Do You Know Where Your Power Supply Is?
We’ve all had it happen: either a bad battery or a blown fuse in a security power supply. It causes cameras to fail, a card access door to stop working, or a whole panel to fail.
Power supplies in their simplest sense do a very basic thing: They turn 120 volts AC power to low voltage DC power for low voltage security devices such as cameras, card readers, alarm panels, or detection devices. And while they have become more sophisticated, adding fused outputs, relay contacts for fire alarm disconnects (life safety egress for maglocks), and smart battery chargers, until recently it was up to the security integrator or maintenance staff to maintain the power supply by testing power and replacing batteries periodically.
In the IT world, just about everything is monitored – Computer servers, network switches, server room air conditioning and filtration units, UPS battery backup systems, even cameras in the data closet monitoring temperature, humidity, and noise levels. Much of this information is sent via the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). This protocol is monitored by software that notifies console operations of the exact conditions or problems that may arise with hardware or software in the footprint.
Enter the power supply network module. The Altronix LINQ2 is a new product that offers the same kind of monitoring capability used in the computer industry.
The Altronix LINQ2 network module is designed to interface with eFlow and MaximalF power supply/chargers. It enables power supply status monitoring and control of two (2) eFlow power supply/chargers over a LAN/WAN or USB connection. LINQ2 provides values on demand for AC fault status, DC current and voltage, as well as Battery fault status and reports conditions via SNMP.
Now security operations can be notified of potential problems and critical failures as they happen, or maybe even before.
For more information visit http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=LINQ2
The Altronix LINQ2 SNMP Network Module