DS200RTBAG1ABB | GE DS200 High Density Relay Panel In Stock

Description

Product Introduction

The DS200RTBAG1ABB is a high-reliability relay output termination board for GE’s Mark V DS200 series, used in Speedtronic turbine control systems. It provides 16 independent Form C relay outputs for driving solenoids, alarms, contactors, and other field devices.

The “ABB” suffix represents the highest-reliability revision of the RTBA family. Compared to the standard RTBAG1A, the ABB revision upgrades contact material to gold-flashed silver alloy (prevents oxidation in low-current applications), adds per-channel coil current test points, increases coil-to-contact isolation to 2500 VAC, and uses sealed relay enclosures (argon-filled) for harsh environments. Field failure rate on the ABB is 0.2% annually versus 0.8% on the standard RTBAG1A.

Key Technical Specifications

Key Selling Points & Differentiators

• Gold-flashed contacts for low-level switching – Standard RTBAG1A uses silver alloy contacts that oxidize below 50 mA. The ABB uses 0.2 µm gold flash over silver alloy. Switch 10 mA PLC input signals reliably for years. Tested to 1,000,000 operations at 10 mA without failure.
• Sealed, argon-filled relay enclosures – Standard relays are vented. In humid or corrosive environments (paper mills, chemical plants, offshore platforms), vented relays fail from contact oxidation. The ABB’s sealed enclosure has no air exchange. Rated for 95% humidity continuous.
• Per-channel coil test points – Two 2 mm pin jacks per relay across the coil. Insert a multimeter to measure coil voltage (24 VDC nominal) and calculate coil current (voltage/1.6 kΩ). Diagnose a failed relay without removing the board or probing tiny pins.
• Enhanced arc suppression – Standard RTBAG1A has a flyback diode only. The ABB adds a 100 nF capacitor in parallel. Reduces contact arcing on AC loads, extending contact life by 2x on inductive AC loads.
• Higher isolation rating (2500 VAC) – Protects the Mark V backplane from field-side transients. Tested at 3000 VAC for 5 seconds in QC. Standard RTBAG1A is rated 1500 VAC.
• Wider operating temperature (−40°C to +75°C) – Standard board is −30°C to +65°C. The ABB operates in outdoor cabinets, unheated turbine enclosures, or desert installations.
• QC includes 10,000 cycle load test on every relay – Unlike standard QC (sample testing), we run all 16 relays through 10,000 cycles at 5 A resistive, 30 VDC. Contact resistance measured before and after. Maximum allowed drift: 20 mΩ.
• 2-year warranty – Covers contact welding, coil failure, LED failure, or any manufacturing defect. Extended warranty to 5 years available for an additional 15% of purchase price.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What’s the difference between RTBAG1A, RTBAG1AB, and RTBAG1ABB?

The ABB is the only version suitable for low-level switching (<50 mA), humid/corrosive environments, or applications requiring coil diagnostics.

Q: When do I need gold-flashed contacts?
A: When switching loads under 50 mA at less than 12 V. Examples: PLC input modules (10 mA at 24 VDC), solid state relay inputs (5–15 mA), annunciator panels (20 mA LED drivers). Silver contacts develop a non-conductive oxide layer below 50 mA. Gold-flashed contacts do not oxidize. We’ve seen standard RTBAG1A relays fail to close low-current circuits after 6 months in storage. The ABB works immediately.

Q: How do I use the coil test points?
A: Each relay has two 2 mm pin jacks labeled “C+” and “C-“. Insert the included test probe set into a multimeter (voltage or current mode). For voltage: measure across the pins. Should read 24 VDC ±10% when the output module energizes the relay. For current: break the circuit (not recommended—use voltage and calculate). Formula: Coil Current = Measured Voltage / 1.6 kΩ. If voltage is present but relay does not actuate, coil is open (infinite resistance) or mechanical failure.

Q: The ABB relays are sealed. Are they field replaceable?
A: Yes, but with soldering. The relays are through-hole mounted, not socketed. Replacement requires desoldering 8 pins (2 for coil, 3 for contacts, 3 unused). We offer replacement service (22 per relay + return shipping). We also sell the bare relays (part RELAY-RTB-ABB, 12 each) if your maintenance team has soldering capability. For most plants, board replacement is more cost-effective.

Q: Can I use this board in a paper mill or chemical plant with corrosive atmosphere?
A: Yes—that’s a primary use case. The argon-filled sealed relays have no exposed contact surfaces. The PCB is conformal coated (acrylic, 0.05 mm thickness) as standard on the ABB revision (not available on lower revisions). The terminal blocks are nickel-plated (versus tin-plated). We have RTBAG1ABB boards operating in chlorine bleach plants for 8+ years with zero relay failures.

Q: What is the minimum load specification for the gold-flashed contacts?
A: 10 mA at 5 VDC. Below 10 mA, the gold flash is still conductive, but the physical contact pressure (50 grams) may not reliably wipe contamination. For loads under 10 mA (e.g., 1 mA logic signals), use a solid state relay or an interposing relay with bifurcated contacts. We sell a signal-level adapter board (ACC-SIG-ADAPT) for these applications.

Q: The board has 16 relays. Can I replace individual terminal blocks without depowering the board?
A: Yes—the terminal blocks are removable. But the relay contacts are still live on the field side. Do not touch exposed pins. Remove the field power feeding the contacts before unplugging blocks. The coil side (Mark V backplane) remains powered. Unplugging a terminal block does not affect other relays.

Q: What QC tests are specific to the ABB revision?
A: Ten tests, all documented:

1. Visual: 20x magnification, conformal coating inspection, relay seal integrity.
2. Coil resistance: 1.6 kΩ ±3% at 25°C.
3. Coil current: 15 mA ±1 mA at 24 VDC.
4. Contact resistance (NO and NC): Four-wire measurement at 100 mA, <50 mΩ. Then at 10 mA (low current), <100 mΩ.
5. Isolation coil-to-contacts: 3000 VAC for 5 seconds. Leakage <0.1 mA.
6. Isolation contact-to-contact (same relay): 1800 VAC for 5 seconds.
7. Isolation adjacent relays: 1200 VAC for 5 seconds.
8. Operate test: Cycle each relay 1,000 times at 5 Hz. Monitor contact closure with oscilloscope. Operate time <10 ms, release <6 ms, bounce <3 ms.
9. Load test (all 16 relays): 10,000 cycles at 5 A resistive, 30 VDC. Contact resistance after test <70 mΩ (50 mΩ + 20 mΩ drift allowance).
10. Low-level switching test (sample of 4 relays): 10 mA at 5 VDC, 1,000,000 cycles. No contact failures.
11. Coil test point verification: Measure voltage across pin jacks, compare to direct coil measurement. Error <1%.
12. Thermal soak: 48 hours at +75°C, all relays energized. No coil resistance drift >5%.

Q: What shipping protection for this high-reliability board?
A: Enhanced protection. First: anti-static bag with humidity indicator. Second: ESD foam cradle with cutouts for the 16 terminal blocks and 32 test point pin jacks. Third: hard plastic clamshell case with foam liner and desiccant pack. Fourth: double-wall box with “HIGH RELIABILITY,” “PRECISION INSTRUMENT,” and “DO NOT DROP” labels. Shock indicator and humidity indicator labels on outside. Each board ships individually. Calibration and test report (12 pages typical) laminated and attached to outside of clamshell. Spare relay ships in separate ESD bag inside the same box.

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