Does a FM235SE originally have a filtration system installed?

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Here’s you an “Installation & Operation Manual” on that fryer:

 

http://fm-xweb.frymaster.com/service/udocs/Manuals/819-6003%20MAR%2016.pdf

 

Ah!  And in it, that “SE” is translated.

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Looks like it did.

 

The “FM” stands for Filter Magic.  The “2” denotes that it’s a battery of two fryers.  The “35” means it’s a 35 Series master jet gas fryer (has the horseshoe-shaped burner with targets underneath).  The “SE” doesn’t translate to anything, so may be a typo. If it says “SC”, then that would be a fryer with a stainless pot, door & cabinet.  If a “SD”, that’s a stainless pot & door, but with an enamel-painted cabinet.

 

Although a built-in filter system is convenient, the earlier versions of the Filter Magic (from the 1980s and up until the mid-to-late-2000s) proved to be a pain to maintain.  It was overly complicated and required pricey parts to fix.  Thereafter, Frymaster’s greatly design improved greatly their with some logical simplifications.

 

If you’re wondering how old that fryer is, since 1987, the first four numbers in the serial number denotes when it was made.  So…a 9804 would indicate it was manufactured in April 1998.

 

I suggest that you’ve lost nothing by buying one with the older Filter Magic system taken out.  We have several units which have gotten the same treatment through the years during a once-over in our maintenance shop – mainly due to their inherent problems.  Just get yourself a roll-under portable filter machine.