MNM MS-5K / MS-520 Floor & Livestock Scale Kit Guide: Lock-On, RS-232, Setup & Uses

pete8781
Jul 30
3 min read

Phone: (832) 290-3120

Email: mnmscales@yahoo.com

Contact MNM Scales for current kit contents, load-cell ratings, installation details and help choosing the correct setup for a floor scale, platform scale or livestock application.

MNM MS-5K / MS-520 Floor & Livestock Scale Kit Guide

The MNM Scales MS-5K kit with MS-520 digital indicator is sold as a build-your-own floor, platform or livestock weighing package, with the platform itself excluded. MNM’s current listing highlights environmentally sealed load cells, high-visibility silicon-coated orange cable, 150% safe-overload language, an LCD MS-520 readout, lb/kg/g/oz units, RS-232 continuous output and an animal lock-on feature designed to capture a moving animal’s weight.

Second MNM product view of the MS-5K floor livestock scale kit with MS-520 indicator

What MNM verifies on the current listing

Brand: MNM Scales.
SKU: MS-5k kit.
Build-your-own floor/platform-scale kit; platform is not included.
Environmentally sealed load cells for outdoor-oriented installation and high-visibility orange cable.
MNM states a safe overload range of 150% of capacity; this is not a recommendation to operate above rated capacity.
MS-520 LCD indicator with lb, kg, g and oz units, RS-232 continuous output and animal lock-on.

MS-520 indicator functions that matter

Independent MS-520 technical references describe a six-digit blue-backlit LCD, HOLD, pieces/counting, units, tare, zero and power keys, animal weighing, check weighing, piece counting, RS-232 continuous output and support for up to four 350-ohm load cells. Those references are useful for understanding the indicator family, but confirm the exact shipped configuration with MNM because kit revisions can change.

View an MS-520 technical reference webpage

Livestock weighing and lock-on

Animals rarely stand perfectly still. The MS-520 lock-on/HOLD function is intended to make live-animal weighing easier by capturing a useful stable reading from a moving load. Mechanical setup still matters: a squeeze chute or animal platform should be rigid, supported correctly by the load cells, free from ground contact or fence binding, and placed on a firm level foundation.

DIY floor and platform scale builds

For a custom platform, the frame must transfer load consistently into the sensors without rocking or side binding. The usable finished-scale capacity is not determined by adding sensor nameplates alone: deck dead weight, uneven corner loading, dynamic impact and structural safety margin all reduce what a prudent platform can be rated to carry.

RS-232 data output

MNM lists RS-232 continuous output for computer connection. That can be useful for simple weight logging, farm records, production tracking or custom software. Before integration, confirm baud rate, data format, connector pinout and whether the output is continuous, on-command or configurable in the exact MS-520 revision you receive.

Installation and calibration sequence

Build or position the platform/chute on a solid, level foundation and eliminate rocking.
Mount sensors so each support carries load in the intended direction without side force or frame contact.
Route and protect the load-cell cables, junction connections and home-run cable.
Check corner/load sharing before final span calibration if the kit uses multiple cells under a platform.
Zero and span the indicator with a known test load, then verify multiple positions and repeatability.

FAQ

Does the kit include the platform? MNM explicitly says the platform is not included.

Can the MS-520 weigh moving cattle? Its lock-on/animal weighing functions are intended for live-load situations, but the chute/platform still needs correct mechanical installation.

Can the kit connect to a computer? MNM lists RS-232 continuous output; confirm the exact communication settings for the shipped indicator.

How many load cells and what capacity are included? The current public MNM page does not enumerate those details in its description, so confirm the exact shipped kit contents with MNM rather than relying on a similar third-party kit.