VFD Safety Explained: STO, Safe Torque Off, and Functional Safety Basics VFD safety is often misunderstood. Many installers assume that stopping a motor via a drive command is “safe” — but in many applications, this is not enough. Modern inverter…
Using VFDs With Generators and Weak Power Supplies: What You Must Know Running a VFD from a generator or weak electrical supply introduces challenges that don’t exist on a stable grid connection. If these issues aren’t understood and planned for,…
VFD Maintenance Checklist: What to Inspect, Replace, and Monitor Over Time VFDs are reliable when installed and maintained correctly — but like all power electronics, they degrade over time. Most unexpected VFD failures are not sudden. They are the result…
What Happens When You Oversize or Undersize a VFD? Real-World Effects Explained Choosing the wrong VFD size is one of the fastest ways to cause poor performance, nuisance trips, wasted energy, or early drive failure. Many people assume “bigger is…
VFD Compliance in the UK & EU: EMC, CE, UKCA, and Machinery Directive Explained Installing a VFD isn’t just a technical exercise — it’s a legal one. In the UK and EU, inverter drives fall under multiple regulations covering EMC,…
How to Choose the Correct VFD Control Mode: V/Hz vs Sensorless Vector vs Closed Loop One of the most common reasons a VFD performs poorly — or fails prematurely — is the wrong control mode being selected. Modern inverter drives…
VFD Installation Mistakes That Cause Drive Failures (And How to Avoid Them) Most VFD “failures” aren’t random — they’re caused by a handful of install mistakes that quietly cook drives over time: poor grounding, wrong cable, bad ventilation, incorrect braking…
VFDs for High-Torque Applications: Best Models for Crushers, Mixers & Compressors Crushers, mixers, and compressors impose heavy starting torque, cyclic loads, and continuous stress on motors. Not all inverter drives can handle that punishment. The key is selecting a heavy-duty…
ABB vs Danfoss vs Allen Bradley: Which Drive Performs Best in Harsh Environments? In heavy industrial and outdoor applications, variable frequency drives (VFDs) face some of the harshest operating conditions imaginable — dust, heat, vibration, humidity, and sometimes even salt-laden…
