Description
DS3800NTRA1F1E Product Overview
The DS3800NTRA1F1E is a protection-interface printed-circuit board used inside GE Mark IV Speedtronic turbine-control cubicles. It occupies a standard 6U card slot on the Mark IV control backplane and acts as the low-voltage interface between the microprocessor and the external protection relays or trip solenoids.
The DS3800NTRA1F1E is a protection-interface printed-circuit board used inside GE Mark IV Speedtronic turbine-control cubicles. It occupies a standard 6U card slot on the Mark IV control backplane and acts as the low-voltage interface between the microprocessor and the external protection relays or trip solenoids.
In the automation hierarchy the card sits at the “protection output” layer: it receives 24 V logic commands from the Mark IV CPU, sinks up to 2 A per channel through transformer-isolated drivers, and returns discrete status (coil-energized / coil-open / over-current) over the same 12-pin control ribbon. Current-fold-back circuitry protects the card and downstream loads from shorts, while a front-panel green LED gives local confirmation that all protection paths are healthy.
The board is part of the DS3800 “NTRA” family of Mark IV personality boards—cards that share the same mechanical envelope and edge-connector pattern but perform dedicated protection or relay functions. Using a common hardware platform allows plant stores to stock one spare chassis and populate it with the exact personality boards required for each turbine section.
GE DS3800NMSM1G1E
Technical Specifications
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Model Number: DS3800NTRA1F1E
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Manufacturer: General Electric
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Product Type: Turbine Protection / Relay-Drive Interface Board
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Logic Supply: 24 VDC (from Mark IV control power)
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Relay Drive Output: 24 V, 2 A max per channel (field-fused)
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Connectors: 96-pin DIN edge finger (backplane), no external field terminals
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Isolation: Transformer-coupled, basic insulation between logic and coil sides
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Protection: Current-fold-back short-circuit protection, over-temperature shutdown
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Status Indication: Front-panel green “POWER GOOD” LED
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Mounting: Standard Mark IV card rails, captive screws
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Weight: ≈ 0.25 kg (0.55 lb)
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Operating Temperature: 0 … +70 °C (card ambient)
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Storage Temperature: -40 … +85 °C
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Vibration/Shock: 5 g / 50 g (per Mark IV cabinet spec)
Core Features & Customer Value
Integrated protection drive – One card delivers all three functions required by the Mark IV protection set (24 V logic, isolated relay drive, status feedback), eliminating separate interposing relays and their associated wiring and heat.
Integrated protection drive – One card delivers all three functions required by the Mark IV protection set (24 V logic, isolated relay drive, status feedback), eliminating separate interposing relays and their associated wiring and heat.
Current-fold-back protection – If a downstream relay coil shorts, the driver folds current back to ~200 mA instead of crow-barring, so the fault is localized and the backplane remains powered. This prevents the classic “one short kills the whole rack” scenario.
Transformer isolation – Basic insulation between the 24 VDC logic and the relay coil side means ground-shift events (common when 4 kV breakers close) do not propagate into the microprocessor logic, improving uptime and reducing nuisance faults.
Front-panel power-good LED – Local visual confirmation that all protection paths are healthy; during commissioning you can spot a failing driver immediately without metering each rail at the backplane.
Drop-in spare – Shares the same DS3800 form factor as earlier NTRA revisions; no mounting changes, no parameter downloads, and no calibration required during swap-out.
GE DS3800NMSM1G1E
Typical Applications
In combined-cycle plants the DS3800NTRA1F1E is installed in the “protection” bay of every Mark IV panel that governs gas turbines, boiler-feed pumps, or induced-draft fans. It drives the 24 VDC coils of lock-out relays, overspeed trip solenoids, and fire-protection dampers while riding out battery transients during breaker closures.
In combined-cycle plants the DS3800NTRA1F1E is installed in the “protection” bay of every Mark IV panel that governs gas turbines, boiler-feed pumps, or induced-draft fans. It drives the 24 VDC coils of lock-out relays, overspeed trip solenoids, and fire-protection dampers while riding out battery transients during breaker closures.
In pipeline compressor stations the same board feeds the Mark IV overspeed protection system that drives 125 VDC trip solenoids through external interposing relays; the 24 V auxiliary rail energizes the trip coil, so loss of the power-supply card forces an automatic shutdown.
Because the card is passive (no firmware) it is also accepted in nuclear standby turbine-generator sets, where “simple device” classification avoids additional software V&V.
