Engineering
04/10 MN04020001Z-EN
28
Motor and Application
Motor selection
General recommendations for motor selection:
• Use three-phase powered asynchronous motors with short-
circuit rotors and surface cooling, also called asynchronous 
motors or standard motors for the frequency-controlled drive 
system (PDS). Other specifications such as external rotor 
motors, slip-ring motors, reluctance motors, synchronous or 
servo motors can also be run with a frequency inverter but 
normally require additional planning and discussion with the 
motor manufacturer.
• Use only motors with at least heat class  F (155 °C maximum 
steady state temperature).
• 4-pole motors are preferred (synchronous speed: 1500 min
-1
 at 
50 Hz or 1800 min
-1
 at 60 Hz).
• Take the operating conditions into account for S1 operation 
(IEC 60034-1).
• When operating multiple motors in parallel on one frequency 
inverter, the motor output should not be more than three power 
classes apart.
• Ensure that the motor is not overdimensioned.
If a motor in speed control mode is underdimensioned, the 
motor rating must only be one rating level lower.
Connecting motors in parallel
The M-Max
TM
 frequency inverters allow parallel operation of 
several motors in U/f control mode:
• U/f control: several motors with the same or different rated 
operational data. The sum of all motor currents must be less 
than the frequency inverter’s rated operational current.
• U/f control: parallel control of several motors.  The sum of the 
motor currents plus the motors’ inrush current must be less than 
the frequency inverter’s rated operational current.
Parallel operation at different motor speeds can be implemented 
only by changing the number of pole pairs and/or changing the 
motor’s transmission ratio.
Connecting motors in parallel reduces the load resistance at the 
frequency inverter output. The total stator inductance is lower and 
the leakage capacity of the lines greater. As a result, the current 
distortion is greater than in a single-motor circuit. To reduce the 
current distortion, you should use motor reactors (see a in 
figure 12) in the output of the frequency inverter (see also Section 
“Motor chokes”, page 171).
Figure 12: Parallel connection of several motors to one frequency 
inverter
h
Caution! 
Debounced inputs may not be used in the safety 
circuit diagram.
If you are connecting multiple motors on one frequency 
inverter, you must design the contactors for the individual 
motors according to utilization category AC-3.
Selecting the motor contactor is done according to the 
rated operational current of the motor to be connected.
h
The current consumption of all motors connected in 
parallel must not exceed the frequency inverter’s rated 
output current I
2N
.
h
Electronic motor protection can not be used when 
operating the frequency inverter with several parallel 
connected motors. You must, however, protect each 
motor with thermistors and/or overload relays.
h
The use of motor protective circuit breaker at the 
frequency inverter’s output can lead to nuisance tripping.
Q11
F1
M1
Q12
F2
M2
Q13
F3
M3
U1 V1 W1 U1 V1 W1 U1 V1 W1
M
3
˜
M
3
˜
M
3
˜