Oldham MX 43 Gas Detection Controller

Overview

The Oldham MX 43 is an analog and digital gas detection controller from Teledyne Oldham Simtronics for the continuous measurement and control of gases in the atmosphere. It accepts both 4-20 mA analog detectors and addressable digital lines, so one panel can serve a small plant room or a site with up to 32 detectors spread over 8 lines. The controller is fully scalable, has SIL1 capability according to EN 50271 and is offered in wall-mounted and 19-inch rack versions with 4 or 8 lines.

Seven Star LLC supplies the Oldham MX 43 to oil and gas facilities, utilities, industrial plants, car parks, laboratories and commercial buildings in Oman and the GCC. Our engineers in Muscat help customers size the controller, choose modules and match it to existing detectors, and we provide engineering support for sites in Muscat, Sohar, Duqm and Salalah.

Operating Principle

Detectors report their gas concentration to the Oldham MX 43 either as a 0-23 mA analog signal, with 4 to 20 mA reserved for measurement, or over digital lines that use RS-485 communication with a proprietary protocol at 9600 baud on a twisted shielded pair. Using digital lines, up to 32 detectors can be spread over 8 lines, which reduces cabling cost compared with a home-run cable for every detector. Each line can supply 1.2 A (1.5 A intermittently) to the field, with 2.4 A permanent in total.

For every channel the Oldham MX 43 evaluates three alarm levels, overscale, underscale and fault, using instantaneous or averaged values, rising or falling thresholds and manual or automatic acknowledgement. A non-ambiguity reading option is available for combustible gas monitoring. Relay logic is built in the COM 43 configuration software with up to five functions (OR, AND, NOR, NAND and VOTING) and several timers, and audible alarms support acknowledgement, reactivation and evacuation sequences.

Engineering Design of the Oldham MX 43

The Oldham MX 43 front panel combines a back-lit graphic LCD with smart keys and seven LEDs per line for detector status, plus common LEDs for fault and power. The display can show 1 to 16 channels at once, fixed or scrolling, with bar graphs and alarm thresholds, and it switches to reverse video in alarm so the affected detector is identified immediately. Calibration is simplified for non-intrusive, one-person work, with a calibration curve and cursors for zero and span shown on screen.

The wall-mounted housing measures 370 × 299 × 109 mm with IP55 protection, while the rack version is a 19-inch 4U unit with IP31. Power comes from 100 to 240 VAC or 21 to 28 VDC, with an optional embedded back-up battery. Five fully programmable DPCO alarm relays rated 250 VAC 2 A and one fault relay are on board, and a Modbus RTU RS-485 link connects the controller to a PLC or building management system. Optional addressable modules include 4 or 8-relay modules, a 16-logic-input module, an 8-analog-input module and a 4-analog-output module, and a USB option logs gas measurements every 2 seconds to 15 minutes.

Key Features

The Oldham MX 43 brings the following capabilities to fixed gas detection systems:

• Mixed analog and digital architecture with 4 or 8 lines and up to 32 detectors.
• Wall-mounted 4-line, 8-line and analog-board versions, plus an 8-line 19-inch rack version.
• Large back-lit graphic display with customisable views of up to 16 detectors and bar graphs.
• Three alarm levels per channel plus overscale, underscale and fault, with averaged or instantaneous thresholds.
• Five programmable relays with OR, AND, NOR, NAND and VOTING logic configured in COM 43 software.
• Addressable relay, logic input, analog input and analog output modules located close to the field equipment.
• Event memory of 512 alarm, 512 fault and 512 system events and optional USB data logging.
• SIL1 capability to EN 50271 and metrological performance according to EN 60079-29-1.

Industrial Applications

The Oldham MX 43 suits compressor houses, turbine enclosures, metering skids, battery rooms, boiler houses, chlorination rooms, underground car parks, laboratories and warehouses where several gases or zones must be monitored from one panel. The logic input module lets the Oldham MX 43 collect fire alarms, intrusion alarms, emergency stops and limit switches, and the analog output module passes detector values, minimum, maximum or group averages to a data logger, PLC or BMS. The E-4 and E-8 versions with analog boards are intended for replacing an existing MX42 or MX48 central unit with bridge sensors.

In Oman, the Oldham MX 43 is a practical choice for gas stations and compressor sites in the interior, utilities and desalination plants on the coast, industrial units in the Sohar, Duqm and Salalah zones, and commercial buildings in Muscat. Seven Star LLC supplies it with compatible detectors and alarms such as the Oldham OLCT 100 fixed gas detector, the Oldham MX 62 controller for larger systems and the E2S BExCS110-05 explosion-proof alarm and beacon.

Technical Specifications

The Oldham MX 43 values below are taken from the Teledyne Oldham Simtronics MX 43 controller brochure.

How to Order

To order the Oldham MX 43, send Seven Star LLC an RFQ with the number of detectors and lines, the mounting version, the language, and whether you need the audible and visual alarm kit, battery, USB logging, COM 43 software or extra modules. Our team in Muscat will build the correct WMX43 order code, confirm availability and lead time, and the MX 43 brochure can be downloaded from this page. Seven Star LLC supplies Teledyne Oldham Simtronics controllers and detectors across Oman and the GCC with engineering support in Muscat.