GE IC660 Genius I/O Modules: IC660BBR101 Relay Output Block

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

GE IC660 Genius I/O Series Technical Notes

The GE IC660 Genius I/O series is a distributed I/O platform developed by General Electric (later GE Fanuc Automation) and deployed extensively across global heavy industry sectors including petrochemical refineries, nuclear power generation facilities, offshore oil & gas platforms, pulp and paper mills, and continuous process manufacturing plants. The series operates on the Genius Bus — a single-wire, token-passing serial fieldbus — enabling deterministic, high-speed communication between field devices and host controllers such as the GE Series 90-70 and Series 90-30 PLCs. Its modular architecture, rugged industrial enclosure ratings, and long production lifecycle made it a standard specification in large-scale DCS and hybrid control architectures throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Installed base counts in the tens of thousands of nodes globally, and the series remains in active service at facilities with 20–30 year asset lifecycles.

The Evolution of IC660 Architecture

The IC660 Genius I/O architecture was introduced in the mid-1980s as GE's answer to the growing demand for distributed field I/O in large process plants. The original Genius Bus operated at 153.6 kbaud over a shielded twisted-pair cable, supporting up to 32 devices per bus segment with a maximum cable length of 7,500 feet. Early modules used parallel backplane designs with discrete terminal blocks, while later revisions introduced enhanced diagnostics, expanded channel counts, and improved EMI shielding.

The series evolved through several hardware revisions: early IC660 blocks used ceramic hybrid circuits; mid-generation units transitioned to surface-mount PCB assemblies with improved thermal tolerance; late-generation units added extended temperature ratings and conformal coating options for harsh environments. Compatibility between hardware revisions is generally maintained at the bus protocol level, but firmware versions must be matched to the Bus Controller (IC660CBB900 / IC660CBB902) to ensure correct block addressing and diagnostic reporting.

IC660 Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

Relay & Discrete Output Modules

• IC660BBR101: 16-point relay output block, 120/240 VAC, 2A per point, Genius Bus interface, DIN rail or panel mount.
• IC660BBR100: 8-point relay output block, 120/240 VAC, isolated outputs, Genius Bus compatible.
• IC660BBD101: 16-point discrete output block, 24 VDC, 0.5A per point, solid-state transistor outputs.
• IC660BBD100: 8-point discrete output block, 24 VDC, sourcing type, Genius Bus interface.

Discrete Input Modules

• IC660BBA100: 8-point discrete input block, 120 VAC, Genius Bus, field-configurable input filtering.
• IC660BBA101: 16-point discrete input block, 120 VAC, standard Genius Bus addressing.
• IC660BBD020: 32-point discrete input block, 24 VDC, high-density I/O for space-constrained panels.
• IC660BBD021: 32-point discrete output block, 24 VDC, 0.25A per point, solid-state.

Analog Input / Output Modules

• IC660BBA020: 4-channel analog input block, 4–20 mA / 0–10 VDC selectable, 12-bit resolution.
• IC660BBA021: 8-channel analog input block, 4–20 mA, 12-bit resolution, Genius Bus.
• IC660BBD022: 4-channel analog output block, 4–20 mA, 12-bit DAC, loop-powered field devices.
• IC660BBD023: 2-channel analog output block, 0–10 VDC / 4–20 mA, isolated outputs.

Bus Controllers & Communication Adapters

• IC660CBB900: Genius Bus Controller for Series 90-70 PLC, single-bus, up to 32 I/O blocks per segment.
• IC660CBB902: Dual-bus Genius Bus Controller, redundant bus support, Series 90-70 rack mount.
• IC660CBB903: Genius Bus Controller with enhanced diagnostics, Series 90-70 compatible.
• IC660ELB921: Ethernet-to-Genius gateway module, enables legacy IC660 bus integration with modern Ethernet-based SCADA systems.

Power Supply & Specialty Modules

• IC660BBD110: 24 VDC power supply block for Genius I/O bus segment, 5A output.
• IC660TBK001: Terminal block kit for IC660 series field wiring, screw-clamp type.
• IC660CBB901: Hand-held Monitor (HHM) interface block for local bus diagnostics and device configuration.

Quality Control for the IC660 Range

IC660 Genius I/O modules present specific test challenges due to their integrated bus communication logic, relay output circuits, and analog signal conditioning chains. DriveKNMS applies a structured test protocol to all IC660 units prior to shipment:

• Bus Communication Verification: Each module is connected to a live Genius Bus segment using a reference IC660CBB900 Bus Controller. Block address assignment, datagram exchange, and diagnostic status reporting are verified against GE specification GFK-0098.
• Output Channel Load Testing: Relay output modules (including IC660BBR101) are cycled through full load switching at rated voltage and current for a minimum of 500 operations to verify contact integrity and coil drive circuitry.
• Analog Accuracy Calibration: Analog I/O modules are tested against a calibrated reference source. Input accuracy is verified to ±0.1% of full scale; output accuracy to ±0.2% of full scale across the operating temperature range.
• Insulation Resistance & Hi-Pot Testing: Field terminal isolation is tested at 500 VDC for 60 seconds per IEC 61131-2 requirements.
• Visual & Component Inspection: PCB assemblies are inspected under magnification for capacitor condition, relay contact wear, solder joint integrity, and corrosion on bus connector pins.

All tested units are issued a DriveKNMS inspection report documenting test results, hardware revision, and test date. Units that do not pass all test criteria are quarantined and not offered for sale.