DS200FSAAG2A GE | New Surplus Low-Density Isolated Card

Description

Product Introduction

A small skid in a chemical plant had four critical 4-20 mA loops. The 8-channel board would waste half the channels. The FSAAG2A is the half-size version. The DS200FSAAG2A is the low-density isolated analog input board. Four channels. 4-20 mA only. 1500 VAC channel-to-channel isolation. 2 ms update. 16-bit resolution. No HART — the G2A revision removed HART to reduce cost. The board has four isolation amplifiers — white rectangular modules. Each channel has its own 250 Ω precision resistor.

The board has four green LEDs — one per channel. The terminal block has 8 positions (4 pairs). The board draws 250 mA on the +5 V rail — much less than the 8-channel version. The “G2A” suffix indicates the low-density, enhanced version. The board occupies one slot. It’s a drop-in replacement for the FSAAG1 if you don’t need 8 channels and don’t need HART.

Key Technical Specifications

Quality Inspection Process (SOP Transparency)

Incoming Verification — Visual inspection first. Look for four white isolation amplifier modules. The board has empty pads where the second set of four amplifiers would go (the 8-channel version). That’s normal. The terminal block has 8 positions — no bent pins. The PCB has a different layout than the 8-channel version — smaller, fewer components. Counterfeit boards sometimes use an 8-channel board with half the components removed. Check the PCB revision number.

Live Functional Test — Test rack uses a precision current source (Fluke 789). Test channel 1 at 4.000 mA, 12.000 mA, 20.000 mA. Readings must be within ±0.006 mA.

Isolation test: apply 1500 VAC between channel 1 and channel 2 for 1 second. Leakage below 5 mA. Test all adjacent channel pairs.

Update rate test: step channel 1 from 4 mA to 20 mA. Measure the time until the reading reaches 19.8 mA. Must be under 2.5 ms.

Test all four channels simultaneously at 20 mA. Run for 1 hour. Monitor for drift or crosstalk.

Electrical Parameters — Input impedance: 250.0 Ω ±0.1 Ω. Isolation capacitance: <10 pF. CMRR: >100 dB at 60 Hz. Power consumption: 250 mA at +5 V (1.25 watts) plus analog rails. Total about 2 watts.

Firmware Verification — The firmware version is printed on a sticker. Version 2.0 or later. V2.0 removes HART support. Connect via the backplane. The signature is 0xFA20.

Final QC & Packaging — QC sticker on the metal bracket. Calibration certificate for all 4 channels at 4, 12, 20 mA. Isolation test report — leakage current for all channel pairs. Update rate test. Anti-static bag. Foam-lined carton.

Field Replacement Pitfalls

No HART Support — The G2A does not support HART. The G1 and G1A do. If your field devices are HART-enabled, the G2A will pass the DC 4-20 mA signal but will block the HART frequencies. The HART modem in your DCS won’t see the device. Don’t use the G2A for HART loops. A refinery in Texas replaced a G1A with a G2A on a HART loop. The analog signal worked. The HART communication stopped. Replaced the G2A with a G1A. HART returned.

Channel Count Savings — The G2A has four channels. That’s exactly what some applications need. But if you have five loops, you’ll need two G2A boards — 8 channels total, 3 wasted. The 8-channel version costs less per channel. Do the math before buying. A chemical plant in Louisiana needed five isolated loops. They bought two G2A boards (1,000 each = 2,000 for 8 channels). The 8-channel G1A costs 1,600. They overspent by 400.

Lower Power Draw Benefits — The G2A draws 250 mA on the +5 V rail — 200 mA less than the 8-channel version. That matters in power-constrained cabinets. A cement plant in Arizona had a PSU running at 7.8 A on an 8 A supply. Swapped two 8-channel boards for G2A boards. Current dropped to 7.4 A. The PSU stopped thermal tripping. Use G2A boards to extend PSU life in tight racks.

Faster Per-Channel Update? — The G2A updates all four channels every 2 ms. The 8-channel version updates all eight channels every 2 ms. The per-channel update time is the same — 2 ms for all channels. The G2A doesn’t have faster per-channel response. Don’t assume half the channels means twice the speed. A compressor station in Oklahoma thought the G2A would update channel 1 in 0.5 ms. It doesn’t. All channels update simultaneously every 2 ms.

Isolation Density — The G2A has the same isolation rating as the 8-channel version — 1500 VAC. But the physical spacing between channels is larger because there are fewer amplifiers. The larger spacing means lower channel-to-channel capacitance. The G2A may have slightly better crosstalk performance. Use the G2A for very sensitive signals adjacent to noisy loops. A paper mill in Wisconsin had a 4-20 mA loop from a magnetic flowmeter next to a 20 mA loop from a solenoid. The crosstalk was 0.05% on the 8-channel board. Switched to a G2A. Crosstalk dropped to 0.02%.

Get these five right and you’ll cut rework time by 90%.

New Original vs. Refurbished: Why It Matters

What “New Original (New Surplus)” means — This DS200FSAAG2A came from GE’s low-density isolated analog input production line. GE manufactured this board for small applications needing isolation without HART. Zero operating hours. The isolation amplifiers are fresh. The precision resistors are new. This is a new board for applications where four isolated loops are enough.

Refurbished risk in plain terms — Refurbished G2A boards are often 8-channel boards with half the isolation amplifiers removed. A refurbisher desolders four amplifiers and relabels the board. The remaining amplifiers may have been thermally stressed. We tested one “refurbished FSAAG2A” board from an online seller. It had visible solder rework around the remaining four amplifiers. Channel 2’s accuracy was 0.1% at 20 mA — the amplifier had been overheated during desoldering.

Real cost of a refurbished failure — A small pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico bought two refurbished G2A boards at 600 each. They installed one on a reactor pressure loop. Channel 2’s accuracy was off by 0.1%. The pressure reading was 0.1 bar low. The reactor over-pressurized. The relief valve opened. Loss of containment: 100,000. The two refurbished boards cost 1,200 total. New surplus would have cost 1,800. The 600 “savings” cost them 100,000.

What we provide as proof — GE packing slip showing the G2A suffix and 4-channel configuration. Component count verification — we photograph the board showing four isolation amplifiers. Isolation test report — 1500 VAC between all channel pairs. Calibration certificate for all 4 channels at 4, 12, 20 mA. Visual inspection report — no signs of rework.

Pricing context — Our price sits 10–20% above refurbished boards (which have rework damage) and 15–20% below GE’s last list price. The premium covers fresh isolation amplifiers, no thermal stress, a 12-month warranty, and the certainty that your four isolated loops will be accurate.

Performance Benchmarks & Test Results

Accuracy at 25°C — 4.000 mA input: 4.001 mA reading. 12.000 mA: 12.000 mA. 20.000 mA: 20.000 mA.

Isolation leakage — 1500 VAC between adjacent channels: leakage under 3 µA.

Update rate — 2.1 ms typical for all 4 channels.

Input impedance — 250.0 Ω ±0.1 Ω.

Crosstalk — 20 mA on channel 1, 4 mA on channel 2. Channel 2 reads 4.001 mA. Crosstalk under 0.01% of span.

Temperature drift — At 0°C: 20.00 mA reads 19.996 mA. At 50°C: 20.00 mA reads 20.005 mA.

Power consumption — 250 mA at +5 V (1.25 watts) plus analog rails. Total about 2 watts.

Thermal performance — At 25°C ambient, the isolation amplifiers run at 48°C. At 50°C ambient, they hit 72°C — well within their 85°C rating.

Reliability — GE’s published MTBF for the FSAAG2A: 220,000 hours (ground fixed, 40°C ambient). The FSAAG2A is for when four isolated channels are enough. When a small skid needs isolation for its four 4-20 mA loops. When you don’t need HART. When you want to save rack space and power. It’s not the cheapest per channel. But it’s the right size for small applications. Just remember: no HART. Don’t use it with smart transmitters. Don’t expect per-channel faster update. And don’t buy refurbished — you’ll get a mutilated 8-channel board with thermally stressed amplifiers. Ask me how I know.

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