Power Supplies

Power Supplies provide clean, filtered power to access control systems.

Electrical components such as keypads and mag locks really like their clean power.

That is why transformers are rarely used for access control.

Most components don't work well with their ''dirty'' power.

Power Supplies react to input signals, but they do not ''think''.

The circuitry within a Power Supply may be complex, but it's designed to be ''all or none''.

It's internal switches are simply ''on'' or ''off''. There is no grey area.

Don't be confused by all the bells and whistles available for Power Supplies.

They all react the same way to the same inputs.

Despite all the advanced circuitry, power supplies are missing a key component.

A Timer.

Timers set the unlock time for a door. Seven or eight seconds is a normal unlock time.

So why aren't timers furnished with Power Supplies?

Because other components (such as a keypad) often include their own timer.

If not, you may add one to the Power Supply.

A wide variety of ''add-on'' are available for Power Supplies.

	Battery Backups - use 1 battery for 12v systems, 2 for 24v.
	2 Zone Controllers - for powering 2 doors with 1 power supply
Other popular components include: Fire Alarm Interface - Unlocks doors when fire alarm sounds Door Operator Interface - Combining Access Control with door operator Some of the manufacturers offer even more add-ons, though they are rarely used. 7-day timers, door prop alarms, and exit delay are some examples.

Single door Power Supplies are the least expensive type. They are also the most popular. Competition keeps the price of these Power Supplies low.

Comparison
Price Rank	Brand	Model	Description
1	Altronix	AL125UL	Best bang for the buck
2	Locknetics	505EIR	Good unit but often out of stock
3	Securitron	BPS-12-24-1	Higher priced but has more features

Controlling multiple doors drives up the price of the Power Supply. It also weeds out many models designed for single doors only. By far the best bet is Locknetics model 510 Power Supply. While it can actually control up to 8 doors, it is rarely used to control more than 2. Use Locknetics model 515 when controlling more than 2 doors. For two doors order the 510 Power Supply plus a DCM Dual Control Module. You may add either 1 or 2 timer modules (TDM) to the DCM module.

Brand Comparison
Brand	Types	Description
Altronix	Single Doors	Offers various single door models with AL125UL being the least expensive.
Locknetics	All Doors	505EIR for Single Doors 510 for 2 Doors 515 for 3 or more doors
Securitron	Single Doors	Good choice if you need add-on modules such as door prop alarm or 7-day timer. These ''bells and whistles'' are available at a good price.
Von Duprin	Specialty	Very high priced, but required if using Von Duprin exit devices that are electrified.

Altronix Detailed
Brand	Types	Description
Altronix	Single Doors	Offers various single door models with AL125UL being the least expensive. The other models offer more amperage and typically are used as part of a building-wide system. When viewing Altronix models you will see some are designed for access control and others tailored to closed circuit (CCTV) systems. Conclusion: Altronix models are more specialized than other brands, but they do offer a good value if they suit your needs.

Locknetics Detailed
Brand	Types	Description
Locknetics	All Doors	505EIR for Single Doors 510 for 2 Doors 515 for 3 or more doors Locknetics model 505EIR is very popular for single doors. When controlling multiple doors, the 510 and 515 are very good choices. The add-on modules make it a snap to set up multiple door configurations. Even trickier applications such as interlocking doors or vestibule doors are easy to create.

Securitron Detailed
Brand	Types	Description
Securitron	Single Doors	Securitron Power Supplies offer a good value for anyone willing to take a little time to understand their design. Unlike other brands, Securitron's BPS series is broken down by output voltage and amperage. BPS-12-1 has 12 volt output with 1 amp of power. BPS-24-3 has 24 volt output with 3 amps of power. And many other models are availble with different configurations. But the realy beauty of their design becomes apparent when viewing the add-on modules. Securitron makes a module for every application and offers them at very fair prices.

Von Duprin Detailed
Brand	Types	Description
Von Duprin	Specialty Doors	The price of Von Duprin Power Supplies puts them out of range for everyday applications. But users of Von Duprin electrified exit devices must have a Von Duprin Power Supply. ''EL'' devices have electric latch retraction that requires 16 amps of power to operate. Only 1 power supply offers 16 amps, and that is Von Duprin model PS873-2.