5.5 kW Frequency Inverter, 1-Phase 220V to 3-Phase 380V

LED Display

Positioned above the keypad for clear sightlines from normal working distance, the LED screen shows real-time operating data including output frequency, current, voltage, and motor RPM. During parameter setup, it confirms each value as it is entered; on a fault, it displays the fault code immediately and holds it for diagnosis. The last three fault events are stored in the history log and retrievable directly from the keypad — no laptop or external tool required.

Multiple-Function Keypad

The front-panel keypad puts all essential controls within reach in a compact, logically grouped layout. Color-coded buttons make operation unambiguous at a glance. The central rotary dial handles both speed adjustment and numeric parameter entry. A multifunction shortcut key can be reassigned to jog mode, frequency-source switching, or a custom function to suit the application — reducing operator steps without rewiring.

Ventilation Slots

Precision-formed ventilation slots run the full height of both side panels, maximizing airflow across the internal heatsink and power components. The internal cooling fan draws air through the base and exhausts it from the top in a directed chimney path, keeping IGBTs and capacitors within their rated temperature range even at sustained full load. Fan speed is thermally modulated — quieter at light load, full speed when conditions demand — extending bearing life and reducing unnecessary noise.

Features

1. 13 A Continuous Output: The 5.5 kW / 13 A rating covers the bulk of medium-duty three-phase 380V motors used in production environments: screw compressors, centrifugal pumps, four-side moulders, granulators, and packaging machine drives. The 150% overload rating for 60 seconds handles cyclic loading peaks without tripping.
2. Boost Rectifier Architecture: Unlike standard single-to-three-phase drives that output voltage equal to input voltage (220V three-phase), the series uses a boost rectifier stage to raise the internal DC bus above the input voltage. The inverter then synthesises genuine 380V line-to-line AC output, allowing standard 380V-rated motors to run at full nameplate power.
3. 1000Hz Output Ceiling: The output frequency range of 0 to 1000 Hz allows this drive to power 2-pole motors to speeds exceeding 50,000 RPM when paired with appropriate high-speed bearings.
4. Sensorless Vector Control: SVC calculates rotor flux position from measured voltage and current, delivering rated torque from 1 Hz without a shaft encoder. This matters for applications where speed must be held constant under varying load — tension-controlled winders, metering feeders, hoist drives operating at slow controlled speeds.
5. Multi-Step Speed and Built-In PLC: Up to 16 discrete speed steps, each with its own ramp rate and duration, can be stored and executed from the drive's internal programmable logic — useful for dryers cycling through warm-up, drying, and cooling phases; conveyors changing speed at different zones; or pump stations cycling between flow rates on a timed schedule.

Use Cases

• Screw Air Compressors (4–5.5 kW): Variable-speed control matches compressor output to actual air demand, eliminating the unload-reload cycling of fixed-speed compressors and reducing energy consumption by 20–40% in typical intermittent-demand applications. The automatic current limiter prevents tripping during the high-torque re-engagement when the compressor loads under existing line pressure.
• Medium Irrigation and Drainage Pump Sets: Agricultural pump motors in the 4–5.5 kW range are the most common load for this drive in rural installations. Built-in PID with a pressure transmitter input maintains constant header pressure across the irrigation circuit as sprinkler zones open and close, without a separate pressure controller. Soft start reduces water hammer in long pipe runs.
• Cold-Store Condensing Units: Compressor motors in small cold-store condensing units (typically 3.7–5.5 kW) run at fixed speed on direct-on-line starters, consuming full power regardless of refrigeration load. Variable-speed control via this drive reduces compressor speed during low-load periods, cutting energy consumption and extending compressor service intervals.
• Aggregate and Material Handling Conveyors: Belt conveyors moving aggregate, grain, or bulk materials benefit from soft start (eliminating belt and coupling shock), variable speed (matching throughput to downstream process rate), and automatic current limiting (preventing trips when an operator loads the belt unevenly or a surge of material arrives at the feed end).

Application Scenarios

HVAC

Industrial Printing

Conveyor Belts

Air Compressors

Q1: What is the minimum circuit breaker and cable size for the input supply?

At 5.5 kW output and approximately 90% efficiency, input power is approximately 6.1 kW. On a 220V single-phase supply, steady-state input current is approximately 27–28 A. Allow for inrush on startup and recommend a 40 A Type C MCB on a dedicated circuit. Input cable cross-section should be at minimum 6 mm² copper, with a dedicated earth conductor. Do not share the circuit with other significant loads; the drive's single-phase input current is substantially higher than the three-phase output current (13 A), which often surprises installers unfamiliar with this drive topology.

Q2: Can this drive run a high-speed spindle motor at frequencies above 400 Hz?

Yes. The output frequency ceiling is 1000 Hz, accessible by setting parameter P0.12 (maximum frequency) above 400 Hz. Verify that the spindle motor is rated for inverter duty at the target frequency and that its bearings are rated for the corresponding rotational speed. Most spindle motors intended for VFD operation specify a maximum electrical frequency on their nameplate. Do not exceed this value.

Q3: The installation is in an area with ambient temperatures regularly reaching 45°C. What is the derating?

Above 40°C, the drive derates 5% of rated current per degree Celsius. At 45°C, the derate is 25%: usable output current is 13 A × 0.75 = 9.75 A, equivalent to approximately 4.1 kW continuous. Ensure adequate ventilation around the drive enclosure (minimum 100 mm clearance on all sides), or install the drive in a ventilated enclosure with filtered forced-air cooling sized for the ambient condition. At 50°C continuous, the drive should not be operated without supplementary cooling.

Q4: Is it possible to run two motors from one drive?

Not simultaneously in a controlled manner. The drive can power two motors wired in parallel, provided their combined rated current does not exceed 13 A, and both motors are the same type, rating, and load — but individual motor overload protection is lost, and sensorless vector control will not function correctly with parallel motor loads. For parallel operation, switch to V/F control mode and install external thermal overload relays on each motor branch. For applications requiring independent speed or torque control of two motors, two separate drives are required.