VFD & Soft Starter Panels
Custom Motor-Starting & Speed-Control Panels, UL 508A-Certified.
Spike Electric designs and builds custom, UL 508A-certified panels that start and control electric motors while protecting them from electrical and mechanical stress — extending equipment life and improving efficiency. Choose a variable-frequency drive (VFD) panel for continuous, adjustable speed control and energy savings, or a soft starter panel for smooth, reduced-stress motor starting in a compact, cost-effective package. Both are built in NEMA-rated enclosures and configured to your application.
Panel Types
Both are custom-built, UL 508A-certified motor-control panels. Choose VFD for full-range speed control, or soft starter when you only need controlled starting.
A VFD panel converts fixed input frequency and voltage to variable output, giving precise, adjustable motor speed — and drawing power only as needed for significant energy savings.
- Purpose: Control the speed of electric motors and feed pumps by varying frequency and voltage; adjustable speed for accurate process control and energy conservation
- Components: VFD, line reactors, circuit breakers, harmonic filters, cooling unit, motor starters, and bypass
- Enclosures: NEMA 1, 3R, 4, and 4X; available in a variety of power ratings
- Design consideration: VFDs generate significant heat, so panels include a cooling unit and require proper airflow
- Benefits: AC drive with lower maintenance (no DC motors/transmissions); reduced thermal and mechanical stress on motors and belt drives; longer equipment life
- Applications: Drilling, pumping, conveyors, compressors, and other heavy-duty, large-scale machinery
A soft starter panel reduces the inrush and mechanical stress of starting a motor, ramping power up (and down) smoothly to protect equipment and extend its life.
- Purpose: Reduce start-up strain by controlling motor acceleration and deceleration; smooth, gradual power ramp instead of a sudden current spike
- How it works: Solid-state control of current across all three phases; adjustable starting voltage and ramp time
- Phases: Single- and three-phase motors
- Types: Compression soft starters (single-phase compressors in HVAC and refrigeration) and pump-control soft starters (pump and irrigation systems)
- Vs. VFD: More compact and cost-effective than a VFD; ideal when the application needs only start-up speed and torque control, not continuous variable speed
- Selection factors: Amp rating, torque specifications, start/stop requirements, line voltage, overload protection, enclosure type, and starts per hour
VFD or Soft Starter — Which Do You Need?
Choose a soft starter when you mainly need to reduce mechanical and electrical stress at start-up in a compact, lower-cost package. Choose a VFD when you need continuous, adjustable motor speed throughout operation and the energy savings that come from running motors only as fast as the process requires. Spike's engineers can help match the right technology to your amp rating, torque, duty cycle, and environment.
Certifications & Quality
- UL 508A certified — every panel built and validated to UL 508A
- ISO 9001-certified quality management system
- 1-year warranty from date of ship
Design & Build Capabilities
Our in-house team engineers each panel to your specifications and can upgrade or retrofit existing panels — supplying a full 3D CAD layout, a bill of materials for suggested components, and wiring schematics, and pre-wiring a new back panel with your components for a clean changeover.
What to Expect
- Same-day shipping on stock items
- 24/7 real-time emergency support
- A global supply network
- 1-year guaranteed warranty
Why Choose Spike Electric
An experienced in-house team, UL 508A-certified quality, responsive real-time technical support, and fast delivery of high-quality, American-built motor-control panels — for reduced downtime and greater operational efficiency.