About the Book
VFDs Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Field Guide for Electricians, Technicians, and Plant Managers
Are you an Electrician, Industrial Technician, or Plant Maintenance Manager struggling with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)?
This book gives you the clear, practical, no-nonsense guidance the manufacturer manuals don't.
Written from over 30 years of real-world experience in industrial plants, food processing facilities, and aerospace environments (NASA wind tunnels included!), this guide will help you install, wire, program, troubleshoot, and maintain VFDs with confidence.
What You'll Learn
- VFD Fundamentals Made Easy - What a VFD is, how it works, and why it matters in modern automation.
- Universal Components Explained - Keypads, I/O terminals, power sections, enclosures, and how they all tie together.
- How to Select the Right VFD - Motor nameplate data, load types, duty cycles, and environmental considerations.
- Installation & Wiring Best Practices - NEC code references, grounding, EMI prevention, and professional wiring techniques.
- Parameter Programming - Step-by-step setup for voltage, current, acceleration, deceleration, start/stop sources, and speed reference.
- Testing & Commissioning - Safe dry-run procedures, direction checks, logging, and system verification.
- Troubleshooting That Works - Fault codes, overheating, overvoltage, analog signal issues, and real-world field tips.
- Preventive Maintenance - Cleaning, cooling fans, retorquing, and inspection schedules to avoid downtime.
- PID Control, Simply Explained - Demystifying proportional, integral, and derivative tuning with an easy food plant example.
Why This Book?
- Written by a licensed California Electrical Contractor with 30+ years in industrial automation.
- Covers ABB, Allen-Bradley, Schneider, Delta, Siemens, Yaskawa, and more - brand-agnostic, universal knowledge.
- Packed with real field diagrams, examples, and checklists for technicians who need answers on the spot.
- Designed as a training tool, shop reference, and troubleshooting manual all in one.
Who This Book Is For
- Electricians wanting confidence in working with VFDs.
- Industrial Technicians responsible for plant uptime.
- Maintenance Managers seeking reliable performance and fewer costly breakdowns.
Whether you're on the shop floor, in a processing plant, or managing automation systems, VFDs Made Simple is your go-to reference to cut downtime, save money, and keep your motors - and your plant - running at peak performance.
