GE Fanuc Expansion Backplane Cable IC693CBL300B IC693CBL3OOB IC-693CBL300B

IC693CBL300B | GE Fanuc Series 90-30 Wye I/O Bus Expansion Cable — 1m / Continuous Shield / CPU to Expansion Baseplate

IC693CBL300 Series — The Standard 1m Wye Expansion Cable

The IC693CBL300B is the B-revision of GE Fanuc's standard 1-metre Wye expansion cable for Series 90-30 PLC I/O systems. In a Series 90-30 installation, the CPU baseplate's expansion port connects to each additional I/O baseplate through cables like the IC693CBL300 — the "Wye" configuration allows each cable to connect incoming bus from one side and pass the bus onward to the next baseplate simultaneously.

The alphabetic suffix identifies the production revision — IC693CBL300A, B, C through Z are successive revisions of the same 1-metre cable, each maintaining backward and forward compatibility within the Series 90-30 expansion bus. All revisions share the same electrical specification, connector format, and installation characteristics.

Key Specifications

Wye Configuration — How IC693CBL300B Connects in the Bus Chain

The Wye (Y) configuration provides the Series 90-30 I/O bus its daisy-chain expansion capability:

Single-head end: A single 25-pin D-type male connector — this end connects to the CPU baseplate's expansion port (right side of the CPU baseplate) or to the female connector of the previous cable in the chain.

Dual-head end: A 25-pin male and 25-pin female connector on the same cable end — the male connector plugs into the expansion baseplate's bus input connector (left side), and the female connector remains available for the next cable in the chain. This dual-head arrangement is the Wye's characteristic "Y" — one input path and two possible output paths in the cable end.

Terminal position: When IC693CBL300B is the last cable in the chain, the exposed female connector at the dual-head end is the unterminated bus end — this must be left open (no additional cable) to signal the bus end, or properly terminated per the Series 90-30 installation manual requirements.

Applications

Series 90-30 I/O rack expansion: Manufacturing systems, process automation, and machine tool controls using Series 90-30 PLCs that require more I/O slots than the CPU baseplate provides — IC693CBL300B extends the bus to adjacent expansion baseplates.

Same-panel expansion baseplates: Control panels where CPU and I/O expansion baseplates are mounted adjacent on the same panel or DIN rail — the 1m cable spans the connection between adjacent racks with minimal excess cable.

Legacy PLC system maintenance: Existing Series 90-30 installations requiring cable replacement during maintenance or system reconfiguration.

FAQ

Q1: What is the difference between IC693CBL300A, 300B, 300C, and other revision suffixes?

All revisions (A through Z) of IC693CBL300 are functionally identical — the suffix identifies the production revision, not a specification change. Each revision is backward and forward compatible within the Series 90-30 expansion bus. The "B" in IC693CBL300B is simply the second production revision designation.

Q2: How many IC693CBL300B cables are needed to expand from CPU to maximum I/O racks?

One cable per expansion or remote baseplate connection — each baseplate requires one Wye cable from the previous baseplate (or CPU). For a maximum 7-expansion-rack configuration (with CPU 350-364), 7 cables are needed. Check that the aggregate cable length does not exceed 15 metres for expansion rack configurations.

Q3: What are the symptoms of a faulty IC693CBL300B expansion cable in a running system?

A faulty or disconnected expansion cable causes the CPU to lose communication with all I/O modules in the affected expansion rack and any subsequent racks further down the chain. The CPU diagnostic generates hardware configuration errors, I/O modules show offline status, and the PLC programme receives incorrect (failed-to-safe) I/O data from the affected rack. Reseating connectors or replacing the cable typically restores communication.

Q4: Can IC693CBL300B be used with PACSystems RX3i baseplates?

The PACSystems RX3i uses a different expansion bus interface than the Series 90-30. While RX3i can accept some Series 90-30 I/O modules, the expansion interconnect cable and connectors differ. Confirm from GE/Emerson's RX3i system documentation and HE/GE compatibility matrices before using IC693CBL300B in an RX3i configuration.