Admission: I'm not actually an IP-Camera user... but I believe I have a similar problem to that which I expect IP-Camera installers are likely to regularly tackle.
Assumption: I know it is common for network routers, modems and switches to require a 12V input... It's also common among other esoteric low-power equipment such as single board computers etc. I'm assuming it is also common for IP cameras to require 12V DC power.
I'm interested in neat and efficient solutions for UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies). I imagine this is important so IP Cameras continue to operate if mains power is cut... and, preferably, continue to operate for as long as is practical while mains power remains out. I would like my network infrastructure to remain operational - even in the case of a power outage. I would like this to be automatically monitored by a computer... so, in the event of a power failure, automated action can be taken to alert relevant people. All the devices I care about require 12v DC - and are rated to draw up-to either 2A or 2.5A - and draw <1A most of the time. In the past, I've deployed a big UPS (APC or Eton) that, when the power goes out, uses an inverter to provide mains-voltage AC from the UPS battery - then for that to power 10 small PSUs - one for each 12V (low average current) device.
It strikes me that where a UPS takes battery-voltage DC to produce Mains Voltage AC to separately run 10 PSUs to provide 10 feeds of 12V is clunky/cumbersome - and must be inefficient - both requiring a larger battery and occupying much more space. It strikes me that it would be much neater if I had an UPS that provided 10 outputs of 12v... each capable of delivering up-to, say, 3A.
I've discovered very small-scale "UPS" available in the UK - but they don't support many 12v outputs (so I'd need a separate UPS for each 1 or 2 devices) and none seem to allow their status to be automatically monitored from a computer... which makes it difficult to implement systems that react to power failures in an optimum way. When I look for UPS with about ten 12V outputs - every path seems to lead to Alibaba... for brands like Marsriva (KP7/KP9); Fanshine (FS10A); aSNC (#47) and SKE (POE-12W-48v). Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised - but I discovered it was very difficult to find detailed specifications... and even more difficult to source evaluation samples. These product names seem to have been bandied around on the internet for several years - but the hardware seems to remain illusive.
My questions for IP-Camera and CCTV experts:
Assumption: I know it is common for network routers, modems and switches to require a 12V input... It's also common among other esoteric low-power equipment such as single board computers etc. I'm assuming it is also common for IP cameras to require 12V DC power.
I'm interested in neat and efficient solutions for UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies). I imagine this is important so IP Cameras continue to operate if mains power is cut... and, preferably, continue to operate for as long as is practical while mains power remains out. I would like my network infrastructure to remain operational - even in the case of a power outage. I would like this to be automatically monitored by a computer... so, in the event of a power failure, automated action can be taken to alert relevant people. All the devices I care about require 12v DC - and are rated to draw up-to either 2A or 2.5A - and draw <1A most of the time. In the past, I've deployed a big UPS (APC or Eton) that, when the power goes out, uses an inverter to provide mains-voltage AC from the UPS battery - then for that to power 10 small PSUs - one for each 12V (low average current) device.
It strikes me that where a UPS takes battery-voltage DC to produce Mains Voltage AC to separately run 10 PSUs to provide 10 feeds of 12V is clunky/cumbersome - and must be inefficient - both requiring a larger battery and occupying much more space. It strikes me that it would be much neater if I had an UPS that provided 10 outputs of 12v... each capable of delivering up-to, say, 3A.
I've discovered very small-scale "UPS" available in the UK - but they don't support many 12v outputs (so I'd need a separate UPS for each 1 or 2 devices) and none seem to allow their status to be automatically monitored from a computer... which makes it difficult to implement systems that react to power failures in an optimum way. When I look for UPS with about ten 12V outputs - every path seems to lead to Alibaba... for brands like Marsriva (KP7/KP9); Fanshine (FS10A); aSNC (#47) and SKE (POE-12W-48v). Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised - but I discovered it was very difficult to find detailed specifications... and even more difficult to source evaluation samples. These product names seem to have been bandied around on the internet for several years - but the hardware seems to remain illusive.
My questions for IP-Camera and CCTV experts:
- Do you often find, when doing installations, that you want/need to provide UPS backed power to a bunch of 12V devices?
- What is your UPS approach...
- Do you always buy a big conventional (e.g. APC/Eaton) UPS that provides reliable mains - then plug lots of mains-voltage PSUs, one for each individual device, into that?
- Do you use (many) small-scale "Mini DC UPS" - one for each (or each pair) of 12v device(s).
- Can you recommend any DC UPS that supports several (ideally 10+) 12V devices simultaneously.
- Which brands/models of UPS do you turn to when the priorities are:
- Reliability of operation;
- Automatable notifications about power-failure events (remote monitoring);
- Maximising runtime to provide continuous services during the longest power cuts... while also caring about cost and value.
- What battery technology do you prefer -- Lead acid, LiFEPO4, Lithium NMC/LCO/LMO/NCA/LTO - or something else?
- Do you use off-the shelf UPS - or do you build custom solutions from standard components (e.g. battery; charger; voltage regulator - etc?)
I would have guessed that (for small sites, at least) network connectivity might also coincide with the need to keep routers and switches active during a power outage - in order to keep remote monitoring active?