Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

What Information Should I Collect Before Contacting Technical Support?

Collecting the correct information before contacting technical support can significantly reduce troubleshooting time. This article outlines the basic drive, motor, application, fault, and configuration information that should be gathered before requesting assistance with a PowerFlex drive.

 Why Is This Information Important?

Many drive problems cannot be diagnosed from a fault code or brief description alone.

Before contacting technical support, gather enough information to identify:

  • The exact drive being used
  • The motor being controlled
  • How the drive is configured
  • What the application is doing
  • What fault or symptom is occurring
  • What changed before the problem began

Having this information available can reduce back-and-forth questions and make troubleshooting more efficient.

Drive Information

Start by collecting information from the drive nameplate.

Whenever possible, record:

  • Complete drive catalog number
  • Series
  • Firmware revision
  • Input voltage
  • Drive horsepower or kW rating
  • Drive output-current rating
  • Normal Duty or Heavy Duty application
  • Installed option modules or accessories

Do not provide only the horsepower and drive family.

For example, "20 HP PowerFlex 755" may not provide enough information to determine the exact hardware being used. The complete catalog number is much more useful.

Motor Nameplate Information

Collect a clear picture of the motor nameplate whenever possible.

Important motor information includes:

  • Manufacturer
  • Horsepower
  • Rated voltage
  • Full-load amps
  • Rated frequency
  • Rated RPM
  • Service factor
  • Motor type
  • Encoder or feedback information, if applicable

Motor nameplate information is especially important when troubleshooting current, torque, speed, autotune, or motor-control problems.

Describe the Application

Technical support needs to understand what the motor and drive are actually controlling.

Provide a brief description such as:

"The drive controls a conveyor that starts and stops approximately 10 times per minute."

This is much more useful than simply stating:

"The drive keeps faulting."

Useful application information may include:

  • Type of machine or load
  • Typical operating speed
  • Acceleration time
  • Deceleration time
  • Starting and stopping frequency
  • Whether the load changes during operation
  • Whether the application requires high starting torque
  • Whether dynamic braking is being used
Fault Information

If the drive is faulting, record the exact fault code and fault description.

Also collect:

  • Active fault
  • Fault history
  • Frequency when the fault occurred
  • Output current when the fault occurred, if available
  • DC bus voltage, if relevant
  • Whether the fault occurs during acceleration, running, or deceleration
  • Whether the fault occurs consistently or intermittently

Do not clear the fault history before recording the information.

A picture of the HIM displaying the fault can also be useful.

Describe the Actual Symptom

Not every drive problem generates a fault.

Clearly describe what the drive is doing.

Examples include:

  • Drive will not start
  • Motor runs in the wrong direction
  • Drive starts but does not reach commanded speed
  • Motor runs correctly from the HIM but not from external controls
  • Drive faults during acceleration
  • Drive faults during deceleration
  • Motor current is higher than expected
  • Drive intermittently loses communication
  • Digital input is not responding
  • Relay output is not changing state

The more specific the symptom, the easier it is to determine where troubleshooting should begin.

Determine How the Drive Is Being Controlled

Identify how the drive receives its start command and speed reference.

Examples include:

  • HIM/keypad
  • Digital inputs
  • Analog input
  • EtherNet/IP
  • DeviceNet
  • ControlLogix or CompactLogix PLC
  • Other communication network

If the problem involves external control, provide information about the control scheme and which terminals or network commands are being used.

Parameter Information

If possible, save or upload the drive's parameter configuration before contacting technical support.

Depending on the drive family and available software, this may be obtained using tools such as:

  • Connected Components Workbench
  • Studio 5000
  • DriveExecutive or other applicable Rockwell software
  • HIM parameter copy/backup functions

A complete parameter file can be significantly more useful than manually listing individual parameters.

If a parameter was recently changed, record:

  • Parameter number
  • Parameter name
  • Previous value, if known
  • Current value
What Changed?

One of the most useful troubleshooting questions is:

"What changed before the problem started?"

Determine whether the issue began after:

  • Replacing the drive
  • Replacing the motor
  • Changing drive parameters
  • Changing PLC programming
  • Changing network configuration
  • Performing machine maintenance
  • Replacing wiring
  • Adding an option module
  • Changing acceleration or deceleration times
  • A power outage or electrical event

If the system previously worked correctly, identifying what changed can significantly narrow the troubleshooting process.

Pictures and Documentation

When applicable, collect pictures of:

  • Drive nameplate
  • Motor nameplate
  • HIM display
  • Fault screen
  • Drive terminals
  • Control wiring
  • Installed option modules
  • Overall machine/application

Also collect any available:

  • Electrical drawings
  • Drive parameter files
  • PLC/network information
  • Previous drive information if the drive was recently replaced
Before Contacting Technical Support

At minimum, try to have the following information available:

Information Collect
Complete drive catalog number ✓
Drive series/firmware ✓
Motor nameplate ✓
Application description ✓
Exact fault or symptom ✓
Fault history If applicable
Start command source ✓
Speed reference source ✓
Parameter backup If possible
Recent changes to machine ✓
Relevant pictures/drawings If available
Key Takeaway

The goal is to provide enough information for technical support to understand what equipment is being used, how it is supposed to operate, and what it is doing differently than expected.

A good support request should answer:

What drive is it?

What motor is it controlling?

What is the application?

How is it being controlled?

What exactly is going wrong?

When does it happen?

What changed?

Providing this information at the beginning of the support request can greatly reduce troubleshooting time and help technical support get to the actual problem faster.