Multilin 469 vs Competitors

[OhioAviator]

Hello all,
As I type this I am going nuts trying to deal with GE/Multilin tech. support. We recently sent in an older style SR469 relay for repair and calibration. The relay had a password set when it was sent in for repair. We now have the relay back and are trying to put it in service. However, I cannot gain access to the relay setpoints because someone at GE/Multilin changed the password stored in the relay and I don't know what it is. I contacted tech. support and provided them the encrypted password as requested. They demanded that I send them an email with the relay model, serial number, firmware revision, encrypted password, the name of my first born child, etc. which I have done. A case number was generated and emailed back to me. Two hours and three phone calls later, I still have not been able to pry the right password out of them in order to gain programming access to my relay. This is a problem that GE/Multilin caused in the first place!

This is not the first heartburn I have had dealing with GE/Multilin tech support.

Is there an equally good or better large motor protection relay product out there on the market that has decent technical support? Does anybody have experience with the SEL 710 relay? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[davidbeach]

No particular experience with the SEL-710, but generally quite positive experience with SEL overall for many other types of relays.

 

[DTR2011]

You may want to contact your local sales rep and have them accelerate the process.

 

[dpc]

We have a client who has experienced a fairly high number of hardware failures with the 469. We worked with them on a transition to the SEL-710 for some of their motors. It was quite a bit less expensive, since they were not using a lot of the capabilities in the 469 and did not have to purchase these options in the SEL-710.

Thus far, they have had only good things to report on the SEL-710.

Be aware that the settings and configuration of the SEL-710 are quite a bit different than for the 469. The first one will probably be a bit of a struggle.

 

[jraef]

Nagging little voice in the back of my head says that you also have to have a jumper of some sort installed in order to enable access to a 469. I might be wrong, but this sounds frighteningly familiar.

We use the SEL-749 as a brand labeled product (the A-B 825P), I hear nothing but good things about it.

"Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum."
— Kilgore Trout (via Kurt Vonnegut)
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[jraef]

Yep, I was right.

4 Accessing setpoints via the front panel
Refer to the Changing setpoints section in Chapter 1 of the 469 Instruction Manual. Note
that to have access to the relay setpoints, you must install a hardware jumper across
terminals C1 and C2 at the back of the relay case. Attempts to enter a new setpoint
without this electrical connection will result in an error message. Important additional
information is provided in the same section regarding passcode, and accessing
information via the serial ports of the relay.

"Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum."
— Kilgore Trout (via Kurt Vonnegut)
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[LionelHutz]

SEL is definately making inroads into the industrial business where Multilin was (still is??) king. We have used them a fair bit the last few years, mostly because of price and being customer specified. The SEL relays are very different to program compared to a Multilin. You will need to either spend some time to understand how they work or possibly take one of their courses to better understand the setup. You need a computer to fully program them as well. The big issue I have with SEL is their website requiring a sign-up and some of their documentation being either vague or non-existant. I ended up finding and using a nice SEL ordering guide from another website because I couldn't find anything on the SEL website describing how to build the p/n for the relay (not even the same document).

 

[OhioAviator]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I've used Multilin products for over 20 years and have found them to be pretty innovative and reliable... until a few years ago. That's when I started having problems with both hardware and software. Their tech support might be pretty good, that is if I could understand what they are saying (thick foreign accents). I finally got the decrypted password from Multilin after losing almost 4 hours of production time waiting for their bureaucratic b.s. to run its course. That cost my company several thousands of dollars in lost profit, all for a problem that was Multilin's fault in the first place.

I welcome any feedback on competitor's products that are comparable to the Multilin SR469 Motor Relay.
Again, thanks!

 

[DTR2011]

OhioAviator-

Glad you were able to get back online. Having to deal with support folks that are more interested in issuing you a call # rather than dealing with your immediate problem is very frustrating, however I guess it is the business model of some companies.

In the USA market you have Multilin & SEL as the main products. That doesn't mean ABB / Siemens / Alstom, etc don't have a product.

The SEL 710 offers similar protection functions. A different SW environment. I believe they offer con formal coating, etc if you have a harsh environment. They offer bezel plates to replace competitor relays as well.

The SEL service system is set up different. If you call them, they WILL get you with someone quickly that knows the product and can provide an answer on the phone. I've always been impressed by that.