What replaces the ABB MS225, MS450 and MO450 manual motor starters? ABB's official conversion table (document 2CDC131108D0201) moves the MS225 to the MS116, the MS450 to the MS165 and the MO450 to the MO165, and splits the MS451 into a magnetic-only MO132 or MO165 plus an EF electronic overload relay. Most rows are a straight swap of setting range. Five are not, because the new dial starts higher or stops lower than the old one, and two order codes trade places in their numbering. Match every replacement to the motor nameplate current, not to the old part number.
The request usually arrives the same way. A starter in an MCC that has run for a decade or more trips one last time, someone reads MS225 or MS450 off the front label, and the answer from the counter is that ABB no longer makes it. The starter is a small part. The hours spent working out its successor, with a production line waiting, are not.
ABB answered that question in a three-page conversion table. Copied row by row onto a purchase order, it is right most of the time and wrong in exactly the places that cost a second shipment. Here is the whole migration at a glance:
| Discontinued | Successor | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| MS225 (0.10–25 A) | MS116 | MS225-12.5 maps to an MS116-12 that stops at 12 A; R1011 and R1012 codes swap sizes |
| MS220L-20 | MS132-20L | Keep the L variant |
| MS450 (11–50 A) | MS165 | The four larger sizes start higher; MS450-50 maps to an MS165-65 that starts at 52 A |
| MS451 (11–50 A) | MO132 / MO165 + EF45-30 / EF65-56 | One device becomes two; dial the EF relay to the motor |
| MO450 (40–50 A) | MO165 | The separate overload relay stays in charge |
| PS4, BS4-3, KA450 | PS2-…-125, BS2-3, KA165 | Order them with the starters |
The sections below give every row of the official table with its order codes, flag the five range shifts, and link each successor that Stoklink lists for direct order. For the selection logic behind any manual motor starter, see the MPCB engineering guide.
Why a Conversion Table Is Not a Purchase List
A conversion table answers one question: which current product sits in the same place in the range as the discontinued one. It does not know your motor. The old MS225-12.5 covered 9 to 12.5 A, and its listed successor, the MS116-12, covers 8 to 12 A. A motor with a 12.3 A nameplate was correctly protected by the old unit and cannot be set on the new one.
The second trap is the order code itself. MS225 and MS116 codes share the same R-suffix for almost every size, so it is tempting to build the purchase list by changing the prefix from 1SAM151000 to 1SAM250000 and keeping the suffix. That works for twelve rows and fails for two. The MS225-12.5 is R1011 and the MS225-16 is R1012; on the MS116 side, R1011 is the 16 A size and R1012 is the 12 A size. Swap prefixes blindly and the 12.5 A position receives a 10 to 16 A starter while the 16 A position receives an 8 to 12 A starter that will trip under normal load.
Setting range
The span of current, in amperes, over which the thermal overload dial of a manual motor starter can be adjusted. The dial is set to the motor's rated full-load current from the nameplate, so the motor current must sit inside the range, not merely below its upper limit.
Key takeaway: Never convert ABB starter order codes by prefix substitution. The MS225-12.5 and MS225-16 suffixes map to the opposite MS116 sizes.
MS225 to MS116: Size-by-Size Conversion
The MS225 family converts to the MS116, a 45 mm wide manual motor starter. Thirteen of the fourteen MS225 sizes have an MS116 successor with the same or a wider setting range, and the MS116 adds a 25 to 32 A size that the MS225 never had. Successors marked "on request" are not listed online yet; send the code through the quote form and we source it from ABB distribution.
| Old type | Old order code | Old range | New type | New order code | New range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS225-0.16 | 1SAM151000R1001 | 0.10–0.16 A | MS116-0.16 | 1SAM250000R1001 | 0.10–0.16 A |
| MS225-0.25 | 1SAM151000R1002 | 0.16–0.25 A | MS116-0.25 | 1SAM250000R1002 | 0.16–0.25 A |
| MS225-0.4 | 1SAM151000R1003 | 0.25–0.40 A | MS116-0.4 | 1SAM250000R1003 | 0.25–0.40 A |
| MS225-0.63 | 1SAM151000R1004 | 0.40–0.63 A | MS116-0.63 | 1SAM250000R1004 | 0.40–0.63 A |
| MS225-1 | 1SAM151000R1005 | 0.63–1.00 A | MS116-1.0 | 1SAM250000R1005 | 0.63–1.00 A |
| MS225-1.6 | 1SAM151000R1006 | 1.00–1.60 A | MS116-1.6 | 1SAM250000R1006 | 1.00–1.60 A |
| MS225-2.5 | 1SAM151000R1007 | 1.60–2.50 A | MS116-2.5 | 1SAM250000R1007 | 1.60–2.50 A |
| MS225-4 | 1SAM151000R1008 | 2.50–4.00 A | MS116-4.0 | 1SAM250000R1008 | 2.50–4.00 A |
| MS225-6.3 | 1SAM151000R1009 | 4.00–6.30 A | MS116-6.3 | 1SAM250000R1009 | 4.00–6.30 A |
| MS225-9 | 1SAM151000R1010 | 6.30–9.00 A | MS116-10 | 1SAM250000R1010 | 6.30–10.0 A |
| MS225-12.5 | 1SAM151000R1011 | 9.00–12.5 A | MS116-12 (on request) | 1SAM250000R1012 | 8.00–12.0 A |
| MS225-16 | 1SAM151000R1012 | 12.5–16.0 A | MS116-16 | 1SAM250000R1011 | 10.0–16.0 A |
| MS225-20 | 1SAM151000R1013 | 16.0–20.0 A | MS116-20 | 1SAM250000R1013 | 16.0–20.0 A |
| MS225-25 | 1SAM151000R1014 | 20.0–25.0 A | MS116-25 (on request) | 1SAM250000R1014 | 20.0–25.0 A |
| none | none | none | MS116-32 | 1SAM250000R1015 | 25.0–32.0 A |
| MS220L-20 | 1SAM151100R1013 | 16.0–20.0 A | MS132-20L (on request) | 1SAM350100R1013 | 16.0–20.0 A |
Two rows need a second look. The MS225-9 becomes an MS116-10, which keeps the 6.3 A lower limit and simply reaches further, so any motor the old unit protected fits the new one. The MS225-12.5 is the opposite case: the new range starts lower and stops at 12 A. For motors between 12 and 12.5 A, the MS116-16 (10 to 16 A) is the size that covers the nameplate.
The one-off MS220L-20 converts to the MS132-20L, not to an MS116. Do not substitute the plain MS132-20 without checking what the L variant does in your circuit; the conversion table keeps the L suffix for a reason.
Key takeaway: For MS225 motors between 12.0 and 12.5 A, skip the listed MS116-12 and fit the MS116-16, dialled to the nameplate current.
MS450 and MO450 to MS165 and MO165
The MS450 converts to the MS165, ABB's 55 mm wide frame that runs up to 80 A in its current range. This is where most of the range shifts sit. The 16, 20 and 25 A sizes keep an equivalent window; the four larger sizes move their lower limit up.
| Old type | Old order code | Old range | New type | New order code | New range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS450-16 | 1SAM450000R1001 | 11.0–16.0 A | MS165-16 (on request) | 1SAM451000R1011 | 10.0–16.0 A |
| MS450-20 | 1SAM450000R1002 | 14.0–20.0 A | MS165-20 (on request) | 1SAM451000R1012 | 14.0–20.0 A |
| MS450-25 | 1SAM450000R1003 | 18.0–25.0 A | MS165-25 (on request) | 1SAM451000R1013 | 18.0–25.0 A |
| MS450-32 | 1SAM450000R1004 | 22.0–32.0 A | MS165-32 (on request) | 1SAM451000R1014 | 23.0–32.0 A |
| MS450-40 | 1SAM450000R1005 | 28.0–40.0 A | MS165-42 | 1SAM451000R1015 | 30.0–42.0 A |
| MS450-45 | 1SAM450000R1006 | 36.0–45.0 A | MS165-54 | 1SAM451000R1016 | 40.0–54.0 A |
| MS450-50 | 1SAM450000R1007 | 40.0–50.0 A | MS165-65 | 1SAM451000R1017 | 52.0–65.0 A |
Read the last row carefully. The MS450-50 was set somewhere between 40 and 50 A. Its listed successor, the MS165-65, cannot be dialled below 52 A, so the old and new windows do not overlap at all. A 46 A motor on that circuit belongs on the MS165-54 (40 to 54 A), which covers the entire old range. The same logic applies further up: an MS450-40 protecting a 29 A motor needs an MS165-32, and an MS450-45 on a 38 A motor needs an MS165-42.
The MO450 is the magnetic-only version of the same frame and converts on rated current rather than on a setting window:
| Old type | Old order code | Old rated current | New type | New order code | New rated current |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MO450-40 | 1SAM460000R1005 | 40 A | MO165-42 (on request) | 1SAM461000R1015 | 42 A |
| MO450-45 | 1SAM460000R1006 | 45 A | MO165-54 (on request) | 1SAM461000R1016 | 54 A |
| MO450-50 | 1SAM460000R1007 | 50 A | MO165-54 (on request) | 1SAM461000R1016 | 54 A |
Because an MO unit has no thermal element, the separate overload relay in that starter still does the overload job after the swap. Check that it is still set to the motor, not to the new MO rating.
Magnetic-only manual motor starter (MO)
A starter with an instantaneous short-circuit trip and manual isolation but no adjustable thermal overload. It is always paired with a separate overload relay; on its own it leaves the motor without overload protection. See magnetic-only MPCB with a separate overload relay.
Staying in stock: MS132 for the 16 to 32 A sizes
The MS165-16 to MS165-32 successors are not on our shelf. If lead time matters more than staying in the same frame, the MS132 covers the same motors in four steps: MS132-16 (10 to 16 A), MS132-20 (16 to 20 A), MS132-25 (20 to 25 A) and MS132-32 (25 to 32 A). This is our suggestion, not ABB's conversion. The MS132 is a 45 mm frame against the MS165's 55 mm, it takes different busbars and accessories, and its breaking capacity at the top settings is lower than at the small ones. Pick the size whose window holds the nameplate current, then check the short-circuit rating as described below.
MS451: One Starter Becomes Two Devices
There is no single-box successor for the MS451. ABB splits its job into a magnetic-only MO starter, which handles short-circuit tripping and isolation, and an EF electronic overload relay, which takes over the overload function. The three smaller sizes move to the MO132 frame with an EF45-30; the four larger sizes move to the MO165 frame with an EF65-56.
| Old type | Old order code | Old range | New combination | New order codes | Overload range (EF) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS451-16 | 1SAM470000R1001 | 11.0–16.0 A | MO132-16 + EF45-30 | 1SAM360000R1011 + 1SAX221001R1101 | 9.00–30.0 A |
| MS451-20 | 1SAM470000R1002 | 14.0–20.0 A | MO132-20 + EF45-30 | 1SAM360000R1013 + 1SAX221001R1101 | 9.00–30.0 A |
| MS451-25 | 1SAM470000R1003 | 18.0–25.0 A | MO132-25 + EF45-30 | 1SAM360000R1014 + 1SAX221001R1101 | 9.00–30.0 A |
| MS451-32 | 1SAM470000R1004 | 22.0–32.0 A | MO165-32 + EF65-56 | 1SAM461000R1014 + 1SAX331001R1102 | 20.0–56.0 A |
| MS451-40 | 1SAM470000R1005 | 28.0–40.0 A | MO165-42 + EF65-56 | 1SAM461000R1015 + 1SAX331001R1102 | 20.0–56.0 A |
| MS451-45 | 1SAM470000R1006 | 36.0–45.0 A | MO165-54 + EF65-56 | 1SAM461000R1016 + 1SAX331001R1102 | 20.0–56.0 A |
| MS451-50 | 1SAM470000R1007 | 40.0–50.0 A | MO165-54 + EF65-56 | 1SAM461000R1016 + 1SAX331001R1102 | 20.0–56.0 A |
The EF relays have a much wider adjustment window than the old starter, so a single EF45-30 serves all three small sizes. The width is convenient for stocking and dangerous for commissioning. An EF45-30 dial left anywhere near the top of its 9 to 30 A window sits far above a 14 A motor and is still inside its own range. Dial it to the nameplate current on the day of the swap.
The MO132 units are listed with small quantities; the EF45-30, EF65-56 and MO165 sizes are on request. EF overload relays are designed to mount on ABB AF contactors, so confirm that the contactor in the starter is a frame the relay fits before ordering. The coordination table guide explains how to read the pairing.
Busbars and Accessories Do Not Carry Over
The conversion table also replaces the busbars and the KA450 accessory. Treat it as a signal that the old busbar comb will not line up with the new starters; plan the busbar on the same purchase order as the starters.
| Old type | Old order code | New type | New order code |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS4-2-0 | 1SAM401911R1001 | PS2-2-0-125 | 1SAM401920R1002 |
| PS4-3-0 | 1SAM401911R1002 | PS2-3-0-125 | 1SAM401920R1003 |
| PS4-4-0 | 1SAM401911R1003 | PS2-4-0-125 | 1SAM401920R1004 |
| PS4-2-2 | 1SAM401911R1004 | PS2-2-2-125 | 1SAM401920R1022 |
| PS4-3-2 | 1SAM401911R1005 | PS2-3-2-125 | 1SAM401920R1023 |
| PS4-4-2 | 1SAM401911R1006 | PS2-4-2-125 | 1SAM401920R1024 |
| BS4-3 | 1SAM401911R1008 | BS2-3 | 1SAM401921R1001 |
| KA450 | 1SAM401908R1001 | KA165 | 1SAM401922R1001 |
These parts are on request. One caution for MS225 retrofits: the starters on that row become MS116 units, so the busbar must suit the MS116 frame. Stoklink lists the PS1 busbars made for MS116 and MS132, for example the PS1-3-0-65 for three starters and the PS1-5-0-65 for five, with the S1-M1-25 infeed block. Confirm the busbar against ABB's selection data for the exact starter mix.
Retrofit lists for these rows often show the same pattern: starters converted correctly, busbar left off, and the row cannot be energised until a second shipment arrives. With export lead times, that second shipment is the expensive part of the job.
Key takeaway: Order the busbar, infeed and accessories with the starters. The old PS4 combs and the KA450 do not transfer to the new frames.
A Five-Point Check Before You Order
Every row in the conversion table should pass the same two numeric tests. The first is the setting window; the second is the short-circuit rating at the point of installation.
Imin(new) ≤ In,motor ≤ Imax(new) and Icu(new) ≥ Ik at the starter
Where: Imin and Imax are the lower and upper limits of the new starter's setting range, In,motor is the rated current on the motor nameplate, Icu is the starter's ultimate short-circuit breaking capacity at the supply voltage, and Ik is the prospective short-circuit current at the starter terminals. Example: a 46 A motor fails the first test on an MS165-65 (46 < 52) and passes on an MS165-54 (40 ≤ 46 ≤ 54).
The second test catches the substitutions that look fine on paper. Breaking capacity is not uniform across a range: the MS116 is rated in the 50 kA class at its small sizes and falls to the 10 kA class from 20 A upward. If the fault level at the panel is higher than the starter's rating, the starter needs upstream back-up protection or a higher-rated frame. Pull the Icu figure for your voltage from the datasheet, and see MPCB short-circuit breaking capacity (Icu) explained for how to read it.
| Check | What to compare | Rows most likely to fail |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Setting window | Motor nameplate current inside the new range | MS225-12.5, MS450-32, MS450-40, MS450-45, MS450-50 |
| 2. Breaking capacity | New Icu at site voltage against prospective Ik | MS116 at 16 A and above; MS132 used in place of MS165 |
| 3. Order code | Full code read from the table, not a prefix swap | MS225-12.5 and MS225-16 (R1011/R1012) |
| 4. Frame and busbar | 45 mm MS116/MS132 or 55 mm MS165; matching busbar | Every busbar-fed row |
| 5. Overload function | EF or separate relay dialled to the motor | All MS451 and MO450 conversions |
Contactor coordination is the last item, and it is easy to forget on a like-for-like swap. Type 2 coordination is published for specific starter and contactor pairs, so a new starter in front of an old contactor may not carry the rating the panel was certified with. The MPCB selection and setting guide walks through the dial setting step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the replacement for the ABB MS225?
ABB's conversion table replaces the MS225 with the MS116. For most sizes the setting range is identical, for example MS225-6.3 to MS116-6.3 at 4.0 to 6.3 A. The MS225-9 becomes an MS116-10 with a wider range, and the MS225-12.5 becomes an MS116-12 that stops at 12 A, so motors between 12 and 12.5 A need the MS116-16 instead.
What replaces the ABB MS450 manual motor starter?
The MS450 is replaced by the MS165. The 16, 20 and 25 A sizes keep an equivalent setting window, but the larger sizes shift. The MS450-50 (40 to 50 A) is listed against the MS165-65, which starts at 52 A, so a motor below 52 A should go on the MS165-54. Always check the nameplate current against the new range.
Can I convert MS225 order codes to MS116 by changing only the prefix?
No. Twelve sizes share the same R-suffix, but two do not. The MS225-12.5 is 1SAM151000R1011 and the MS225-16 is R1012, while on the MS116 side R1011 is the 16 A size and R1012 is the 12 A size. A prefix swap would put the wrong starter on both of those circuits.
What replaces the ABB MO450 magnetic-only starter?
The MO450-40 converts to the MO165-42, and both the MO450-45 and MO450-50 convert to the MO165-54. Like the MO450, the MO165 has no thermal overload element, so the separate overload relay in the starter keeps doing that job and must stay set to the motor's rated current after the swap.
Is there a direct replacement for the ABB MS451?
Not as a single device. ABB replaces each MS451 with a magnetic-only MO starter plus an EF electronic overload relay. The 16, 20 and 25 A sizes become MO132 with an EF45-30, and the 32 to 50 A sizes become MO165 with an EF65-56. The EF relay must be dialled to the motor nameplate current during commissioning.
Can I reuse the PS4 busbars and KA450 accessory with the new starters?
The conversion table replaces them, so plan on new parts: PS4 busbars become PS2-…-125 types, the BS4-3 becomes a BS2-3 and the KA450 becomes a KA165. Where MS225 starters are replaced by MS116 units, the busbar must suit the 45 mm MS116 frame, such as the PS1 busbars designed for MS116 and MS132.
Can an MS132 replace an MS450 up to 32 A?
It can protect the same motors, but it is not ABB's official conversion, which points to the MS165. The MS132 uses a 45 mm frame rather than 55 mm, needs different busbars and accessories, and has a lower breaking capacity at its upper sizes. Choose the MS132 size whose range holds the nameplate current and confirm its Icu against the fault level.
Conclusion
ABB's conversion table is the right starting point for an MS225, MS450, MS451 or MO450 retrofit, and most of its rows are a clean swap. The work is in the exceptions. Check the motor nameplate against every new setting range, read the full order code instead of swapping prefixes, confirm the breaking capacity at the panel's fault level, and order busbars and overload relays with the starters. The MS116 and MS165 sizes linked above ship from stock, and anything marked on request can be sourced through the quote form or browsed in the MPCB collection.