VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE(VFD) INTERVIEW QUESTIONS &

ANSWERS

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Want to switch your career in to Variable Frequency Drive (VFD)? Looking for interview
question and answers to clear the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) interview in first attempt.
Then we have provided the complete set of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) interview question
and answers on our site page. To be precise about Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). A variable-
frequency drive is a type of adjustable-speed drive used in electro-mechanical drive systems to
control AC motor speed and torque by changing motor input regularity and voltage. If you are
good at Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) concepts then there are various leading companies that offers
job in various roles like Service Engineers for Variable Frequency Drives (vfd) & Control, Senior Test
Engineer - Product Testing, Vertical Head,along with that there are many other roles too. For more details
on Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) jobs and interview question and answers visit our
site www.wisdomjobs.com.

1. Question 1. What Is Sensorless Vector Control?

Answer :
Sensorless vector control is a technique used in variable frequency drives to rotate the force
vector in the motor without the use of a shaft position sensor. The goal of AC sensorless
vector technology is to give the user "DC-like" control while making traditional speed or
shaft position feedback from the motor unnecessary. Sensorless vector control removes a
major source of complexity and potential for failure, such as tachometer feedback, while
simplifying many AC drive installations. The sensorless vector algorithm must be tuned to
match the characteristics of the particular motor being controlled by the drive. This improves
torque performance at very low speeds as compared to typical volts per hertz control.
2. Question 2. Does A Motor Need A Chassis Ground Connection?
Answer :
Yes, for several reasons. Chassis grounding is used for protection in the event of a short in the
motor that puts a live voltage on its housing. Motors and other components exhibit leakage
currents that increase with aging and a grounded chassis generally emits less electrical noise
than an ungrounded one.

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3. Question 3. What Type Of Motor Is Compatible With Inverters?
Answer :
Inverter motor type must be a three phase AC induction motor. Preferably, you should use an
inverter-grade motor that has 800V insulation for 200V class inverters, or 1600V insulation
for 400V class inverters. For motor size, in practice it is much better to find the right size
motor for your application; then look for an inverter to match the motor.
4. Question 4. How Will I Know If My Application Will Require Resistive (dynamic)
Braking?
Answer :
 For new applications it may be difficult to tell before you actually test a motor/drive solution.
In general, some applications can rely on system losses such as friction to serve as the
decelerating force, or otherwise can tolerate a long decel time. These applications will not
need dynamic braking. However, applications with a combination of a high-inertia load and a
required short decel time will need dynamic braking.

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5. Question 5. What Is Ringing And What Happens To The Motor When I Place It More
Than 50 Feet Away From The Drive Without A Line Reactor?
Answer :
High voltage ringing (reflective voltage) occurs on all VFDs. With IGBTs replacing SCRs on
smaller, more inexpensive drives, ringing has become more pronounced. This capacitive-
coupling effect is caused by high speed switching (commutation). Distance greatly enhances
the effect. Cables on the output side of the drive act like capacitors. When the IGBTs switch
or produce the PWM output, the higher frequency part of the current will find a path through
that capacitance. Think of the cable as a capacitor that increases in size as the cable length
increases. Ringing is very detrimental to motors; it weakens the first stage rotor windings and
shortens the life expectancy of a motor. This is especially true for motors under 10 hp.
Typically they are machine wound, have thinner coats of varnish, and have neither phase nor
end paper (i.e., aggregate insulation properties). That’s why we always recommend a drive
rated motor. Vintage and non-drive rated motors that are used with VFDs have a lifespan of
unknown length. You simply cannot know what to expect from them. Long cable runs with
ringing can add 10 to 15% to the drive’s current rating, causing the drive to trip out on
excessive current. The capacitance will also cause a voltage drop that may cause speed
performance problems on the lower end of the speed scale (increased current demand for
demanded torque). A few general guidelines:
o Try to reduce distances as much as possible
o Use an output line reactor on cabled distances greater than 50 feet
o Always use a drive-rated motor.

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6. Question 6. Is There A Standard For Inverter Rated Motors?
Answer :
NEMA MG-1, Section IV, Parts 30 and 31. Part 30 pertains to fixed supply motors; part 31
pertains to inverter supply motors. Always talk to your motor manufacturer for additional
details. Note: the international standard is IEC 60034-17.
7. Question 7. What Drive Power Cable Do You Recommend And Why?
Answer :
Belden 29500 – 29507 cables are specifically designed for use with VFDs. Using the wrong
cable can increase the detrimental effects from ringing due to capacitive coupling.
Thermoplastic insulation, found in standard THHN cable, will break down over time if used
to connect inverters to motors. The standing waves caused by pulse width modulation (PWM)
will cause high voltage potential on single conductors. This renders corona (reflective/ringing
voltage) in the air gaps between the conductors, which could break down and cause a system
failure.
 Electrical Engineering Interview Questions
8. Question 8. Can A Drive Replace A Softstart?
Answer :
Yes. Softstarts are used for reduced torque starting and stopping of standard 3-phase
induction motors (such as centrifugal pumps, compressors, ball mills, jar mills, fans, blowers
and saws). If the motor is not adequately protected from sudden changes in rotational torque
associated with starting and stopping, the current will be excessive to the system and the
motor will surge, causing damage to all the equipment linked to it. Over the long term, this
leads to increased over-current tripping and increased mechanical wear of gearboxes,
clutches, transmission and conveyor systems. ANSI/IEEE Std. 141-1993 (Red Book) provides
a comparison of different reduced voltage starting methods. An electronic softstart of VFD,
although not listed, would have similar characteristics to the autotransformer starter.
9. Question 9. Can I Run My Drive At Extremely Low Speeds?
Answer :
Three major problems exist with both conventional methods of motor control and VFD
control:
o When a motor is directly coupled and run at a low speed, it becomes very
inefficient. You could go with a high torque motor that is significantly larger than
the standard and would have the same results most of the time.
o Typical motors do not cool themselves well at extremely low speeds. The added
heat buildup in the windings can cause premature motor failure. Check with the
motor manufacturer for more details.
o The third issue is load inertia, which is larger than that of the motor.
The effects of all of these things increase greatly with a sloppy transmission system. A speed
reducer or gearbox should be employed to solve this problem. It will match the inertial
changes and increase efficiency. Speak with a technical resource about sizing the gearbox to
meet your application needs.

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10. Question 10. Are Variable Frequency Drives Phase Sensitive?
Answer :
The input wiring is not sensitive to phase. If you were to change one set of input leads, the
rotation would not change. The opposite is true for the output of the drive. It is sensitive to
phase, so changing one set of leads to the motor changes the direction of rotation.
11. Question 11. What Is A Line Reactor And What Will It Do For My Application?
Answer :
A line reactor is a special type of inductor used on the line side or the motor side of a drive
application depending on the specific circumstances. They are used on the line side of the
drive to smooth inrush current, reduce noise, and to act as a buffer and protect the drive
system. The line reactors have a 3% voltage drop based on impedance. This drop can be
beneficial for drives on systems exceeding the rated input voltage of the drive. In this regard,
the line reactor has been used to replace the much larger drive isolation transformer. Line
reactors are used on the motor side of the drive to protect the motor by smoothing the drive
 output waveforms and by reducing ringing and capacitive coupling, especially with long cable
runs between the drive and the motor.

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12. Question 12. What Is Grounding And What Reference Material Is Available?
Answer :
Equipment or conductor-enclosure ground refers to connecting the non-current-carrying metal
parts of the wiring system or equipment to ground. This is done so the metal parts which a
person might come into contact with are at or near ground potential.

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13. Question 13. What Are Some Of The Common Reasons Why Motors Fail?
Answer :
The EPRI Power Industry Study by General Electric in 1985 offered the following causes
based on 6,000 utility motor failures: 41% were bearing related, 37% were stator related, 10%
were rotor related and 12% were other causes.
14. Question 14. My Pump Is Losing Speed; Does The Drive Have A Problem?
Answer :
Pumps are divided into three basic categories – centrifugal, rotary, and reciprocating. Take
any of the three types and break them down further into four parts: the rotating element, the
casing, the motor, and the drive. The rotating element has a shaft, sleeves, bearings and an
impeller. The casing has a pump shell, wear rings, and shaft seals. The motor and drive are
intuitive. Here is a basic remediation list:
o the belts are slipping (if applicable)
o the impeller is worn
o the impeller is loose on the shaft or the shaft is sheared
o the casing is worn
o the original motor was replaced with a slower model or with a greater amount of
motor slip
o the requirements have changed beyond the design specifications of the system.
Using a manual tachometer, verify if there is a speed problem. If all of the above have been
investigated and a problem still exists, then you may need to increase the maximum frequency
of the drive. Note that anything beyond 60 Hz will result in a shift from a constant torque to a
variable torque situation. There is a low probability that the drive will detrimentally affect the
intrinsic speed of the system.
15. Question 15. Is There A Reference For Application Help?
Answer :
NEMA standards publication “Application Guide For Adjustable Speed Drive Systems.”

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16. Question 16. What Is The Difference Between Torque Control And Torque Limiting?
Answer :
Torque control can be done with any of AutomationDirect's PID-capable drives. This would
be a closed loop system using torque as the process variable. There should be both a torque
 reference and torque feedback signal. The user would establish a torque setpoint and
configure the drive to maintain that setpoint. Many customers have used torque sensors, load
cells, and current transducers to establish an analog input to the drive. Ideally, a vector drive
would work better than a volts/hertz drive.
A vector drive allows tighter speed regulation and better control in the lower speed range.
Torque limiting can be done with AutomationDirect's Hitachi SJ300 series drive. Instead of
using an external torque sensor, torque limiting uses the drive's internal current sensor. The
operator would set the torque limit, and when that level is exceeded, the drive would act like a
governor on a generator. The speed would be restricted until the appropriate level is again
maintained. Mechanical devices, in addition to drives, are also employed for torque limiting,
such as clutches, shear pins, gearboxes, etc.
17. Question 17. What Makes Joliet Technologies Different, Compared To Other Variable
Speed Drive Integrators?
Answer :
As you can tell from our website, we are committed to providing as much information as
possible regarding the products and services we provide. We have done our best to give you
the information about the drives we use in our systems, so you can make clear and informed
decisions for your particular application.
From the moment you contact us (and you can contact us in a multitude of ways, by phone,
fax, e-mail, RFQ form or Ask a Pro form) you will realize that our sales staff and engineers
have the knowledge and resources to provide the drive system solutions you need. We will
work one on one with you to make sure all your questions are anwsered and all application
issues are addressed. Our goal is to give you the best products & services at the best price, it’s
that simple.

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18. Question 18. What’s The Difference Between A Non-regenerative Dc Drive And A
Regenerative Dc Drive?
Answer :
The difference between these two types of DC drives is explained on this page, DC Drive
Types.

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19. Question 19. What’s The Difference Between A Variable Frequency Drive (vfd) And A
Variable Speed Drive (vsd)?
Answer :
A variable frequency drive (VFD) refers to AC drives only and a variable speed drive (VSD)
refers to either AC Drives or DC Drives.
VFD’s vary the speed of an AC motor by varying the frequency to the motor. VSD’s referring
to DC motors vary the speed by varying the voltage to the motor.
20. Question 20. What Is The Difference Between A Vsd And A Soft Start Starter?
Answer :
The difference is the speed that the motor can run, when at full speed. With a soft start starter,
the motor is reduced voltage started, and then when the motor is at full speed, or a timing
 circuit has timed out, a “running by-pass contactor” pulls in and the motor continues to run at
full base speed. With a VSD (Variable Speed Drive) or VFD (Variable Frequency Drive)
(these are the same thing, just different names for the same unit), The motor will soft start,
and you can vary the speed of the motor, by varying the output frequency from the VSD or
VFD.
So, if you don’t need to vary the speed of the motor, once the motor is up to speed, then the
correct solution is a soft start starter for that motor. If the process requires the motor speed to
vary at anytime, the correct solution is a VSD / VFD.
The cost for a soft start starter is much less than a VSD or VFD.

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21. Question 21. Can A Variable Frequency Drive Replace A Softstart?
Answer :
Yes, a variable frequency drive can replace a soft start starter, since most drives give you a
current limiting ramp to start and stop your motor. BUT, if you do not need to vary the
production speed of your motor, then the soft start starter is still the correct product for the
application. This is because the cost of the soft start starter is less than the cost of a variable
frequency drive.
22. Question 22. Are The Variable Frequency Drives Phase Sensitive?
Answer :
No, variable frequency drives are not phase sensitive. You can adjust the direction of rotation
of the motor, through the software of the drive.
23. Question 23. Can A Variable Frequency Drive Be Used For A Fan Application, Blower
Application Or A Pump Application?
Answer :
This is one of the best applications for an AC drive. In most fan/pump applications, there is a
need to vary the output of the fan/pump. This is very easy to achieve with an AC drive. Plus
you get the benefit of reduced energy cost of running the motor!!!
Suitability of VFD for pumps: VFD’s are well suited to pumping applications. Many are
manufactured to include motor speed/torque profiles specifically intended to optimize pump
performance. However, there are some issues which must be considered before deciding on
the use of VFD’s:
o Suitability of the motors – the motors must be rated for inverter-duty to withstand
the higher electrical stresses drives can impose. Some older motors were not built
to withstand these stresses and may fail prematurely.
o Distance of motors from VFD’s – the VFD’s will induce voltage transients on the
load connectors. If these connectors are too long (manufacturers often suggest
keeping motor lead length to 50m or less), the voltage at the motor terminals may
increase to several factors above nominal, which can also cause premature motor
failure.
o VFD installation location and environmental conditions – this will determine the
type of enclosure and conditions under which the VFD’s will operate. VFD’s which
must withstand severe moisture, temperature swings, or dust can fail prematurely
and must be protected by suitably rated enclosures.
 Plc Scada Interview Questions
24. Question 24. How Can A Variable Speed Drive Improve Our Production?
Answer :
The drive can be “tuned” to the application to achieve maximum output of the equipment.
Sometimes this is slightly under the base speed of the motor, and sometimes, it is over the
base speed of the motor.

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25. Question 25. What Is The Percentage Of Operating Cost Reduction After Installing A
Vfd?
Answer :
This is a very open-ended one which depends on many factors – load, incoming supply
voltage, utility costs, and several others. A good place to start customizing the inquiry for
your use would be at ABB’s web site; they have tools for rough calculations for energy
savings using VFD’s.
26. Question 26. Can I Run A 230v, 3ph Motor With 230v, 1ph Input?
Answer :
Yes. Joliet Technologies is pleased to announce that we have the solution to run most 230V,
3Ph motors with only 230V, 1Ph input! Call for more information.

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27. Question 27. What Is The Best Drive For My Application?
Answer :
This is not an easy question to answer. Before we can give you a comprehensive answer to
this question we will need to know more about your application and specifications. Simply
call (815) 725-9696, toll free (866) 492-9888, fax (815) 725-9393 or e-mail us with your
application and specifications and we will recommend the drive that’s right for you.

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28. Question 28. Can I Convert My Dc Drive Application To An Ac Drive?
Answer :
Yes, You can convert your DC drive system; to an AC drive system by replacing both the
motor and the drive. Consideration must be given for the torque and speed range of the DC
motor, when converting to AC. You will need to consider using a “Vector” AC drive for this
conversion.
29. Question 29. Will A Variable Frequency Drive Or Variable Speed Drive Save Me
Money?
Answer :
Yes, the AC drive can save you money on operating cost, when the load and motor speed can
be varied. By reducing the speed of the motor, you will consume less energy, which will
reduce your electric bill.

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30. Question 30. What Is The Cost Of A Vfd?
Answer :
Cost varies widely based on manufacturer, voltage, ampacity, enclosure type, torque
requirements, quantity of analog and digital inputs/outputs, and communications options.
31. Question 31. Should I Replace My Old Analog Equipment With New Digital
Equipment?
Answer :
DEFINITELY!!! For so many reasons. . . difficult and costly to get spare parts, Hard to find
Tech. Support / serviceability, no communications, little flexibility, etc.
32. Question 32. Will Joliet Technologies Train Our Staff To Operate And Maintain Our
Equipment?
Answer :
We can develop a training program that is tailored to your companies’ needs and location. So,
when it makes sense, we can train your personnel in our facility, or bring the classroom to
your factory, for hands on training.
33. Question 33. What Filters Are Used For The Vfd?
Answer :
Line-side filters are sometimes installed to reduce EMI, although modern PWM drives are
much less likely to generate significant noise.
On the load side, output chokes can be installed to reduce drive generated harmonics in the
motor leads. Many drives have some output filtration already installed and harmonics are
generally not a problem as long as wiring is correctly segregated, properly grounded, and the
motor leads are not excessively long (typically less than 100 meters).

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34. Question 34. What Is The Best Drive Manufacturer For My Application?
Answer :
Our sales engineers are knowledgeable of what products are available from well-known
manufacturers. They will recommend the best drive for you based on your application and
specifications. There maybe several products that will meet your specifications.
35. Question 35. What Are The Maintenance Requirements Of A Vfd?
Answer :
Under normal operating conditions, VFD’s generally require little maintenance once properly
set up. Spare parts can be obtained readily, and some are replaceable by maintenance
personnel. In other cases, qualified service technicians are required.
36. Question 36. Is It Possible To Use The Same Soft Starter To Start Two Mv Induction
Motors?
Answer :
Yes, it is possible to start multiple motors from a single soft-start. Typically, the motors are
started sequentially and are identically rated. In a typical MV application, additional contactor
cabinets are connected and control-tied to the soft-start. Once the first motor comes up to
speed, the soft-start “Switches” to control the next motor in the sequence.
In the case of only two motors, some soft-starts are manufactured with dual settings to permit
starting of motors that have different starting characteristics, but actual motor output during
 ramp-up may not differ much, being limited by the inherent performance characteristics of the
soft-start.
Multiple simultaneous starting of motors requires that the motors be identical and that the
soft-start be sized for the total load and supplied with supplemental cooling.

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37. Question 37. What Is Exactly The Difference Between Ac And Dc Capacitor In
Functionality And Manufacturing? Why A Dc Capacitor Is Required To Connect
Across The Alternator Terminals?
Answer :
In essence, a “capacitor is a capacitor”, although there are differences in design based on
topology, type, and materials of manufacture. Sometimes capacitors will carry a dual rating,
for AC and DC – the AC rating for a capacitor of the same capacitance is typically much
lower than its DC rating (often at least 3-4x less since AC max voltage peak-to-peak is ~2.8x
rms), to accommodate the significant heating internal to the cap caused by
frequency/alternating polarity. Some manufacturers manufacture AC caps which are
essentially two DC caps in series back-to-back; these limit current flow through either cap but
their internal resistance is somewhat high, which can lead to eventual break down due to
heating as well.
Use of a DC cap across alternator terminals is often done to filter alternator whine (noise)
caused by voltage ripple, the “AC” component of rectified DC output. When the capacitance
is properly installed and matched to the frequency of the noise, it provides a low-impedance
path to “divert” the voltage ripple to ground.
38. Question 38. What Is The Problem If I Use A 15hp Vfd For A 1hp Induction Motor
Speed Control? I Set Data Of The 1hp Motor In The 15hp Vfd, Is There Any Problem
Using It?
Answer :
The issue with a drastically over-sized drive is controllability, especially at lower speeds.
Accuracy will suffer, because the drive thyristor firing angle will be so low that it will be
difficult for the drive software to manage. And if you are concerned about motor protection
you will have very little because the normal operating ranges of the motor protection
parameters (overload, over-current, etc.) in a 15hp drive are centered on 15hp motor
parameters; they are ranges, of course, but you’ll be way out on the low end of these ranges
and response will suffer.