Install and Start a Variable Frecuency Drive VFD

A Variable Frecuency Drive "VFD" is a electronic device that controls and is enable to Modify Frecuency and Speed RPM (Revolutions per minute) in a AC Motor, even it may be used for other works, is easy to use and configure

OFF-0-HZ

Simulating a VFD with 2 different Speeds 5-0-25HZ
Simulating a VFD speed

First, We must to know these concepts:

Motor of Alternating Current AC: There are the most used Motors in different process as Pumps, Mechanical Process, etc, Most common used are 220V or 380-400V

Digital Inputs (DI): There are our connections in VFD that will be configurated and then gonna work with the differents SPEEDS in VFD, very important to know

Remote / Local: There are 2 types of functions that will use in VFD; Local means work directly from the VFDs Display; Remote means work with external Control Devices, if our process need to work in mode "automation" we must to work in Remote

Driver Configuration: This is the form we configure, using differents Codes in VDF we are the people who insert codes to make it works correctly, it's easy

Must Knowledge

Industrial Command
Computation
Electricity
Basic English

SUMARIO GENERAL
STEP 1: Necessary Elements
STEP 2: Analizing our VFD
STEP 3: Control Wire
STEP 4: Configuring Parameters
STEP 5: Start in Local
STEP 6: Start in Remote
STEP 7: Questions and Answers

STEP 1 : NECESSARY ELEMENTS

First we must to know our Projects and how it works

This time gonna Start with a simple configuration, watch all our elementes to see if are OK

Variator Frecuency Drive: You choose it mainly Power (HP-kW), Voltage (One or Three Phase) and if is really necessary in the project
Switch 1-0-2 enclaved: Let's work with 2 differents Speed for same Motor
Control Cable 18 AWG: We must to Wire between VFD and Control Elements
VFD ABB User Manual: Always is important consider a User Manual because not all VFD uses same codes to configure Watch User Manual VDF ACS150
Power Three-Phase 380V: For this example will power 3-Phase in 400V and Motors 400V, We consider three phase (R-S-T) and his wire in colors of electrical laws
Finest Screwdriver: Your tools must to have a so thin Screwdriver, it's because the Screws of VFD are very thin and if you don't have the correct tool, you can hurt them
Electrical Cabinets Elements: Remember if we gonna wire and mount a VFD don't remember the final installation; Cable Ties, Cable Tie Mounts, Spiral Wrapping, Riel Din, Step Drill (>22mm), Screw Self Drill 1/2"-3/4", Phillips Bits

We have seen these elements before, Now let's go to configure a VFD 400V and 2 Speeds switching the positions in the 3 Position-Switch (1-0-2)

STEP 2: ANALIZING OUR VFD

We are begginers in VDF Configuration and will use simple instructions

We must to know all about technical details about ABB VDF ACS150

Cableado y Conexion Variador de Frecuencia

We can see in images:

Power Voltage in this case Three-phase 400V is easy to connect, three phase input and same ouput to Motor, Remember always consider Ground Cable to VFD and Motor

We must to undertand wire and close from +24V to other terminals DI1 - DI3 - DI4

Our Switch when choose any positions 1-0-2 will close and power the Inputs DI3 or DI4, or if positions is "0" nothing is choosed

Must wire between terminal GND and COM in VFD as in the image

DI1 just in this case is directly powered

Now let's go to analize what means any terminal control in VFD (just the used now):
- +24V: This is the Work Voltage that gives VFD and is very important because closing Inputs "DI" we'll start to work correctly
- GND: This is (-) or 0V of the +24V supply of VFD, we must to connect it with COM
- COM: Es el punto comun que servirá para que junto al +24V hagan los 24V en el circuito electronico del VDF y haga que se cierren las Entradas DI
- DI1: If DI1 is not powered by +24V VFD will not work even if DI3-DI4 are powered, DI1 must to be energized in any instructions for VFD Starts
- DI2: For this time not use, even is very important consider, when DI2 is powered by +24V the Motor change from Forward to Backward
- DI3: Constant SPEED 1; when is not energized value is "0", this terminal is very important when is energized the Frecuency/Speed will be the configured
- DI4: Constant SPEED 2; when is not energized value is "0", this terminal is very important when is energized the Frecuency/Speed will be the configured

Let's watch and analize display of VFD
Variador de Frecuencia

Take Note of our Panel:

Since the Panel we do all the Configurations to work in "Remote Mode" (Automation Mode)

If we work in LOCAL, Starts and Stop may be since VDF, turn motor back to fordward and work with the "Potentiometer" here you can regularize the Frecuency/Speed of the Motor in Manual Mode

Easy and Friendly for Configure

If there are Fails and Errors, all problems will show the Display

STEP 3: CONTROL WIRE

Verify is wire and Connections are OK

We need to be so clear at the moment of connect Power and Control

Always considera in Power Three-phase:

Power 380V is easay to connect 3-phase input VFD and then from VFD 3-phase to Motor
The VFD must to be connected To Ground, if not, may not turn on, always consider a ground cable
In this case Variable Frecueny Drive 380-400V not has a Neutral Connection (3PH + GR)
You Can't Start VFD if the Motor is not connected
After Output VFD wire you can't connect nothing JUST the Motor

Consider in Control Circuits:

The Control start from terminal +24V and GND from same VFD
You can use a Ligth in +24V if you want verify Voltage, BUT, it must to be with a very low power consumptions because the +24V is a Power Supply from VFD, can't have high consumption
For this case will work with 2 SPEEDS, that's is the reason because we choosed a Switch 1-0-2
For a correctly work, the circuit must to be always energized the Inputs DI, when it's not energized the value "0"
How we are Practicing first time, Don't work with all instructions, for first time now is enough

STEP 4: CONFIGURING PARAMETERS

We are ready to start to configure a VFD with motor parameters

First, we must to know all elements in our project
Parametros de un Motor en Variador de Frecuencia

So we start to analyze the parameters needed to configure our VFD:

HP: The Power of the Motor in Horsepower (1HP = 0,746kW)
KW: Power in Kilowatts (kW)
Voltage (V): 230/400 means we can work with both Voltage Input, that's the reason because we can find VFD in One Phase 220V (or 110V with output U1-V1-W1) and the Three Phase VFD that will use now, in the example work with 380-400V most common Voltage in Three Phase Motors
Frecuency (HZ): This frecuency is the used in Electrical Systems, in Chile we use 50 HZ, so in the configuration will use this value
Revolutions per Minute (RPM): is the Number of Turns of a Motor in 1 Minute (or 60 seconds), the VFD modify this speed
Electric Current (A): This is the value of Current of Motor (A) value from factory
Delta / Star Connections: There are the 2 types of connections of the Motor, in this case the Manufacturer recommend Delta work in 230V and with Star in 400V

Now it's time to power the VFD and start to configure

Configuracion variador de frecuencia abb

Must to follow the steps:

Probably the VFD comes in Local and Stop
With Button Local/Remoto change the configuration to "Loc"
We recommend change parameters in Local and VFD stopped
On Local, press button ENTER, and the display show REF
Now in REF, with the buttons ó select the option PAR S (Parameters Short) and push ENTER

This is the moment of truth configuring the VFD

Insert the user Manual VDF ACS150 ABB

With the Specifications of the Motor start to configure:

9902 => Value of "Macro" => 1 by default, Don't Modify anything

9905 => Voltage Motor (V) => 400, this is the Voltage used in Electrical System, in Chile in this case 400V (sometimes 380V)

9906 => Current Motor (A) => 4.61, is the value of the Nominal Current of Motor, value from factory

9907 => Frecuency (HZ) => 50HZ, this is the Frecuency used in Electrical System, in Chile 50 HZ

Configuracion manual Variador de Frecuencia abb

Configuring the factory value of RPM in PAR-L:

9908 => RPM => 2772 (RPM) This is the SPEED by default of Motor, with the VFD will work with other speeds

configuring parametros Variador de Frecuencia abb

(Important) Now Let's configure the SPEEDs for our project:

1202 => SPEED 1 => 5 HZ The Frecuency /Speed 1 that is configured works when S1 of the switch closed and activate DI3, example value

1203 => SPEED 2 => 25 HZ The Frecuency /Speed 2 that is configured works when S2 of the switch closed and activate DI4, example value

1204 => SPEED 3 => X HZ The Frecuency /Speed 3 that is configured works when is activated DI3 and DI4 at same time, in this case don't use it

Configuracion parametros Variador de Frecuencia abb

Before Start let's review again if we are really Ready!

Electrical Cabinets elements

Power Cables and Wire

Control Wire

Parameters VFD Configured

Verify again VDF

Right Connection in Motor (Star en este caso)

Not bad idea try a Continuity Test

STEP 5: START VFD IN LOCAL

With parameters configured and all connected start in Local

Now it's time to start, So go to the Display in VFD

Configuracion puesta en marcha local Variador de Frecuencia abb

Before start follow the next procedure:

Must to be in front of Panel Display and this in mode "Local"
Verify position of "Potentiometer", take care in the position before start....
If you are sure connections and parameters are good configured....
Press START and the VFD will start and reach the value of "Potentiometer"
You can modify the frecuency/speed since Potentiometer while VFD is working, remember always the process of your motor, sometimes you can't modify because can cause fail in process
To stop VFD press "STOP" and the motor will down the Frecuency to 0 HZ (stopped)
Remember if you gonna press again Start, the frecuency/speed will be the value of Potentiometer
That's the way you use a VFD on Local, is not hard, but always you must to configure your parameters and be sure what you're doing
The parameters of the Motor must to be always configurated, this is in remote or local, always

STEP 6: START VFD REMOTE

Start our VFD in Remote very important knowledge

So, last time to review our Steps

Control Wire
Parameters and SPEED-1 1202 and SPEED-2 1203
Motor Connection
Verify our Switch in "0"
Potentiometer in 0

If we are sure, go to the Button REM (Remote in display, when you see REM in our VFD, it means we are now working in Remote

OFF-0-HZ

Simulating a VFD ABB with 2 speeds and a Switch 1-0-2 Simulador de Variador de Frecuencia abb

How it Works?:

The SPEED 1 -> 1202 configured 5 HZ, Activate with Switch "S1" to DI3 and Start to work SPEED 1
The SPEED 2 -> 1204 configured 25 HZ, Activate with Switch "S2" to DI4 and Start to work SPEED 2
Back to 0 in Switch means no configure none SPEED, but to no have problems verify if Potentiometer is "0"
Just in this case DI1 is always powered, while Potentiometer is "0" the VFD will be stopped and just will work when we power DI3 or DI4 through SPEED 1 o SPEED 2
Important keep in mind, if we want to turn the motor, we must to keep powered directly the DI2 Terminal in VFD

After all Knowledge that we have seen and analized, we can get the conclution that is not hard Configure and Start a VFD, but is very important know all you're doing, always

QUESTIONS & ANSWERSS

HERE ANSWERS OF YOUR QUESTIONS:

How can choose the better Variable Frecuency Drive VFD to my Motor?
First, we must to know that the main feature of VFD is reduce the Revolutions per Minute (RPM) and other types of control over the Motor, the main you know to choose is: Input Voltage (One or Three-Phase) and Motor Power Consumption (HP-kW), a VFD is very useful for Pumps, Motor always turning and more ; or Process where you require more Accuracy

How Much is around a VFD?
Always it depends of the Brand, The Power Consumptions (HP-kW) and other new technology, In Chile, the prices of VFD ABB are diferentes in each type:
ACS150 - ABB
- VFD 0.5 HP (0.37KW) - 400V => USD$250
- VFD 0.75 HP (0.55KW) - 400V => USD$290
- VFD 1 HP (0.75KW) - 400V => USD$320
- VFD 3 HP (2.2kW) - 400V => USD$450
- VFD 5 HP (4kW) - 400V => USD$ 550

To see more prices in Chile watch links
VFDs ACS150 (up to 5HP) HERE
VFDs ACS355 (up to 30HP) HERE
VFDs ACS580 (up to 250HP) HERE

For Beginners, What are the most important parameters to Configure?
All the parameters you need to configure are in the Motor, you modify next parameters:
PAR-S (Short Parameters)
9905 => Input Voltage (V)
9906 => Motor Current (A)
9907 => Frecuency Electrical System
1202 => SPEED 1 (just DI3)
1203 => SPEED 2 (just DI4)

PAR-L (Long Parameters)
9908 => RPM Motor

What is the difference between work in "Local" or "Remote" in a VFD ABB ?
"Local" means operate our VFD ABB from the Display (remember you can find auxiliary display to operate from the door cabinet), but in Local Can't use Control Elements ; Otherside "Remote" means work with Pushbuttons or a lot of Control Elements, PLCs or more advanced devices, in mode Remote Can't work since the display

Where can I find the User Manual of VFD ABB ACS150 (Including Datasheet)?
Click Here to go to User Manual VFD ACS150 ABB!

Why Can't Start or Cant's turn ON my VDF?
The VFD is an advanced electronic device capable to disconnect for external failures in the Line, Main fails are:
- One Phase Out Input (In Three-phase System)
- One Phase Output or bad connected in Motor
- Braking Motor by Mechanical or Magnetic Brake
- Not Ground Connected, Ground is so important for safe in electrical installation

ElectricalChile

Profiter L'Ingénierie

Install and Start a Variable Frecuency Drive VFD

A Variable Frecuency Drive "VFD" is a electronic device that controls and is enable to Modify Frecuency and Speed RPM (Revolutions per minute) in a AC Motor, even it may be used for other works, is easy to use and configure