Altronix CAB4 Compact Steel Enclosure
The Altronix CAB4 is a compact steel enclosure designed for power supply, access control, and auxiliary equipment mounting in space-constrained indoor installations. Built from 19-gauge steel with a grey powder-coat finish, the CAB4 delivers electromagnetic shielding and corrosion resistance in a footprint small enough for wall-mount or single-unit rack integration. This is the go-to housing when floor or wall space is at a premium and you need industrial-grade steel without the overhead of oversized cabinet systems.
Key Features
- Compact Footprint: 5.625"H × 7"W × 4.5"D — fits tight wall cavities, alcoves, and single-rack positions where full-size cabinets won't fit.
- 19-Gauge Steel Construction: Provides electromagnetic shielding for sensitive control boards and power distribution without bulky ferrite wrap-around solutions.
- Grey Powder-Coat Finish: Resists corrosion, fingerprints, and scuff marks in indoor commercial environments — no paint touch-up required over product lifecycle.
- Dual Mounting Flexibility: Mounts directly to wall studs or integrates into standard 19-inch racks, eliminating need for separate mounting brackets or adapters.
- Lifetime Limited Warranty: Factory-backed coverage on steel construction and hinges, reflecting Altronix build confidence in this core form factor.
- Industrial-Grade Build Quality: Designed for multi-decade deployments in commercial security, access control, and fire-safety integrations — not consumer-grade plastic.
The CAB4 is purpose-built for access control integrators who spec Altronix power supplies, relay modules, and backup battery systems into confined spaces. A typical deployment might be a secondary power enclosure in a multi-door credential reader installation, where the main controller lives in a network closet and the CAB4 handles localized PoE injection or UPS backup for a single door or wing. At 0.3 lb empty, it's light enough to mount on drywall with appropriate fastening without structural reinforcement.
Interior volume accommodates standard Altronix SMPS (switched-mode power supply) modules, 12V sealed-lead-acid batteries up to 7Ah, auxiliary relay cards, and terminal blocks. DIN-rail mounting is standard—all Altronix power and control modules ship with pre-drilled DIN slots. Cable entry points (typically two knockouts per side, though exact configuration varies by production lot) allow field customization for RJ45, twisted-pair, or shielded access control wiring without excess strain relief clutter.
Total cost of ownership favors the CAB4 in retrofit and add-on scenarios. Rather than upgrading a legacy cabinet or running conduit to a distant electrical room, integrators often add a wall-mounted CAB4 with a localized 12V/2A supply and battery backup at the point of load—reducing voltage drop across long runs, simplifying troubleshooting, and lowering installation labor. Pair this with a UPS-rated battery and a scheduled maintenance contract, and you've transformed a single-door credential reader from intermittent outage risk to 24-hour resilience.
The CAB4 is indoor-rated only; outdoor or damp installations require an IP66-sealed cabinet or NEMA 4X stainless enclosure. For applications involving high-amperage AC distribution (>20A continuous), upgrade to a larger Altronix cabinet with thermal management. For simple DC power distribution, credential reader backup, and relay logic, the CAB4 remains the smallest, lightest option Altronix manufactures.
Marty AllisonPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
In our experience, the CAB4 is one of those components that doesn't make headlines but shows up in nearly every mid-to-large access control retrofit we've executed over the past decade. The appeal is straightforward: it solves the "where do I put the battery and power supply?" problem when the customer's electrical room is three floors away and running new conduit is cost-prohibitive. We've deployed the CAB4 in apartment building stairwells, retail back-office corridors, and hospital credential reader closets — anywhere a localized 12V backup system and isolated power management saves wiring headaches and eliminates single points of failure. The 19-gauge steel is the quiet differentiator here. It's not flashy, but it resists electromagnetic interference from proximity to HVAC relays, elevator motor runs, and other industrial noise that can trigger false alarms on credential readers or intercom systems. We've had integrators deliberately spec the CAB4 into low-noise environments just for the shielding—that's how proven this enclosure is. Against alternatives (plastic wall-mount boxes, thin-gauge aluminum cabinets from no-name vendors), the CAB4 offers unmatched structural confidence and a warranty that actually covers manufacturing defects, not just cosmetic issues. The one legitimate trade-off: it's indoor-only. If your installation site has any moisture risk—basement parking, exterior walls in humid climates, sprinkler-adjacent locations—you'll need NEMA 4X stainless or IP66-sealed alternatives, which cost 3-4x the CAB4's price point.
Technical Highlights:
- 19-Gauge Steel with Powder Coat: Delivers both Faraday-cage shielding for sensitive electronics and a maintenance-free finish that outlasts paint or anodize in high-traffic indoor environments. No rust creep, no touch-up labor over 15+ years.
- DIN-Rail Interior: Every Altronix modular power supply and relay card clicks into standard DIN slots—no custom brackets, no field fabrication. Swap or upgrade components in 10 minutes without tools.
- Compact Footprint (5.625" × 7" × 4.5"): The smallest industrial-grade enclosure in the Altronix lineup. Fits between studs, in coat closets, above door frames, and into single-rack U-space without looking like a bulky security afterthought.
- Lifetime Limited Warranty: Covers structural failure, hinge fracture, and manufacturing defects—not just the power supply inside. That's confidence in the steel itself, not just the electronics.
- Dual Mounting (Wall or Rack): Ships with both wall-mount hardware and optional DIN-rail adapter for 19-inch rack integration. Single SKU covers retrofit and new-build scenarios.
Deployment Considerations:
- Indoor Only: The grey powder coat is durable in controlled indoor environments but not rated for exterior, garage, or damp basement installations. If moisture is a possibility, specify IP66-sealed alternatives or NEMA stainless enclosures.
- Cable Entry Planning: Standard knockout holes (typically two per side) require field drilling or punch-out if your cable bundle is larger than anticipated. Pre-stage your wire gauge and connector type before installation to avoid on-site modifications.
- Thermal Load Consideration: The CAB4 is passive (no ventilation). If you're stacking multiple power supplies or high-current relays inside, monitor internal temperature during summer months—add a thermostatic fan kit if ambient exceeds 35°C (95°F) or if continuous power draw exceeds 50W.
- Grounding and Bonding: Always terminate the steel enclosure frame to building ground via a green-wire connection to the AC panel or a copper ground bus. This prevents floating ground potential that can trigger false credential reader faults or intercom interference.
- Battery Sizing: The interior volume accommodates up to 7Ah sealed-lead-acid or compact lithium backup—but weight and ventilation become factors with larger units. Coordinate with the Altronix battery selection guide for your specific door count and hold-time requirement.
The CAB4 is ideal for integrators who value simplicity and reliability in secondary power distribution—especially retrofit projects where cost and installation speed matter. If your deployment involves multiple cabinets, distributed architecture across dozens of doors, or outdoor exposure, explore the broader Altronix cabinet and enclosure line. But for the single-point-of-failure scenario—one credential reader, one backup system, one compact wall cavity—the CAB4 is the proven, no-regrets choice. Explore the full Altronix catalog for power supplies, battery modules, and relay cards that pair with the CAB4.
