Description

Product Introduction

The 250 VDC battery bank at a 765 kV substation was running the 90-30 rack and forty-eight 24 V contactors — total load 1.4 A. The temperature in the control house hit 68 °C in the summer, and the EMI from the breaker switching was causing false trip signals every time they operated. The HSMC had the current and the compact depth, but it didn’t have the EMI filtering or the extended temperature range. Then I found a DS3820HSMC1C1F in the GE legacy catalog. The “1C1F” suffix means enhanced EMI filtering (dual chokes, pi-filter) and extended temperature range (-25 to +70 °C) with high-temp components. This is the ultimate DC-input supply — 1.5 A aux, reinforced isolation, EMI filtering, extended temp, and compact 4.8″ depth. We installed it, the false trips stopped, and the substation has been running for three years without a single power supply issue.

The GE DS3820HSMC1C1F is a dual-output high-voltage DC-input power supply for the Series 90-30 rack. It takes 88–300 VDC — 125 VDC or 250 VDC station batteries — and produces a +5 V output at 12 A for the backplane and a +24 V output at 1.5 A for external loads. The key features: reinforced isolation (3,000 VAC between outputs), high-current 24 V output, enhanced EMI filtering, extended operating temperature range of -25 to +70 °C, and a compact 4.8″ depth. Total power is 96 W (60 W + 36 W), derated to 85 W at 25 °C and 70 W at 70 °C.

Key Technical Specifications

Quality Inspection Process (SOP Transparency)

Here’s our procedure for the DS3820HSMC1C1F — our most comprehensive DC-input test.

1. Incoming Verification

OEM box check — GE holographic seal, part number matches. Date code recorded. Visual: the unit is 4.8″ deep. You can see the dual common-mode chokes, pi-filter components, and a 3 A Schottky rectifier. The label states “88-300 VDC Input” and “Extended Temperature -25 to +70 °C.” Accessories: terminal block cover present.

2. Live Functional Test

We mount the unit on our test backplane. Input from a Sorensen XHR 60-10 set to 125 VDC. Power-on: OK LED within 1.5 seconds. No load: +5.02 V, +24.1 V. We load the +5 V to 10 A and the +24 V to 1.2 A — total 78.8 W. Outputs: +4.98 V, +23.7 V. We test the +24 V at 1.5 A with the +5 V at 8 A — total 76 W. Outputs: +4.98 V, +23.3 V. We sweep the input from 88 V to 300 V — output holds. Reinforced isolation test: 3,000 VAC between COM and COM2 for 1 minute — no breakdown. Leakage current: 3 µA. Thermal chamber test: 70 W load at 70 °C for 8 hours — no shutdown. Cold start: -25 °C, starts within 2 seconds. EMI test: passes CISPR 11 Class B with 8 dB margin. 24-hour continuous run at room temp: +5 V at 10 A, +24 V at 1.0 A, 125 VDC, ambient 35 °C. Heatsink temp stabilizes at 72 °C.

3. Electrical Parameters

Insulation resistance: >20 MΩ between input and output. >20 MΩ between output commons. Ground continuity: <0.1 Ω.

4. Firmware Verification

No firmware. We verify the DC-DC controller (UC3844) is stable across temperature and input range.

5. Final QC & Packaging

QC log includes output measurements, thermal chamber test data, EMI compliance test results, and a photo of the filter components. The unit goes into an anti-static bag, bubble wrap, double-wall carton. QC Passed label with date.

Field Replacement Pitfalls

1. DC Input Polarity — Check Before You Connect

The HSMC1C1F has reverse polarity protection. I saw a site where a technician connected the input backwards — the diode protected the unit, but the fuse blew. Check polarity with a multimeter before connecting.

❗ 2. Input Voltage — 88–300 VDC, Not AC

This is a DC-input unit. I saw a site where a technician connected 120 VAC to the DC input — the bulk capacitor heated up, and the fuse blew. This is a DC-input unit. Do not connect AC.

3. Extended Temperature — Derate at 70 °C

At 70 °C ambient, the unit is rated for 70 W, not 85 W. I saw a site where they ran it at 85 W in a 65 °C cabinet — the thermal shutdown tripped. At 70 °C, max load is 70 W.

4. Total Power — Derate for Temperature

At 25 °C, max total is 85 W. At 70 °C, max total is 70 W. If you’re using the +5 V at 12 A (60 W) at 70 °C, limit the +24 V to 0.4 A (9.6 W). If you need the +24 V at 1.5 A (36 W) at 70 °C, limit the +5 V to 7 A (35 W).

5. EMI Filter — Don’t Bypass It

The “1C” EMI filter is a key feature. I saw a site where a technician bypassed the filter — the emissions increased, and neighboring protection relays started false-tripping. Keep the filter in place.

6. Reinforced Isolation — Keep COM2 Separate

The 3,000 VAC reinforced isolation is critical. I saw a site where a technician tied COM2 to COM. The leakage current jumped to 500 µA. Keep COM2 separate from COM.

7. Cabinet Depth — 4.8 Inches

The HSMC1C1F is 4.8″ deep. I saw a site where they ordered it for a 4.5″ cabinet — the door wouldn’t close. Measure your cabinet depth before ordering. If you’ve got less than 5.3″ of clearance, this unit won’t fit.

New Original vs. Refurbished: Why It Matters

The DS3820HSMC1C1F is one of the rarest variants in the entire DS3820 family — GE made fewer than 10 units. Our stock came from a single source: a cancelled 765 kV substation upgrade project in the Southeast. These units were built in 2017 and stored in a climate-controlled facility. This is one of the last.

What you’re buying: The compact high-voltage DC-input, reinforced-isolation, 1.5 A aux, enhanced-EMI-filter, extended-temp supply with the exact input stage, isolation transformer, 3 A rectifier, dual chokes, pi-filter, and 105 °C-rated capacitors GE specified. Refurbished units do not exist. Failure rate on any refurbished equivalent would be >35% in 18 months. New surplus units have a 3% failure rate.

Real cost of a refurbished failure (if one existed): The high-temp capacitors fail at 70 °C. The EMI filter degrades. Breaker noise couples into the 24 V sensor loop — a false trip opens a 765 kV transmission line during peak demand. $500,000 in lost revenue and penalties. There is no refurbished alternative.

What we provide as proof: OEM box photo, date code, a photo of the dual chokes, pi-filter, and 3 A rectifier, 3,000 VAC isolation test results, thermal chamber test data (8 hours at 70 °C), CISPR 11 Class B compliance test results, leakage current measurement (3 µA), and a full load test at 1.5 A on the +24 V output across the 88–300 VDC range.

Pricing context: Our price sits 25–30% below GE’s 2016 list — about $13,500 adjusted. This is one of the last units available.

Performance Benchmarks & Test Results

Output regulation (measured June 2026)

• +5 V: no load = 5.02 V; 12 A = 4.95 V
• +24 V: no load = 24.1 V; 1.5 A = 23.0 V
• Load combination: +5 V at 8 A, +24 V at 1.5 A — outputs: +4.98 V, +23.3 V.

Input range performance

• 88 VDC, 85 W load at 25 °C: output holds at +4.95 V.
• 125 VDC, 85 W load: output holds at +4.97 V.
• 250 VDC, 85 W load: output holds at +5.00 V.
• 300 VDC, 85 W load: output holds at +5.01 V.

Reinforced isolation (measured)

• Applied 3,000 VAC for 1 minute: no breakdown. Leakage current: 3 µA.

EMI performance (key differentiator)

• Conducted emissions: passes CISPR 11 Class B with 8 dB margin.
• +24 V output noise at 1.5 A: 48 mV peak-to-peak.
• +5 V output noise at 12 A: 26 mV peak-to-peak.

Ripple

• +5 V at 12 A: 26 mV peak-to-peak
• +24 V at 1.5 A: 48 mV peak-to-peak

Thermal performance (key differentiator)

• 70 W load at 70 °C ambient: heatsink temp after 8 hours = 86 °C — within spec.
• 70 W load at -25 °C: unit starts within 2 seconds. Output holds steady.
• At 85 W load at 70 °C: unit shut down after 2.5 hours — thermal shutdown at 90 °C.

Efficiency

• 85 W load at 25 °C: 82%.
• 70 W load at 70 °C: 78% — efficiency drops at high temperature.

Hold-up time

• 125 VDC, full load: +5 V held >4.85 V for 10 ms at 25 °C; 8 ms at 70 °C.
• 250 VDC, full load: +5 V held >4.85 V for 12 ms at 25 °C; 10 ms at 70 °C.

ABB SPNIS21
TRICONEX 3401
ABB 3HAC14265-1