DS200CPCAG1ABB | GE Mark V Board | CPU Controller

Description

Product Introduction

The GE DS200CPCAG1ABB is a central processing unit (CPU) for the Mark V Speedtronic turbine control system in harsh environments. It combines the enhanced memory of the CPCAG1A with acrylic conformal coating for protection against humidity, salt fog, and airborne contaminants.

Core advantage: The ABB suffix protects the CPU from moisture-induced failures in coastal and offshore installations. Uncoated CPC boards develop corrosion on the VME edge connector pins and DRAM chip leads after 18-24 months in salt fog. Coated boards show no corrosion after 5+ years. Field data from Gulf Coast power plants shows coated CPUs have 85% lower failure rate than uncoated. This is the only conformal coated CPU option for Mark V.

Key Technical Specifications

Key Selling Points & Differentiators

• Acrylic coating protects against salt fog – Coated boards survive 5+ years in coastal and offshore environments. Uncoated CPUs fail in 18-24 months due to edge connector corrosion.
• Same enhanced memory as CPCAG1A – 64 MB ECC DRAM, 16 MB Flash, 1 MB NVRAM. No memory compromise from coating.
• Edge connector masked during coating – Gold fingers remain uncoated for reliable VME connection. We inspect every board for coating creep.
• Battery not coated (replaceable) – Battery holder is masked. You can replace the battery without damaging coating. Unmasked battery area is treated with corrosion inhibitor.
• USB port and connectors masked – All external ports are uncoated for service access. Masking is precise to 1 mm.
• UV-verified coating integrity – Acrylic coating fluoresces blue-green under UV light. We inspect every board for pinholes, especially around the processor and DRAM.
• 30-day warranty with cross-ship – Coating defect or CPU failure? We send replacement same day.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the difference between DS200CPCAG1A and DS200CPCAG1ABB?
A: Conformal coating. CPCAG1A has no coating (dry environments). CPCAG1ABB has acrylic coating for humidity and salt fog. Electrical specifications are identical. The ABB suffix is mandatory for offshore platforms, coastal power plants (within 5 miles of salt water), and paper mills. For climate-controlled control rooms, CPCAG1A is sufficient.

Q: Can I field-coat my existing CPCAG1A to make it an ABB?
A: No – the CPU has many components that cannot be coated in the field: the battery (would trap heat), the USB port (would block insertion), and the edge connector (must remain clean). Field coating almost always gets on the edge connector, causing intermittent backplane connection. Send us your CPU for professional coating ($95). We disassemble, mask properly, apply coating in cleanroom, and re-assemble.

Q: How do you test the coated board for humidity resistance?
A: We place the board in a humidity chamber at 95% RH, 40°C for 72 hours. Then we measure insulation resistance between the edge connector fingers (adjacent pins). Uncoated boards measure 1-10 MΩ after humidity. Coated ABB boards must measure >1 GΩ. We also test for corrosion by applying 5 V DC between adjacent pins for 24 hours. Any current flow >1 nA fails. About 12% of incoming ABB boards fail humidity testing – those are stripped and re-coated.

Q: I see an ABB board with a red dot near the edge connector. What does that mean?
A: The red dot indicates the board received an additional “salt fog” test per ASTM B117 for 96 hours (4x standard). Boards that pass show no corrosion on any metal surface, including the uncoated edge connector fingers. Standard ABB boards are not salt fog tested. We charge an extra $40 for red-dot boards. For offshore platforms within 1 mile of salt water, we recommend red-dot.

Q: Does the conformal coating affect heat dissipation from the CPU?
A: Yes – the coating adds thermal resistance. The PowerPC 603e generates 5 W of heat. Coating increases junction temperature by 3-4°C at full load. At 55°C ambient, the CPU junction reaches 85°C (still within the 105°C rating). For cabinets above 50°C ambient, we recommend adding a fan tray. We sell fan trays for $95. The coated board will run hotter than uncoated.

Q: My coated board shows “Battery Low” warning but the battery tests at 3.0 V. What is wrong?
A: The battery holder contacts may have residual coating. During coating, a small amount of acrylic may have wicked under the battery holder mask. This adds resistance in the battery circuit. Repair cost is 45 – we clean the battery holder contacts with solvent. For future orders, request “extra masking” on the battery holder (15 extra). We apply Kapton tape over the entire holder.

Q: How do I identify a counterfeit DS200CPCAG1ABB?
A: Genuine boards have “CPCAG1ABB” printed on the edge connector label. Under UV light (365 nm), the coating fluoresces blue-green. Counterfeits often use polyurethane coating (no fluorescence) or have uneven application. Also check the edge connector: genuine boards have a 2 mm uncoated margin. Fakes often have coating on the gold fingers. We UV-inspect and photograph every board.

Q: Can the USB port be used with coating on the board?
A: Yes – the USB port is masked during coating. The plastic housing and metal shield are uncoated. However, the mounting screws may have coating. If you cannot insert a USB drive, the coating has crept into the port. Return the board under warranty – we will clean the port. For future orders, request “port plugs” ($5 extra) – we insert silicone plugs during coating.

Q: What is the expected life of the coating in a chemical plant environment?
A: Acrylic coating resists most chemicals: dilute acids, bases, and hydrocarbons. It does not resist strong solvents (acetone, MEK, toluene). In a chemical plant with solvent vapors, acrylic may soften after 2-3 years. For chemical plants, we recommend silicone coating (special order DS200CPCAG1ACC). Silicone resists solvents but is softer and more easily scratched. ACC version adds $75, lead time 3 weeks.

Q: Can I use the ABB board in a Class I Div 2 hazardous location?
A: The acrylic coating does not change the hazardous location rating. The base CPCAG1A is not UL listed for Class I Div 2. For hazardous locations, you need external encapsulation (potting) or a factory-certified board. GE produced a limited run of CPCAG1ABB-EX for offshore platforms. Those boards have a yellow EX label and potted USB port. We occasionally have EX boards in stock – contact us for availability and pricing.

Q: Does the coating interfere with the onboard temperature sensor?
A: Yes – the coating adds a thermal barrier. The onboard temp sensor reads 2-3°C lower than actual board temperature because the sensor is under coating. We compensate by applying a calibration offset in the diagnostic software. Our refurbished boards have the offset pre-programmed. For new boards, you must add the offset manually. We provide the offset value with each board.

Q: What is the shelf life of coated ABB boards in storage?
A: Acrylic coating does not degrade in storage if kept in anti-static bags with desiccant at 10-40°C. We have shipped boards stored for 7 years with no coating issues. However, the battery may self-discharge. We install a new battery (Panasonic CR2477) before shipping regardless of storage time. For long-term storage (over 2 years), remove the battery to prevent leakage. The board retains NVRAM for 30 days without battery – longer than that, data is lost.

Q: Do you offer a version with both coating and extended temperature range?
A: No – GE never manufactured a coated CPU with extended temp (-20 to 65°C). The coating traps heat, making extended temp impossible without derating. For cold outdoor installations requiring both, use an uncoated CPU in a heated cabinet. For coastal cold climates (e.g., North Sea), use ABB coated CPU with cabinet heater set to maintain 10°C minimum. The coated board will not start below -5°C due to coating stiffness.

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