DEIF AGC 150, AGC-4 Mk II and PPM 300 Controllers

Short answer

DEIF is a Danish manufacturer of generator set controllers. The AGC 150 (Advanced Genset Controller) covers everything from a single genset to plants with synchronizing and power management, with variants for generator, mains, bus tie breaker and solar hybrids. The AGC-4 Mk II is its high-end controller and the PPM 300 its power management line, mainly marine.

What it is and where it is used

DEIF is a Danish manufacturer of controllers for power generation. Its AGC 150 (Advanced Genset Controller) is a generator set controller that, depending on the variant, starts and protects the engine, synchronizes the generator, shares load with other gensets and manages the connection to the grid. The AGC-4 Mk II is the brand’s high-end controller, the PPM 300 is its power management line, widely used on ships (the PPM-3 is an earlier generation), and the GC-1F and the PPU appear in older installations.

They are used in standby plants in industry, hospitals and data centers, in continuous generation in mining and remote areas, in cogeneration, in hybrid plants with solar and in the station service of substations and power plants. For context, see emergency diesel generator.

Variants: AGC 150, AGC-4 Mk II, PPM 300, PPU and GC-1F

Model	Application	Main difference
AGC 150 Generator	Genset in parallel	Synchronizing and power management for up to 32 gensets according to DEIF
AGC 150 Mains	Mains breaker	Controls the connection to the grid in plants in parallel
AGC 150 BTB	Bus tie breaker	Manages the tie between sections
AGC 150 Generator stand-alone	Single genset	No power management between gensets
AGC 150 Hybrid	Genset with solar	Starts and stops gensets according to solar production and minimum load
AGC 150 Engine Drive	Engine without generator	Pumps and mechanical drives
AGC 150 PMS Lite	Simple power management	Small plants
AGC-4 Mk II	High end	Large plants and complex applications
PPM 300 / PPM-3	Power management	Mainly marine use; the PPM-3 is the earlier generation
PPU / GC-1F	Earlier generations	Found in existing installations

The variant, the firmware and the hardware options are identified on the unit’s label; two AGC 150 units of different variants cannot be swapped without reconfiguring.

Main features

Synchronizing and load sharing, active and reactive, between gensets, and with the grid in the variants that include it. See generator in parallel with the grid.
Built-in generator and engine protections: overcurrent, reverse power, over and undervoltage, frequency and engine alarms, depending on the variant. They do not replace a generator relay when the study requires one; see synchronous generator and its protection and the DEIF and SELCO generator relays.
Operating modes for emergency on mains failure (AMF), peak shaving, fixed power and import or export with the grid.
Programmable logic and alarm and event logging.

What DEIF publishes for each AGC 150 variant

The AGC 150 series page details the functions of each variant, and the differences that matter when specifying come from there:

Generator. Synchronizing and a power management core of 32 digital gensets. Includes engine and generator protection with CANbus communication with the engine and PLC logic. It supports up to 9 CANbus input and output modules (CIO) and DEIF’s DVC550 digital voltage regulator. It offers a multipurpose PID, hybrid power management support, fuel optimization and operation at -40 °C.
Mains. Operation with one or several mains supplies in AMF (mains failure), fixed power, export or mains take-over and peak shaving modes. Includes mains measurement (kW, kvar, current and power factor) and decoupling and kW export protection. It also offers load transfer without interruption and a minimum number of gensets that start.
BTB. Automatic closing of the bus tie breaker when the system calls for it, manual control and section management. In the Mains and BTB variants, DEIF states 12 digital inputs and 12 digital outputs, and a log of 500 events and 500 alarms, with a PLC editor.
Generator stand-alone. AMF sequence for a single genset, analog inputs for resistance, current and voltage, analog outputs, emissions control with forced regeneration and soot alarm, fuel pump logic, and support for DVC550 and CIO.
Hybrid. Minimum genset load and starting and stopping of gensets according to grid import or export or PV production; solar generation takes part in the export, fixed power, AMF and peak shaving modes.
Engine Drive. Start, stop and supervision of mechanical and electric engines in one unit. It has fixed or variable speed pump functions and flow and pressure supervision. It offers three-level password protection, alarm and event logging, 11 languages and a sealed IP65 front panel.
There are also marine variants (Generator Marine and Engine Drive Marine) and a remote display unit as an accessory.

DEIF states UL approval for the Stand-alone and Engine Drive variants, and compliance with Tier 4 Final and Stage V emissions in Generator, Stand-alone and Engine Drive. This list comes from DEIF’s page; the datasheet of each variant is the governing document for the exact hardware.

Documentation published by DEIF

DEIF organizes its documentation by variant (Stand-alone, Hybrid, Generator-Mains-BTB, Engine Drive, PMS Lite, ATS and the marine ones). For each it publishes a datasheet in several languages and Modbus server tables in spreadsheet files, and the AGC 150 installation guide is a separate document. The AGC 150 Hybrid datasheet lists among the generator protections reverse power (ANSI 32F), time-delayed ground overcurrent (51G) and neutral overcurrent (51N). It also states that the controller is configured from the front panel with a PIN code or with a free PC tool over USB, Ethernet or RS485. In a specification, always ask for the datasheet of the variant and the Modbus map of the firmware revision that will be installed.

Points of attention in AGC 150 projects

One variant per function. A plant with mains, bus tie and gensets uses three different variants that communicate with each other; the design must define which one controls each breaker and how the sequences are coordinated, including loss of communication between controllers.
Hybrid plants. In a plant with solar, the minimum genset load, the spinning reserve and the behavior on a drop in PV production are design decisions. See harmonics and resonance in solar parks if the inverter shares a bus with the gensets.
Voltage regulator. Support for the DVC550 is offered by DEIF; with another regulator, the interface (analog or bus) must be verified. See AVR regulators.
Grid protection. The decoupling and export functions of the AGC 150 Mains do not replace the interconnection protection required by the utility; that is tested separately.
Migration from AGC-4 or PPU. Configuration files and wiring from earlier generations are not reused without review; treat the replacement as a small project with functional tests.

Communications and integration

The AGC 150 has Ethernet, USB and RS485, communication with the engine electronics over CANbus and additional I/O modules over CAN. It is normally integrated into SCADA or the management system over Modbus; see Modbus RTU and TCP. Configuration is done with DEIF’s utility software. In plants in parallel with the grid, the breaker signals, the interconnection protection and the anti-islanding must match what the utility requires.

Frequently asked technical questions

Which manual applies to the AGC 150?: DEIF publishes the AGC 150 documentation by variant; that of the AGC-4 Mk II is different.
The genset does not synchronize: it is usually voltage or frequency outside the window, the phase sequence, the speed or voltage regulator, or the busbar measurement wiring. See synchronism check 25.
Uneven load sharing between gensets: it usually comes from the regulator settings, from communication between controllers or from a genset with a limited engine.
Reverse power trip when synchronizing: the genset comes in absorbing power if the frequency is below the grid’s or if the ramp is not suitable.
AGC-4 or AGC 150 for a project: it depends on the size of the plant and the functions required; DEIF positions the AGC 150 for a wide range of applications and the AGC-4 Mk II for the most complex ones.

How we help

At Tiza Group we do not sell controllers. We integrate generation plants into the electrical system: breaker signals and logic, communications with SCADA, interconnection protection and functional tests of transfer and synchronization. See control, protection and communications configuration. If the plant connects in parallel with the grid, we coordinate its protection under protection coordination. Write to us through contact.

References

ISO 8528, reciprocating internal combustion engine driven alternating current generating sets.
IEEE C37.2, standard for electrical power system device function numbers.
DEIF, AGC 150 series page and its variants, and retired products section.

Frequently asked questions

What variants does the DEIF AGC 150 have?

DEIF offers the AGC 150 in variants for each function: Generator, Mains, BTB (bus tie breaker), Generator stand-alone, Hybrid (with solar), Engine Drive and PMS Lite. Each variant brings the logic of its application, which simplifies design and commissioning.

Where do I find the DEIF AGC 150 manual?

DEIF publishes the technical documentation of the AGC 150 by variant, and its configuration software, on its website. Documentation for discontinued products remains available in its retired products section.

How many gensets can be synchronized with the AGC 150?

DEIF announces a power management core of up to 32 gensets for the Generator variant. The actual number depends on the plant architecture, the variants used and the communication network between controllers.