Tag: relay

Hardware Comparison: Multilin 469 vs. Multilin 369

GE’s Multilin Motor Management Relays provide protection and monitoring for three-phase motors. They also provide protection for their associated mechanical systems.

Close up of a Multilin 369 Motor Management Relay.
GE Multilin 369 Motor Management Relay

Introduction

The GE Multilin 369 Motor Management Relay Series is designed with customizable relays. The units can protect three-phase motors and also offer monitoring applications.

Functional Summary Multilin 369

  • Display: 40 Character, Alphanumeric LCD
  • Status Indicators: 4 Output LEDs. Service LED, 5 other LEDs
  • Keypad: 12-buttons, including Help Key.
  • Interface: RS-232 comm port, Baud rate 120 to 19200
  • Case: Corrosion and flame-retardent
  • Digital Inputs: standard
  • Analog Inputs: Available
  • Current inputs: standard
  • Ground CT inputs: standard
  • Ports: 3 x RS485, Baud rate 1200 to 19200
  • RTD Inputs: available
  • Profibus Port: available
  • Backspin detection: available
  • Fiber Optic Data Link: available
  • Voltage Inputs: available

Protective Functions Multilin 369

Motor protection including:

  • Standard phase overload curves
  • Programmable (custom) overload curves
  • current unbalance

Management functions including:

  • Pre-trip data, to 40 events
  • starts per hour
  • time between starts
  • mechanical stall and jam
  • statistical data
  • backspin detection
  • flash memory
  • power metering (optional)

Technical Specifications Multilin 369

  • Control power: LO = 20 to 60 VDC, 20 to 48 VAC at 50/60 Hz, HI= 50 to 300 VDC, 40 to 265 VAC at 50/60 Hz
  • Power: Nominal: 20 VA, Max 65 VA
  • Fuse: T 3.15 Amp H 250 V, Timelag high breaking capacity
  • Operating Range: -40 to +60 Celsius
  • Operating Range w/Profibus: +5 to +60 Celsius
  • Humidity: up to 95%, non-condensing
  • IP50
  • Overvoltage Cat. II

Close up of a GE 469 Multilin Motor Management Relay
GE Multilin 469 Motor Management Relay

Introduction

The GE Multilin 469 Motor Management Relay is used to manage and protect motors of many HP ratings.

Functional Summary Multilin 469

  • Display: 40 Character, Alphanumeric LCD
  • Status Indicators: 6 Output LEDs, 8 Motor Status LEDs, 8 other LEDs
  • Keypad:Alphanumeric with Help button, plus +/- value keys. Message toggle keys. Enter, Menu, Escape, and Reset Key.
  • Interface: RS-232 comm port
  • Case: draw-out, IP40-X
  • Digital Inputs: 9 opto-isolated
  • Analog Current Inputs: specifications vary
  • Differential Current Inputs: Primary, 1 to 5000 A. Secondary, 1 A or 5A.
  • Ground CT inputs: Primary, 1 to 5000 A. Secondary, 1 A or 5 A.
  • Phase Current Inputs: Primary 1 to 5000 A. Secondary, 1 A or 5 A.
  • RTD Inputs: 3 wire RTD types
  • Voltage Inputs: 273 VAC full scale
  • Ports: 2 x RS485
  • Modbus: Modbus RTU/half-duplex
  • Ethernet: Available
  • DeviceNet: Available
  • Backspin detection: Restart Block can act as a backspin timer

Protective Functions Multilin 469

Motor protection including:

  • Overload Pickup using RTDs
  • Overload Curve
  • Short Circuit Trip
  • Ground Fault
  • Unbalance Alarming
  • Acceleration Trip
  • Stopped/Running Cooling Times
  • Stator and Bearing RTDs
  • Unbalance bias of thermal capacity and K factor
  • Hot/cold curve ratio

Management functions including:

  • Starts per hour
  • Time between Starts
  • Enable Start Inhibit
  • Mechanical jam
  • Remote Switch
  • Vibration & Pressure Switches
  • Remote Start/stop
  • Breaker failure

Technical Specifications Multilin 469

  • Control Power: LO = 20 to 60 VDC, 20 to 48 VAC at 48 to 62 Hz, HI= 90 to 300 VDC, 70 to 265 VAC at 48 to 62 Hz
  • Power: 45 VA (max) 25 VA (typical)
  • Fuse: 2.50 A 5 x 20 mm SLO-BLO HRC Littelfuse, high breaking capacity
  • Operating Range: -40 to +60 Celsius
  • Humidity: up to 90%, non-condensing
  • Altitude: up to 2000 m
  • Pollution degree: 2
  • IP: check case
  • Overvoltage: check case

Other differences you may want to consider. While the Multilin 369 can be used for small or medium induction motors and induction motors with a cyclic load, they cannot be used for large induction motors or induction motors via VFD as the 469 Multilin can. Additionally, the 469 offers synchronous motor protection that the 369 doesn’t have.

Also keep in mind the 469 has trip/close coil supervision. The 369 doesn’t offer that.

Both Multilin options are extremely versatile. Since they both offer a wide operating temperature range (-40 C to +60 C) they are suitable for a number of climate conditions. So even if your factory has to deal with Canadian cold or Australian heat, these motor management relays should work well inside its walls.

Have more questions? Se our GE Multilin FAQs blog.

Ladder Logic: Here are the Basics

What is Ladder Logic? A Definition

Ladder logic stems from the history of relays. At one time, relays were the primary control for most automatic systems. These electromechanical devices consisted of coils and contacts that they moved. Energized coils moved their contacts from their resting position to their active position (either closed to open or open to closed.)

Close up image of a real ladder and a light bulb. Visual representation of the inspiration basic ladder logic programming can allow for.
Ladder logic is shaped like an actual ladder, and is read from top to bottom/left to right.

In practical application, a ladder diagram showed how to wire relays together. This diagram looked like a drawing of a standard household ladder with uprights and rungs. Modern-day ladder logic still follows these conventions. Relays did (and still do) their job well, but can be cumbersome due to the sheer size of multiple relays wired together. This is where programmable logic controllers using ladder logic can be advantageous: able to do the same kind of job but in significantly less space.

Continue reading “Ladder Logic: Here are the Basics”

GE Multilin: Frequently Asked Questions

GE Multilin has been around since 1995. This part of General Electric focuses on industrial controls and manufacturing relays. This includes flexible process bus solutions and dual and multi-feeder protection for industrial applications. It also includes integrated motor protection for medium/large induction and synchronous motors.

Closeup of a GE Multilin 850 Feeder Relay
GE Multilin 850 Feeder Protection Relay (850-EP5NNG5HNNAANGAPFCSENNBN)

What is a Multilin Relay?

Industrial motors, feeder systems, transformers, and generators can use Multilin relays. These management relays protect while offering advanced monitoring functions.

GE Multilin is part of GE Grid Solutions. GE Grid Solutions is the renewable energy subsidiary of GE. It offers products and technology for control, metering, and communication. It is applicable for industrial, commercial, and transportation applications.

How are GE Multilin Relays used?

Many industries make use of GE Multilin relays. For example, utilities use the 850 Feeder protection system to ensure continuity within the power grid. Small and medium-sized distribution transformers, also part of the power grid, use the Multilin 350 feeder protection series.

Additionally, distributed generation interconnect protection and bus blocking often use the 750/760 Feeder management system. The 489 Generator Management Relay design protects and controls small to medium-sized generators. Moreover, the 369 and 469 Motor management relays offer management and protection to three-phase medium (369 AC only), and large (469 only) HP motors and driven equipment.

What are the benefits of Multilin Relays?

Multilin relays must stand up to rugged industrial standards. Most have front panel displays for viewing and programming in the field as well as RS232/RS485 ports to network and download data. Front panel LEDs are easy to read and the front keypad makes it simple to toggle through values and fault diagnosis information, as well as to set new data points.

A note about the FM2 Multilin and resetting trips

The FM2 Feeder series has a reset key that will allow a tripped state to be reset. However, earth faults or thermal overloads cannot be reset using this key. But the Lockout Reset feature will assign a fault to the programmable switch inputs. Overriding this lockout can occur through the lockout reset interlock.

How do I program my GE Multilin or update firmware?

GE is great about providing technical help to its users. There are over 100 Multilin videos on the gegridsolutions.com website covering everything from how to update the firmware to how to set a transient recorder. These videos are available in French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and sometimes Russian.

AX Control carries a wide variety of GE Multilin products, including the GE Multilin 750.