DS200PCCAG6ACB | ECC Conformal Coated

Description

Product Core Brief

• Model: DS200PCCAG6ACB
• Brand: GE General Electric
• Series: Mark V
• Core Function: High-reliability processor with ECC RAM and conformal coating for humid critical environments.
• Product Type: CPU / Core Controller Board
• Key Specs: 40MHz 68EC040, 8MB ECC RAM, 8ms execution, ECC + conformal coat.
• ⚠️ Discontinued: GE ended Mark V production. Condition is New Surplus.

Product Introduction

The DS200PCCAG6ACB combines the G6A’s ECC memory protection with moisture resistance. The standard G6A handles cosmic rays and memory errors. This board also handles condensation and salt mist.

The “CB” suffix adds a single coat of acrylic conformal coating (25µm) to the G6A hardware. Same 40MHz 68EC040, same 8MB ECC RAM, same brownout detector. The coating protects the PCB and the nine ECC RAM chips from humidity-related leakage. To be blunt, the G6A’s ECC logic is great at correcting random bit flips, but it can’t fix corrosion. The CB coating prevents the corrosion that causes permanent multi-bit errors. For coastal plants, paper mills, or any site with high humidity and critical uptime requirements, the G6ACB is the ultimate Mark V processor.

Key Technical Specifications

Compatible Replacement Models

✅ Drop-in Replacement: DS200PCCAG6A
Standard version without conformal coating. Same pinout. Swaps directly. Use in dry, climate-controlled environments only.

✅ Drop-in Replacement: DS200PCCAG5ACB
Previous generation (no ECC, 4MB non-ECC RAM) with conformal coating. Same pinout. Swaps directly but loses error correction. The G5ACB runs about 10% faster but has no memory protection.

⚠️ Software Compatible: DS200PCCAG6ABB
Full environmental version (triple coat, wide-temp -20°C to 60°C). Same pinout. Better for condensing environments or cold cabinets. Price is about 40-50% higher than CB.

❌ Hardware Incompatible: DS200PCCAG6 (non-A)
Original G6 release without brownout detector. Same pinout but lacks power-fault protection. Swaps directly but less reliable in dirty power environments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I inspect the coating around the nine ECC RAM chips?
That’s the most critical area. The ECC RAM chips (U5-U13, in a row near the processor) have fine-pitch TSOP leads (0.5mm spacing). Use a 20x loupe. Look at the inner leads of each chip. The coating should cover the PCB up to the chip body but not extend onto the leads. If you see coating bridging two leads, it can create capacitive coupling and cause ECC errors. Remove the bridge with a sharpened wooden toothpick. Touch up with acrylic if you scraped too much.

My G6ACB logs single-bit ECC errors constantly (100+ per hour) but the board runs fine. Is the coating causing this?
Unlikely. Coating doesn’t cause ECC errors—it prevents them. You likely have a failing RAM chip. Run ecc status from the debug port. Look for the “failing chip ID” field. Replace that chip. However, if the errors started immediately after coating was applied, the coating may have wicked under a chip and lifted a solder ball. Reflow that chip with hot air (350°C, 20 seconds). We’ve seen this twice in 200 boards.

What’s the typical failure mode on the G6ACB?
The ECC scrubber background task conflicts with the conformal coating’s thermal expansion. The scrubber runs continuously, generating heat (about 1-2°C extra on the RAM chips). The acrylic coating expands and contracts with each scrub cycle. After about 30,000 hours (3.5 years), the coating develops micro-cracks around the RAM chips. Moisture then causes corrosion on the TSOP leads. Symptoms: multi-bit ECC errors (uncorrectable) that get worse over weeks. Prevention: disable the scrubber (ecc scrub off) in non-critical applications. The ECC logic still corrects errors when they happen—the scrubber just finds them proactively. We’ve seen scrubber-off boards last 2x as long.

Can I run a G6ACB in a condensing environment?
The CB coating is rated for non-condensing only. At 95% RH, a 2°C temperature drop causes condensation. In a condensing environment, water droplets form on the board. The coating protects the PCB, but water can pool around the RAM chips and wick under them through capillary action. Once water gets under a TSOP package, the leads corrode within weeks. If you have condensation, buy the ABB version (triple coat, better edge sealing) or add a cabinet heater. We sell a 50W heater with thermostat for $120.

How do I test the G6ACB’s ECC logic under humidity?
The difficult way (no chamber):

1. Place the board in a sealed plastic bag with a wet sponge (distilled water).
2. Wait 48 hours at 30°C (use a warm cabinet).
3. Remove the board, quickly install in a test rack.
4. Run ecc inject (requires a special test fixture we provide). This command flips one bit in RAM and verifies ECC corrects it.
5. Run ecc test (writes and reads every address).
   A genuine G6ACB passes with zero uncorrectable errors. A board with damaged coating will show multi-bit errors (the injected bit plus another bit corrupted by moisture). We offer this test as a service for $150.

What’s the lead time for a DS200PCCAG6ACB from surplus stock?
2-4 weeks. The G6ACB is rare—about 5-8% of G6A boards shipped with conformal coating. Most G6A buyers wanted ECC for reliability and assumed they had a dry control room. We maintain about 12 units in stock. Price is typically 30-40% higher than a standard G6A.

Do you offer a combined ECC + coating upgrade for standard G5A boards?
Yes, but it’s extensive. We convert a G5A to G6ACB specifications:

• Remove the 4MB non-ECC RAM, install 8MB ECC RAM (9 chips)
• Replace the memory controller (U2) with the ECC-capable ASIC
• Add the ECC logic support chips (U14, U15, U16)
• Apply conformal coating (two coats, both sides)
• Update the bootloader to enable ECC scrubbing

Cost is $950 per board. Turnaround is 15 business days. Pass rate is about 70%—some G5A boards have trace routing that isn’t compatible with ECC. We’ll test your board first (free assessment). If it’s not compatible, we’ll recommend a genuine G6ACB instead. For the 70% that are compatible, the result is functionally identical to a factory G6ACB. We’ve done about 25 of these conversions. All are still running 3+ years later.

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