Innovations and Support in Water Systems

Navigating drives and controls.

By Terry Smith

Drives and controls have become essential for controlling today’s pumping systems, giving installers and operators more precise, reliable ways to manage performance and efficiency.

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) remain a key part of this equation, providing a broad range of options to meet real-world demands. From managing motor speed in single- and multi-pump applications to enabling lead/lag and alternation strategies, VFDs deliver advanced solutions and more consistent water delivery.

In addition to VFDs, full-featured soft starters, protective devices, and integrated control platforms are playing a growing role in safeguarding equipment.

By understanding the expanding capabilities of modern drives and controls—and the comprehensive support features that come with them—installers can deliver solutions built for long-term performance.

The latest innovations are not only improving water system efficiency and control but also making setup, monitoring, and maintenance more straightforward. Here are just a few ways today’s drive and control technologies, including VFDs, can help enhance water system performance while simplifying installation and ongoing support.

Streamlined Setup and Connectivity

Today’s engineers are enhancing in-product menu solutions, along with companion mobile apps, to more closely reflect application or field-based needs.

For example, updated menu solutions can help make VFD setup easier with “plug and play” installation for dedicated purpose VFDs. This is especially helpful with VFDs since they can cover hundreds of different operational parameters. With general purpose drives and controls, guided product navigation menus simplify setup across a variety of applications.

Companion mobile apps help streamline drive setup by allowing installers to quickly pair equipment and get it operational using a phone or tablet. These apps have evolved in recent years to offer robust features and more graphically intuitive user interfaces that are organized into key functional areas like real-time status monitoring, setup, and support.

The most functional apps work in conjunction with traditional methods, serving as an extension of the tools installers already know and trust. For example, a Bluetooth-enabled VFD can pair seamlessly using in-app guidance to help the installer set up the drive—no bending or kneeling to reach the equipment.

If installers have equipment they install often, they can create and manage templates for easy setup. After installation, app dashboards will show system status and meter readings straight from the source. This provides a quick and easy way to monitor the system.

Often these in-app dashboards are more comprehensive and easier to read than what’s available on a drive or control’s compact screen. They can include additional parameters not available in basic product menus or interfaces.

Better Optimization for Multi-Pump Systems

VFDs are commonly used in lead/lag/alternate or multi-drive and multi-pump systems. Modern VFD systems have the functionality built in to control these systems, allowing for off-the-shelf solutions that make it easier to set up and program multi-drive and multi-pump systems.

For example, programming menus will include options for:

• Number of pumps/VFDs
• Pressure setpoints
• Frequency setpoints
• Alternation times
• Wired or wireless connections.

Today’s VFDs are a simpler option for providing system redundancy or right sizing a system with a wide operating range.

Advanced Electrical Filtering

The world is increasingly filled with sensitive electronic devices, and many of these active devices can emit or react to radio signals, including a VFD.

Until recently, VFDs may have caused interference or “noise” in a variety of both low- and high-frequency electronics—anything from LED lightbulbs and smart appliances in a home to harmonic disruption on municipal power lines. VFDs have overcome these challenges with advanced filtering mechanisms built into their designs.

With lower horsepower/residential systems, a good ground connection is always important, but VFDs should also have a built-in filter, including power factor correction (PFC) or active front end designs. These updated filter strategies enhance compatibility of VFDs in residential settings.

With higher horsepower systems—including agricultural applications and industrial systems that are 50 horsepower or higher—IEEE 519 has become the standard for limiting total harmonic distortion (THD). IEEE 519, which was developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, is important for utility companies to reduce stress and maintenance costs on their infrastructure. Although this standard is for the overall system and not just the VFD, it’s important to look for VFDs labeled as “low harmonic” to help assure compliance.

Increased System Efficiency

Drives and controls promise better overall pumping system efficiency, and today’s units have taken this commitment even further. Better soft starting capabilities reduce system stress and eliminate sudden high-power current draws during startup, reducing peak electricity charges. Drives and controls also boost
system efficiency by optimizing pump control, intelligently telling the pump to run at lower speeds during low-demand periods. This also results in energy savings for operators.

When users want to fully optimize their efficiency, they can couple a VFD with a permanent magnet motor. This technology further improves the efficiency of the overall pumping system by up to 21%. Because permanent magnet motors have always required a VFD, the combination is a proven approach to achieving reliable system performance.

Real-Time Support

With today’s well water installations, getting the right pumping equipment for an application is only part of the battle. Having the right support before, during, and long after installation also matters, especially when installation locations are often isolated or far from tech support teams. Drives and controls today offer expert support features that expand collaboration and troubleshooting for installers and operators.

For example, users can access real-time product status and conveniently collect auto-generated commissioning reports and time-stamped logs for things like faults and configuration history. When it comes to troubleshooting, in-app support can identify potential issues and suggest solutions. Operators and water system professionals can remotely monitor and access systems.

Connection sharing—where an operator can securely share their device connection with anyone—has led to even more support. The most advanced apps allow for “visualization only modes,” where an off-site collaborator can see what an installer is seeing or “hand-off” access, where tech support teams can get temporary live access.

Imagine an installer in Texas can get real-time support from their tech team in Oklahoma or a manufacturing partner’s help desk in Indiana. The right drive makes support as easy as having a trusted tech partner beside you to remotely set up or troubleshoot in real time.

What’s Next?

Advancing drives and controls into the future means continuing to look for ways to solve problems and overcome the challenges installers and operators face. With today’s drives and controls, installers can recommend self-contained outdoor- ready solutions in a compact footprint as well as have a wide array of in-stock options that address urgent field needs.

They can also access versatile configurations that offer intuitive navigation combined with configured-to-order solutions for advanced retrofits. That’s just the start of what’s possible.

Pumping system manufacturers are constantly in the field, seeking ways to improve their drives and controls. Manufacturers have already integrated cloud support and real-time guidance to VFDs, and this will continue to evolve.

Still, old school methods for support should never go away. That means choosing a drive or control that comes with in-person or online training opportunities backed by experts you can trust.

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Terry Smith, senior product manager, has managed the electronics and controls product portfolio at Franklin Electric for nearly 20 years. He joined as an electronics engineer in 2007 and transitioned to product management in 2014. Smith led development projects for SubDrive Connect, SubDrive Utility, and SubDrive Connect Plus, and oversees control boxes, Pumptec, and solar products.