Remote Electromagnetic Flowmeter Transmitter, 95-240 V AC 47-440 Hz, 3-Line Keypad Display, 4-20 mA Standard Outputs, IP65 / NEMA 4X

What this is – and what it is not:
This is the transmitter (converter) half only of an electromagnetic flowmeter system. There is no flow tube, no sensor, no flanges. A magmeter is a matched pair: a sensor that sits in the pipe and a transmitter that drives the coils and reads the electrode signal. This part is the second half. It is fully interchangeable across all sensor sizes in the family and configurable on site, so it works as a drop-in replacement for a failed converter or as a spare on an existing installation – but on its own it will not measure anything.

Decoding MFE4ER140111 (from ABB’s own ordering table):
MFE – MagMaster transmitter, base number4 – glanding: conduit entry, 1/2 in NPT (the North American build)ER – remote MagMaster transmitter (as opposed to EH, sensor-mounted / integral)1 – power supply: 95 V to 240 V AC nominal, 47 to 440 Hz (option 3 is the 11-40 V DC version)4 – display: 3-line display with keypad, no RS422/423 and no HART – ABB’s standard display build0 – output options: standard outputs (not dual current, not HART, not serial)1 – transmitter build standard: General Purpose, non-FM/CSA-approved1 – display orientation: standard1 – display language: EnglishRead that back and the practical summary is: remote-mount, mains-powered, keypad-and-display, standard outputs, general-purpose (non-hazardous) build, English, NPT entries. ABB used this exact string as the sample catalogue number in the MagMaster specification sheet, which is a useful confirmation that the code is well formed.

Hazardous-area status – read this before specifying:
Build-standard character 1 means General Purpose, non-FM/CSA approved. This transmitter is not the FM/CSA Class I Div 2 variant (that would be build standard 5, 6, 7 or 8). Do not use it to replace a Div 2 converter in a classified area, and note ABB’s own rule that an FM-approved or CSA-certified sensor must be part of a complete approved system – dropping a general-purpose transmitter onto an approved sensor voids the system certification.

Published specification:
Supply: 95-240 V AC nominal, 47-440 Hz (absolute range 85-265 V AC); fully isolated switching supply, no manual voltage selectionPower consumption: less than 20 VA including sensorSystem accuracy with MFE series sensors: +/-0.2% of reading; with MFF series sensors +/-0.15% of reading or +/-0.001 m/s, whichever is greaterAnalog output adds +/-0.008 mARepeatability / reproducibility: +/-0.05% or +/-0.25 mm/s, whichever is greaterTemperature effect: less than +/-0.08% of reading per 10 COperable flow range: 1000:1 (up to 1500:1 on later water/wastewater builds)Outputs, standard: one isolated 4-20 mA analog (programmable to 21 mA, 800 ohm, output capability under 16 V); one forward and one reverse pulse/frequency output, 0-800 Hz squarewave or fixed pulse width to 2.5 s, sinking over 250 mA at under 35 V; dual alarm relays (isolated transistor switches); RS232C 9-pin service connectorExternal input: contact closure / open collector / logic to reset totaliser, change span, hold output, force output to zero, or set low-flow cutoffIsolation: galvanic separation to 50 V DC between analog, pulse/alarm and earthInternal totalisers: three resettable 9-digit – forward, reverse, netEmpty-pipe detection with programmable conductivity trip pointMinimum fluid conductivity: 5 microS/cmTransmitter-to-sensor separation: under 100 m (328 ft); usable cable length in feet is the lower of 330 ft or 15 x conductivity in microS/cmSensor cable entry: 0.5 in NPT, single openingEnclosure: glass-loaded polypropylene with polycarbonate window, UL 94 V0 rated; IP65 / NEMA 4XConfiguration retention: non-volatile memory, 10-year retention; multi-level password protectionWarm-up time: 1 minute. Time constant programmable 1 to over 100 sCompatible sensor bore sizes: 15 mm to 600 mm (0.5 in to 24 in) on the MFE series; larger sizes on MAG.PLUS

Why the character-by-character build matters:
Every one of those nine characters changes what the box can do, and none of them is field-upgradable without an ABB factory kit. The two that catch people out are the display character and the output character. This unit is a 4/0: keypad and 3-line display, standard outputs. That means no HART and no RS422/423 serial – if the existing loop is HART-polled or feeds a remote 1/4 DIN panel display over serial, this is the wrong build (you would want output character 2 for HART, 4 or 5 for serial). Conversely, because it has the keypad, it can be fully configured on site with no configurator, wand or laptop – the blind and 2-line variants cannot.

Interchange and lineage:
MagMaster was ABB Instrumentation, previously badged ABB Kent-Taylor – a nameplate reading Kent-Taylor is the same product line, and the electrical installation manuals cover both labels. The MagMaster transmitter can also be used to retrofit earlier ABB magnetic flowmeters including the 1100L and 1210L sensor series (up to 12 in, model and serial numbers of the sensor required), and ABB documented it as a replacement converter on some other manufacturers’ sensing heads. Note that on 1100L/1210L retrofits the FM/CSA approvals do not carry across. Within the modern ABB range the descendant products are the WaterMaster and ProcessMaster families; a MagMaster sensor cannot be driven by a WaterMaster transmitter, so keeping a matched MagMaster converter on the shelf is usually cheaper than replacing the whole meter.

Practical notes:
Transmitter and sensor ship from ABB as a calibrated matched pair – check the serial numbers if you are reuniting a converter with an existing tube, and expect to re-enter the sensor calibration factor and full-scale range on the keypad. Quantity 1, used, in good condition.