2.6 Daily Maintenance and Care of Variable Frequency Drives

2.6.1 Routine Maintenance

Due to the influence of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, dust, and vibration, the internal components of the variable frequency drive may age, leading to potential failures or reduced lifespan of the drive. Therefore, it is necessary to implement routine and regular maintenance and upkeep of the variable frequency drive.

Daily Inspection Items:

1. Any abnormal changes in the sound of the motor during operation.
2. Any vibration occurring during motor operation.
3. Any changes in the installation environment of the variable frequency drive.
4. Proper functioning of the cooling fan of the variable frequency drive.
5. Any signs of overheating in the variable frequency drive.

Daily Cleaning:

1. The variable frequency drive should always be kept clean.
2. Remove dust effectively from the surface of the variable frequency drive to prevent it from entering the interior, especially metal dust.
3. Clean the cooling fan of the variable frequency drive from oil contamination.

2.6.2 Periodic Inspection

Regularly inspect areas that are difficult to examine during operation.

Periodic Inspection Items:

1. Inspect the air ducts and clean them regularly.
2. Check for loose screws.
3. Check for corrosion on the variable frequency drive.
4. Check for arc marks on terminal connections.
5. Insulation resistance test of the main circuit. Note: When measuring insulation resistance with a megger (use a DC 500V megger), disconnect the main circuit lines from the variable frequency drive. Do not test the insulation of the control circuit with an insulation resistance tester. High voltage testing is not necessary (already completed at the factory).

2.6.3 Replacement of Vulnerable Parts of the Variable Frequency Drive

The vulnerable parts of the variable frequency drive mainly include cooling fans and electrolytic capacitors used for filtering, whose lifespan is closely related to the operating environment and maintenance conditions. Generally, the lifespan is:

Users can determine replacement intervals based on operating time.

1. Cooling Fan
   Possible Causes of Damage: Bearing wear, blade aging.
   Judgment Criteria: Check for cracks in the fan blades, and listen for abnormal vibration sounds during startup.

2. Filter Electrolytic Capacitor
   Possible Causes of Damage: Poor input power quality, high environmental temperatures, frequent load fluctuations, electrolyte aging.
   Judgment Criteria: Check for leakage of liquid, whether the safety valve has protruded, measurement of static capacitors, measurement of insulation resistance.

2.6.4 Storage of Variable Frequency Drives

After purchasing variable frequency drives, attention must be paid to temporary and long-term storage:

1. During storage, it is best to pack them in the original packaging provided by our company.

2. Long-term storage can cause deterioration of the electrolytic capacitors. It is necessary to ensure that the variable frequency drives are powered up at least once every 2 years, for a minimum of 5 hours. The input voltage must be slowly increased to the rated value using a voltage regulator.

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