MCF-LW12CO2 - Smart Home MCF88 - Free user manual and instructions

Type of product	Smart CO2 Monitor
Brand	MCF88
Model	MCF-LW12CO2
Dimensions (H x W x D)	8.5 x 8.5 x 2.5 cm
Weight	150 g
Power supply	USB-C (5V 1A) with rechargeable lithium battery
Battery life	Up to 8 hours on a full charge
Sensor type	NDIR (Non-Dispersive Infrared) CO2 sensor
Measuring range	400 - 5000 ppm
Accuracy	±50 ppm + 5% of reading
Additional sensors	Temperature and humidity
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0
Display	2.0 inch color TFT screen
App compatibility	iOS 12+ and Android 8+ (MCF88 Smart Home app)
Voice assistants	Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
Main functions	Real-time CO2 monitoring, temperature and humidity display, color-coded air quality indication, historical data logging, smart alerts
Care and cleaning	Wipe surface with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use liquid cleaners.
Safety	Low battery notification, overcharge protection, CE/RoHS compliant
Spare parts and repairability	No user-serviceable parts. Contact MCF88 support for repairs.
General information	Designed for indoor use only. Operating temperature: 0°C to 50°C. Humidity: 20% to 85%.

Frequently Asked Questions - MCF-LW12CO2 MCF88

How does the CO2 sensor work?

The device uses a NDIR sensor to measure CO2 concentration. It shines infrared light through a sample of air and measures the absorption to determine CO2 levels.

How do I connect the device to the app?

Download the MCF88 Smart Home app from your app store. Create an account, press and hold the power button for 5 seconds to enter pairing mode, then follow the in-app instructions to connect via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

What do the different LED colors mean?

Green indicates good air quality (< 800 ppm CO2); yellow indicates fair (< 1200 ppm); orange indicates poor (< 2000 ppm); red indicates very poor (> 2000 ppm). The display also shows the exact value.

How often should I calibrate the sensor?

The sensor features automatic baseline calibration (ABC) that recalibrates periodically. No manual calibration is needed for normal use. If you suspect drift, you can perform a manual calibration using fresh outdoor air via the app.

What is the battery life and how do I charge it?

The rechargeable battery lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge. Use the supplied USB-C cable to connect to any 5V USB charger. A full charge takes approximately 2 hours.

Can I use this device outdoors?

No, the device is designed for indoor use only. Exposure to rain, direct sunlight, or extreme temperatures may damage the sensor and electronics.

Does it work with Alexa or Google Assistant?

Yes, after connecting to the app, you can enable the MCF88 Smart Home skill in Alexa or the action in Google Home. Voice commands allow you to check CO2 levels and air quality.

How do I reset the device to factory settings?

Press and hold the power button and the mode button simultaneously for 10 seconds until the screen flashes. This will erase all settings and data.

Can I export the historical data?

Yes, the app allows you to export CSV files containing hourly, daily, or weekly averages. Go to the history tab and select the export option.

What should I do if the device won't turn on?

First, try charging the device for at least 30 minutes. If it still does not turn on, perform a hard reset (see FAQ 8). If the issue persists, contact MCF88 support for assistance.

USER MANUAL MCF-LW12CO2 MCF88

The MCF-LW12CO2 is a battery powered sensor for indoor applications that reads temperature, relative humidity, pressure, ambient light index, IAQ air quality index and CO2. The device sends collected data over the LoRaWAN™ network. Ideally suited for a wide range of applications such as home buildings, air quality monitoring and energy saving applications.

2. INSTALLATION

To ensure correct operation and reliable and consistent measurements, install the MCF-LW12CO2 sensor away from direct sunlight and heating sources like radiators, conveyors, TV, lights etc. and far away from doors and windows.

The device must be placed where the LoRaWAN™ signal coverage is good (SF = 7 optimal, SF = 12 weak). The sensor must be installed vertically on a wall at about 1.5mt height. It must be at least 30cm away from metal objects, and 1mt away from electronic devices.

If necessary use drilling guideline as follow:

3. FIRST POWER-ON OF THE SENSOR

The sensor is shipped completely off to prevent battery consumption during storage. It is therefore necessary to carry out a first power-on prior to commissioning.

There are two ways to power on the sensor:

1. With NFC: Move the NFC antenna of the mobile (the exact position varies depending on the model of the smartphone) to the sensor antenna, in the area shown in the figure.

In case of long period inactivity, if necessary, is possible to shut-off again the sensor to prevent battery consumption, using the mcf88 APP.

1. Mechanical power on:

Open the case using a screw driver as follow

By using a screw driver pushbutton for 1s as follow, moving right:

Close the plastic case.

Switch-on is visible by flashing of red and green leds.

4. LORAWAN ACTIVATION

The device supports the following activations on a LoRaWAN ^™ network:

1. NONE: sensor not activated
2. OTAA: the appkey and AppEUI must be written to the device.
3. OTAA MCF88: Over the air activation according to mcf88 specifications
4. ABP: requires writing to the device of NwkSkey, AppSkey, DevAddr

mcf88 Via Roma 3, 28060 Sozzago (NO) ITALY - [e-mail] - mcf88.it

The device exits factory activated with NONE mode.

The DevEUI of the device is shown on the product label.

The application allows, in addition to parameters configuration, the firmware update.

Further features are:

LoRaWAN™ class => class "A"

measuring interval => minimum 15 min

transmission interval => every 2 measures

5. SELF CALIBRATION

Due to the internal automatic calibration algorithm (enabled as default), the sensor must be exposed to true fresh air environment at least once a week.

If such an environment can never be expected to occur, either by sensor locality or ever-presence of CO2 emission sources (for example gree-house), or exposure to even lower concentrations than the natural fresh air baseline, the automatic calibration must be disabled with APP:

6. ALTITUDE SETTINGS

When the sensor is not installed at the sea level, the reading of barometric pressures at other elevations must be compensated.

Set the right altitude value with the APP: