Woodward easYgen-3200XT, 3500XT and LS-5 Controllers

What it is and where it is used

The Woodward easYgen-3000XT series is a genset controller for paralleling and power management. It includes the easYgen-3200XT and easYgen-3500XT models; the previous generation is the easYgen-3000. It is accompanied by the LS-5 and LS-6XT breaker controllers, the DTSC-200A transfer controller and, for speed control, the 2301A or 2301D on engines and the 505 on steam turbines.

Woodward lists standby applications with automatic mains failure (AMF), cogeneration, shore power for ships, continuous island generation and grid-parallel operation with peak shaving and import or export control. It is seen in industry, mining, hospitals, data centers and self-generation plants. For context, see emergency diesel generating set.

Variants: easYgen-3200XT, easYgen-3500XT, LS-5, LS-6XT, DTSC-200A, 2301 and 505

Main features

• Paralleling of 1 to 32 sets in isochronous mode with load sharing over the CAN network, according to Woodward.
• Engine control over J1939 and integrated generator and engine protections. They do not replace a generator relay when the study calls for one; see synchronous generator and its protections.
• Operating modes: AMF standby, island, grid-parallel with import or export control, and cogeneration.
• Hardware for outdoor and demanding conditions, according to the manufacturer.

easYgen-3400XT and 3500XT: what the Woodward specification says

Woodward specification 37583 describes the most complete pair of the 3000XT series. These are its data:

• Scope. Paralleling of up to 32 generator sets and up to 16 breaker controls (MCB, GGB or bus tie), in prime power and cogeneration, peak shaving, emergency, import and export, and island and grid parallel.
• Control functions. Pre-synchronization, generator group breaker (GGB) control, master or slave control capability, complete engine, generator and mains protection, and open or closed transition load transfer, interchange, soft loading and unloading and grid parallel.
• Load sharing. It is done over Ethernet or CAN, with selectable redundancy on Ethernet networks B and C. The 3500XT has a dedicated CANopen network for up to 16 LS-5 breaker controls and can share load among up to 32 generators in up to 32 different bus segments.
• Measurement. Voltage inputs configurable from 100 V up to 400/690 V nominal, with a primary setting range of 50 to 650,000 V for use with voltage transformers. The manufacturer states direct connection up to 690 V AC. It also states operation at 4000 m above sea level without derating. True three-phase average power is detected with class 1 accuracy.
• Packages. P1 is aimed at complex paralleling, with redundant Ethernet communication, LS-5 connectivity and standard I/O; P2 is designed for cogeneration, with extended I/O, three-phase bus voltage measurement and a slot for interface expansion cards. There are versions without a display in a metal housing for rear mounting (3400XT-P1 and 3400XT-P2) that use the RP-3000XT touch remote panel, and LT versions (3500XT-P1-LT and 3500XT-P2-LT) for operation down to -40 degrees Celsius outdoors.
• Communications. Up to nine ports: three Ethernet, three CAN (CANopen and J1939), RS-485, USB and the expansion slot. Remote control is done over Modbus TCP and Modbus RTU, with discrete or analog inputs to adjust speed, frequency, voltage, power, reactive power and power factor, and time is synchronized by SNTP.
• Engines and ECU. The specification mentions support for Scania S6, MTU ADEC ECU7/8/9, Volvo EMS2 and EDC4, Deutz EMR2 and EMR3, MAN MFR/EDC7, SISU EEM, Cummins and Woodward EGS02 ECUs. The exact support for each ECU version must be confirmed in the manual.
• Software. Woodward ToolKit, accessible over USB, Ethernet or CAN, with an interface in fourteen languages.
• Environment data and standards. 12/24 Vdc supply (8 to 40 Vdc), operating temperature of -20 to 70 degrees Celsius (LT: -40 to 70) and conformity with UL 61010, UL 6200, RoHS 2 and marine standards (ABS, LR).
• Replacement. The 3000XT hardware is presented as a drop-in replacement for the previous 3000 series.

It also includes configurable PID controllers for process variables such as water level or pressure, useful in cogeneration.

Paralleling concepts worth having clear

• Isochronous operation. In island parallel the sets share the load in proportion to their capacity and hold frequency at its nominal value; see generator synchronization.
• Breaker closing. The controller closes the generator breaker when the voltage, frequency and angle difference is within the synchronism window; see synchronism check 25.
• Grid parallel. It requires the interconnection protections defined by the utility, which the set controller does not replace; see generator in parallel with the grid.
• Generator protection. The integrated protections complement the generator relay when the study calls for it; see synchronous generator and its protections.

Points of attention in commissioning

• Hardware and generation. The 3000 and 3000XT series do not share configuration files; replacement requires reviewing wiring and parameters.
• Modbus map. With a third-party SCADA or PLC, the register map must be taken from the manual of the installed version.
• Load sharing networks. A CAN or Ethernet network badly terminated or without redundancy affects sharing between sets; it is a frequent cause of power oscillations.
• Engine settings. Paralleling behavior also depends on the speed governor and the ECU; the complete system is tested, not just the controller.
• Functional tests. Synchronization, transfer and loss of mains are verified with functional tests on the real installation.

Communications and integration

The easYgen-3000XT shares load with other controllers over CAN, communicates with the engine electronics over J1939 and integrates with the SCADA or PLC normally over Modbus; Woodward publishes the details of the unit’s Modbus protocol. Configuration is done with the Woodward service software (ToolKit). When the plant runs in parallel with the grid, the LS-5 or LS-6XT, the interconnection protections and anti-islanding must meet what the utility requires. See generator in parallel with the grid and Modbus RTU and TCP.

Frequent technical questions

• Which manual corresponds to the easYgen-3200?: Woodward publishes manuals by model and version; the 3000 series and the 3000XT manuals are not the same.
• easYgen-3200 or easYgen-3200XT: the XT is the current series; hardware, firmware and configuration files change, so replacement is not copy and paste.
• The set does not close the breaker: it is usually a synchronism window not reached, phase sequence, bus measurement or an external permissive. See synchronism check 25.
• Power oscillation between sets: points to speed or voltage regulation, or to load sharing over CAN.
• Transfer that does not return to the mains: check the return times, the mains voltage seen by the controller and the ATS permissives. See automatic source transfer.

How we help

At Tiza Group we do not sell controllers. We integrate generation plants into the plant network: breaker logic, SCADA communications, interconnection protections and functional tests of synchronization and transfer, with field work in Colombia or elsewhere on request. See control, protection and communications configuration. For plants in parallel with the grid, we coordinate their protections in protection coordination. Write to us through contact.

Related guides

• Emergency diesel generating set
• Automatic source transfer
• Synchronism check 25
• Deep Sea DSE7320, DSE8610 and SmartGen HGM controllers
• DEIF AGC 150, AGC-4 Mk II and PPM 300 controller
• ComAp InteliGen, InteliLite and InteliMains controller
• Cummins PCC 3.3, PCC 2.3 and Caterpillar EMCP 4.4 controller
• AVR voltage regulators

References

• ISO 8528, alternating current generating sets driven by internal combustion engines.
• SAE J1939, vehicle and engine communication network.
• Woodward, product pages easYgen-3000XT, LS-5 and LS-6XT, and DTSC-200A.

Frequently asked questions