About the IS215VCMIH2B VME Communication Card
The IS215VCMIH2BA is a VCMI (VME Communications Interface) board built for the GE Speedtronic Mark VI turbine control system. As the bus master of its rack, it is responsible for keeping track of every I/O board and terminal board installed there and relaying that information to the UCVE processor.
This is an H2-family board — three IONet 10Base2 ports instead of the single port on the H1 design, which is what allows one VCMI design to serve all three channels of a TMR (triple modular redundant) Mark VI. The H2B is the earlier flash-memory generation of the H2 line; the later H2C carries more onboard flash.
Where It Fits Between the Controller and I/O
Picture a simplex system with local and remote I/O: each I/O rack has its own VCMI, and multiple I/O racks can share a single IONet backbone. In a larger TMR system with remote I/O, the arrangement scales the same way, with all three <R>/<S>/<T> channels of I/O staying identical across racks. In every case, the VCMI is what turns backplane data into IONet traffic (and back), so the controller and the field I/O never need to talk to each other directly.
Diagnostic Steps Before You Buy a Replacement
A VCMI-related alarm is not always a VCMI hardware problem. Before ordering, it's worth working through:
- IONet cable and BNC connector condition — corrosion or a loose connection is a common, non-board cause of intermittent communication faults.
- VME rack power, specifically the 5V and 15V supply rails feeding the card.
- Whether the fault code actually points to this card or to a companion VCMI on a different core sharing the same IONet loop — this has tripped up experienced techs in documented forum cases, so double-check the core designation in Toolbox or your .m6b file.
- Whether the board's manufacture date falls inside the window covered by GE TIL-1905 (boards built May 2006 to February 2009), which documents an oxidized socketed transceiver chip as the root cause of some intermittent IONet faults.
Powering down, pulling the card, cleaning it and its slot, and reseating it has cleared persistent diagnostic alarms in documented field cases — worth trying before assuming the card itself has failed.
What the H2BA Suffix Means
IS215 is the Mark VI assembly prefix, VCMI the function, H2 the three-IONet-port TMR design, B the earlier flash-memory generation within that design, and A the specific revision. Match the revision to your Toolbox configuration rather than assuming interchangeability — send a label photo and we'll confirm before you order.
Other Boards in the Same Rack
If this VCMI came out during work that also touched VPRO or terminal boards, our GE Speedtronic Part Number Decoder covers any IS200/IS215 part number, and Mark V vs Mark VI: DS200 to IS200 is helpful for sites running both generations. Browse the rest of the family under GE Mark VI IS200 Boards.
Quote Requirements
- Full part number and suffix, with revision (IS215VCMIH2BA)
- Photo of the label on the board being replaced
- Turbine model and Mark VI configuration (simplex or TMR)
- Quantity and urgency
Request Your Quote Now
This IS215VCMIH2BA is used, cleaned and tested, with a 1-year warranty. We quote worldwide with DDP shipping, accept purchase orders, and respond within 24 hours. Click Request a Quote — pricing isn't shown here, since every quote reflects your specific board and timeline.
General Information about the Product |
Part Number |
IS215VCMIH2B Mark VI IS210 |
Description |
IS215VCMIH2B By GE IS215VCMIH2BA VME Communication Interface Card |
Condition |
used Cleaned and Tested. With 1 Year Warranty |
