Many Rexroth electric motion control systems error messages focus on overheating and other excesses, but there are errors that are caused by too little of a good thing, too.
Error F2048 or F248 (depending on the component) warns you of low battery voltage. This can be confusing. Some Rexroth components use batteries, but chances are good that this error will have you shaking your head, scratching your beard, and saying, “Battery? What battery?”.
Batteries in MKD and MKE motors
F2048 is talking about the batteries that maintain absolute position information in MKD and MKE motors. Battery-buffered electronics keep this information current even if the drive controller has been shut down. During initialization of the drive in the transition command from parameter to operating mode, the battery voltage is checked.
If that voltage is too low, you’ll get the F2048 message. Or, for legacy components, the F248 message.
Either way, your next step is to replace the battery.
Safety and batteries
The battery has a ten-year lifespan. If your component is older than that — and many are, that’s just how awesome Rexroth motion control machinery is — then you need to go ahead and change the battery. If you get the low-voltage warning, hurry up. You may have only a week or so before you see malfunction in your motion control. The danger at that point is not only to the machine, but potentially also to human operators who could be injured by surprising mechanical movements.
Turn off the power supply before you begin, but make sure that the voltage control is turned on when you exchange the battery. If the voltage control is turned off, you’ll lose your reference point and it will have to be reestablished.
If the drive is locked with a customer password, you won’t be able to to clear the message. Track down the person who knows the customer password before you begin, to save yourself stress.
As for the battery itself, we can supply that for you. Call (479) 422-0390 for immediate assistance.