Are electronic frequency converters better than rotary units?

Rotary units and electronic units

Rotary is old technology and electronics is cutting edge technology, so it's better.

While rotary units are simple, large and a bit noisy, they are very reliable and easy to troubleshoot. All other things being equal, we ask our customers how long they can keep the converter down if an unexpected failure occurs.

Almost anyone with a meter can diagnose a rotating unit in about an hour, and parts can be ordered overnight from a variety of suppliers. An electronic unit usually takes several hours to troubleshoot and parts can only be ordered through us. While we try to have the parts on hand, we often need to ship them from one of our Asian facilities, which can take up to two weeks.

In addition, the average life span of an electronic unit is 10-15 years. A rotating unit, if properly maintained, can last 50 years or more.

What are some common applications for solid-state inverters?

Solid-state inverters are ideal where noise, size, accuracy or adjustability are critical. 

Solid state inverters are inherently quiet, just like computers, with the main "noise" coming from the forced air cooling fan. This makes solid-state units ideal for office and laboratory environments. In addition, solid-state circuitry facilitates accuracy and precision, limited only by the amount of money the customer wishes to spend on the subject.

Typical limits for these issues are noise levels less than or equal to 65 decibels (dB) and accuracy within 1% of all meaningful parameters.

What is the role of the frequency inverter?

A frequency inverter is usually associated with a frequency confusion converter because both appear to change the output voltage, frequency and current intensity. Frequency inverters, also known as adjustable speed drives (ASDs) or variable frequency drives (VFDs), are used to vary the speed, power and torque of connected induction motors to meet the desired load conditions.

The main difference between these two technologies is that the inverter portion of the converter attempts to maintain a consistent voltage and frequency output regardless of the current output. Adjustable speed drives vary the voltage and frequency with roughly the same current output to speed up or slow down the motor load. Inverters are typically rated based on maximum current output, while inverters are rated based on power output. In many cases, output "quality" as measured by the "distortion" of the sine wave output is better in converters because this accuracy is not needed in adjustable speed drives.

If you have any questions about frequency inverter, please feel free to contact us.