Notes on VFD Warranty

Importance of Warranty
When shopping for a low-voltage variable frequency drive (VFD), be sure to review the warranty for each option you consider. You may wish to never need a warranty, but when a defect occurs, warranties are good and they can help you repair or replace your device.

Below are some of the biggest considerations and mistakes common to customers that lead to VFDs being rejected in warranty evaluations that may help.

Commissioning and Preventive Maintenance
After you buy a VFD and it arrives, you may find that your warranty depends on who does the initial startup or commissioning on your drive. Some brands will not offer a warranty unless you use one of their factory certified technicians for the initial setup, while others will still offer an extended warranty if you agree to use their technician. Our brand honors the warranty no matter who started it, as long as it's done correctly.

Warranty Start Date
Common warranties for new VFDs are 1-2 years. One question that often complicates warranty claims is whether the warranty is still valid. Be sure to check the warranty of the VFD you are considering to make sure it is long enough for you.

Warranty can start from the date of manufacture, date of shipment, date of installation, or some combination of these dates. For example, the warranty period may expire one year after launch or 18 months after delivery, whichever comes first.

Knowing when your warranty period begins, and how long it's been running, can tell you when to send your drive for warranty evaluation. While sometimes a complete failure of a VFD means it needs to be evaluated immediately, if your drive continues to operate, you may want to make sure it is taken out of service as soon as possible to fit the warranty period.

Warranty Process
While less common, we've seen some guarantees rejected for not following proper procedures. Once you become aware of a problem that may be covered by the warranty, contact the frequency inverter manufacturer or variable speed drive supplier to find out how to deal with it. They may want to do some troubleshooting before removing it from the system.

Condition of the inverter
While the issues we mentioned earlier are definitely a major consideration for warranty, the biggest issue we've seen has nothing to do with the manufacturer you bought it from. What to do with a VFD after it's received is the number one reason why warranty claims are rejected outright.

VFDs need to be kept cool, clean and dry. Warranty is usually denied once inspection reveals moisture, dirt, grime or dust inside the VFD. Cracks in the casing are usually an indication that the VFD has been dropped or struck. Anything like these issues will make the manufacturer reasonably suspect that the failure is not related to the defect, but to your handling of the VFD, and you won't get warranty help.

While we hope you never need to use your VFD's warranty, it never hurts to be prepared. The steps we outlined above will give you the best chance of getting through the warranty process quickly and easily. Not only that, but these steps will help extend the life of the VFD even if the warranty issue never arises. If you have any questions about your warranty or VFD, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will help you.