Multilin 469, 369 and 339 Motor Protection Relays

Short answer

The Multilin 469, 369, 339 and 239 are motor protection relays from GE Vernova (formerly GE Multilin). The 469 protects medium and large motors, the 369 medium-voltage motors and the 339 small and medium motors. GE Vernova has discontinued the 469, 369 and 239 and proposes the 8 Series 859 and 869 as replacements; the 339 remains in its portfolio.

What it is and where it is used

The Multilin 469, 369, 339 and 239 are motor protection relays from GE Vernova, the company that now markets the Multilin line that used to carry the GE brand. They are among the most widely installed motor relays in industry: mining, oil and gas, cement, water and power plant auxiliaries.

The 469 (Motor Management Relay, from the former SR series) protects and manages medium and large medium-voltage motors. The 369 is the mid-range relay for medium-voltage motors, and the 339 covers small and medium motors. For the context of motor protection, see induction motors and their protection.

Variants: Multilin 469, 369, 339, 239, MM300 and MM200

Model	Application	Status according to GE Vernova
SR 469	Medium and large medium-voltage motors, with stator differential and up to 12 RTDs	Discontinued; replacement 859 or 869
369	Medium-voltage motors	Discontinued; replacement 859
339	Small and medium motors	In portfolio, with IEC 61850 and drawout design
239	Small motors	Discontinued; replacement 339, 859, 869 or P24
MM300 / MM200	Low-voltage motor management in motor control centers	Replacement for the former MM2 and MM3

Main functions

According to GE Vernova’s public information for the 469 and the 339:

Function	ANSI	What it provides on the motor
Thermal model biased by RTD and unbalance	49	Protection against overheating (guide)
Stator and bearing temperature by RTD	49S, 38	Direct temperature protection
Current unbalance	46	Open phases or unbalanced voltage
Phase and ground overcurrent	50/51, 50G/51G	Short circuits and ground faults (guide)
Stall and undercurrent	50LR, 37	Mechanical load problems
Stator differential (469)	87S	Internal faults in large motors (guide)
Start inhibit	66, 86	Limits consecutive starts

The 469 also includes torque and start supervision; the 339 adds the motor settings autoconfigurator, the motor health report and supervision of the instrument transformers and the trip circuit.

Communications and integration

469: serial and 10BaseT Ethernet ports, with Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP, and a DeviceNet option according to its brochure.
339: several protocols, including IEC 61850.
Software: EnerVista (469 Setup, 339 Setup) and EnerVista Viewpoint Monitoring for supervision.

For protocol details, see Modbus RTU and TCP.

What the 469 manual says about hardware and settings access

The 469 instruction manual (GE Grid Solutions, edition 1601-0122-AJ) settles several questions about the nameplate and spares:

Order code. It has the form 469-P1-LO-A20-E. P1 or P5 indicate a 1 A or 5 A phase CT (current transformer). LO or HI indicate the control power (20 to 60 V DC or 20 to 48 V AC, and 90 to 300 V DC or 70 to 265 V AC). A1 or A20 indicate the analog outputs (0 to 1 mA or 4 to 20 mA). The last part indicates the display (E enhanced, T enhanced with 10BaseT Ethernet, D enhanced with DeviceNet; the basic display is listed as discontinued) and an optional H for a harsh chemical environment coating. The manual makes clear that all functions are standard: there are no function options, and what you specify when ordering is the CTs, the power supply and the analog outputs.
Inputs and outputs. Six output relays for trips, alarms and start blocks, and twelve RTD inputs (temperature sensors), each programmable by type. There are also four assignable digital inputs, four 4 to 20 mA analog inputs for transducers such as vibration, pressure or flow, and four scalable analog outputs.
Thermal. Fifteen standard overload curves, one custom curve and one curve for high-inertia starts, when acceleration lasts longer than the safe stall time; a second curve for two-speed motors. The thermal model includes unbalance and RTD bias and exponential cooling.
Ground and differential. Ground faults down to 0.25 A with the GE 50:0.025 ground CT, and inputs for phase differential.
Learned data. It stores acceleration time, starting current and starting thermal capacity (learned and from the last start), and the maximum temperature of each RTD, useful for checking whether the motor has changed over the years.
Ports. Front RS232 (settings, interrogation and firmware update), computer RS485 and auxiliary RS485 for redundancy or a second master, and 10BaseT Ethernet with Modbus TCP/IP. DeviceNet is offered at 125, 250 or 500 kbps.
Settings access. To change settings from the front keypad a jumper must be installed on terminals C1 and C2 on the back; the jumper does not restrict access over serial communication. The settings passcode accepts up to eight digits, and the factory value “0” removes the restrictions, so it is worth confirming it was not left that way after commissioning.

The EnerVista 469 Setup software ships with each relay. For the 369 there are no verified ordering data in this guide: for it, the reference is the current manual for its version.

If your equipment is no longer manufactured

GE Vernova has discontinued the 469, the 369 and the 239. For the 469 it offers a replacement kit for the 869 that, according to the manufacturer, installs without changing the panel cutout or the wiring, and lets you convert the 469 settings with EnerVista. The conversion is a starting point: the 869 has functions and logic the 469 did not have, and the settings must be reviewed against the motor data and the study before starting. We do the remote configuration of the new relay, the replacement engineering and the tests.

Frequently asked technical questions

469 manual (PDF): GE Vernova publishes the 469 manuals on its site. What the manual does not decide is the setting for your motor.
Overload trip at start: thermal curve or locked-rotor time taken wrongly from the nameplate, or a longer start because of the load. See overcurrent trip at start-up or energization.
Block due to starts: start inhibit protects the motor; it is not a relay fault.

How we help

At Tiza Group we configure Multilin relays remotely, with a backup before and after the change. See remote configuration of GE Multilin relays and remote relay configuration. If the motor has already tripped and the reason is unclear, we can quote the event analysis in trip review. For replacing a 469 or a 369, see engineering design and studies. Write to us through the contact page.

References

IEEE C37.2, device function numbers for power systems.
IEEE C37.96, guide for AC motor protection.
GE Vernova, legacy motor products page, 469 brochure, 339 page and 869 page with the 469 replacement kit.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Multilin 469 still manufactured?

No. GE Vernova states that the 469 has been discontinued and proposes the 859 or the 869 as an alternative. For the 469 there is a replacement kit for the 869 that, according to the manufacturer, installs without changing the panel cutout or the existing wiring, and EnerVista can convert the 469 settings file to the 869.

What is the difference between the Multilin 469 and the 369?

Both protect medium-voltage motors with a thermal model and RTD inputs. The 469 is designed for medium and large motors and includes stator differential; the 369 is the mid-range relay for medium-voltage motors. Both are discontinued: the replacement for the 369 is the 859 and for the 469 it is the 869 or the 859.

What software configures the Multilin 469?

EnerVista 469 Setup, from GE Vernova, which is downloaded from the manufacturer's site. The same EnerVista environment is used for the 869, including the conversion of 469 settings.