Description:
The ABB 1MRK000167-GDR00 (associated spare/order number 1MRK000005-258) is an internal PC processing / GD-type circuit board designed for integration inside ABB protection relays and control IEDs such as the RET670 transformer protection, REG670 line protection, and REB103 busbar protection units from ABB’s Relion® / RADSS families. It is not a standalone I/O module but a compute sub-board or main processing card that executes protection algorithms, manages internal bus communication with the I/O and human interface boards, and stores application firmware in onboard Flash memory. The board typically features a 32-bit RISC microprocessor, SDRAM/Flash memory banks, and a multi-layer PCB with conformal coating for high-noise immunity in substation environments.
Application Scenarios:
A regional utility’s 220 kV substation experienced a “Self-Test Failed — CPU Board” alarm on a RET670 transformer protection IED after a severe thunderstorm-induced switching surge. The relay remained in a blocked state and could not be reset via the front panel or PCM600. Troubleshooting identified the internal ABB 1MRK000167-GDR00 (1MRK000005-258) processing board as the failed element — a rare but documented failure mode after decades of thermal cycling. The protection engineer powered down the relay, removed the old GD board, transferred any version-identifying jumpers/DIP settings, and installed a verified spare 1MRK000167-GDR00. On power-up the IED passed all self-tests and reloaded its configuration from the non-volatile application partition. The bay was returned to service in under 30 minutes, avoiding a prolonged outage that would have required dispatching a secondary protection scheme. The ABB 1MRK000167-GDR00 directly solves the critical pain point of irreplaceable internal electronics in legacy protection equipment — when this board fails, only an exact-match spare can restore the relay.
Parameter:
| Main Parameters | Value/Description |
|---|---|
| Product Model | 1MRK000167-GDR00 (Spare / Ref: 1MRK000005-258) |
| Manufacturer | ABB (Substation Automation / Power Products Division) |
| Product Category | Internal PC Processing Board / GD-Type Control & Signal Conditioning Card |
| Compatible Equipment | ABB RET670, REG670, REB103, RED670, and selected RADSS / Relion® IED chassis [verify BOM before order] |
| Processor | 32-bit RISC Microprocessor (100 MHz class, version-dependent) |
| Memory (RAM) | 64 MB – 128 MB SDRAM (typical) |
| Flash Memory | 32 MB – 64 MB (firmware & config storage) |
| Backplane Interface | Parallel / proprietary GD-bus to I/O boards and HMI card inside relay |
| Supply Voltage | Derived from relay backplane (typically 5 V / ±12 V — externally powered via host chassis) |
| Isolation / Coating | Conformal coated (IPC-CC-830B); signal isolation ≥ 1.5 kV typical on I/O-linked paths |
| Operating Temp. | -20 °C to +70 °C (ambient inside relay case; some sources cite -40 °C to +70 °C) |
| Mounting | Internal card-guide / stand-off mount with multi-pin header or edge-connector to relay backplane |
| Physical Size (approx.) | 233 × 166 × 25 mm (form factor varies by relay generation — confirm against removed unit) |
| Weight (approx.) | 0.25 – 0.54 kg |
Technical Principles and Innovative Values:
The ABB 1MRK000167-GDR00 (1MRK000005-258) is the computational engine inside the protection IED, not a passive interface.
- Innovation Point 1 — Dedicated Protection-Algorithm Execution with Deterministic Timing: The onboard RISC core runs the numerical protection algorithms (differential, distance, overcurrent evaluation) in hard-real-time cycles synchronized to the sampling clock of the A/D boards. This guarantees deterministic fault evaluation independent of background tasks — a fundamental requirement for IEC 60255compliance that generic microcontrollers cannot assure.
- Innovation Point 2 — Dual-Bank Flash Architecture for Firmware Resilience: The Flash memory is typically organized in application and boot-loader partitions, allowing firmware updates to be loaded while retaining a fallback image. This design, coupled with CRC verification on every boot, prevents the relay from becoming unrecoverable due to a corrupted upload — a critical safeguard during lifecycle upgrades of legacy RET/REB units.
- Innovation Point 3 — Conformal-Coated, Substation-Grade EMI Immunity: The PCB receives full conformal coating and is laid out with guard traces, filtered power rails, and opto-isolated internal links to survive the high dv/dt and fast transients characteristic of 220 kV / 400 kV switchyards. This is a key differentiator from commercial-grade embedded boards and explains why only the ABB-specified 1MRK000167-GDR00 should be used as a replacement.
Application Cases and Industry Value:
Case — Utility Grid Transformer Bay Protection Restoration:A European TSO’s 400 kV autotransformer bay used an ABB RET670 IED whose internal GD processing board (1MRK000167-GDR00) developed solder-joint micro-cracks after 18 years of thermal cycling, manifesting as random watchdog resets during peak load. The operations team replaced the board during a planned maintenance window using a pre-verified spare matched to the relay’s hardware revision. Post-replacement, the IED passed all self-tests and the bay was returned to service with no change to the protection settings or communication configuration. The utility’s protection engineer commented that maintaining a small stock of ABB 1MRK000167-GDR00 (1MRK000005-258) boards for their fleet of RET670 / REB103 relays had already prevented two multi-day outages — a high-ROI insurance policy for critical-grid assets.
