Altronix MAXFIT5F 12VDC 10A Expandable Surveillance Power Supply

Overview

The Altronix MAXFIT5F is a single-output, 12VDC @ 10A power supply and battery charger housed in the compact BC750 wall-mount enclosure — purpose-built for physical security installations where supervised, fault-tolerant power is non-negotiable. Integrators running Altronix power systems in access control, camera, or mixed-device panels will recognize this form factor immediately: clean internal layout, dedicated supervision contacts, and room for up to four 12AH batteries without sourcing a secondary enclosure. If you're sizing power for a mid-density IP camera or card reader cluster and need AC failure notification back to your panel, the MAXFIT5F is built around exactly that use case.

Key Features

• 12VDC @ 10A regulated output: a filtered, regulated 10A main rail handles mixed loads — cameras, readers, door hardware — without the voltage sag that trips access control panels into false fault states. Regulated output also protects sensitive electronics from transient spikes on shared circuits.
• 1A auxiliary power-limited output (unswitched): provides a dedicated, always-on rail for supervisory devices or low-draw accessories that should not share the switched main output. Useful for powering a communication module or status indicator independently of the primary load.
• Up to four 12VDC/12AH batteries in-enclosure: the BC750 cabinet accommodates four sealed lead-acid or gel-type batteries internally — no satellite enclosure, no external battery box to mount and wire. This reduces installation labor and keeps the battery plant within a single, lockable cabinet. Batteries above 12AH/65AH require a separate enclosure.
• Instantaneous AC-loss failover: upon AC failure the unit switches to battery with no perceptible gap — critical for door-strike and magnetic lock circuits where even a brief drop can trigger an unintended release or lock event.
• Form C supervision on AC fail and battery: both contacts are Form C (normally open / normally closed / common), giving your panel or monitoring system a clean dry-contact signal for AC presence and battery health. This is the signal type required by most listed fire alarm and intrusion panels for power supervision integration.
• Low DC power shutdown: if battery voltage falls to 71–73% of nominal under extended outage, the unit cuts the DC output terminals to prevent deep discharge damage — extending battery service life and reducing replacement costs over the system's lifespan.
• Fire alarm disconnect — supervised, latching or non-latching: the MAXFIT5F supports a supervised fire alarm disconnect circuit with a 10K EOL resistor, covering code-required power cutoff in fire alarm applications without additional relay hardware.
• Overvoltage protection: internal overvoltage clamping guards connected devices against supply excursions, relevant when field wiring runs share conduit with high-voltage circuits or when utility power quality is inconsistent.
• 5A/250V input fusing: primary input fusing at 5A/250V is sized to protect the transformer and internal components, not just the output. Replacing a fuse in the field is faster and cheaper than returning a board — a practical detail that matters on a late-night service call.
• LED indicators for AC input and DC output: two-LED status display makes at-a-glance diagnostics possible without a meter. Useful during commissioning and for maintenance technicians who are not the original installer.
• Operating range 0°C to 49°C (32°F to 120°F): the thermal envelope covers conditioned mechanical rooms, closets, and most indoor utility spaces. It does not cover unheated outdoor enclosures or attic spaces in hot climates — plan accordingly.

Integration & Compatibility

The MAXFIT5F is designed around the surveillance and access control power supply ecosystem. The BC750 enclosure accepts Altronix's LINQ2 Network Communication Module (sold separately), which adds remote diagnostics, monitoring, and reporting of power supply status over a network connection — compatible with eFlow Series and MaximalF power supply/chargers. For larger installations requiring network-wide power visibility across a access control infrastructure, pairing the LINQ2 module with the MAXFIT5F turns a standalone supply into a remotely managed node. The Form C dry contacts for AC fail and battery supervision wire directly to standard panel supervision inputs on most commercial intrusion and fire alarm systems. The fire alarm disconnect input accepts a supervised loop with a 10K EOL resistor, satisfying typical listed-panel requirements without additional interface hardware. Consult your AHJ for jurisdiction-specific listing requirements before deploying in listed fire alarm applications. For a deeper look at sizing power plants across multi-door or multi-camera deployments, the power planning guide covers load calculation methodology and battery runtime estimation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many batteries can the MAXFIT5F hold inside the BC750 enclosure?

A: The BC750 enclosure accommodates up to four 12VDC/12AH sealed lead-acid or gel-type batteries internally. For battery capacities of 40AH or 65AH, a separate enclosure is required. Batteries are sold separately.

Q: What type of supervision contacts does the MAXFIT5F provide?

A: The MAXFIT5F provides Form C dry contacts for both AC failure supervision and battery supervision. Form C contacts include normally open, normally closed, and common terminals — compatible with most commercial intrusion, fire alarm, and access control panel supervision inputs.

Q: Does the MAXFIT5F protect batteries from deep discharge?

A: Yes. The low DC power shutdown feature cuts the DC output terminals when battery voltage drops to approximately 71–73% of nominal for 12V units. This prevents deep discharge, which extends battery service life and reduces replacement frequency.

Q: What is the warranty on the MAXFIT5F?

A: Altronix offers a lifetime warranty on the MAXFIT5F, as stated on the manufacturer's product page.

Q: Can the MAXFIT5F be monitored remotely?

A: Yes, with the addition of the Altronix LINQ2 Network Communication Module (sold separately). The LINQ2 adds network-based monitoring, control, and reporting of power supply diagnostics and is compatible with the MAXFIT5F.

Q: What is the input power requirement for the MAXFIT5F?

A: The MAXFIT5F requires 120VAC, 60Hz at 3.5A. The primary input fuse is rated 5A/250V.

James Everett

The MAXFIT5F earns its place in mid-density physical security installations because of the Form C supervision architecture — not just the 10A output. Most integrators focus on the rail capacity, but the real value here is that both AC fail and battery status surface as dry-contact Form C signals that wire directly into panel supervision zones without relay adapters or additional wiring runs. That detail is what separates a listed installation from a field-expedient one.

Technical Highlights:

• 10A regulated 12VDC main output: filtered and regulated, so mixed loads — cameras, magnetic locks, card readers — share the rail without the voltage sag that triggers nuisance faults on access hardware. At 3.5A draw from a 120VAC source, the input-to-output efficiency is reasonable for a linear-topology supply in this class.
• Four-battery internal capacity (12AH each): 48AH total internal capacity at 12VDC gives meaningful runtime on a 10A full-load draw — roughly 4–5 hours depending on actual load, before the low DC shutdown kicks in at 71–73% of nominal. Plan battery runtime using your actual connected load, not the 10A maximum.
• Fire alarm disconnect with 10K EOL supervision: the supervised disconnect input with a 10K end-of-line resistor satisfies panel-listed requirements for power supervision in fire alarm co-located installations — no external relay or interface board required, which is one fewer point of failure in the cabinet.

Deployment Considerations:

• The BC750 enclosure is rated for indoor wall-mount use only and operates to 49°C (120°F) — verify your mechanical room or IDF closet stays within that envelope year-round before specifying. Unconditioned spaces in warmer climates frequently exceed this ceiling in summer.
• The LINQ2 network communication module is a separate accessory purchase and requires its own power and network drop; factor both into your installation design if remote monitoring is part of the scope.

The MAXFIT5F is the right call for multi-door access control or camera clusters in commercial buildings where a single supervised power cabinet per floor — with local battery backup and dry-contact panel integration — is cleaner than running multiple small supplies with no supervision visibility.