Let's unravel HVACR complexities with Tim R. Skell!
Our expert, Tim R. Skell, spent almost 3 years sharing his expertise in the #FunFactFriday series on LinkedIn. Now, we are giving him a forum to exchange news, knowledge, and passion for HVACR technologies in the new ABB column.
Join the discussion with Tim R. Skell on LinkedIn to read other fun facts and share ideas!
When connecting a 3-phase motor to a variable speed drive (VSD), you have a 50/50 shot of having that motor run in the direction you want. Even with the 50% odds, it seems I’m wrong 60% of the time. When you are behind schedule on a job, the odds of being wrong always seem to go up exponentially 😊
If the motor is running in the wrong direction, I have two options:
- Lock-out tag-out the power source upstream of the VSD. Put on personal protective equipment (PPE) and verify zero energy. Now that it is safe to work on the equipment, swap two motor leads. Make sure lugs are torqued properly. Then, go back and apply power. On a good day, that is a 30-minute process. Yes, I could save some time and skip the PPE and verification of zero energy, but my kids like it when Dad comes home every day – so I shouldn’t skip that part. Safety!
OR
- Go into the Primary Settings of ACH580 or ACQ580 and swap the output phase order (i.e. motor direction). I just timed myself - it took 8 seconds.
This is a very simple task (see picture below) with Primary Settings. It’s not hidden in parameters, nor do I need to work through an Assistant. It required only 8 seconds.
Check out also the quick how-to hands-on video that shows how to easily swap motor direction, using an ABB ACH580, without having to physically swap any wires.
Did you know the ACH580 offered this? What other hidden gem features of the ACH580 do you like?
ACH580 drives family 
ACQ580 drives family
