Quick Reference:

Wiring hints for

inverters
70100011
 Schwarzmüller- Inverter
Danfoss Power Solutions
GmbH & Co. OHG

Versions History
Table of Versions
Date Page Description Version
12.05.2011 All First edition 1.0
25.06.2015 All Update Company Logo 1.1

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suggestions for improving this document, please contact Schwarzmüller Inverter at
info@schwarzmueller-inverter.com.

© 2010, Schwarzmüller Inverter

Schwarzmüller Inverter can accept no responsibility for possible errors in catalogs, brochures and other printed
material. Schwarzmüller Inverter reserves the right to alter its products without prior notice. This also applies to
products already ordered provides that such alterations can be made without affecting agreed specifications. All
trademarks in this material are properties of the respective owners.

70100011 Wiring hints for inverters V1.1 2/4 Volker Pfeifer 25.06.15
 Schwarzmüller- Inverter
Danfoss Power Solutions
GmbH & Co. OHG

Wiring hints for traction inverters

As in each electronic system also in traction inverters some important issues must be considered regarding the
wiring, to assure a reliable operation on one side and to assure the interference-free cooperation with other
components of the system on the other side.

Wire cross section and crimping of the cable shoes

The wire cross section must be chosen with respect to the nominal inverter current (S1 operation). In case of
doubt the next bigger cross section is to be chosen. Just at low voltages (12V and 24V) each half Volt counts.
The crimping of the cable shoes has to be done very carefully. As a general rule the greatest voltage drops and
as a result the greatest heat dissipation between the power transistors and the motor wiring happens at the
crimping points.
The cable shoes must be directly laid out solid on the brass inverter connections. Washers underneath the
cable shoes must be avoided, if inevitable, they have to be out of brass, in no way made of steel.
In any case it is recommended to check the temperature of the screws and cable shoes after some minutes of
full load operation. The temperatures should not exceed 100°C.

Shielding yes or no?

Basically each traction inverter is more or less a source of radiation, particularly because it produces pulsed
output voltages. These get outside the inverter via the motor and battery wires. Motor and battery wires
radiate these interferences in a certain frequency range. Signal wires, that are layed parallel to motor wires, can
be influenced by capacitive coupling.
This will of course be reduced significantly, if motor and battery wires are shielded.
Schwarzmüller Inverters are designed in a way that the radiated field strength even with unshielded cables is
below the allowed radiation limits (EMC standards).
Shielded battery and motor wires are not necessary.
Nevertheless a possible capacitive coupling to parallel signal wires has to be taken care of. In most cases it is
possible without further ado to leave a distance of at least 5cm between motor wires and signal wires, where
parallel wiring is not avoidable.
Where parallel wiring in small distance can´t be avoided, CAN Bus wires and sensor wires should be shielded.
The shielding must be connected to the vehicles chassis, not to battery minus on one side of the cable.
In all other cases wiring can be done with unshielded cables.

Ground Connection
To assure an interference free operation of the drive system, it is mandatory to connect inverter and motor in
a low inductive manner with the chassis of the vehicle.
For the inverter this connection is realized by the mounting screws that are attached to the chassis at a suitable
position to get a good electric and thermal contact.

70100011 Wiring hints for inverters V1.1 3/4 Volker Pfeifer 25.06.15
 Schwarzmüller- Inverter
Danfoss Power Solutions
GmbH & Co. OHG

Low resistive connection to a

mounting plate.

Low resistive connection of the

mounting plate to the vehicle´s
chassis

These large area connections are

ideal with respect to EMC.

Picture 1: This is the ideal way of mounting. Very good electric ground connection. The aluminum mounting plate serves as an extra
thermal buffer and also for spreading the heat to the less thermal conductive iron plate.

On the motor side a ground connection only by the mechanical mounting is not assured in all cases. In case of
pumps it is mostly obvious, that there is no electrical connection, but also at traction drives there are variants,
where the motor is electrically isolated mounted and this is nearly not visible.
In all these cases a ground connection must be made via a 10mm² copper stranded wire or via a 16mm²
flexible cable.
The nearest possible point of the chassis is to be chosen.

Picture 2: Ground connection of the pump via a 10mm² copper stranded wire.

12.05.11 FRS

70100011 Wiring hints for inverters V1.1 4/4 Volker Pfeifer 25.06.15