Rockwell field service

lesmar96

Lifetime Supporting Member
Join Date
May 2017
Location
PA
Posts
520
We have a customer that has a 350hp 480V Allen-Bradley vfd. The drive blew on the center phase. Rockwell came out to repair a similar one like this about 2 years ago, but now it seems like there is no way to convince them to come out. How can we get them to come out and repair this?

IMG_1124.jpg
 
I suppose the key question is "what model of VFD is it ?". I can't tell from that photograph.

Maybe they don't have field service parts for that model anymore, or maybe they don't have a regional field service person who is qualified on that model or frame size, or maybe they have changed policies on field repairs for specific types of damage, or maybe there's a commercial issue that's preventing them from dispatching a service engineer.

In my experience, large AC drive service is one of the best competencies for Rockwell Automation field service; they have specific engineers who are trained and qualified and are just known as the "drive guys", who do commissioning and repair. There is very low turnover in those sorts of FSEs, but not zero.
 
I personally was only onsite for a short time to check a few things out. I was not the main tech that took this apart so I don't have the model# with me. I have uploaded a few more pics. I believe the drive was built in 2012 or so.

IMG_1112.jpg IMG_1104.jpg IMG_1103.jpg
 
That looks like a 1336 of one flavor or another, although it’s hard to tell because it’s blurry. There are no reapair parts for those any longer. They had anounced “last buy” on spare parts for those back in 2011 and stopped supporting them officially in 2014, but would still do it IF they had parts available for a while after that. Now though, there are zero parts in inventory and when they come up for sale on Fleabay or other sites, there are die-hards who buy up anything at any price rather that upgrade.

They stopped making 1336 drives in 2002 so if it was installed in 2012, someone installed an old drive.
 
wow. I am not real familiar with all AB's series .

This is a powerflex 700. Here are the #'s as given to me just a little bit ago.

Cat# 20BD481J0ANNNND0
S/N 19290726
 
wow. I am not real familiar with all AB's series .

This is a powerflex 700. Here are the #'s as given to me just a little bit ago.

Cat# 20BD481J0ANNNND0
S/N 19290726
OK then, that's Frame 8 PowerFlex 700, which they discontinued a few years ago when they released the Frame 7 and 8 PowerFlex 755s. But they still support those older PF700 Frame 8s, I just had one repaired a couple of months ago. Someone is giving you bad information. Are you talking to A-B directly or through a distributor? Sometimes the distributor sales people have another agenda, i.e. getting you to upgrade. Each distributor is required to have a Services Specialist, make sure you are talking to them or to A-B Customer Support and Maintenance (CSM) directly, not a guy who gets paid only for selling new stuff.
 
Dare I say this: I would assume your company is in good financial standing with RA?
 
We are not a distributor of Rockwell and do not have a direct connection with them. We are working through a distributor that is just as frustrated with them over this. Customer is not getting any happier either.

I personally am not an AB fan, and what was there is rapidly diminishing. More than likely the drives will get replaced by somebody that has service.
 
We are not a distributor of Rockwell and do not have a direct connection with them. We are working through a distributor that is just as frustrated with them over this. Customer is not getting any happier either.

I personally am not an AB fan, and what was there is rapidly diminishing. More than likely the drives will get replaced by somebody that has service.

Rockwell has the best drives field service in the United States from a manufacturer stand point. I use many other makes of drives, but typically stick with AB for higher horsepower applications just so the customer has Rockwell support.

Are you sure you're actually dealing with a certified AB distributor?
 
Rockwell is so territorial that we are forced to work with this one distributor . No one else can sell drives to us. They must be certified,..........
 
It seems rockwell says it can't be fixed onsite. They say they will come out and look at it, but will tell us the same thing.....that it has to be completely removed and shipped to NJ.
 
Lesmar96
what distributor are you using

I know AB is territorial but you can call on other distributors if you local is not able to handle it.
try Schaedler / Yesco Distribution they say they have a drives guy in house
at least that what AB told me when I tried to pick up the service on the AB drives many years ago.
 
We are in Fromm Electric's territory. I have dealt with Rumsey some in the AB world, but they would never do much because they said we were not in their territory.
 
I have dealt with Fromm , Rumsey as well as Schaedler along with AB distributors in at least 4 other states all without a problem. you can use whoever you want it just if you call AB directly the will always send you back to them.
the one ting I ran into was some time bac I was working on a job as contract programmer using the contractors licensed software and called tech connect using their support number and Rockwell told me they want me to use my own tech connect it keeps their records up to date so then on I just use my tech connect number no matter where I am working never run into a problem.
 

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