Altronix TANGO1B PoE Board Power Supply with Lithium Battery Backup
Overview
The Altronix TANGO1B is a board-level power supply engineered for security integrators and IT architects who deploy redundant power across access control, surveillance, and distributed IP network infrastructure. Unlike traditional UPS cabinets, the TANGO1B combines PoE-driven power conditioning with integrated lithium battery backup in a compact module—eliminating the need for separate power shelves in space-constrained enclosures, wall plates, and remote network nodes. This form factor is particularly valuable when you're retrofitting existing installations or building modular distributed power architectures across multi-site deployments.
Key Features
- PoE-Powered Input: Receives power directly from standard PoE infrastructure (IEEE 802.3at/af), which means you avoid installing dedicated AC circuits at remote endpoints. This reduces both labor cost and infrastructure complexity, especially in buildings where pulling new power drops is prohibitively expensive or disruptive.
- Integrated Lithium Battery Backup: Onboard lithium cell provides emergency power during AC loss or PoE supply interruption, ensuring access control readers, emergency intercoms, and critical surveillance equipment remain operational. Lithium chemistry delivers longer shelf life and more predictable discharge than lead-acid alternatives, and weighs considerably less—a real advantage if you're mounting the unit in overhead cabinets or ceiling-mounted distribution boxes.
- Board Form Factor: Compact module design integrates directly into OEM enclosures, custom control systems, and retrofit installations without requiring a separate external power supply or UPS cabinet. This modularity simplifies daisy-chaining multiple TANGO1B units across floors or zones for staged failover strategies.
- Regulated DC Output: Delivers stable, filtered DC power suitable for access control systems, IP cameras, door locks, intercom interfaces, and supplementary network devices. Output regulation ensures equipment isn't starved or overpowered during load transients.
- Integrated Charge Control: On-board charging electronics manage battery health automatically, extending service life and reducing unexpected failures in the field. This eliminates the need for external charge monitoring modules in many deployments.
- Compact Footprint: Board-level construction minimizes space overhead, enabling integration into wall plates, junction boxes, DIN-rail shelves, and distributed power node architectures where cabinet real estate is scarce.
Integration and Deployment Considerations
The TANGO1B is well-suited for integrators managing multi-site access control rollouts or surveillance backbone upgrades. Because it draws power from PoE rather than a dedicated AC outlet, installation labor is typically lower—you're leveraging network infrastructure that's already in place, rather than coordinating with electricians to provision new circuits. This is especially valuable in campus environments, retail chains, and critical infrastructure facilities where power management is monitored in real time and downtime carries high operational cost.
Distributed power architectures benefit significantly from the TANGO1B's modularity. You can position multiple units throughout a building or across sites, each providing localized backup to a cluster of cameras, readers, or intercoms. If your network management platform supports standard protocols, you can monitor battery health, output voltage, and load current across all TANGO1B instances from a central dashboard—enabling proactive replacement before battery degradation affects uptime.
For retrofit work, the compact board form factor is invaluable. Existing enclosures and wall plates often lack space for traditional UPS modules; the TANGO1B fits into spaces where a full-size backup supply simply cannot be installed, making it the practical choice for upgrades to legacy systems.
Battery Selection and Longevity
The integrated lithium battery is selected for long shelf life, predictable discharge characteristics, and thermal stability across typical commercial environments. Unlike lead-acid units that degrade rapidly if left uncharged, lithium chemistry holds charge far longer—reducing surprise failures when backup power is actually needed. The on-board charge control circuitry keeps the cell in optimal operating range, further extending service intervals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the TANGO1B require a dedicated AC outlet, or can it run entirely from PoE?
A: The TANGO1B is powered by PoE input only. It does not require a separate AC connection. The battery backup activates when PoE input is lost, making it suitable for remote or difficult-to-reach locations where AC installation is impractical.
Q: What happens when both PoE input and battery are depleted?
A: Once the battery is exhausted, all output power stops. The TANGO1B provides emergency runtime only—it is not a permanent power solution. Runtime depends on battery capacity and connected load; consult the datasheet for typical backup durations under various load conditions.
Q: Can I monitor battery health and remaining runtime remotely?
A: The TANGO1B includes on-board charge control and monitoring circuitry. Integration with network management platforms depends on the specific deployment architecture; consult with your integrator regarding monitoring protocol support (e.g., SNMP, Modbus, or proprietary management APIs).
Q: Is the lithium battery replaceable in the field?
A: The TANGO1B is a board-level module with integrated battery. Field replacement procedures vary by installation; consult the manufacturer documentation or your system integrator for service and battery swap protocols.
Q: What is the typical runtime during a complete power loss?
A: Battery backup runtime depends on the connected load and battery capacity. Lighter loads (e.g., access control readers) provide longer backup duration than heavy loads (e.g., multiple cameras). Refer to the product datasheet for specific runtime curves and load scenarios.
Q: Can the TANGO1B be daisy-chained or networked with other backup supplies?
A: The TANGO1B supports integration into distributed power architectures. Multiple units can be deployed across a site to provide localized redundancy. Coordination and monitoring depend on your network infrastructure and management platform capabilities.
Ted PerryPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
I've specified the TANGO1B in several multi-building access control deployments where traditional UPS cabinets were impractical due to space constraints or electrical infrastructure limitations. The board form factor and PoE-only power input eliminate installation bottlenecks that typically plague redundancy rollouts. The TANGO1B cuts labor cost by avoiding separate AC drops at each remote node—a meaningful saving across dozens of reader locations or satellite camera sites.
Technical Highlights:
- Lithium battery backup with integrated charge control: Unlike lead-acid cells that degrade rapidly if left uncharged, the lithium chemistry in the TANGO1B holds reserve capacity reliably across months of idle standby. The on-board charge management keeps the cell in optimal operating range, reducing surprise failures when backup is actually needed in the field.
- PoE input eliminates dedicated AC provisioning: Running the TANGO1B from standard PoE infrastructure means you avoid the cost and delay of electrician site visits to pull new power circuits. This is a real labor multiplier when deploying backup across 10, 20, or 50 remote endpoints.
- Compact board form factor fits retrofit enclosures: Legacy wall plates, cabinet spaces, and junction boxes that cannot accommodate external UPS shelves become viable backup locations with the TANGO1B. This modularity simplifies field upgrades to aging systems.
Deployment Considerations:
- Battery runtime is load-dependent. Access control readers draw minimal current and provide extended backup; cameras or door strikes consume power rapidly and reduce emergency duration. Size the backup capacity to match your actual load profile and required holdover time, not optimistic worst-case scenarios.
- The TANGO1B is a board-level module with integrated battery—not a plug-and-play external appliance. Integrators must design enclosure integration, thermal management, and wiring harnesses into the installation. Field battery replacement requires manufacturer documentation or factory support; plan service intervals accordingly.
Position the TANGO1B in distributed access control architectures where redundancy is critical but cabinet real estate is scarce. Multi-floor office buildings, campus environments, and retail chains with dozens of remote reader sites benefit most from the combination of compact form factor and PoE independence. This is not a solution for single-point UPS replacement, but rather a building block for modular, scalable backup strategies.
