If you have a hardwired locking device, you have to have a hardware power supply in order to operate the device. If you Google “power supply,” you will come across pages and pages of options, so how do you know what you need?

What is a Power Supply?

Most devices operate on 12V or 24V. If you were to take the building power of 120V and apply that full load to the device, it would be instantly fried. A hardware power supply takes the 120V building power and converts it to the appropriate voltage or amperage that your device needs.

Some devices require you to use a specific proprietary power supply, whereas, others just require a specific voltage and amperage. However, if you read a manufacturer’s fine print, they often will only uphold the product’s warranty if you use their power supply.

There are different tiers of power supplies that step the building voltage down to various levels of voltage and amperage. Lower tiers will have enough power to operate things such as baby monitors, and higher tiers will be able to operate things that draw the same amount of power as it takes to start a car.

What Devices Need a Hardware Power Supply?

All hardwired locking devices require power supplies. These devices include but are not limited to:

• Exit devices
• Electric strikes
• Electrified locks
• Mag locks
• Electric deadbolts

How Does a Hardware Power Supply Work?

There are lots of components inside power supplies, but the main ones are the capacitors.

In order to power these devices, a hardware power supply draws a heavy load of energy from the building and charges the capacitors. When the device is powered on or off, the capacitors release an inrush of voltage to the device.

Once the device is on or off, the capacitors in the hardware power supply draw a lower amount of energy to maintain holding power. This keeps the device in its current state.

Because the hardware power supply constantly draws voltage from the building, it gets hot, and some energy is lost to heat.

Eco-friendly Hardware Power Supply Solution

As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, manufacturers look for ways to save energy. Securitron, an ASSA Abloy company, has done just that with the EcoPower Power Supply.

This hardware power supply offers a 99 percent energy savings compared to traditional linear and switching power supplies. This is because the capacitors are much more efficient. It takes less energy to charge them than it does the capacitors in traditional power supplies.

As a result, the EcoPower Power Supply will stay cooler and will not lose as much energy to heat.

Do you need help determining hardware power supply you need? Let us know, we’re happy to help.