Altronix MAXFIT5FE 12VDC/10A Expandable Power Supply with Battery Backup Enclosure
Overview
The Altronix MAXFIT5FE is a single-output, 12VDC @ 10A power supply and charger housed in a compact wall-mount enclosure designed for access control, surveillance, and life-safety installations where a clean, battery-backed power source must fit in a tight equipment room or IDF closet. If you've ever struggled fitting a full-size power enclosure into a shallow wall space, the MaxFit form factor — 16.5\"W x 20.5\"H x 6.25\"D — is worth a hard look. It draws 120VAC at 3.5A, fused at 5A/250V, and delivers a regulated, filtered 12VDC output rated for 10A continuous. Explore the full Altronix power supply line for the broader MaxFit and Maximal families.
Key Features
- 10A Regulated 12VDC Output: Filtered and regulated output handles demanding access control panel loads, camera banks, or lock power without voltage sag — critical when you're running multiple mag-locks or strikes on a single supply.
- 1A Auxiliary Output (Unswitched): The power-limited auxiliary output stays live through relay events, giving you a dedicated rail for readers, REX devices, or low-draw sensors without tying them to the switched main bus.
- Supports Up to Four 12AH/12VDC Batteries: The enclosure accommodates up to four sealed lead-acid or gel-type batteries internally, giving you meaningful UPS runtime without a separate cabinet. Larger 40AH or 65AH packs require a separate enclosure — plan accordingly if your runtime spec is aggressive.
- Instantaneous AC Fail Failover: When AC drops, the MAXFIT5FE switches to battery without a detectable gap — protecting motion detectors, card readers, and door controllers that would otherwise reset on a brief power interruption.
- Supervised Fire Alarm Disconnect (Latching or Non-Latching): The on-board fire alarm disconnect is fully supervised with a 10K EOL resistor, satisfying NFPA 72 monitoring requirements at the power supply level without adding an external relay module. Latching or non-latching configuration supports both cut-power and maintained-power fire response schemes.
- Form C Supervision Contacts — AC and Battery: Separate Form C relay outputs for AC failure and battery status let your panel or FACP monitor supply health directly. Wire these to an alarm input and you'll catch a dead battery or failed AC leg before it becomes an outage.
- Low DC Power Shutdown (71–75% threshold): Automatic output cutoff when battery voltage drops below 71–75% of nominal prevents deep discharge, which is the primary cause of premature sealed lead-acid failure. This extends battery service life meaningfully on sites with frequent power events.
- Indoor Wall-Mount Enclosure, 6.25\" Depth: The 6.25\" depth clears most surface-mounted conduit runs and fits standard stud-wall applications without custom blocking. Rated for indoor use, 0°C to 49°C operating range covers typical mechanical room and IDF conditions.
Integration & Compatibility
The MAXFIT5FE is compatible with the optional LINQ2 network communication module, which adds remote diagnostics, control, and reporting for facilities running centralized power monitoring. LINQ2 is compatible with Altronix eFlow series and MaximalF power supply/chargers — confirm compatibility before specifying alongside other supply models. The supervised fire alarm disconnect integrates directly with conventional and addressable fire alarm control panels, and the Form C supervision outputs are compatible with standard panel input zones. Batteries are sold separately; use sealed lead-acid or gel-type 12VDC/12AH units.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many batteries can the MAXFIT5FE enclosure hold internally?
A: The enclosure accommodates up to four 12VDC/12AH sealed lead-acid or gel-type batteries internally. Batteries are sold separately. For larger capacity requirements (40AH or 65AH), a separate battery enclosure is required.
Q: What is the warranty on the MAXFIT5FE?
A: Altronix provides a Lifetime Warranty on the MAXFIT5FE per the manufacturer's published documentation.
Q: Does the MAXFIT5FE support remote monitoring?
A: Yes, when paired with the optional LINQ2 network communication module, the MAXFIT5FE supports remote monitoring, control, and diagnostic reporting. LINQ2 is compatible with eFlow series and MaximalF power supply/chargers — verify compatibility before ordering.
Q: What is the fire alarm disconnect supervision method?
A: The fire alarm disconnect is supervised with a 10K ohm EOL resistor and supports both latching and non-latching configurations, compatible with conventional and addressable fire alarm control panels per NFPA 72 requirements.
Q: What AC input does the MAXFIT5FE require?
A: The unit requires 120VAC, 60Hz, drawing 3.5A. Input fusing is 5A/250V. It is not compatible with 240VAC or international mains without a step-down transformer.
Q: What triggers the low DC power shutdown?
A: The MAXFIT5FE automatically shuts down DC output terminals when battery voltage drops to 71–75% of nominal (depending on power supply variant). This prevents deep battery discharge, extending sealed lead-acid battery service life.
The MAXFIT5FE is the unit I specify when an integrator needs a code-compliant, battery-backed 12V power source in a space-constrained equipment room. That 6.25-inch enclosure depth is the deciding factor on a surprising number of jobs — shallow walls, finished closets, and IDF rooms with no floor space for a rack all push you toward the MaxFit form factor rather than a full-depth Maximal chassis.
Technical Highlights:
- Lifetime Warranty: Altronix backs the MAXFIT5FE with a lifetime warranty — atypical for a power supply in this price class and worth factoring into total cost of ownership on long-term service contracts.
- Dual Form C Supervision: Separate relay contacts for AC failure and battery status mean your panel gets discrete alarm inputs for each fault condition — you're not combining them into a single zone and losing diagnostic resolution.
- 61 BTU/Hr Heat Output: At 12VDC, the unit dissipates approximately 61 BTU/Hr. In a sealed equipment closet, account for this in thermal load calculations — multiple supplies in a confined space can push ambient temperature toward the 49°C operating ceiling.
Deployment Considerations:
- The auxiliary 1A output is unswitched — it stays live regardless of relay state. Wire your supervised devices here only if you intend them to remain powered during a fire alarm disconnect event; otherwise use the main bus with a relay in line.
- The 10A rating is supply current, not a per-device limit. If you're powering multiple locks or cameras, budget your load per device and leave 20% headroom — sustained near-maximum draw on a supply that's also floating four batteries will shorten battery cycle life.
For a multi-door access control retrofit in a commercial office building — where you're adding four doors to an existing IDF with limited wall space and a fire alarm panel that needs supervised power monitoring — the MAXFIT5FE hits all the requirement boxes without requiring a separate battery enclosure or relay module for supervision.
