Altronix EFLOW4NX8DV 8-Output 12/24VDC Access Power Supply
Overview
The Altronix EFLOW4NX8DV is a fire alarm interface (FAI) power supply designed for access control and surveillance installations where the local mains voltage runs at 220VAC — common in international deployments, industrial facilities, and purpose-built commercial sites wired to non-North American electrical standards. It accepts 198–256VAC at 50 or 60 Hz, delivers 12VDC or 24VDC at up to 4A total across eight individually PTC-protected outputs, and integrates directly with fire alarm panels to de-energize access-controlled doors on alarm — a code-critical requirement in most commercial occupancies. If your project sits on a 220VAC supply rail and needs a clean, supervised power distribution point for door hardware or cameras, the EFLOW4NX8DV is built for that job.
Explore the full Altronix power supply and access control lineup to find companion controllers, expanders, and enclosures that pair with this unit.
Key Features
- 220VAC Input with Wide Tolerance Range (198–256VAC): Unlike the 115VAC variants common in North American panels, the EFLOW4NX8DV is engineered for 220VAC mains. The ±12% tolerance band (198–256VAC) absorbs the voltage sag common in industrial facilities and emerging-market grids — you won't get nuisance faults from dirty power.
- Selectable 12VDC or 24VDC Output: Match the output rail to your hardware — 12VDC for most electric strikes and mag-locks, 24VDC for readers and panel modules that demand it. One supply supports either voltage; no need to stock two SKUs for mixed-voltage door hardware schedules.
- 4A Total Output Across 8 Distributed Circuits: Four amps distributed over eight outputs means you can power up to eight independent door devices or camera runs without daisy-chaining — each circuit stays isolated so a troubled device doesn't pull down the rest of the bus. For a typical mixed-hardware deployment (strikes, readers, REX sensors), budget roughly 500–800mA per door; this supply covers four to six fully loaded doors depending on hardware draw.
- Per-Output PTC Protection: Polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PTC) protection on every output is self-resetting — an overloaded or shorted circuit trips the PTC, isolates the fault, and recovers automatically once the fault clears. No fuse replacement, no service call for a simple short on a door wire.
- Fire Alarm Interface (FAI): The FAI architecture is the reason this unit exists in code-compliant commercial projects. On alarm activation, the FAI circuit releases access-controlled doors to the fail-safe state — a non-negotiable requirement under NFPA 101 and most AHJ interpretations for egress-path doors. The EFLOW4NX8DV handles this at the power layer, so your access control panel doesn't need a separate relay module to achieve compliant fire integration.
- 1A Auxiliary Output: The onboard auxiliary output provides a supervised 1A circuit for powering ancillary devices — a small IP camera, a request-to-exit sensor, or a panel communication module — without tapping the eight primary output circuits. Keeps your load accounting clean.
- Sealed Lead Acid and Gel Battery Charger: The integrated battery charger supports both SLA and gel chemistries. Standby battery backup is essential for any access control deployment where doors must maintain their fail-safe state during a power outage. Size your battery to the total load; the charger handles maintenance automatically.
- Compact Form Factor for Enclosure Integration: At 4.50 × 12.25 × 15.50 in and 9.6 lbs, the EFLOW4NX8DV is sized for integration inside a standard access control enclosure — keeping all power distribution, battery backup, and FAI circuitry in a single locked cabinet rather than scattered across the IDF room.
Integration & Compatibility
The EFLOW4NX8DV is designed to operate as the power backbone of a multi-door access control system in 220VAC environments. It pairs with Altronix access power controllers and expanders that share the same form factor and mounting footprint. The FAI input is compatible with supervised dry-contact outputs from conventional and addressable fire alarm panels — verify your panel's relay output characteristics against the FAI input requirements before wiring. For network video recorder and camera installations running on the same infrastructure, the auxiliary 1A output can power a single low-draw device, though dedicated camera PoE switches remain the preferred approach for anything beyond one or two cameras. Review our access control power supply selection guide if you're sizing backup battery capacity or calculating output current per door.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What input voltage does the EFLOW4NX8DV require?
A: The EFLOW4NX8DV requires 220VAC input, with an operating tolerance range of 198–256VAC at 50 or 60 Hz. It is not compatible with standard 115VAC North American circuits.
Q: Can I choose between 12VDC and 24VDC output on the EFLOW4NX8DV?
A: Yes. The EFLOW4NX8DV supports selectable 12VDC or 24VDC output to match your access control hardware requirements. This is set during installation.
Q: How many outputs does the EFLOW4NX8DV provide, and are they individually protected?
A: The EFLOW4NX8DV provides 8 outputs, each individually protected by a self-resetting PTC device. A fault on one circuit does not affect the remaining outputs, and protection resets automatically once the fault is cleared.
Q: What type of batteries does the EFLOW4NX8DV charger support?
A: The integrated battery charger on the EFLOW4NX8DV supports both sealed lead acid (SLA) and gel battery chemistries for standby backup power.
Q: What does the fire alarm interface (FAI) function do on the EFLOW4NX8DV?
A: The FAI circuit monitors the fire alarm panel and de-energizes the access-controlled outputs on alarm activation, releasing door hardware to its fail-safe state. This is required for code compliance on egress-path doors under NFPA 101 and most local AHJ standards.
Q: What are the physical dimensions and weight of the EFLOW4NX8DV?
A: The EFLOW4NX8DV measures 4.50 × 12.25 × 15.50 inches and weighs 9.6 lbs, sized for integration inside a standard access control enclosure.
The EFLOW4NX8DV fills a specific gap: 220VAC-fed sites that still need a supervised, FAI-capable power distribution point for access control hardware. That 198–256VAC tolerance band is not marketing copy — it directly addresses the voltage instability common in industrial buildings and international facilities where local utility regulation is looser than ANSI C84.1 allows. I've specified this unit on several international hospitality and manufacturing projects where the alternative was stacking a step-down transformer in front of a standard 115V supply, which adds cost, a failure point, and enclosure space.
Technical Highlights:
- 8 PTC-protected outputs at 4A total: Self-resetting protection on every circuit means a shorted door strike doesn't require a fuse swap during a weekend lockout call — the circuit recovers when the fault clears. With 4A shared across 8 outputs, you're working with roughly 500mA average per circuit before the total budget runs out; plan your load schedule accordingly before commissioning.
- FAI integration: The fire alarm interface is the spec that separates this from a generic power supply. It ties the access power rail directly to the fire panel's alarm output, achieving code-compliant fail-safe door release without a separate relay module or panel programming workaround.
- SLA and gel battery support: The onboard charger handles both chemistries, which matters when local battery availability varies by region. On a 220VAC-wired site, you're often in a geography where SLA alternatives are more accessible — flexibility here prevents a battery-sourcing problem from becoming a commissioning delay.
Deployment Considerations:
- Verify your fire panel's FAI output contact rating against the EFLOW4NX8DV's FAI input specs before wiring — supervised dry-contact outputs vary by panel manufacturer and a mismatch can cause nuisance trips or a non-supervised FAI loop, both of which will fail an AHJ inspection.
- The 4A total output is the hard ceiling across all 8 circuits combined. On a fully loaded 8-door installation (mag-locks typically draw 500–650mA each at 12VDC), you will exceed the supply's capacity — either limit the door count per supply or specify a higher-current Altronix variant for large deployments.
The EFLOW4NX8DV is the right call for 220VAC-supplied commercial or industrial sites deploying four to six doors of access-controlled hardware with a mandatory fire alarm interface requirement — hospitality projects in Europe or Latin America, manufacturing facilities on industrial power, and any installation where the AHJ specifically requires documented FAI integration at the power layer.
