GE IC698PSA350 High-Capacity Rx3i Power Supply

Description

In large-scale, high-availability industrial automation systems built around PACSystems Rx3i, the power supply is never just another component — it is the single point that can turn a minor glitch into a full plant trip. When you’re running a 17-slot rack with multiple high-performance CPUs, redundant PROFINET controllers, motion modules, and dozens of I/O cards, a conventional 100 W or 350 W supply simply runs out of headroom during startup inrush, hot-insertion events, or when field loads momentarily spike. A supply that folds back or shuts down under those conditions costs minutes to hours of production — and in some industries that is measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars per minute.

This is exactly why the GE IC698PSA350 was developed. This 350-watt, 85–264 VAC universal-input power supply is the highest-capacity module in the Rx3i family and was engineered from the ground up for the most demanding racks: redundant CPU configurations, full 17-slot universal backplanes, heavy motion control loads, and systems that must survive brown-outs, surges, and massive inrush without ever dropping a scan. It delivers a rock-solid 30 A at +5 V, 12 A at +12 V, and 20 A at −12 V simultaneously — enough to power two CPE400s, multiple CMU310 motion controllers, redundant PNS001 PROFINET scanners, and still have 30–40 % headroom for future expansion. For plants that have outgrown the standard IC698PSA100 or need genuine N+1 redundancy capability in a single rack, the GE IC698PSA350 is the only supply that keeps the backplane alive under worst-case conditions.

The GE IC698PSA350 installs in the dedicated leftmost power-supply slot of any Rx3i 12- or 17-slot backplane (main or expansion) and immediately provides three fully regulated, isolated outputs with electronic current limiting and over-voltage crowbar protection. No selector switches or jumpers are required — the supply auto-ranges across global AC voltages and tolerates massive line disturbances (per EN 61000-4 standards). Active power-factor correction keeps input current sinusoidal and under 8 A even at full load, while the built-in cooling fan (field-replaceable) and overtemperature shutdown ensure reliable operation at 60 °C continuous.

Status is reported via three front-panel LEDs (POWER, OK, OVERTEMP) plus discrete contacts on the front connector that can be wired to an annunciator or safety system. In redundant configurations two PSA350s can be paralleled using the optional IC698ACC701 load-share kit, giving true 700 W N+1 capability with automatic failover. The module also supports hot-insertion — you can swap a failed supply on a running rack without dropping power to the backplane.

Choosing the GE IC698PSA350 means you stop worrying about backplane power and start treating it as a solved problem. The 30 A +5 V rail alone can support two fully loaded CPE400 CPUs plus every high-power option card Emerson makes, while the generous +12 V and −12 V outputs eliminate the need for external auxiliary supplies that plague motion and specialty-module installations. In redundant setups the load-share kit provides true 700 W with automatic current balancing and no single point of failure. Maintenance teams love the front status contacts and field-replaceable fan — a failing supply announces itself long before it actually drops the rack.

Plants that once lived with nuisance trips during motor starts or hot-insertion now run for years without a single power-related fault after upgrading to the IC698PSA350.

You’ll find the GE IC698PSA350 powering turbine control skids with redundant CPE400s and dozens of analog channels, steel-mill caster automation racks running eight-axis servo systems, large automotive paint-shop Rx3i islands with over 3000 I/O points per rack, and critical utilities substations where dual PSA350s provide N+1 power for non-stop SCADA. In every case the requirement is absolute confidence that the backplane will stay energized under any conceivable load or line condition — exactly what the IC698PSA350 was designed to guarantee.

IC698PSA100 – 100 W standard supply (for smaller racks)

IC698PSD300 – 300 W DC-input version (battery/rectifier plants)

IC698ACC701 – Load-share / redundancy kit for dual PSA350

IC698ACC702 – Replacement fan assembly

IC698CPE040 – High-performance CPU typically paired with PSA350

IC698CRE040 – Redundant CPU pair requiring dual supplies

IC698RMX016 – 16 MB redundancy memory module

IC698ETM001 – Ethernet interface often used in large racks

Before installing the GE IC698PSA350, verify your incoming feeder can supply at least 10 A at 120 VAC or 5 A at 240 VAC continuous (15 A breaker recommended). Use 10–12 AWG wire for input and ground, torqued to 1.7 Nm. Leave 50 mm top and bottom clearance for airflow — the fan pulls air across the entire rack. If paralleling two supplies, install the IC698ACC701 load-share kit exactly per the manual or current sharing will be uneven.

In service, maintenance is predictive: monitor the OVERTEMP LED and the discrete alarm contacts. Replace the fan every five years (two-minute job). Keep one spare supply on the shelf; hot-swap takes under three minutes with no process interruption.