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Flo-tech Quad Series — Bi-Directional Turbine Flow Sensor

Product Overview

The Quad Series (Flo-tech model F2000) is a bi-directional turbine flow sensor for permanent installation. It is built on the Classic FSC turbine body but carries two magnetic pickups set 90 electrical degrees out of phase; the quadrature signal they produce tells a counter or PLC the direction of flow as well as its rate. That makes the Quad the fixed-mount counterpart to the portable PFM6BD — the right choice when a closed-loop or reversing circuit has to be monitored in place. It reads ±1% of full scale forward and reverse with ±0.2% repeatability, comes in four sizes from 1 to 85 GPM (FSC-2005 through FSC-2150) on SAE 12 and SAE 16 ports, and is rated to 5000 PSI. The output is the raw quadrature frequency pair — the Quad senses, your up–down counter, PLC, or display does the direction-aware counting.

Related Flo-tech instruments
Classic Turbine Sensors — the uni-directional FSC/FSB/FSD body it derives from, 0.4–350 GPM PFM6 & PFM6BD Portable — self-contained portable testers; PFM6BD is bi-directional F6600/F6700 Digital Displays — panel-mount displays for the sensor signal
Flo-tech Quad Series bi-directional turbine flow sensor (Badger Meter) — aluminum body with dual magnetic pickups
Flo-tech Quad Series — FSC-derived bi-directional turbine sensor with dual pickups 90° out of phase; ±1% of full scale forward and reverse, 1–85 GPM, to 5000 PSI.

Key Features & Benefits

  • Reads flow in both directions, fixed in the line — two pickups 90° out of phase produce a quadrature signal, so a permanently plumbed sensor reports forward AND reverse flow — the fixed-install answer to the portable PFM6BD. Plumb it in once; it tracks direction.
  • Same accuracy each way — the Quad is rated ±1% of full scale in either direction — no reverse-flow penalty, unlike a turbine read with a single pickup. Closed-loop readings you can trust both ways.
  • The FSC turbine, with a direction-sensing head — it is the proven Classic FSC body — 6013-T651 aluminum, T416 rotor, 440C bearings — with a second pickup added, rated to 5000 PSI. A known turbine, now bi-directional.
  • Drives counters, PLCs, and governors directly — the quadrature output suits up–down counters and PLC speed/position loops — the Quad is used as a speed-sensing governor on mobile equipment and in linear positioning where direction matters. Wire it to the controller that does the counting.

Specifications

Measurement principle
Dual-transducer turbine. The fluid spins a single bladed rotor, and two magnetic pickups set 90 electrical degrees out of phase read it; the resulting quadrature signal resolves flow direction as well as rate. Derived from the Classic FSC body.
Measured parameters
Flow rate, forward and reverse (bi-directional), as a quadrature frequency pair.
Flow ranges
1–85 GPM (4–321 LPM) in four models — FSC-2005 1–15 GPM, FSC-2075 2–25 GPM, FSC-2100 3–60 GPM, FSC-2150 4–85 GPM.
Accuracy
±1% of full scale, the same in both forward and reverse flow.
Repeatability
±0.2%.
Turbine response time
≤200 ms.
Calibration reference fluid
Calibrated on 0.876 SG / 150 SUS (32 cSt) hydraulic oil, irrespective of final fluid use; three points of calibration data ship with each sensor.
Functional viscosity range
Functional range approximately 25 to 500 SUS (2 to 110 cSt).
Operating / fluid temperature
Fluid −4 to +300°F (−20 to +150°C); ambient −4 to +131°F (−20 to +55°C).
Maximum pressure
Up to 5000 PSI (345 Bar).
Port / connection sizes
SAE 12 (FSC-2005, FSC-2075) and SAE 16 (FSC-2100, FSC-2150) straight-thread O-ring boss, female (SAE J1926/1).
Body / housing materials
Housing 6013-T651 anodized aluminum; turbine rotor T416 stainless; 440C stainless ball bearings; T303 stainless rotor shaft.
Wetted materials
6061-T6 aluminum rotor supports (CA360 brass on FSC-2005 / FSC-2075) and hub cones; T303 stainless magnetic-pickup body and nut; Buna N seals standard, Viton or EPR optional; steel retaining rings, zinc plated.
Outputs
Quadrature frequency — two self-generating alternating-pulse magnetic pickups, 100 mV RMS (100 Hz) minimum, 90 electrical degrees apart. Feed an up–down counter, PLC, or display that reads the leading and trailing edges to track direction.
Calibration certificate
Optional. A factory NIST-traceable 5-point or 10-point calibration certificate is an order option (ISO 9001).

Common Applications

  • Closed-loop hydrostatic-drive testing, where the circuit reverses and flow must be read both ways in a fixed installation
  • Speed-sensing governor feedback on mobile equipment — the quadrature signal returns to a PLC that trims the drive
  • Linear positioning and motion control where accurate direction and rate are required
  • Permanent flow monitoring on a hydraulic test stand or machine where the line direction can change
The Quad is the FIXED-INSTALL bi-directional sensor — plumbed permanently into the line and feeding your own counter, PLC, or display. For a hand-carried bi-directional check that reads on its own gauge, use the portable PFM6BD instead. For uni-directional fixed sensing, the single-pickup Classic FSC/FSB/FSD body it is derived from covers 0.4–350 GPM with frequency, 4–20 mA, or 0–5 VDC output.

Design & Selection Considerations

  • Direction needs a quadrature-aware reader — the bi-directional benefit only lands if the receiving device discriminates the leading and trailing edges of the two phase-shifted signals — an up–down counter or a PLC input set up for quadrature. A plain frequency display reads rate but not direction. Use the input form to tell us the counter or PLC so we confirm it resolves the quadrature pair.
  • It is a sensor, not a self-contained tester — the Quad outputs a signal only — it has no on-board display, pressure gauge, or loading valve. For a standalone hand-carried bi-directional check, the portable PFM6BD reads flow, pressure, and temperature on its own gauge and LCD. Choose the Quad when the reading lives in a fixed installation feeding your electronics.
  • Magnetic-pickup accuracy is full-scale, and viscosity-bound — as a magnetic-pickup turbine the Quad reads ±1% of full scale, not of reading, so it is most accurate in the upper part of its range; and like any turbine, calibration shifts as the fluid thickens. For work far from 32 cSt, tell us the operating viscosity so we confirm it sits in the 25–500 SUS functional range and set the right accuracy expectation.

To size & select the right Quad bi-directional sensor:

Use the input form to tell us the hydraulic circuit, the flow range and port size, the working pressure and temperature, the fluid and its operating viscosity, and what you need the reading to do — a live field check, recorded data, or a permanent stand — and we’ll match the tester, sensor, and display, confirm the output and any NIST-traceable calibration, and price it — with programming and commissioning available as an optional, quoted service.

Flow Meter Application Sheet ›

Talk to an engineer directly — Scott Prater, Principal · 917-580-0878 · scott@pratertechnical.com

Specifications compiled by Prater Technical Partners from Badger Meter Flo-tech hydraulic test & diagnostics product literature.