Is Your Drive Trying to Fail? 7 Early Warning Signs Every Facility Should Watch For
Industrial drives rarely fail without warning—but most plants don’t recognize the early signs. A small vibration, a warm heat sink, or an intermittent fault code may not seem urgent, yet these symptoms often point to bigger issues developing inside the drive. Catching problems early can prevent extended downtime, protect connected equipment, and save thousands in repair and replacement costs.
At Delta Automation, our technicians analyze hundreds of drives every year—AC drives, DC drives, servo amplifiers, soft starters, and more. Across all brands and models, we see the same pattern: early warning signs that go unnoticed until the drive finally fails. This blog highlights the signals every maintenance team should watch for and explains why they matter.
1. Overheating or Rising Operating Temperatures
Excess heat is one of the most common precursors to drive failure. Heat accelerates capacitor aging, damages power sections, and causes intermittent behavior long before a complete shutdown. If a drive feels warmer than normal—or its internal temperature readings increase—it's a sign cooling is inadequate or internal components are degrading.
- Clogged or dirty heat sinks
- Fans slowing down or failing entirely
- High ambient temperatures inside the cabinet
- Dust buildup restricting airflow
Temperature-related failures can usually be prevented with early inspection and cleaning. Ignoring them allows internal electronics to break down much faster.
2. Intermittent Fault Codes or Nuisance Trips
Drives often give subtle warnings before they fail. If you’re seeing occasional under-voltage, over-current, ground fault, or communication fault codes, the issue may not be external—many times, the cause is a weakening internal component.
Even sporadic trips indicate something is destabilizing the drive’s power section or control logic. These cases are ideal for sending the unit in early for diagnostic testing rather than waiting for the failure to become permanent.
3. Changes in Motor Performance
A drive is only as stable as its output. If a motor controlled by the drive begins behaving differently—slow response, torque dips, or unexpected speed fluctuations—the drive could be the underlying cause.
- Insufficient voltage output
- IGBT switching anomalies
- Degrading capacitors or control boards
These symptoms often appear weeks or months before a catastrophic failure.
4. Excessive Audible Noise
All drives make some noise, but unusual high-frequency whining, buzzing, or electrical hum can indicate component stress. In many cases, technicians discover:
- Failing DC bus capacitors
- Loose bus bars
- Switching issues in the output section
- Fan bearings beginning to fail
Sound is often the first physical cue of internal deterioration—if your team notices new noise, it’s time to investigate.
5. Physical Damage or Component Aging
It’s easy to overlook visual wear, especially in cabinets that stay closed most of the year. But many failing drives show obvious signs long before they break:
- Bulging or leaking capacitors
- Discolored or heat-marked circuit boards
- Corroded terminals or connectors
- Dust contamination inside the enclosure
Visual inspection is one of the simplest ways to catch early failures, yet one of the most underutilized.
6. Communication Instability With PLCs or HMIs
Drives rely on stable communication for commands, speed references, and status feedback. If your drive intermittently drops offline, loses its PLC link, or causes HMI delays, the problem may be internal—not network related.
Aging control boards or degrading low-voltage supplies inside the drive often cause intermittent comms issues. These problems typically worsen over time until the drive fails entirely.
7. Unexpected Drive Resets or Power Cycling
A healthy drive should never reboot randomly. Sudden resets almost always point to internal voltage regulation problems or failing electrolytic capacitors. While the drive may appear functional afterward, the failure cycle has already begun.
If a drive spontaneously resets even once, it should be evaluated as soon as possible.
Why Early Detection Matters
Drives rarely fail without warning—problems simply go unnoticed. By catching these early indicators, maintenance teams can schedule repairs during planned downtime, protect other equipment, and avoid the high cost of emergency replacement.
Most drive failures do not require buying a new unit. Many issues can be repaired, rebuilt, or refurbished to like-new performance for a fraction of the cost. Delta Automation specializes in extending the life of industrial drives through expert diagnostics, board-level repairs, and thorough load testing.
Delta Automation: Your Partner in Drive Reliability
When your drive shows the first signs of trouble, Delta Automation provides fast, dependable diagnostics and repair services. Our technicians inspect every component, identify root causes, and restore the drive to stable, long-term operation. We support servo drives, AC and DC drives, soft starters, VFDs, and many legacy models no longer supported by OEMs.
- Full in-house repair services
- Advanced diagnostic equipment
- Board-level troubleshooting and component replacement
- Preventative maintenance recommendations
- 1-year repair warranty for confidence and reliability
A small warning sign today can prevent a major failure tomorrow. If your drive is showing any of the symptoms above, our team can help you address the issue before it becomes a costly shutdown.
Contact Delta Automation for expert drive repair and diagnostics.