PoE UPS Tested (Energy Reconnect)

Published Nov 15, 2017 16:01 PM

In security, backup power is important, but most often requires UPS systems or extra cabling to devices for low voltage power.

Now, some have released another option, PoE UPSes, which simply connect inline between camera or controller and switch without these extra costs.

We bought and tested the PDBU from Energy Reconnect, an inline backup claiming up to 3 hours of power. Inside we report our findings on:

  • Usability
  • Battery Life
  • Fail Over Performance
  • Physical Features Overview
  • Pricing And Alternatives

Summary

The Energy Reconnect PDBU is a low complexity way to add backup power to some critical devices, especially access controlled doors, compared to typical means such as battery-backed low voltage power (requiring additional cabling and high voltage power input) or system-wide UPS (much more costly than the PDBU). For those looking to maintain power to a critical door during short term power outages, or maintain camera recordings during brownouts, it is a viable alternative. Those looking for centralized, multi device, or longer term backup should consider other options such as UPS or generators instead.

Key Findings

In our tests, the Energy Reconnect PDBU exceeded its runtime specs, powering devices for:

  • ~3.75 hours under 3.4W load (vs. 3 hours spec), using a PoE dome camera
  • ~1.75 hours under 11W load (vs. 1 hour spec), using an HID EdgePlus with reader

Our test was done on a new unit and ran over the course of a week, therefore it does not account for runtime / battery life diminishing over the course of months or years of use.

Additionally, we saw no power drops when switching to the battery in our tests, with powered devices simply remaining on when the power failed.

However, there are two key drawbacks to the PDBU for power backup:

  • Short term only: While the PDBU exceeded specifications, its runtime does not make it suitable for longterm backup. In applications where systems must remain up for extended periods, a full-blown UPS backup and/or generator system should be used.
  • Edge recording necessary: Even if the PDBU is used as backup power for a camera or cameras, switches, servers, NVRs, etc. will not remain up without their own backup power, resulting in lost video unless edge recording is used. 

Because of this, the PDBU is likely more useful in access control scenarios than video surveillance.

Price

The Energy Reconnect can be purchased for ~$135 direct from the manufacturer. At the time of publication, there were not similar products for price comparison (PoE charging / no local power required). However, units that require local power are priced ~$120 USD.

Physical Overview

The PDBU is a compact enclosure, about 5" x 4", with a few connections for power and I/O. Relay outputs for power fail and low battery are provided, which may be connected to camera or access control panel inputs to provide status notifications.

We review these features in this video:

Setup / Installation

Installation is straightforward, with the Energy Reconnect PDBU connected inline between the PoE switch (PSE) and the controller (PD), shown below.

Immediate Fail Over On Power Loss

In our tests, the PDBU failed over instantly, with no power drop to the connected device. The Example below shows a PoE access controller connected to a switch. When the cable is removed, the controller stays powered.

Other Options: Battery Backed Injectors/Centralized UPS

There are few options for inline PoE UPS (powered via PoE). However, battery backed PoE injectors are available, such as the model shown below from BTU Research [link no longer available]. These units typically offer longer runtime (~3.5x the PDBU) but need high voltage power, instead of simply PoE inline. Users may consider these injectors when only one or two devices require backup and the rest of a PoE switch is not critical to remain running on power fail.

For those seeking backup power for an entire system (access or video), centralized UPS is the most cost effective option, as opposed to using PoE UPS or battery backed injectors for each device. See our report on Selecting UPS Backup Power.

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