Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus Open Path Gas Detector
Overview
The Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus is the current-generation medium-range open path flammable gas detector from Honeywell, developed for upstream and downstream oil and gas plants, onshore and offshore. A transmitter and a separate receiver are mounted between 2 and 120 metres apart, and the infrared beam between them watches the whole line for hydrocarbon gas clouds. Honeywell designed the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus to keep working in poor visibility, stating that it can see through thick fog better than other open path detectors, whether NDIR or laser based, and it adds Bluetooth set-up, a high-visibility LED halo status ring, HART and Modbus outputs and TUV SIL 2 certification to the established Searchline concept.
Seven Star LLC supplies the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus to operators, EPC contractors and maintenance teams in Oman and the GCC as a trusted supplier, with engineering support in Muscat. We can help size path lengths, select the M25 or 3/4 inch NPT version, and assemble the mounting, alignment and test accessories needed for commissioning.
Measurement Principle
Flammable hydrocarbons absorb infrared radiation at specific wavelengths. In an open path system the transmitter sends a beam of infrared energy across the hazard, and the receiver measures how strongly the beam is attenuated at a gas-absorbing wavelength relative to a non-absorbing reference. Because absorption depends on both the gas concentration and the length of cloud the beam passes through, the reading is an integral value expressed in LEL.m (lower explosive limit multiplied by metres). The Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus measures from 0 to 5 LEL.m, with recommended alarm settings of 1 LEL.m (low) and 3 LEL.m (high), and responds with a T90 of less than 3 seconds.
This line-of-sight approach means a leak is detected wherever it crosses the beam rather than only when it reaches a point sensor, which suits wind-dispersed releases on open plant. The detector responds to a wide range of hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, ethylene and propylene, with FM performance approval on most of these and DNV approval for methane and propane. Optical diagnostics in the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus continuously evaluate window clarity and alignment accuracy so that loss of signal, beam blockage or drift is reported as a warning or fault on the 4–20 mA loop rather than going unnoticed.
Engineering Design of the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus
Each Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus unit is a stainless steel cylinder about 103 mm in diameter and 325 mm long, weighing roughly 6 kg, rated IP66/IP67 and Type 4X with tested resistance to salt mist and sulfuric atmospheres. Certification covers cULus Class I Division 1 Groups B, C and D and IECEx Ex db ia IIC T4 Gb for flameproof installation or Ex db eb ia IIC T4 Gb for increased safety wiring, with performance approval to ANSI/FM/IEC/EN 60079-29-4. A sunshade is supplied as standard, and advanced optics in both transmitter and receiver keep monitoring active in heavy fog long after other detector types lose coverage.
Installation of the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus uses the Fixed Platform Universal Mount, and the system part numbers SLXL-PSMGXX and SLXL-PSNGXX include a small stainless steel mount, bracket and plastic sunshade with either M25 or 3/4 inch NPT entries. An alignment scope simplifies aiming the pair. Day-to-day interaction is non-intrusive: technicians pair an intrinsically safe Android device with the detector over Bluetooth at up to about 20 metres and use the Honeywell Fixed Platform App to configure, check status and review the full log of alarms, events and maintenance actions without opening the enclosure.
Key Features
The Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus offers the following practical advantages on site:
- Path lengths from 2 to 120 metres let one detector pair replace many point detectors along process boundaries and fence lines.
- The 0 to 5 LEL.m range and T90 under 3 seconds provide fast warning of hydrocarbon releases.
- Honeywell rates its fog penetration ahead of other NDIR and laser open path detectors, maintaining coverage in low visibility.
- A high-visibility LED halo ring shows instrument status at a glance from ground level.
- Outputs include 4–20 mA with HART, fault, Alarm 1 and Alarm 2 relays rated 2 A, and Modbus.
- Bluetooth connectivity with the Honeywell Fixed Platform App enables set-up and maintenance without opening the housing.
- Window clarity and alignment diagnostics, plus automatic event logging, support maximum uptime.
- The detector is calibration free and is certified SIL 2 by TUV SUD to EN 61508.
Industrial Applications
Open path detection is used wherever a gas cloud could drift across a large or irregular area: around compressor houses and separators, along pipe racks, at the perimeter of tank farms and LPG spheres, across jetties and loading bays, and around offshore modules. In Oman the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus fits gas processing and condensate facilities in the interior, crude and product terminals near Muscat and Duqm, refineries and petrochemical units in Sohar, LNG plants in Sur and gas-fired power and desalination stations, where hot summers, coastal humidity, dust and morning fog all challenge detection systems.
Because the medium-range Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus shares 4–20 mA, HART and Modbus outputs with common fire and gas controllers, it is straightforward to add to existing systems or to new SIL-rated safety designs. Seven Star LLC supplies Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus transmitter and receiver pairs together with large adjustable brackets, stainless steel sunshades, alignment scopes, functional test filters and gassing cells from Muscat, and our engineers can support layout reviews and commissioning planning across Oman and the GCC.
Technical Specifications
The Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus data below is summarised from the Honeywell datasheet; see the technical manual for full details and ppm.m equivalents.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | Searchline Excel Plus (SLXL-PSMGXX M25; SLXL-PSNGXX 3/4 inch NPT) |
| Gases | Methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, ethylene, propylene |
| Range | 0–5 LEL.m; recommended alarms low 1 LEL.m, high 3 LEL.m |
| Path length | 2 m to 120 m (6 ft to 393 ft) |
| Speed of response | T90 less than 3 seconds |
| Analogue output | 4–20 mA linearised 0–5 LEL.m; 1 mA fault, 2 mA inhibit, 3 mA warning, 21 mA overrange |
| Other outputs | HART, fault relay, Alarm 1 and Alarm 2 relays (max 32 V, 2 A resistive), Modbus, Bluetooth |
| Power supply | 24 Vdc nominal (18 to 32 Vdc) |
| Power consumption | Transmitter 3.8 to 11.8 W; receiver 3.0 to 7.4 W (temperature dependent) |
| Operating temperature | –55°C to +75°C |
| Humidity | 0–99% RH non-condensing |
| Repeatability | ±0.4 LEL.m |
| Warm-up time | Less than 5 minutes operational; less than 1 hour fully stabilised |
| Weight | Receiver 6.1 kg; transmitter 6.0 kg |
| Dimensions | 103 mm dia × 325 mm × 180 mm |
| Ingress protection | IP66/IP67, Type 4X |
| Hazardous area | cULus Class I Div. 1 Groups B, C, D T4; IECEx ULD 18.0016X Ex db ia IIC T4 Gb / Ex db eb ia IIC T4 Gb |
| Performance and safety | ANSI/FM/IEC/EN 60079-29-4; SIL 2 (TUV SUD, EN 61508); ATEX, INMETRO, CCCF |
Related Fire and Gas Detection
For the earlier generation open path detector, see the Honeywell Searchline Excel open path detector; for alternative technologies compare the General Monitors IR5500 open path detector and the Honeywell XNX universal transmitter.
To pair gas detection with flame detection, see the Honeywell FS24X Plus flame detector.
How to Order
To request a formal quotation for the Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus, check current availability and lead time or download the technical datasheet, contact the instrumentation division at Seven Star LLC. Send us your path lengths, entry thread, target gas and accessory list, and our engineers in Muscat will confirm Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus availability, lead time and commissioning support for your site in Oman or the GCC.
- Datasheet Honeywell Searchline Excel Plus Datasheet Download
Honeywell product families on this page
Open path infrared detection is represented by the Searchline Excel and the newer Searchline Excel Plus. Point detection includes the Sensepoint XCD in flammable and toxic versions, for example the SPXCDALMG1 hydrogen detector, the Sensepoint XRL and the XNX universal transmitter. The FS24X Plus is a triple infrared flame detector. Replacement cells such as the SR-X2V oxygen sensor and the SR-W-MP75C MICROpeL combustible sensor are also listed. Process instruments include SmartLine STG700 and STG800 gauge pressure transmitters, the STR82D remote seal transmitter and the VersaFlow Coriolis mass flow meter. Recorder consumables such as chart pens are also sourced.Where Honeywell detectors and transmitters are used
Gas and flame detectors guard wellheads, compressor stations, tank farms, loading bays, process units and utility buildings, and report to the fire and gas system. Open path units watch plant boundaries and long pipe racks. SmartLine transmitters and VersaFlow meters measure pressure and flow in refining, gas processing, chemicals and power.Ordering Honeywell gas detection parts: what we need
Send the full part number from the label, such as SPXCDALMG1 or 02104-N-XSSA, and the serial number. For gas detectors state the target gas and measuring span, housing material, cable entry thread, output (4-20 mA, relays, Modbus) and the approval required. For replacement sensors name the detector model they go into. For SmartLine transmitters send the complete model selection string.Browse Honeywell products by category: Fire & Gas Detector, Vibration, Flowmeters, Pressure Instrumentation, Temperature Instrumentation.
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