MKV Controller Went Back to A3 State

Hello all!

In our GE F9e TCS one of the MKV controllers went to A3 state.

Reset from PD panel didn't help - the controller stays at -INIT- step. Manual says it may be 80186 processor not communicating.
Several months ago i've changed DCC and LCC cards of this very controller.

Any suggestions pls - the unit is "Not Ready to start".

 
Jolek,

Have you checked to see that all the ribbon cables and connectors are properly and fully seated on all the cards--including the TCPS card in Loc. 5 (in the back of the processor)? The 3PL cable connecting the DCC, LCC and TCQA (and TCQB, if present) has been known to be a problem; it's the cable without pull tabs and if not carefully handled when removing the connectors can be damaged very easily. Also, the ground conductor which connects to the TCPS card has been known to be very easily disconnected or not properly connected when replacing the TCPS card, and is VERY important for proper operation of the processor power supply and all of the cards in the processor.

Remember that the TCPS in a particular processor also provides the power to the TCDA and TCRA cards in the digital cores (<C> for <CD>; <R> for the TCDA in Loc. 1 of <QD1>; <S> for the TCDA in Loc. 2 of <QD1>; etc.). Sometimes, these cables can be improperly connected in the "daisy chain" (serial connection) of cards and cause problems.

Did you use--and have you been using--conductive grease on all the cable connectors when replacing cards? If it's been more than two or three years since conductive grease was applied to all the cables/connectors in the Mark V panel, it's a good idea to re-apply the grease, after removing as much of the old grease as possible. And, remember: Too much conductive grease is worse than no conductive grease. "A little dab will do it!"

Does the Mark V at your site experience a lot of 125 VDC Battery Ground Alarms when running? Or, is a 125 VDC Battery Ground alarm present at all times?

What other Diagnostic Alarms were present on the affected processor prior to the processor going to I/O State A3?

MANY times cards are taken from stores, installed in the Mark V, only to find the card removed was not the problem, and the card which was removed is put in the box and returned to stores. Is this possible?

Are the cards stored in a proper temperature- and humidity-controlled environment?

Is the area where the Mark V is located kept at the proper temperature and humidity and clean of dust and dirt? Humidity and dust, combined with heat, are the worst enemies of printed circuit cards.

Finally, printed circuit cards can, and do, fail. Many of the cards may be 10 or more years old at this point, even in stores. Improper handling of cards when they are being replaced can be a problem, also.

In order to start a unit with a Mark* Speedtronic turbine control panel, all of the processors must be healthy and communicating with all of the other processors, so until you restore the affected processor to A7 the unit will remain "Not Ready to Start."

If, knowing all of the parameters of the situation (age of cards; care and handling of cards; condition of environment; etc.), you feel that the cards have failed prematurely then you need to examine all of the other factors (like other Diagnostic Alarms; housekeeping; temperature/humidity control; etc.) to try to find what might be causing the premature failure. But, remember, cards do sometimes fail prematurely. Individual components, especially capacitors, it seems, are subject to degradation over time, and can cause problems. (Individual component replacement is well beyond the scope of this forum to assist with.)

Hope this helps! Please write back to let us know what you find and how you resolve the problem!
 
Thanks CSA,

I was asked for an immediate (even temporary) solution,so I've excluded <S> controller from the voting to let operators have the machine Ready to start with two other controllers. I will check all the connectors , although I believe that the problem is the card itself,so I need to think about any other possible cause of the problem...
No, the unit has nice voltage split.
Anyway, its gonna take a lot of time for a new set of cards to arrive.

Thanks a lot again for a quick and detailed, as always, reply.

Jolek
 
Hi Jolek,

I have new set of cards of both DCC and LCC in stock and can help with you with immediate delivery.

If you can leave your e-mail id, i can send you an e-mail with the details.

Regards,
Briha
 
I want manual of suvimac II. Can anyone please help.

<b>Moderator's Note:</b> I'm post this message so I can once again repeat my advice. The best way to get a manual is to contact the manufacturer or supplier of the product. In this case, contact GE.
 
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