Magnicator® Quick Ship Program Saves the Day at a Chemical Company in the Gulf Coast

Nov 6, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Aug 10

We recently had a chemical manufacturer reach out to us to retrofit their dated transmitter with one of our Jerguson® JMT™ Series Magnetostrictive Transmitters. After the install, the customer reported weak magnetic strength while testing their existing float. They decided to retrofit their entire gage to a Jerguson® Magnicator® Magnetic Level Indicator. The customer utilized our Magnicator® Quick Ship Program, receiving the new magnetic level indicator in 48 hours.

How a Transmitter Retrofit Uncovered a Bigger Issue

This case is a good example of how a targeted upgrade can reveal a problem beyond its original scope. The customer initially reached out only to retrofit their dated transmitter with a JMT Series unit - a straightforward electronic upgrade to the existing gage. But during installation and testing, they discovered the existing float itself had weakened magnetic strength, likely from age or service conditions degrading the magnet over time.

A weakened float magnet undermines the entire magnetic coupling principle the Magnicator design depends on - even a brand-new, high-performance transmitter can't fully compensate for a float that isn't producing a strong, reliable magnetic signal. Recognizing this, the customer made the right call: rather than installing a new transmitter onto a compromised float, they retrofitted the entire gage.

Why 48-Hour Delivery Mattered Here

This is exactly the kind of situation the Magnicator Quick Ship Program exists for. A facility mid-retrofit, having just discovered an unexpected equipment issue, doesn't have the luxury of waiting on a standard engineered-to-order lead time. Because the replacement Magnicator fell within the Quick Ship Program's common configuration options, the customer received their new unit in 48 hours - turning what could have been an extended instrumentation gap into a short, manageable turnaround.

A Real Example of the Quick Ship Program in Action

We've covered the Magnicator Quick Ship Program's general terms separately - orders entered by noon Eastern ship within 2 business days, covering common options, accessories, and retrofit-ready indicators and floats. This case shows exactly what that program is designed to solve: an unplanned discovery mid-project that needs a fast, reliable resolution rather than a multi-week wait.

Why This Matters for Facilities Considering a Transmitter-Only Upgrade

If your facility is planning a transmitter retrofit on an aging Magnicator installation, this case is worth keeping in mind: it's worth testing the existing float's magnetic strength before or during the transmitter install, rather than assuming the float is still performing at full strength. Catching a weak float early - as this customer did - allows for a complete, properly functioning retrofit rather than pairing new electronics with a degraded mechanical component.

Applications

This kind of combined diagnostic-and-retrofit scenario applies across:

Chemical Processing: Aging Magnicator installations undergoing transmitter upgrades
Any Facility Retrofitting Electronic Transmitters onto Existing Gages: Where float condition should be verified as part of the process
Unplanned Maintenance Situations: Where fast delivery turns a discovered issue into a quick fix rather than an extended outage

Learn More

For guidance on transmitter retrofits, float condition assessment, or Quick Ship Program eligibility for your Magnicator upgrade, contact our Jerguson team.

Email: sales@clark-reliance.com Phone: +1 (440) 572-1500

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