Who compares FR-E700 to GD200 and when
The 5-15 kW mid-range is the largest VFD class by volume in our sales. It covers: building water pumps (Wilo MVI, Grundfos CR), smoke-exhaust fans, crushers, small compressors, logging winches, 600-1200 mm conveyor belts in cement plants.
Two customer types come here:
- HVAC/water engineer selecting for a typical ventilation or pump station tender. Budget pressure: UAH 50-80k per unit. Shortlist usually: Mitsubishi FR-E700, INVT GD200, Veichi AC310, Delta VFD-MS300, ABB ACS580.
- Integrator designing a SCADA-controlled line with 4-8 identical drives. Critical here: Modbus out of the box, stable parameter numbering, 7-14 day availability.
Today we compare the two bestsellers in our shop: Mitsubishi FR-E740-170SC-EC (UAH 48,847, 7.5 kW) and INVT GD200A-7R5G-4 (UAH 28,500, 7.5 kW).
Specs: manufacturer datasheets
| Parameter | Mitsubishi FR-E740-170SC-EC | INVT GD200A-7R5G-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 7.5 kW | 7.5 kW |
| Supply | 3×380-480 V | 3×380 V |
| Output current | 16.5 A | 17 A |
| Control | V/f, sensorless vector, magnetic flux vector | V/f, sensorless vector, closed-loop vector |
| Overload | 200% 0.5 s, 150% 60 s | 200% 5 s, 150% 60 s |
| PID | Built-in, sleep and time control | Built-in, sleep, sequence + multi-stage |
| Modbus | RS-485 Mitsubishi FR + Modbus RTU (opt) | RS-485 Modbus RTU standard |
| Comms cards opt. | CC-Link, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, EtherCAT (FR-A8N*) | CANopen, Profibus, Profinet, EtherCAT |
| Analog inputs | 2 (V/I) | 2 (V/I) |
| Digital inputs | 7 | 8 |
| Relays | 1×SPDT + 1×SPST | 2×SPDT |
| Braking | Dynamic via built-in chopper | Dynamic via built-in chopper |
| Dimensions (WxHxD mm) | 140×260×170 | 146×268×185 |
| Mass | 3.6 kg | 4.5 kg |
| IP | IP20 | IP20 (IP54 opt.) |
| Warranty | 24 months | 24 months |
| Price (May 2026) | UAH 48,847 | UAH 28,500 |
What Mitsubishi gives you for the 70% premium
1. Magnetic flux vector in V/f without autotuning. On equipment with unknown motor parameters (retrofitted old system, lost nameplate), Mitsubishi starts with nameplate torque without autotuning. INVT GD200 needs autotune mode (P2.16=1 or P2.17=2) with the load disconnected to get full efficiency. On a line where you cannot stop the process for calibration — this is decisive.
2. Batch stability. The 5-15 kW segment uses active cooling and thermally stressed IGBTs. At this power the premium-vs-budget gap becomes visible. Our service stats: FR-E700 has 2.5% return rate over 5 years. INVT GD200 has 8-10%. If you run 5+ identical drives on one line and one goes down, you lose production rhythm.
3. FR-A8N* card option. Mitsubishi offers optional cards for CC-Link, DeviceNet, ProfiBus, EtherCAT. Critical if you already have a MELSEC PLC + GOT panel + FR ecosystem. INVT GD200 also has comms cards but a narrower list, and drivers for third-party PLCs often need manual work.
4. Better sleep mode for pumps. Mitsubishi FR-E700 in PID with time control has a more precise sleep mode (cuts out 30-60 s after reaching setpoint, wakes at 0.1 bar drop without surge). INVT GD200 has a simpler sleep on 1-3 parameters, works fine on typical stations, but on fine processes (bottled water, pharma) Mitsubishi is more accurate.
Where INVT GD200 beats Mitsubishi
1. Modbus RTU out of the box without extra cards. Standard RS-485 Modbus RTU, works with Schneider Magelis, Siemens TIA, Wago, OWEN, anything. Mitsubishi needs you to redefine RS-485 away from FR protocol — 5-10 minutes, but you need the manual.
2. Closed-loop vector included. INVT GD200A supports an encoder card for closed-loop vector control. Critical for winches, elevators, centrifuges — exact positioning without slippage. Mitsubishi FR-E700 does not support closed-loop (you must go to FR-A700 with the appropriate card).
3. 200% overload for 5 seconds on INVT vs 0.5 s on Mitsubishi. For conveyors with variable load (products tumbling in batches), compressors with hard starts — this is fewer trips and less downtime.
4. 41% cheaper. For a typical pump station with 5-10 drives, batch savings of UAH 100-200k are significant.
Real cases from our practice
Case 1: Lampa Group, mineral water bottling line, pump station 4×7.5 kW. Customer asked for INVT due to budget. We supplied 4×GD200A-7R5G-4. After 11 months one drive failed from electrolyte overheating (station in basement without ventilation, we warned). Warranty replacement, 2 fans added. Lesson: on critical sites it pays to spend on preventive temperature sensors and a wider operating t°.
Case 2: Lviv dairy plant, milk separator drive 7.5 kW. We supplied Mitsubishi FR-E740-170SC-EC. Running 24/7 for 4 years with zero callbacks. Customer next time takes 3 more for the packaging line.
Case 3: Khmelnytsk animal farm, 8 drives on chicken-house ventilation. Budget was tight. We put INVT GD200A on all 8. Year 1: 1 return (poor 380 V from grid). Added input choke. Year 4 they run with no issues. Lesson: on repeatable budget sites the INVT strategy works if the grid is stable.
Common selection mistakes
Mistake 1: taking Mitsubishi for a temporary project. If the kit runs 1-2 years until modernization, Mitsubishi premium quality amortizes longer than the useful term. Take INVT, save 40%.
Mistake 2: taking INVT GD200 for a winch without the encoder card. Without encoder closed-loop will not work, the winch will slip when stopping with a load. If you take GD200 for lifting, you must add GD200-EC-A1 (encoder card).
Mistake 3: putting Mitsubishi on simple ventilation. If the process is constant fan RPM without feedback, magnetic flux vector is not needed, V/f INVT covers it. Mitsubishi here is overpaying with no return.
Bottom line: decision matrix
Take Mitsubishi FR-E700 when:
- Site runs 24/7 with critical continuity
- You already have MELSEC PLCs or GOT panels
- Motors with unknown parameters and you cannot stop the process for calibration
- You need precise sleep mode on fine pump processes
- Your service contract is long (5+ years)
Take INVT GD200 when:
- Budget pressure 30-40%
- You need closed-loop control with encoder
- Integration via standard Modbus RTU with non-MELSEC controller
- Sustained overload 5+ seconds in the cycle
- Site of medium criticality where 1-3 day downtime is acceptable
Useful reading: Mitsubishi PID setup for pump, INVT GD200 catalog, Mitsubishi FR-E700 catalog.
