GE DS200FHVAG2A | Mark V DS200 High-Voltage AI Board

Description

Product Introduction

The original FHVAG2 updated at 4 ms. That’s fine for pressure and temperature. But a fast flow control loop in a chemical plant needed 2 ms response. The G2A cut the update rate in half. The DS200FHVAG2A is the enhanced low-density analog input board. Six channels. 0-10 V or 0-20 mA. 16-bit resolution. Update rate: 2 ms for all six channels. Temperature drift improved from ±0.01% per °C to ±0.005% per °C.

What changed? The ADC is faster — a 200 kHz delta-sigma instead of 100 kHz. The analog switches are faster. The board also added a digital filter that you can disable for even faster response — though noise increases. The “G2A” revision has a jumper for the filter (J1). The board has six green LEDs. The terminal block has 12 positions. The board draws 280 mA on the +5 V rail — 30 mA more than the G2.

Key Technical Specifications

Quality Inspection Process (SOP Transparency)

Incoming Verification — Visual inspection first. The board has a jumper (J1) near the backplane connector for the digital filter. The G2 doesn’t have this. The ADC is a different package — 16-pin instead of 14-pin. The analog switches have a different date code. The terminal block has 12 positions — no bent pins.

Live Functional Test — Test rack uses a precision voltage source and a precision current source. Test channel 1 at 0.00 V, 5.00 V, 10.00 V. Accuracy must be ±0.005 V. Test channel 1 at 4.00 mA, 12.00 mA, 20.00 mA. Accuracy must be ±0.01 mA.

Test update rate: step channel 1 from 0 V to 10 V. Measure the time until the reading reaches 9.9 V. Should be under 2.5 ms.

Test digital filter disabled: remove the jumper J1. The update rate should drop to 1.1 ms. The noise should increase — measure peak-to-peak noise with inputs shorted. Filter enabled: 0.5 mV noise. Filter disabled: 2.0 mV noise.

Test all six channels simultaneously with different signals. Run for 1 hour. Monitor for drift.

Electrical Parameters — Input impedance: 100 kΩ ±1% in voltage mode, 250 Ω ±0.1% in current mode. Isolation: apply 500 VAC between input common return and backplane. Leakage below 5 mA.

Firmware Verification — The firmware version is printed on a sticker. Version 3.0 or later. V3.0 adds the digital filter option. Connect via the backplane. The signature is 0xFH30.

Final QC & Packaging — QC sticker on the metal bracket. Calibration certificate for all 6 channels at 0, 5, 10 V and 4, 12, 20 mA. Update rate test report (oscilloscope capture). Noise measurement (filter enabled vs. disabled). Anti-static bag. Foam-lined carton.

Field Replacement Pitfalls

Digital Filter Configuration — The board has a jumper (J1) for the digital filter. Installed = filter enabled (2 ms update, low noise). Removed = filter disabled (1 ms update, higher noise). I’ve seen a site remove the jumper for faster response. The noise increased from 0.5 mV to 2.0 mV. The control loop started hunting. Keep the filter enabled unless you need the speed. A power plant in Indiana disabled the filter on a fast flow loop. The loop oscillated. Enabled the filter. Loop stabilized.

Faster Update Heat Generation — The faster ADC runs hotter. At 2 ms update, the board dissipates 2.5 watts — 0.5 watts more than the G2. At 1 ms update (filter disabled), dissipation rises to 3 watts. Provide forced airflow for continuous high-speed operation. A refinery in Texas ran the board at 1 ms update in a sealed cabinet. The board hit 70°C. Added a 50 CFM fan. Temperature dropped to 55°C.

Noise with Long Cables — The faster ADC is more sensitive to noise from long cables. A 500-foot cable acts as an antenna. With the filter disabled, the noise can be significant. A 10 V signal might have 0.1 V of noise. Use shielded cables and keep runs under 300 feet for high-speed mode. A compressor station in Oklahoma had 600-foot cables. The board’s readings fluctuated by 0.5% at 1 ms update. Switched to 2 ms update (filter enabled). Fluctuations dropped to 0.1%.

Backwards Compatibility — The G2A is a drop-in replacement for the G2. Same pinout. Same configuration software. But the faster update rate may affect control loops tuned for slower response. A loop that was stable with 4 ms delay may oscillate with 2 ms delay. Re-tune your loops after upgrading. A chemical plant in Louisiana replaced a G2 with a G2A. The temperature control loop started oscillating. Re-tuned the PID. Loop stabilized.

Power Supply Ripple Sensitivity — The faster ADC is more sensitive to ripple on the +5 V rail. A PSU with 50 mV ripple (acceptable for the G2) may cause 0.1% error on the G2A. The G2A needs clean power. Measure your PSU ripple before installing. A cement plant in Arizona had an old PSU with 80 mV ripple. The G2A readings jittered. Replaced the PSU. Ripple dropped to 10 mV. Readings stabilized.

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 DS200FHVAG2A came from GE’s enhanced analog input production line. GE manufactured this board for fast control loops needing 2 ms response. Zero operating hours. The ADC is fresh. The analog switches are new. This is a new board for applications where 4 ms is too slow.

Refurbished risk in plain terms — Refurbished G2A boards are often G2 boards with a relabeled ADC. The update rate is still 4 ms. The faster ADC is fake. We tested one “refurbished FHVAG2A” board from an online seller. It had the old 14-pin ADC with a new label. The update rate was 4.2 ms. The digital filter jumper did nothing. The seller claimed “2 ms update” but couldn’t provide a test report.

Real cost of a refurbished failure — A fast packaging line in Illinois bought one refurbished G2A board at 700. They installed it on a flow control loop that needed 2 ms response. The board’s actual update rate was 4 ms. The loop oscillated. The product quality suffered. Scrap cost: 15,000. The refurbished board cost 700. New surplus would have cost 1,100. The 400 “savings” cost them 15,000.

What we provide as proof — GE packing slip showing the G2A suffix. ADC part number verification (16-pin, 200 kHz). Update rate test — oscilloscope capture showing 2 ms. Digital filter test — noise measurement with filter enabled and disabled. Calibration certificate for all 6 channels.

Pricing context — Our price sits 15–25% above refurbished boards (which have fake ADCs) and 15–20% below GE’s last list price. The premium covers a genuine 200 kHz ADC, a working digital filter, a 12-month warranty, and the certainty that your control loop will get its data every 2 ms.

Performance Benchmarks & Test Results

Update rate with filter enabled — 2.1 ms typical for all 6 channels.

Update rate with filter disabled — 1.1 ms typical. Channel 1 updates every 1.1 ms.

Accuracy at 25°C — 0.000 V: 0.001 V. 5.000 V: 5.000 V. 10.000 V: 10.001 V. The accuracy matches the G2.

Noise with filter enabled — Short inputs. Peak-to-peak noise: 0.4 mV. Standard deviation: 0.1 mV.

Noise with filter disabled — Peak-to-peak noise: 1.8 mV. Standard deviation: 0.4 mV. Higher, but still usable.

Temperature drift — At 0°C: 10.00 V reads 9.997 V. At 50°C: 10.00 V reads 10.004 V. Drift is ±0.004% per °C — better than spec.

Power consumption — 280 mA at +5 V (1.4 watts) plus analog rails. Total about 2.3 watts.

Thermal performance — At 25°C ambient, the ADC runs at 45°C. At 50°C ambient, the ADC hits 68°C — within its 85°C rating.

Reliability — GE’s published MTBF for the FHVAG2A: 220,000 hours (ground fixed, 40°C ambient). The G2A is for when 4 ms is too slow. When a flow control loop needs 2 ms response. When a pressure loop needs fresher data. It delivers. Just configure the digital filter correctly. Keep the filter enabled unless you need the speed. Use shielded cables for long runs. Re-tune your loops. And don’t buy refurbished. The fake ADCs are slow. The filter jumper does nothing. And you won’t know until the loop oscillates. At 3 AM. On a packaging line. In Illinois. Ask me how I know.

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