Variable frequency drives operate for years in demanding electrical and environmental conditions. A planned VFD preventive maintenance program can identify developing problems before they become unexpected production failures.
Why VFD Maintenance Matters
Heat, dust, contamination, loose electrical connections and aging cooling components can shorten drive life. Maintenance is especially valuable for critical drives where an unexpected failure can stop production or building systems.
Typical VFD Maintenance Items
- Visual inspection for contamination and heat damage
- Cooling fan and airflow inspection
- Cleaning as appropriate for the equipment and environment
- Electrical connection inspection
- Review of fault history and operating conditions
- Inspection for aging or damaged components
- Verification of operating information and documentation
Understanding and recording drive conditions can also make troubleshooting easier when faults occur. See our guides to VFD overcurrent faults and DC bus overvoltage faults.
Free VFD Maintenance Training for Facility Personnel
IPS also offers a free VFD Maintenance Training program, typically performed at the customer’s facility. The program is designed to help facility maintenance personnel who may have limited VFD experience become more familiar and comfortable with variable frequency drives and their basic operation.
Our technicians review practical VFD maintenance fundamentals and steps facility personnel can perform to help improve VFD reliability and uptime. Training can include recognizing common warning signs, understanding the importance of drive cooling and airflow, maintaining a clean operating environment, identifying information that should be recorded when a fault occurs, and knowing when a drive problem should be referred to a qualified VFD service technician.
The goal is not to turn facility personnel into drive repair technicians, but to give maintenance teams practical knowledge that can help them identify developing problems earlier, communicate drive issues more effectively and reduce avoidable VFD downtime.
Maintenance Frequency
The appropriate interval depends on the drive manufacturer, operating hours, environment, criticality and application. Drives in hot, dirty or continuously operating environments may require more frequent attention.
What Happens When Problems Are Found?
IPS can help determine whether the unit should remain in service, be scheduled for repair, receive replacement cooling components or be considered for replacement based on condition and obsolescence. For additional planning, see VFD repair vs. replacement and obsolete VFD replacement.
Plan VFD Maintenance or Training
Learn about IPS VFD field service, startup and commissioning or contact IPS to discuss a preventive maintenance program or schedule free VFD Maintenance Training for your facility.