AutomationDirect Durapulse AC inverters

Anyone using or used the Automation Direct Durapulse GS3 series AC drives?
Been using a lot allen bradley powerflex 525 drives for basic fabric feeding conveyors and was looking at a possible Allen Bradley Powerflex 700 series AC drive for a ball screw extruder we are building but looked at the Automation Line and the price was a very large difference.

I have used a few of their GS4 series on simple water pumping applications and had no problems with them. We chose the GS4 for compatibility with open delta incoming power and the ability to remove the FRI jumper. IIRC, that feature wasn't available on the GS3. I think those drives are made for A/D by Delta Controls:

https://www.deltacontrols.com/products/vfds

Have used a GS3 on a blower application in the past.
Very easy to configure using their GSoft software package.
Had to buy a USB-RS485 converter for PC communication.

Not sure if newer GS3 models have Ethernet capability.

We retired the piece of equipment it was used on, but it gave many years of good service.

The Powerflex 700, 753, and 755 series of drives are vector duty drives and are designed to do far more than just simply varying the speed of a motor. I'm not familiar with the AD drives, but be sure you are comparing apples to apples when comparing price. What horsepower is your extruder motor and how precise does it need to be controlled?

Don't compare the A-D to the PF700, because the PF700 is now "Active Mature", meaning it is still made and supported, but not the current product. So A-B discourages new users from using old designs by RAISING the price compared to the current product, which would be a PF753. Most likely the PF753 is still going to cost more than the A-D product, but not as much more as the PF700 will.

They are also not really apples-to-apples. The A-D drives are all what are called "component class" drives, meaning there is nothing repairable in them, they are meant to be discarded when something goes wrong. An equivalent A-B drive above 30HP to the A-D would be a PowerFlex 400, however the PF400 is not sold as Constant Torque, which you probably need for an extruder. The PF750 drives are considered "architecture class" high performance drives that are designed to be enhanced in the field and repaired over time so that your investment is protected.

Also if you have been using the PF525s and have been connecting them to a Logix processor and taking advantage of ADC, the PF750 is also ADC compatible. The PF700 (and 400) is not.

I've been using the GS2 and GS3 for close to 10 years, some in very dirty places. No problems yet.I consider them a "throw away", cheap enough so you just replace. Although I have never needed to do so.

Have one on a roller coaster for a number of years now with no problem. 100HP drive running the lift chain. A bit of tweaking when the train hit the chain so it didn't regen and puke, but no problems after a few parameter tweaks. Magical... Ha!

Thanks for info
At the moment i just found out the machine we will be reworking that was ordered off Ebay and coming from China has a 3 Hp DC motor and DC drive and the motor is shot, which is why we got so it so cheap.
We just finished 3 larger Extruders that we also puchased used that had the Allen Bradley 700 drives and redid the controls but reused the drives since they worked and they worked great from low RPM to higher RPM and the flow out of the nozzle stayed right on which is why i was considering using another Allen Bradley 700 drive but got a quote on a 5hp unit which was in stock with my local vendor and it was $2500 so looked at a Automation Direct GS3 and its only about 400 dollars. Big difference.
Looking at replacing the DC motor with a Black Max motor (we have used hundreds of those with good results) and was considering the GS3 due to cost but now going to look at the Powerflex 753 as suggested.

I would say a closer comparison to the AD drive would be the powerflex 523, which lists for $944 if you wanted to stick to AB.

Thanks
Considered the 523 since i have used several of those on some feed conveyors but since the used extruders we purchased all had the 700 series drives and a extruder would require good constant torque and speed control will look at staying with the 700 series.

irondesk40 said:

Thanks
Considered the 523 since i have used several of those on some feed conveyors but since the used extruders we purchased all had the 700 series drives and a extruder would require good constant torque and speed control will look at staying with the 700 series.

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I defiantly agree. A Powerflex 753 with work exactly how you want to it to. A Powerflex 523 or that AD drive, though cheaper, may not considering its an extrusion application. Pay me now, or pay me later.

have to admit. Took a quick look at the Automation direct GS4 and it does look like a very good drive.