Schneider Electric no longer hosts the original "Multi 9 IC2000 P" manual on its front page, but you can often find it in the "Archived Documents" section of their support site using the part number: "MGN 9.571.01" .
Have a question about wiring this old unit? Drop a comment below with your panel photo (or part number), and the community will help you out.
Disclaimer: Electrical work is dangerous. Always isolate the supply and verify dead before touching terminals. When in doubt, call a licensed electrician.
The Merlin Gerin Multi 9 IC 2000 P is a high-performance twilight switch designed to manage lighting circuits based on ambient light levels. While Merlin Gerin has since been integrated into the Schneider Electric brand, these robust units remain a staple in many industrial and commercial electrical panels.
This guide serves as a comprehensive manual for the installation, programming, and troubleshooting of the Multi 9 IC 2000 P. Technical Specifications and Overview
The IC 2000 P is an analog twilight switch that uses a remote photo-electric cell (sensor) to detect outdoor light intensity. Product Range: Multi 9 Operating Voltage: 230V AC (+10% / -15%) at 50/60 Hz Breaking Capacity: 16A at 250V AC (cos phi = 1) Brightness Range: Adjustable from 2 to 2000 Lux Mounting: 35mm DIN rail Protection Rating: IP20 (Device), IP54 to IP65 (Sensor) Installation Guidelines
Proper installation is critical for the sensor to provide accurate readings without interference from artificial light sources.
Mounting the Device: Snap the IC 2000 P onto a standard DIN rail inside your electrical distribution board. Ensure the environment is dry and ventilated.
Sensor Placement: Install the photo-electric cell outdoors. It must be positioned away from the lights it controls to avoid "cycling" (turning off because it sees its own light). Wiring the Terminals: Terminals 1 & 2: Connect to the 230V AC power supply.
Terminals 3 & 5: These are the dry contact outputs (Normally Open). Connect your lighting load circuit here.
Terminals 6 & 7: Connect the two wires leading to the external photo-electric sensor. There is no polarity to observe for the sensor wires. Programming and Calibration
The IC 2000 P features a user-friendly interface on the front face for fine-tuning your lighting automation.
1. Setting the Lux ThresholdUse the rotary dial on the front of the unit to set the light level at which the circuit should activate.
Left Side (Lower Lux): Lights will turn on only when it is quite dark (approx. 2-50 Lux). Merlin Gerin Multi 9 Ic 2000 P Manual
Right Side (Higher Lux): Lights will turn on during overcast days or early dusk (up to 2000 Lux).
2. Understanding the Delay TimerTo prevent the lights from flickering due to temporary shadows, lightning, or car headlights, the IC 2000 P has a built-in time delay. On Delay: Approx. 20 to 80 seconds.
Off Delay: Approx. 20 to 80 seconds.The unit must sense a consistent light level for this duration before switching states. 3. LED Indicators Green LED: Indicates that the device is powered on.
Red LED: Indicates that the brightness detected by the sensor is below the set threshold (the output relay is active). Troubleshooting Common Issues Lights stay on during the day: Check if the sensor is covered by debris, snow, or dirt. Verify the Lux dial isn't set too high (near 2000 Lux).
Test for a short circuit in the wiring between terminals 6 and 7. Lights do not turn on at night: Check the Green LED for power supply.
Verify the Red LED turns on when you cover the sensor manually with your hand or a dark cloth (wait 80 seconds for the delay).
Check if the sensor is "seeing" a nearby streetlamp or security light. The unit clicks but lights don't work:
This suggests the internal relay is functioning, but there is a fault in the lighting circuit or a blown fuse/breaker downstream.
If you have a specific problem with your unit, I can help you more if you tell me: Is the Green power LED currently lit? Is the Red status LED on or off? What is the current Lux setting on your dial?
I can provide specific wiring diagrams or step-by-step testing based on those details.
Elias Thorne was a man who appreciated order. In his line of work—restoring power to the aging, forgotten infrastructure of the city’s textile district—chaos was the enemy, and the schematic was his bible.
It was a humid Tuesday evening, the air thick with the smell of ozone and wet asphalt, when he received the call. The old Hargrove Mill, a cavernous brick skeleton scheduled for renovation, had gone dark. Not just a blown bulb; a total blackout that had the security guards spooked.
Elias arrived with his tool bag slung over one shoulder and a cup of lukewarm coffee in his hand. He made his way to the basement, the beam of his flashlight cutting through dancing dust motes. The main distribution board was hidden behind a rusted metal door that groaned in protest as he pulled it open. Schneider Electric no longer hosts the original "Multi
"Alright, let's see what we have," he muttered, his voice echoing in the concrete chamber.
Inside the panel, it was a mess. Wires were coiled like vipers, and most of the breakers were nondescript, their labels faded into illegibility. But in the center of the row, pristine and imposing, sat the unit he was looking for: the Merlin Gerin Multi 9 Ic 2000 P.
To the uninitiated, it was just a plastic box with switches. To Elias, it was a masterpiece of French engineering. The Multi 9 series was the gold standard—compact, modular, and relentless in its duty. The "Ic 2000 P" designation meant it was a current limiter, a high-capacity interrupter designed to swallow a massive surge of electricity and choke it out before it could start a fire.
Elias set his coffee down on a clear patch of conduit. The handle on the unit was flipped down, locked in the 'Trip' position.
"Something spooked you, didn't it?" he whispered to the machine.
He didn't just flip the switch back. That was amateur hour. If a breaker this size had tripped, it was usually because something had tried to kill the circuit. He pulled the crumpled Manual from the back pocket of his coveralls. The pages were soft with age, covered in grease smudges and marginalia.
He thumbed through to the troubleshooting section for the Ic 2000 P. He needed to know the breaking capacity. Was it a short circuit downstream, or an overload? The manual detailed the trip curves, the exact millisecond delay before the mechanism engaged the silver-composite contacts to sever the current.
He traced the diagram with a calloused finger. High breaking capacity. Current limiting.
If this unit had failed to limit the current, the entire board would be a pile of slag. The fact that it was just tripped meant the Merlin Gerin had done its job perfectly. It had sacrificed its circuit to save the mill.
Elias pulled out his multimeter. He checked the load side. A dead short.
"Gotcha," he said.
He followed the conduit out of the basement and up to the main floor, finding a junction box where a rusted conduit had flooded with rainwater, causing a massive arc. He dried the connections, taped the compromised wires, and returned to the basement.
He stood before the Multi 9 again. He toggled the handle to the 'Off' position to reset the mechanism, feeling the satisfying mechanical click—a sound of precision engineering. Have a question about wiring this old unit
"Let's try this again," he said.
He pushed the handle up to 'On'.
Clack.
No sparks. No hum. Just the sound of electricity flowing safely through the veins of the building. Somewhere above him, the overhead lights flickered to life, illuminating the vast, empty looms of the mill.
Elias took a sip of his coffee. He patted the face of the Merlin Gerin unit. It was warm to the touch, humming with the quiet vibration of contained power.
"Good work," he said to the breaker.
He closed the manual, shoved it back in his pocket, and walked out of the basement, leaving the Multi 9 to stand guard over the darkness once more.
If you find a working IC2000 P in an existing panel, it is a robust, reliable unit. However, if it trips or fails the test button, do not search eBay for a used one. The modern equivalent is the Schneider Electric Acti9 iID (e.g., A9R41263).
Why replace? Newer RCDs have:
Important Note: The original Ic 2000 P was discontinued approximately 15–20 years ago. Merlin Gerin has since been absorbed into Schneider Electric’s “Easy9” and “Resi9” ranges. Consequently, the direct link to the obsolete product has been removed from the live website. However, you can still obtain the manual via these proven methods:
Important Note: Many users confuse the "Ic 2000 P" with main circuit breakers. If your device has a rotary handle or push-buttons and low-current contacts, it is likely an auxiliary or control unit, not a power breaker. Always verify by consulting the manual—which is exactly why you need it.
A: No. Most likely it is an auxiliary contact or control relay. A standard Merlin Gerin circuit breaker would have a thermal-magnetic trip curve (e.g., C, D, or B curve). The "Ic" designation stands for Interface and Control.