Description
GE DS3820LT4AICIA
Product Overview
The GE DS3820LT4AICIA belongs to the LodTrak IV family used with GE’s legacy Mark IV control equipment. The documented base model, DS3820LT4A, is identified as a LodTrak IV module associated with GE’s Mark IV DS3800 platform. GE documentation also lists the DS3820LT4 series as the multifunction LodTrak IV replacement for earlier LodTrak generations, including LodTrak, LodTrak II, and LodTrak III.
From an engineering standpoint, this is not a conventional PLC I/O card. The LodTrak IV hardware was intended for motor protection duties, combining current and temperature-related monitoring with protective trip logic. Available technical descriptions of the DS3820LT4A family identify microprocessor-based operation, RTD temperature protection, overcurrent protection, field-configurable trip parameters, and relay-based protective action. A related full configuration, DS3820LT4A1B1A, is documented with a front operator interface containing status LEDs, a display, and five pushbuttons for local data access and control.
In a legacy plant, the real value of the GE DS3820LT4AICIA is therefore tied to maintaining an existing protection architecture rather than adding modern control functionality. The Mark IV generation is obsolete, and replacement decisions should be based on the exact installed configuration, wiring, protection settings, and cabinet documentation. The suffix ICIA should be treated as part of the procurement identity until its meaning is confirmed from the installed nameplate or GE documentation. Public references clearly establish the DS3820LT4A base as LodTrak IV, but they do not provide a reliable mapping for this exact ICIA suffix.
Product Introduction — Non-Templated
When a legacy motor-protection assembly fails, the difficult part is rarely finding something with the same first eight characters. The difficult part is preserving the installed protection function without changing current-sensing, RTD, relay, or trip behavior. GE DS3820LT4AICIA should therefore be evaluated as a configuration-specific LodTrak IV component, not simply as a generic replacement PCB.
The Mark IV family predates modern networked protection relays, so a legacy replacement requires more attention to hardware identity and installed settings than a normal PLC module exchange. The DS3820LT4 family is documented as LodTrak IV hardware, with Model A, C, and E variants appearing in the same product family.
Key Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Product Model | DS3820LT4AICIA |
| Base Model | DS3820LT4A |
| Manufacturer | General Electric (GE) |
| Product Family | Mark IV / DS3800 |
| Functional Family | LodTrak IV |
| Product Type | Motor protection / controller module |
| Primary Application | Motor protection within legacy GE control equipment |
| Protection Functions | Current and temperature/RTD-related protection |
| Control Technology | Microprocessor-based |
| Local Interface | Configuration-dependent; related LT4A variants use display, status indicators, and pushbuttons |
| Exact ICIA Configuration | Not independently verified from reliable public documentation |
| Firmware | Not reliably established from the part number |
| Working Voltage | Not reliably established for this exact configuration |
| Communication Protocol | Not identified as a modern network communication module |
| Installation | Dedicated legacy GE control equipment; exact mounting arrangement should be checked against cabinet drawings |
The distinction between the base model and the complete suffix matters here. Public references identify DS3820LT4A, DS3820LT4C, and DS3820LT4E as LodTrak IV variants, but they do not establish a dependable electrical specification for the exact DS3820LT4AICIA string.
Major Features / Practical Advantages
LodTrak IV Motor Protection
The primary engineering role of the LT4 family is protection rather than general-purpose process I/O. Documentation identifies the DS3820LT4 series as a multifunction LodTrak IV platform, while GE-related documentation describes LT-IV as a motor protection relay.
Current and Temperature Protection
Available descriptions of the DS3820LT4A family indicate that the module integrates current sensing with temperature-related protection. RTD inputs and overcurrent protection are associated with field-adjustable trip parameters. This makes the module relevant to motor protection schemes where thermal and electrical conditions both affect the trip decision.
DS3820LT4AICIA
Microprocessor-Based Protection
Unlike simple electromechanical protective relays, the LodTrak IV incorporates microprocessor-based processing. That architecture allowed protection parameters to be configured around the motor application rather than relying solely on fixed relay characteristics.
Local Operator Interface on Applicable Variants
Do not automatically assume that every suffix has the same front-panel arrangement. A documented DS3820LT4A1B1A variant includes two status LEDs, a display, and five operator buttons. That confirms the broader LT4A family can provide local indication and parameter interaction, but the feature should be verified on the actual unit before being specified as a guaranteed feature.
Legacy System Compatibility
For plants still operating GE Mark IV equipment, maintaining the original protection architecture can be considerably less disruptive than modifying cabinet wiring and protection logic during an emergency repair. The tradeoff is obvious: this is old hardware. Component condition, stored settings, board revision, and associated wiring deserve more attention than they would on a current-generation protection relay.
Configuration Traceability
The ICIA suffix should remain attached to the procurement description. Ordering only “” because the shorter identifier is easier to recognize creates an avoidable compatibility risk. Compare the complete nameplate, board markings, revision information, and cabinet documentation before releasing a replacement.
Related Products
- — Base LodTrak IV Model A module and the closest documented family reference for .
- DS3820LT4A1A1A — A documented LT4A configuration described as a LodTrak IV drive/motor protection module with microprocessor control and protective trip functions.
- DS3820LT4A1B1A — Another LT4A configuration with documented local display, status indicators, pushbuttons, RTD and overcurrent protection functions.
- DS3820LT4A1C1A — Documented GE LodTrak IV Model A configuration; exact suffix functionality should be matched against the installed unit.
- DS3820LT4C — LodTrak IV Model C variant. It belongs to the same functional family but should not be treated as an automatic substitute for a Model A configuration.
- DS3820LT4E — LodTrak IV Model E variant; configuration and application differences must be checked before substitution.
- DS3845LT3 — LodTrak III multifunction module. GE documentation identifies DS3820LT4 as the replacement generation for earlier LodTrak II/III hardware.
- DS305MLTA — LodTrak II multifunction module, also identified by GE documentation as an earlier generation replaced by DS3820LT4.
- IC3655A118 — Earlier LodTrak multifunction relay associated with the pre-LodTrak-IV generation.
FAQ
Is a PLC or DCS I/O module?
No. The documented base is a LodTrak IV motor-protection/controller module associated with GE’s Mark IV/DS3800 equipment. It should not be cataloged as a generic analog or digital I/O card.
What does the “ICIA” suffix mean?
The exact meaning of ICIA could not be verified from reliable public documentation. Keep the complete suffix in the purchasing specification and compare it with the physical nameplate and installed documentation. Do not assume it is interchangeable with every configuration.
Can I hot-swap this module?
Do not assume so. This is legacy Mark IV protection hardware rather than a modern plug-and-play I/O platform. Replacement should follow the plant’s approved shutdown, isolation, and commissioning procedure. Before removal, document wiring, protection settings, board identification, and any field-configured parameters.
Does support firmware v3.1?
There is no reliable public evidence tying this exact part number to firmware v3.1. The model number alone should not be used to infer firmware revision.
Is interchangeable with DS3820LT4C or DS3820LT4E?
Not automatically. , LT4C, and LT4E are identified as separate LodTrak IV variants. The correct substitution depends on the installed motor-protection configuration, wiring, application, and cabinet documentation.
Does replacing the board preserve the original motor-protection settings?
That should not be assumed. Treat the existing configuration as something to document before replacement. Where the installed hardware permits parameter adjustment, record the existing trip values and compare them after commissioning.
How should a New Surplus be verified?
For a safety-related or motor-protection application, “new surplus” should not be accepted solely from packaging appearance. Verify the complete part number, board markings, revision, connectors, physical condition, and configuration suffix. Functional testing against the installed protection scheme is preferable before returning the motor to service.
Is suitable for a modern DCS upgrade?
It is better viewed as legacy protection hardware that may need to remain in service during a staged modernization, rather than as a new DCS platform. If the objective is a full control-system modernization, evaluate the complete protection architecture rather than replacing this module with an unrelated PLC I/O card.
Procurement Note
For , the most important purchasing control is full-part-number verification. The base identity is well supported as GE LodTrak IV hardware, but the exact public documentation for the ICIA suffix is limited.
Before purchase, request clear photographs of the nameplate and PCB markings, including revision identifiers. Match the existing cabinet wiring and motor-protection documentation, then verify the replacement against the installed current-sensing, RTD, relay, and trip-parameter configuration.
One practical warning: do not substitute a DS3820LT4C or DS3820LT4E simply because the family name is the same. The available parts lists explicitly distinguish the three LodTrak IV variants. For an operating motor-protection system, that distinction is more important than whether the replacement physically fits the cabinet.
