GE IC698PSA350 | PACSystems RX7i 35A AC Power Supply Module In Stock

Description

Product Introduction

The GE IC698PSA350 is the workhorse power solution for the most demanding PACSystems RX7i installations. In complex industrial environments—such as gas turbine control skids, refinery distillation units, or automotive stamping lines—the PLC rack is often fully populated with power-hungry modules. A standard power supply might struggle during peak load events (like simultaneous solenoid firing), causing voltage sags that trigger CPU faults. The 350 series delivers a massive 35 Amps of continuous current, providing the necessary headroom to maintain rock-solid voltage stability.We recently assisted a steel mill where their rolling mill controller was experiencing mysterious “random resets” during heavy load cycles. Diagnostics revealed that the original 20A power supply was sagging below 4.75V when the hydraulic valve banks activated. Upgrading to the IC698PSA350 eliminated the voltage drop entirely. To be frank, undersizing a power supply in an RX7i system is a common but catastrophic error; the 35A capacity isn’t just about running more cards, it’s about providing the transient response needed for system stability. Furthermore, the PSA350 supports redundant operation, allowing two units to share the load so that if one fails, the other instantly takes over without interrupting the process.

IC698PSA350 GE

Key Technical Specifications

IC698PSA350 GE

Application Scenarios & Pain Points

A combined-cycle power plant faced a near-miss incident when a single power supply failed during a grid disturbance, taking down the entire turbine control rack because they hadn’t installed a redundant pair. The replacement strategy involved installing two IC698PSA350 units in a redundant configuration. Now, if one unit fails, the other instantly picks up the full 35A load without any interruption to the CPU or I/O. This module is vital because it prevents the “single point of failure” that plagues older PLC architectures.

• Oil & Gas Refineries: Large distillation columns require hundreds of I/O points. The 35A capacity ensures all inputs remain powered and stable, even during electrical storms or plant-wide voltage sags.
• Automotive Stamping Presses: These machines draw massive current spikes when solenoids fire. The PSA350’s high transient response prevents the PLC from resetting mid-cycle, which could damage expensive dies.
• Water/Wastewater Treatment: Used in main pump stations where reliability is key. The wide input voltage range handles the “dirty power” often found in remote utility substations.
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Ensures continuous operation of bioreactor controls. The clean, regulated output prevents noise from affecting sensitive analog measurement modules.

Case Study:
A major automotive assembly plant in Detroit operates a body-in-white welding line controlled by a massive GE RX7i system spanning three 12-slot racks. The line began suffering from intermittent communication losses between the robot controllers and the main PLC. After weeks of troubleshooting network cables, the maintenance team finally checked the power quality at the backplane. They discovered that the original power supplies (older 20A models) were degraded and could no longer sustain the voltage under the load of new high-speed Ethernet modules. The team replaced the primary supplies in all three racks with IC698PSA350 units. The increased amperage headroom stabilized the backplane voltage, and the communication errors vanished immediately. The upgrade cost less than 5,000 but prevented an estimated 200,000/hour downtime risk.Lessons Learned: Installation Pitfalls

1. Load Calculation & Derating — Just because it’s a “35A” supply doesn’t mean you can load it to 35A at 60°C. ❗ You must perform a detailed load calculation summing the current draw of every module in the rack. Then, apply the temperature derating curve from the manual. If your rack runs hot, the effective capacity might drop significantly. Overloading leads to premature failure.
2. Redundancy Wiring Configuration — When using two PSA350 units for redundancy, the wiring must be exact. ❗ Simply plugging them in isn’t enough; you often need specific jumper settings or redundancy cables to enable “load sharing.” If wired incorrectly, one supply might try to take 100% of the load while the other sits idle, defeating the purpose of redundancy.
3. Backplane Slot Placement — The power supply should ideally be placed in the left-most slot (Slot 1) of the RX7i rack. ❗ Placing it in the middle or right side can cause modules on the far end to receive insufficient voltage due to backplane resistance, leading to erratic behavior that is incredibly hard to diagnose.
4. Inrush Current & Breaker Sizing — The PSA350 has a significant inrush current when first powered on. ❗ If the branch circuit breaker is sized too tightly, it may trip instantly upon startup. Ensure the upstream breaker is sized to handle the inrush (typically Type C or D curve breakers are recommended).
5. Input Voltage Verification — While auto-ranging, always double-check the terminal block wiring against the label diagram before energizing. ❗ Incorrect wiring (e.g., swapping Line/Neutral or Ground) can cause immediate failure or safety hazards.