The Importance of a Reliable Water Supply

Water is essential — it sustains communities, grows crops, and supports entire ecosystems and economies. It’s not just a resource; it’s a lifeline. And for drillers, irrigators, and water system professionals, delivering it efficiently and reliably isn’t just work, it’s a mission. Yet in many critical water applications, fluctuating water demand, aging infrastructure, and rising energy costs introduce significant complexity. The need for adaptable, reliable, and easy-to-use pump control has never been greater— and Grundfos has just the solution.

The CUE100 by Grundfos is an external variable‑frequency drive (VFD) designed for constant pressure pump control across a wide range of applications like agriculture, livestock, residential, commercial, industrial and municipal water supply. The compact design, simplified interface and easy-to-use app make it effortless to install, set up and troubleshoot on submersible or above‑ground pumping applications.

This article explores how the CUE 100 is simplifying operations, improving efficiency, and solving real‑world challenges for water professionals.

A System Designed Around the Way You Work

In general, VFDs can be a bit complex and challenging for most users. In‑depth menu settings and programming steps create a steep learning curve which make it difficult for installers to effectively train new personnel and scale their business. The CUE 100 cuts back on installation time and provides a simplified approach to making set up a breeze.¹

A True Operational Advantage

Although sometimes complex, VFDs are continuing to grow in popularity as they become more affordable, largely because they outperform traditional pressure‑switch‑based systems. When relying on a pressure switch to regulate system pressure, users can experience significant fluctuations, often swinging as much as ±20 psi as household or agricultural loads (such as rainfall showers, washing machines, or irrigation systems) turn on and off. These fluctuations create noticeable pressure changes throughout the system, leading to inconsistent performance and reduced comfort for end users.

VFD technology mitigates these swings by keeping the pump running while automatically adjusting motor speed to match the dynamic pressure demand. As a result, system pressure is stabilized, performance is improved, equipment and piping life are extended, and operational consistency is significantly enhanced.

The CUE 100 stands apart in this category of drives, offering one of the most versatile and capable constant‑pressure platforms on the market today. Its feature set includes:

Figure 1: Compact NEMA 4X enclosure making installation simple in any environment. Image courtesy of Grundfos

• Widest input voltage range available (AC & DC Voltage options)
• User‑friendly smartphone app for setup, commissioning, and on‑site troubleshooting
• Capability for remote communication through Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor
• Durable NEMA 4X enclosure for demanding environments
• Multi‑drive (up to 8 drives) control for complex system configurations
• Advanced control and protection features² for the connected pumps and motors

Developed by installers with direct field experience, the CUE100 addresses real‑world application challenges and consistently outperforms conventional soft‑start systems, pressure switches, pressure‑regulating valves, and traditional pump start controls. Together, these capabilities make the CUE100 a more reliable, flexible, and intelligent solution than legacy pressure‑switch systems.

Unique Onsite and Off-Site Monitoring & Control Options

The CUE 100 has an easy‑to‑use smartphone app (UnyConnect) for initial setup and setting configuration while on site. Grundfos also offers an add on remote monitoring solution for off-site management and diagnostics called Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor.
 

Figure 3: The free UnyConnect app for configuring drive settings while on site. Image courtesy of Grundfos

1-UnyConnect Smartphone App (Free)

Using the dedicated UnyConnect app while on site users can:

• Configure drive and application settings including pressure, frequency, current, voltage and power factor
• View current operating conditions, alarm and warning logs
• Update drive software
• Password‑protect settings

The free smartphone app provides a secure method to simplify on‑site setup, programming, and troubleshooting. If required, operators connected via Unyconnect can grant temporary access to remote technicians for troubleshooting, enabling more effective service planning.

2-Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor (optional cellular service)

Adding on the Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor cellular service enables:

• 24/7 remote access to critical performance information for one or multiple pumps.
• A map view of all connected assets
• Automatic alarm notifications via text and or email

For a small annual subscription fee, Grundfos Connect provides value when customers have many installations to manage, especially when the sites are tough to visit frequently.
 

Figure 4: CUE 100 and Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor remote monitoring add-on option. (requires cellular subscription) Image: Grundfos

Dependable Performance from Fields to Farms Across the Nation

Feedback from CUE100 users across a wide range of applications—from large‑scale commercial and industrial systems to smaller, decentralized installations—has been consistently positive. With thousands of units installed throughout the country, customers appreciate how easy the CUE100 platform is to install and operate.

Many well drilling and service companies have shifted to providing the CUE100 whenever possible, as it significantly streamlines their operations. The CUE100 provides value where customers need it most and has become a go‑to solution for installers, delivering peace of mind in critical applications that rely on continuous uptime and steady water supply.

Simplicity and Reliability for Critical Applications

Steven Redd, Vice President of Operations at Peach State Well Drilling and Pump Service³, manages day-to-day operations across service, sales, and new well construction. His role demands highly efficient systems that perform seamlessly across diverse applications and remain dependable under the continuous demands of agricultural environments. “We have many customers that use water in many different ways,” Redd said. “The only way that we can achieve an efficient system across multiple applications is by using a variable speed drive.”

For his team, the CUE 100 stood out early for ease of setup. “If you can wire in a basic control box,” he said, “you can wire in one of these drives.” That simplicity matters when service technicians are spread across job sites, and not every tech has the same level of experience with programming or diagnostics.

Redd also points to reliability as the driving factor behind adopting the CUE 100 in the first place. “With applications that we use in agriculture, these pumps need to work all day and all night,” he said. “It is life or death for livestock and plant nursery applications, for example.”

Remote access is another differentiator. “They're the only ones that have remote access.” Redd said. In practice, this enables experienced technicians or support staff to assist in troubleshooting issues remotely, thereby reducing downtime and preventing costly service delays.

Figure 2: Connect up to 8 drives together in “Combo Mode” when the water demand varies significantly. Image: Grundfos

And when something does go wrong, the combination of diagnostics and support matters. Redd described his experience with Grundfos support as consistently efficient, adding that when he calls tech support with an issue, they are typically back up and running within an hour.

He also highlighted lead-lag functionality as a major operational advantage, especially for systems that can’t afford downtime. When operating in “Combo Mode” the system can automatically shift to a backup unit if the primary unit fails, buying precious time to make repairs without stopping water delivery.

Consideration for Every Drop of Water

The challenges facing irrigation and water professionals aren’t easing up. 

Demand is getting more volatile, operators have less time to spare, and water scarcity is a real problem in many places. Add in aging infrastructure and fewer experienced hands in the field, and the margin for error gets thin fast.

Figure 5: CUE 100 remote installation Image: Grundfos

That’s why simplicity, adaptability, and efficiency aren’t “nice to have” features anymore. They’re the difference between staying ahead of problems and constantly playing catch-up, between a smooth job or season and a costly one.

The CUE 100 delivers robust technical performance paired with field-ready ease of use. It allows water professionals to control where every drop of water in their system goes which is essential in critical situations.

And at the end of the day, that means more water where it matters most. 

The Grundfos CUE 100 is more than a frequency converter; it's a solution. For drillers, irrigators, ag techs, and municipal contractors, it’s a tool that brings clarity, control, and consistency to complex pumping environments.

Whether it’s your first install or you’re rolling them out across multiple sites, the goal is the same: smarter water management without unnecessary complexity. Because when you're dealing with water, you're dealing with life.

1. See how easy it is to install and set up a new CUE 100 here in our installation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbFBQH2qFlE

2. Dry-run protection is an essential feature of the CUE 100 that protects the pump from running when no water is present. This can be configured to operate on parameters such as; Power Factor, Current or Pressure. If the drive senses that the parameter value drops to low then it will temporarily stop the pump until the event has cleared while providing corresponding warnings or alarms.

3. A trusted well drilling and service company providing pump installation, and system repair across Greater Athens and Northeast Georgia. They currently have around 20 CUE 100 units installed in their region with more on the way.