For security and life safety systems, reliable, high-quality power solutions are critical. Intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance, mass notification and fire systems count on superior uptime and 24/7 availability, which means consistent, dependable power.


You already know this, but you might not know that power supplies have become smarter and more intelligent, moving succinctly into the world of networking and remote connectivity.


Gabriel Ana, general manager for systems and technology at Houle Electric, Vancouver, British Columbia, said offering intelligent power is critical. 


“Putting smarts into the management of power systems makes a lot of sense to us and our customers,” he said. “When you have remote-monitoring capabilities with networked power supplies, you can measure things like load distribution and peak usage, which helps with LEED projects and green objectives. You can also better plan for and anticipate any challenges or issues with remote monitoring.”


Ana said Houle Electric—a full-service electrical contractor that offers a range of services, including power, data, communications and security—appreciates the ability to monitor power equipment, with the goal of making everything seamless and easy for the customer. Today’s power supplies can be custom-configured for the job, with one or multiple technology-specific microprocessor boards fitting inside a single cabinet, minimizing its footprint.


Customer, technician efficiencies


Power supply manufacturers are now focused on network connectivity and other innovations transforming the product category. 


LifeSafety Power Inc., Mundelein, Ill., continues to transition its power supplies to networked solutions that yield real-time monitoring and health assessments, even over large enterprises. The company, founded in 2009, was the first to offer a computer and networking interface in its product.


In 2011, LifeSafety Power brought networking more fully into the fold with the introduction of a patented communication module that enables installers to remotely obtain real-time or scheduled status reports on power solutions. In 2014, it released a smart appliance that uses web-based software and hardware to securely and proactively manage power across multiple customer locations, said Joe Holland, vice president of engineering. The device consolidates the monitoring and status of all devices to a single computer screen.


Holland said LifeSafety Power’s flagship line provides primary, low-voltage, direct current (DC) power to systems used in access control, fire, security and closed-circuit TV. Supplies generate power, and batteries take over if the building’s alternating current (AC) goes down. AC power is applied to the power supply when offline, converting 120-volt (V) AC power to either 12 or 24V DC while maintaining proper charging conditions. In the event of an AC loss and the supply can no longer convert the 120V AC to 12 or 24V DC, the battery takes over, so power to equipment continues uninterrupted.


The company is turning power supplies into technology-based intelligent devices that provide detailed reporting capabilities and deliver immediate information. 


“Now, with networking capabilities, power supplies provide a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to service—streamlining work processes and bringing efficiencies to installing companies,” Holland said.


Honeywell Power Products, Northford, Conn., is also bringing more intelligence to its solutions, focusing on minimizing installation and service time and reducing labor costs. The company recently released a line of UL-listed AC video system supplies that provide 24V AC of constant power to support even larger surveillance specifications. To avoid the time-consuming task of troubleshooting issues with circuits and wiring on-site, the supplies’ output circuits include LEDs that illuminate when power is present and extinguish when a short condition is detected.


Another innovation is Internet protocol communicators that can eliminate the expense of phone lines traditionally used for security alarm monitoring. Using upload/download capabilities, installers can access system information remotely to reduce on-site labor time.


Ken Gentile, product marketing manager, Fire-Lite Alarms and Honeywell Power Products, said two principal changes in the devices are greater intelligence and better efficiencies in power usage. 


“One of the biggest things that’s affected the video market for power and starting to affect access control and intrusion detection is intelligent power—using all the power you have available to perform the job you have more efficiently,” he said. “In addition, power over Ethernet [PoE], which transports power and data over an Ethernet cable, gives installers more control and options.”


Sending data and power together over Ethernet cabling means less wiring, faster installation and greater device control. 


“PoE allows remote management and health assessments of the power supplies,” Gentile said. “The remote diagnosis capability checks the status of the power supply to see what’s going on with each output or channel. That helps with faster servicing and lets installers know before they go to the job site what supplies they might need.”


Power supplies, critical components of security and life safety products, have transformed into intelligent, network-based devices that lend service efficiencies to the contractor and real-time assessments of the product’s health and well-being. No longer are the power supplies relegated to the status of static hardware—they can be managed remotely from anywhere in the world—­providing superior uptime.