW to 22 kW

Sharing the same IP66 platform, each drive has been optimised for a different application sector, with dedicated software and features designed around the needs of that industry. Here’s how they compare.

With the new ACS580 drive, ABB has addressed the demands of food production environments with a product that can withstand constant wash-down procedures, humidity and exposure to aggressive cleaning chemicals. Its enclosure has been tested against salt spray, ammonia, chlorine, algaecides, and microbicides, providing corrosion resistance comparable to that of a stainless-steel enclosure while still remaining suitable for indoor and outdoor installations.
Typical applications include:

• Pumps
• Fans
• Compressors
• Mixers
• Conveyors

Industry-specific software includes features such as adaptive programming, pumping functions including cavitation control, heavy-duty overload capability and S-ramp functionality for smoother conveyor starting and stopping.

The ACH580 IP66 brings ABB’s proven HVAC drive technology into an integrated outdoor-rated design. Typical applications for this drive include rooftop air handling units, cooling towers, exterior exhaust fans, and outdoor pump skids, and it can reduce site installation costs and minimise system downtime, as the design is fit for external exposure. This drive combines weather protection with dedicated HVAC software, including:

• Multi-pump control
• Flying start
• Freezestat protection
• Resonance monitoring
• Application-specific HVAC settings as standard

An optional Bluetooth control panel allows for wireless commissioning and monitoring so that the drive can be accessed from a safe distance. It’s a practical feature that improves productivity and safety during installation, commissioning and servicing.

Water treatment plants, pumping stations and wastewater facilities present some of the toughest operating conditions for electrical equipment. The ACQ580 IP66 has been developed to meet these challenges head-on.
Its fully weather-tight enclosure is resistant to UV exposure and has been tested against corrosive substances commonly found in water treatment facilities, including hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, chlorine and salt spray.
Typical applications include:

• • • Lift stations
    • Booster stations
    • Clarifiers
    • Surface aerators
    • Flocculators
    • Dosing systems
    • Sludge pumps

The drive also incorporates ABB’s specialised water software, including features such as pump clean, cavitation control and soft pipe fill to help improve reliability and extend equipment life.

A powerful drive deserves an equally intuitive user experience, and ABB has made sure the new IP66 range delivers on both fronts. These drives have been designed to make tasks like routine maintenance or troubleshooting a system quicker, easier and safer.
Each model is compatible with ABB’s Drive Composer PC software, providing a straightforward way to configure parameters, commission the drive and monitor performance from a computer. For engineers working in the field, ABB’s Drivetune mobile app, used alongside the optional Bluetooth control panel, offers many of the same setup and diagnostic functions directly from a smartphone or tablet.
All three drives also include a comprehensive range of built-in I/O as standard, including analogue and digital inputs and outputs, relay outputs and Safe Torque Off (STO) connections. Two expansion slots allow additional I/O or communication modules to be added as application requirements evolve.

Connectivity is equally impressive. Standard communication protocols vary by drive family to suit each industry, while optional fieldbus adapters provide integration with a range of building management systems, PLCs and industrial automation networks.

• ACS580 supports protocols including EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, POWERLINK, PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNet, CANopen and Modbus TCP, so it is ideal for general industrial automation.
• ACH580 is designed specifically for HVAC applications, with built-in BACnet MS/TP, Modbus RTU and N2 communications, plus optional support for BACnet/IP, LonWorks, PROFINET, Ethernet and PROFIBUS DP for straightforward integration into modern building management systems.
• ACQ580 offers Modbus RTU as standard together with optional Modbus TCP, PROFINET, Ethernet, PROFIBUS DP and DeviceNet connectivity, providing the flexibility needed for water and wastewater control systems.

The result is a drive range that is simple to configure, easy to integrate and ready to communicate with the wider control system.

As an authorised ABB supplier, Beta Power Engineering is proud to be among the first to offer these newly released IP66 drives. If you’d like to learn more about the new ABB ACS580, ACH580 or ACQ580 IP66 drive range, or discuss your project requirements, get in touch with us today. We’ll help you find the right industrial drive for the best performance in your operating environment.