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EDWartens UK

Free course · Drives

Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control

Power wiring, keypad and terminal control, analog and preset speed references, relay outputs, PLC and Modbus control, fieldbus, safety functions and troubleshooting, on a generic drive and the Schneider ATV320.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Beginner
Modules
13
Video
12 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Explain what a VFD does and choose one; wire it on single- or three-phase supply; set basic parameters; run in 2-wire, 3-wire and push-button control with reverse; give the speed reference from a potentiometer, 4-20 mA or presets with ramps; use relay and analog outputs; control the drive from a PLC by terminals, analog and Modbus RTU; connect an ATV320 over PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP and POWERLINK; build constant-pressure pumping; set safety, fault reset and passwords; troubleshoot.

  • Explain V/F against vector control and VFD against soft starter and servo
  • Wire a drive on single-phase or three-phase supply, with shielding and earthing
  • Set motor nameplate and basic parameters from the keypad
  • Run in 2-wire, 3-wire and single-button control with forward and reverse
  • Give the speed reference by potentiometer, 4-20 mA, presets and ramps
  • Wire relay and analog outputs to a PLC and control the drive from a PLC
  • Control the drive over Modbus RTU and connect an ATV320 to PROFINET, PROFIBUS and EtherNet/IP
  • Configure constant-pressure pumping, safety functions and fault reset, and troubleshoot

Software

None required. SoMove (free from Schneider) optional for the ATV320 modules.

Hardware

None required. Any small VFD and a three-phase motor let you do every exercise for real.

Syllabus

13 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1What a VFD Is and Which One to Buy5 lessons
  2. 2Power Wiring: Supplies, Motors and Phases4 lessonsLab
  3. 3Keypad and Basic Parameters6 lessons
  4. 4Terminal Control: 2-Wire, 3-Wire, Push Buttons, Reverse7 lessonsLab
  5. 5Speed Reference: Potentiometer, 4-20 mA, Presets and Ramps7 lessonsLab
  6. 6Relay and Analog Outputs and Status4 lessonsLab
  7. 7PLC Control of a VFD4 lessons
  8. 8Modbus RTU and RS-485 Control4 lessons
  9. 9Fieldbus on the ATV320: PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK6 lessons
  10. 10Applications: Constant Pressure and Logic Inside the Drive4 lessons
  11. 11Safety Functions, Fault Reset, Password and Reset4 lessonsLab
  12. 12Troubleshooting and Testing3 lessons
  13. 13Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Practise in the labOptionalTry a task from the module in the EDWartens Lab, in your browser.
  5. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  6. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Wire a variable frequency drive in the Panel Lab: power in and out, safe torque off, run command, speed reference and fault relay, then prove it.

Works alongside Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control. The Lab is control panel build practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
Control panel build: Wire a real control panel.

Levels to try with this course

Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.

Why practise in a lab

Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.

  • Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
  • The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
  • Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for Variable Frequency Drives: Wiring, Programming, PLC and Network Control

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

Questions

About this course

Do I need a drive?
No, but it helps: any small VFD and a three-phase motor let you do every exercise for real. Without one, SoMove's offline mode lets you configure an ATV320 on the PC.
Is this only about the Schneider ATV320?
The generic modules use a low-cost drive typical of what you meet in the field, and the ATV320 modules show the same functions on a mainstream industrial drive. The concepts transfer to Siemens, ABB, Danfoss, Delta and Allen-Bradley drives.
Is this safe to do at home?
Only with a proper supply, earthing and enclosure, and only if you are competent with mains. The course explains the wiring; it does not make anyone qualified to work on mains.
What certificate do I get, and is it a Schneider qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Schneider Electric credential and is never described as one.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
Who made the video lessons?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
How long does the course take?
Plan on about 12 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the thirteen modules at your own speed.

Process control

Take it with

See the whole path

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module