An ArmorStart distributed motor controller reports a trip with the Fault LED on its control module: the LED repeats a blink pattern, and the number of blinks is the fault code. Bulletin 280 is the full-voltage starter, 281 the reversing starter and 284 the variable-frequency drive starter. The DeviceNet units are 280D/281D/284D and the EtherNet/IP units 280E/281E/284E. The same count does not always mean the same fault: 3 blinks is Phase Loss on a 280/281 but Phase Short on a 284. Page numbers below refer to two Rockwell manuals: DN =
The LEDs on the unit
Every unit has four status LEDs and a Reset button (DN p. 245; E p. 217). Power is solid green when control power is present with the right polarity; if it is off, check 24 V DC on A1 and A2 and whether the local disconnect is OFF. Run is solid green with a start command and control power. Network shows the communication link (on E units, the internal link). Fault blinks the fault code.
Network LEDs (DN p. 261; E pp. 215–216):
| Unit | LED and state | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| DeviceNet | Network flashing green-red-off | Waiting for the baud rate: at least one device must have a set baud rate |
| DeviceNet | Network flashing red | Recoverable fault: PLC, scanner, media and cabling |
| DeviceNet | Network solid red | Duplicate MAC ID, bus-off or media: terminators, lengths, duplicate nodes |
| EtherNet/IP | Link 1 / Link 2 off | No link: check the cabling |
| EtherNet/IP | MOD flashing red | Recoverable minor fault, e.g. inconsistent configuration |
| EtherNet/IP | MOD steady red | Major fault: EEPROM, hardware, or control module illegal or not detected (Table 33) |
| EtherNet/IP | NET flashing red / steady red | Connection timeout / duplicate IP address |
For network faults that come and go, check the whole industrial network.
Fault LED codes: Bulletin 280/281 and 280E/281E
From DN Table 36 (p. 253) and E Table 36 (pp. 217–218). "Auto reset" is the E column: "Yes" means the fault clears itself once the condition is gone, if Parameter 23 is set to 1 = automatic (E p. 217).
| Blinks | Fault | Auto reset | Usual causes | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short Circuit | No | Bulletin 140M motor circuit protector tripped, or the internal wiring protection saw an unsafe current surge | Find the cause; reset the breaker with the disconnect handle; if it continues, the power wiring, then the base module |
| 2 | Overload Trip | Yes | Load drew excessive current for the selected trip class (class 10, 15 or 20, DN p. 21) | Load working correctly, setup; with an electromechanical brake on the motor, brake current against FLA, adjust FLA |
| 3 | Phase Loss | Yes | Missing supply phase | Three-phase voltage at the line side connections |
| 6 | Control Power | Yes | Loss of control power or a blown control power fuse | Control voltage, wiring and polarity (A1/A2); the control voltage fuse |
| 7 | I/O Fault (E: Input Fault) | Yes | Shorted sensor or input device, input wiring mistake, blown output fuse | Isolate or remove the problem before restarting |
| 8 | Over Temperature | Yes | Operating temperature exceeded | Blocked or dirty heat sink fins; ambient not above 40 °C (E p. 218) |
| 9 | Phase Imbalance | Yes | Supply voltage imbalance | Power system |
| 10 | DeviceNet Power Loss (E: A3 Power Loss, unswitched 24 V DC) | Yes | Network or unswitched power lost or below the 12 V threshold | Network power supply, media |
| 13 | EEPROM Fault | No | Major fault, unit inoperable; transients during EEPROM storage | Cycle power; if it stays, the ArmorStart may need replacing |
| 14 | Hardware Fault | No | Serious hardware problem | Base/starter module mismatch; if none, Parameter 61; replace if it persists |
Blinks 4, 5, 11, 12, 15 and 16 are reserved on 280/281. Phase Loss, Control Power, I/O Fault, Phase Imbalance and DeviceNet/A3 Power Loss can be disabled and are disabled by default; Short Circuit, Overload, Over Temperature, EEPROM and Hardware Fault cannot be disabled (DN pp. 246–249, 253). The enable bits are in Parameter 24 Pr Fault Enable (DN p. 74; E p. 23). After an overload trip it may take 60 seconds or more before a reset is allowed (DN p. 21).
Fault LED codes: Bulletin 284 and 284E
From DN Table 38 (p. 255) and E Table 37 (pp. 218–219). The F-codes in brackets are the internal drive's fault codes; E p. 23 lists them as PowerFlex 40 fault codes. "Drive" = auto reset is set by the drive parameters (see below); "P23" = set by Parameter 23.
| Blinks | Fault (drive codes) | Auto reset | Usual causes | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short Circuit | No | 140M circuit breaker tripped | As for the 280 |
| 2 | Overload (F7, F64) | Drive | Excessive motor load | Load against Parameter 133 Motor OL Current; Parameter 184 Boost Select; accel time |
| 3 | Phase Short (F38–F43) | Drive | Phase-to-ground fault between drive and motor, or excessive current between two output terminals | Drive–motor wiring; motor for a grounded phase; output terminal wiring for a short |
| 4 | Ground Fault (F13) | Drive | Current path to earth ground at one or more drive output terminals | Motor and external wiring to the output terminals for a grounded condition |
| 5 | Stall (F6) | Drive | Drive cannot accelerate the motor | Accel Time (Parameter 139 or 167) or load, so current stays within Parameter 189 Current Limit 1 |
| 6 / 7 | Control Pwr Loss / Input Fault | P23 | As for the 280 | As for the 280 |
| 8 | Over Temperature | P23 | Operating temperature exceeded | Heat sink fins; ambient not above 40 °C; clear the fault or cycle power |
| 9 | Over Current (F12, F63) | Drive | Output current above the hardware current limit, or Parameter 198 SW Current Trip exceeded | Programming, excess load, Parameter 184, DC brake volts too high; load against Parameter 198 |
| 10 | DeviceNet Power Loss (E: Control Power 24V DC Lost, unswitched) | P23 | Network or unswitched power below threshold | Network power supply (A3), media |
| 11 | Internal Comm (F81) | No | Communication with the drive in the control module stopped; also on control power loss | See "11 blinks" below; replace the unit if it persists |
| 12 | DC Bus Fault (F3, F4, F5) | Drive | DC bus below 85 % of nominal, below minimum, or above maximum | AC line (low, interrupted, high, transients), input fuses; regeneration: longer decel or dynamic brake option |
| 13 | EEPROM (F100) | No | Checksum read from the board does not match | Parameter 141 Reset To Defaults = 1 |
| 14 | Hardware Fault (F70, F122) | No | Failure in the drive power section or control and I/O section | Cycle power; for a Fan RPM fault, replace the fan; replace the drive if it cannot be cleared |
| 15 | Restart Retries (F33) | Drive | Auto restart failed for the number of tries in Parameter 192 | Correct the cause and clear manually |
| 16 | Misc. Fault (F2, F8, F29, F48, F80) | Drive | Heatsink over temperature, parameters defaulted, autotune failed, DB1 brake fault | Heat sink fins, 40 °C; clear or cycle power; reprogram; DB1: Parameter 61 |
11 blinks: Internal Comm on a 284
The fault appears after a
| Parameter 61 | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 13 / 14 | Control power lost or dipped / control power fuse blown | Restore power; find why the fuse blew and replace it; reset |
| 21 A3 Power Loss | Unswitched (A3/A2) or DeviceNet power lost | Loose A3 or DNet power terminal; reset |
| 22, 24, 25 | Main control board lost communication with the drive, most likely loss of three-phase power (drive F3 or F4) | Disconnect ON, power quality, three-phase present; reset |
| 23 Drive Comm Loss (F81) | Drive lost communication with the main control board: control or network power | Both present; reset |
| 28 Base EEPROM | Main control board cannot read the base module | Cycle power; control module seated; connector pins; E units: Parameter 63 |
| 41 DB1 Comm | Lost communication with the DB1 board, or its EEPROM is corrupt | Reset; cycle power |
Internal drive F-codes: Parameters 107–109
Parameter 107 Fault 1 Code holds the most recent drive fault; 108 and 109 the two before it (DN p. 124; E pp. 171–172). Type 1 can auto-reset and run; Type 2 is non-resettable and the cause must be corrected first (DN pp. 257–258; E pp. 237–239).
| Code | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|
| F2 | Auxiliary Input | 1 |
| F3 / F4 / F5 | Power Loss / UnderVoltage / OverVoltage | 2 / 1 / 1 |
| F6 / F7 / F8 | Motor Stalled / Motor Overload / Heatsink OvrTmp | 1 |
| F12 / F13 | HW OverCurrent / Ground Fault | 2 |
| F33 | Auto Rstrt Tries | — |
| F38–F40 / F41–F43 | Phase U, V, W to Gnd / Phase UV, UW, VW Short | 2 |
| F48 / F63 / F64 | Params Defaulted / SW OverCurrent / Drive Overload | 2 |
| F70 / F81 / F122 | Power Unit / Comm Loss / I/O Board Fail | 2 |
| F100 | Parameter Checksum | 2 |
The checks match the blink table above. Extra points from the F-code table: F8 can need a new internal fan; F64 means 150 % for 1 minute or 200 % for 3 seconds was exceeded; for F81, Parameter 205 Comm Loss Action sets the response (DN p. 258; E pp. 238–239).
DB1 dynamic brake option (284)
DB1 overcurrent, undercurrent and open faults only show once the brake switch is conducting; a shorted switch, resistor overtemperature or bus voltage link fault can trip any time the DB1 is active. 11 blinks with Parameter 61 = 41 is DB1 Comm; 16 blinks with Parameter 61 = 42 is DB1 Fault (resistor overtemperature, overcurrent, undercurrent, open, VBus link) and 43 is DB1 Switch (E pp. 231–232; DN pp. 261–262).
- Overcurrent, undercurrent, open: remove all power, wait at least 3 minutes, mind the hot resistor; check the connector, disconnect the DB1 resistor and measure it. Resistance out of limits or open: replace the resistor; otherwise replace the control module (E pp. 233–234).
- Switch (shorted brake IGBT): remove all power and restart; if it stays, replace the control module. VBus Link: check that three-phase and control power are applied, then reset; if it stays, replace the control module. Comm (Parameter 61 = 41): reset, cycle power; if it stays, replace the control module. On Switch, VBus Link and Comm faults the user's logic must open the input contactor that the user provides (E pp. 220, 234–235).
Reading faults over the network
- Parameter 4 Trip Status: one bit per fault, in the blink order: bit 0 Short Circuit … bit 13 Hardware Fault; on the 284 also bit 14 Restart Retries and bit 15 Misc. Fault (DN pp. 65, 99; E pp. 132, 152).
- Parameter 5 Starter Status: bit 0 TripPresent, bit 1 WarningPresent (E p. 133).
- Parameter 61 Last PR Fault: detail code of the last protection fault; lists in DN pp. 76 and 108, E pp. 136 and 157.
- Parameter 62 Warning Status: warnings are always enabled, even when the fault is disabled, and clear themselves (E p. 137).
- Parameter 63 Base Trip (E units): base module trip status (E pp. 137, 216).
- Last four faults: E units, CIP Class 0x0097 DPI Fault Object, instances 1 to 4, 1 = most recent (E pp. 321, 365). DN units keep the last four too; the manual shows an explicit message example (DN p. 371).
- E units: the web server can e-mail fault and trip messages once SMTP is configured (E p. 22).
Clearing faults safely
Resetting does not correct the cause (DN p. 245). Ways to reset (DN p. 246; E p. 211):
- The Reset button on the LED panel.
- A rising edge (0 to 1) of the "Fault Reset" bit in the I/O assembly, or of Parameter 25 Pr Fault Reset (DN p. 74; E p. 140).
- For internal drive faults on a 284: Parameter 200 Fault Clear = 1 Reset Fault, or 2 Clear Buffer to also clear Parameters 107–109; stop the drive first (DN p. 138; E p. 192).
Before work inside the unit, isolate the mains and wait three minutes for the drive capacitors; dark LEDs do not mean the capacitors are discharged. Do not defeat or override fault circuits (DN p. 251; E p. 229).
Automatic reset and auto restart
- Parameter 23 Pr FltReset Mode: 0 = manual (default), 1 = automatic. On a 284 it covers only faults detected on the main control board (DN pp. 73, 254; E pp. 139, 230). The manual does not say what the starter does once a fault clears itself; check what the run command from the PLC or DeviceLogix will do before choosing automatic.
- 284 drive faults: Parameter 192 Auto Rstrt Tries (0–9, default 0) and 193 Auto Rstrt Delay (default 1.0 s). Both above 0: a Type 1 fault is reset and the drive restarts. 192 above 0 and 193 = 0: OverVoltage, UnderVoltage and Heatsink OvrTmp clear without a restart (DN pp. 136–137, 257; E pp. 189–190, 237).
- On 284E (EtherNet/IP) units, the manual says Parameter 23 takes precedence when it is set to manual: the unit stays faulted until cleared by hand, whatever Parameter 192 says (E pp. 160, 217). The DeviceNet manual has no such note.
Safety: with auto restart the drive issues its own start command (DN p. 258; E p. 238). The reset and start attempt happen without user or application intervention, and the manuals warn that equipment damage or personal injury may result if Parameter 192 is used in an inappropriate application (DN p. 137; E p. 190). Follow the plant's permit and lockout rules.
When it is hardware
- 14 blinks: check for a base/starter module mismatch first (Parameter 61 = 30 Wrong Base; DN pp. 76, 253). On the 284, a fan below 1740 rpm leads to a
14-blink Hardware Fault with Parameter 61 = Fan RPM; from firmware 66.21 a warning (Parameter 5, Parameter 62 bit 13) comes first and the fault follows after 24 hours. The replacement fan is284-FAN (E pp. 64, 235). - 13 blinks on a 280/281 that a power cycle does not clear: the ArmorStart may need replacing (DN p. 253; E p. 218). On E units a steady red MOD LED also points to an EEPROM, hardware or control module fault (E p. 216).
- Drive F38–F43, F70, F81 or F122 that cannot be cleared: replace the starter module (DN p. 258; E pp. 238–239).
- DeviceNet Network LED solid red while the rest of the network works and a power cycle does not help: the manual says contact technical support (DN p. 261).
Before calling for support
Note the catalog number (280, 281 or 284, D or E), the blink count, Parameters 4, 61 and 62 (and 63 on E units), Parameters 107–109 on a 284, the network LED states and what the machine was doing. Need an engineer on site: breakdown support.
Frequently asked questions
What does 3 blinks on an ArmorStart Fault LED mean?
On a Bulletin 280/281 it is Phase Loss: a missing supply phase, so check three-phase voltage at the line side. On a 284 it is Phase Short, drive codes F38 to F43: check the drive–motor wiring, the motor for a grounded phase and the output terminal wiring (DN pp. 253, 255).
What does fault 11 Internal Comm mean on an ArmorStart 284?
Communication with the drive in the control module has stopped; it appears after a
How do I reset a fault on an ArmorStart?
After correcting the cause: press the Reset button on the LED panel, or send a 0 to 1 transition of the "Fault Reset" bit or of Parameter 25 over the network (DN p. 246; E p. 211). On a 284, Parameter 200 Fault Clear also clears drive faults (DN p. 138; E p. 192).
Why does an ArmorStart 284 not auto-reset even with Auto Rstrt Tries set?
On a 284E (EtherNet/IP), the manual says Parameter 23 Pr FltReset Mode takes precedence: when it is 0 = manual, the unit stays faulted until the fault is cleared by hand, even with Parameter 192 above 0 (E pp. 160, 217). The DeviceNet manual has no such note for the 284D.
Sources
- Rockwell Automation,
280-UM002C-EN-P , ArmorStart Distributed Motor Controller User Manual (DeviceNet), 09/2015 — pp. 15, 21, 23–24, 65, 73–76, 99, 106, 108, 124, 136–138, chapter 11 "Diagnostics" (pp. 245–249), chapter 12 "Troubleshooting" (pp. 251–262), p. 371 - Rockwell Automation,
280E-UM001C-EN-P , ArmorStart Distributed Motor Controller with EtherNet/IP User Manual, 09/2015 — pp. 16, 22–23, 64, 132–140, 152, 157, 160, 171, 189–192, chapter 9 "Diagnostics" (pp. 211–220), chapter 10 "Troubleshooting" (pp. 229–239), pp. 321, 365
Read 13 November 2026. This article paraphrases the sources and does not quote them; read the original documents before designing or working on a system. Links open the latest edition in Rockwell's literature library; page numbers refer to the edition cited.