Fun Fact Friday

After 3 years of Fun Fact Friday insights on LinkedIn, our expert, Tim R. Skell, charts new waters in the ABB column.

Tim R. Skell

Tim R. Skell
Global HVACR Application Engineering Manager at ABB

Tim finished a degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, USA. He has 12 years of expertise in HVACR drive application engineering at ABB and more than 20 years in the drive business.

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Tim Skell Industry Person of the Year
Tim R. Skell becomes the Industry Person of the Year 2024!
Stairwell pressurization
Drives in action: fire safety in stairwell pressurization
back-up generators and harmonic levels
When official standards are not enough - back-up generators and harmonic levels
Trivia for drive nerds: The easter egg that indicates frame size
We've got the moves (and the durability)
Simplify power quality and capacitor diagnostics from the control panel
Control multiple drives with just one panel
Intrusion alert! Disabling drive's buttons for HVACR system security
Stop swapping wires! Change motor direction in 8 seconds with this trick
Who says engineers can't be romantic? Customizing drive’s display messages
Boost drive's security: Explore Checksum feature
Explore the hidden benefits of your drive's clock
Take advantage of spare Input/Output
Ready to lead the charge in ignition safety for HVACR?
Having drives communications problems? Level up your HVACR troubleshooting!
The unseen challenge for motor overload protection
How to say goodbye to harmonics caused by drives!
Ever wonder how signal type switching became a breeze for drives techs?
Advanced damper control with a drive
Energy savings from existing air handlers
Motor Disconnect Detection
Fan Array Start Method
How to get a free power meter with every drive
Broken Belt detection
Automatic back-up in ACH580

Explore all Fun Fact Friday pieces

Customize Safety Text
Automatic parameter backup
Real Time Clock
Broken belt detection video - monitoring torque
Fan Array Start Method
Harmonics & bar hopping analogy
Motor Disconnect Detection
Checksum - identifying when a parameter was changed
I/O Menu allows troubleshooting w/o a meter
Advanced damper control with a VFD
HVAC quick setup
Monitoring DC bus ripple for troubleshooting and maintenance
ACH580 application examples & wiring
Broken belt (or coupling) detection
Selecting motor direction during start-up
Why to use Fault (-1) logic
Making sure the VFD and bypass operate in the same direction
Quick Ramps (two different accel/decel rates)
Ease of set-up: 0-10 VDC vs 4-20 mA configuration
HOA confirmation (protect against accidental button press)
BACnet + VFDs = Free Power Meter
Loss of Analog Input - How should a VFD respond?
Cold Cofigurator Adaptor 
Ability to talk two communication protocols at once
Disable HOA functionality for public access areas
Built-in communication (i.e. BACnet) diagnostics
Cold Cofigurator Adaptor - programming a VFD w/o power
Using a single control panel to multiple VFDs
VFD retrofit on 2-stage air handlers
Passthrough I/O - taking advantage of spare I/O
Harmonics demonstration (video)
Single phase condition - auto derate feature
VFD protection:  Swapped input power & motor wires
Harmonic mitigation: ULH vs Active Filters
Ability to boost voltage with ULH VFDs in low line scenarios
Motor service factor (SF) with a VFD
MMP Multiple Motor
Fan Array designs for redundency
VFD with "free" motor heater
VFDs and Cooling Towers
Johnson Creek School Distric VFD
My 10 years @ ABB
Harmonic mitigation: ULH & Passive Filters
Difference between Max Current vs Current Limit
BACnet MS/TP wiring & BACnet general information
Impact of VFD technology on Input Current (wire size)
Motor efficiency (EC Titanium)
Interlock types (safeties)
Programming a VFD without power - multiple methods
Verifying RS-485 port is functional
Year in review
SCCR and Slash ratings
"Other" flexibility for relay outputs
Broken Belt protection for Bypass mode
Chilled water troubleshooting
SCCR and Disconnect types
Electronic Bypass
HVAC Q&A
ACH580 Override mode (no bypass)
AFE and smaller electrical gear
VFD specifications - don't Frankenstein it
Importance of a VFD schedule
VFD specs & VFD schedules combination
PID Setpoint over Comms
BACnet setup videos, produced by CFM
Redundant drives
Max cable distance between VFD and Motor
Frame sizes via bars on the cover
Happy Anniversary - Control panel text flexibility
THHN Wire
VFD and Inverter terminology
First half FFF recap
I/O Menu video, troubleshoot & commission
Accessing ACH550 on failed drive
Motor protection when a VFD fails
VFD shelf life (capacitor reforming)
Alternate fuses & breakers
HVAC University
First Start Assistant - Training Video
Voltage Distortion target value
Naming a VFD and Contact Info - Training video
VFD packaging options 
Intelligent Pump Control
Redundant ULH drives
Multiple Ratings
Drive Specialist Track
O'scope triggering
VFD vs ECM comparison to off-grid solar
HVAC Quick setup training video (ACH580)
Analog Scaling for Fan Array training video
Fan Array - motor data entry and setup
Output current measurements
Buy American details
Second half recap
Drivetune introduction video
Wireshark for BACnet
Start Interlock 1 - Troubleshooting
Stadium applications
Experts Lounge content
Multiple EC Titanium on single VFD
VFD Maintenance
BACnet guide spec & wiring practices
Full size vs Micro drive comparison
Proof of flow on pumps
BACnet duplicate ID detection
Backup generators and harmonics
Inverting a RO or DI
RS-485 Troubleshooting
Football cards
Trending power directly on a VFD
BMS Monitoring HAND status via RO or BACnet
BACnet MS/TP setup on ACH580
Truth about override mode
Max Frequency added to HVAC quick setup
Entering motor data into an ACH580 (video)
VFD Quality (HALT, ALT, etc)
Cabinet temp alarm for dirty filter
Changing motor rotation on an ACH580 (video)
Top 5 fun facts of H1 '23
Cooling Tower PID setup
BACnet User-Configurable Objects
Voltage levels and protections
Motor Service Factor, NEMA MG1, SM1
System Design: Harmonics & Gens (video)
2 vs 3 contactor bypass designs
Rebate program
VFD Prognostics & Diagnostics
Resetting a VFD to factory default (ACH580)
Using a VFD to control an entire AHU
UL60335-2-40 UL for AHUs
Stairwell pressurization and override mode
O'scope training series
Lonworks network training
ACH580 running an entire AHU (tech note)
Fan array integration
Demystifying ULH operation
Wiring practices for VFDs in a cabinet
What does BACnet MS/TP stand for?
List of all FunFactFridays
Top (3) posts from second half of 2023
Sensorless pumping
AHR 2024 Sneak peak - NEMA 4X and ACH180
Experts Lounge ACH580 Experience
Stadium hydronics
ECM inflexibility and failure rate
ACH580 Running an entire Cooling Tower (video)
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