Lifesafety Power E2-BOXED 20x16x4.5 Steel Enclosure
The Lifesafety Power E2-BOXED is a wall-mounted steel enclosure designed for power distribution, supervision, and control electronics in commercial security and access-control systems. At 20 inches wide by 16 inches tall by 4.5 inches deep, it solves a real installation challenge: delivering a compact footprint without sacrificing the internal volume needed for modular power supplies, relay cards, and supervision modules. The shallow depth is engineered for retrofit deployments and confined electrical rooms where cabinet protrusion must be minimized. Black powder-coated steel provides corrosion resistance in typical indoor environments.
Key Features
- Form Factor: Wall-mounted enclosure, 20"W × 16"H × 4.5"D. Shallow depth fits retrofit applications and space-constrained mechanical rooms without requiring structural modifications.
- Material & Finish: Cold-rolled steel with black powder coat. Corrosion-resistant surface suitable for standard indoor environments; compatible with standard wall finishes (drywall, concrete, steel studs).
- Modular Design: Accepts Lifesafety Power E2-series control modules, power supplies, and supervision cards. Verify specific component compatibility before ordering using manufacturer compatibility matrix.
- Internal Volume: 4.5-inch depth accommodates compact relay boards, small-footprint UPS modules, and distribution cards without requiring external stacking or sub-enclosures.
- Mounting Flexibility: Wall-mounted with knockout ports for incoming power and data cable entry. No backplate included—allows custom panel configuration or bare-wall mounting depending on site requirements.
- Cable Management: Suitable for organized wiring of power, supervision, and control cabling; recommend pre-planning cable routing and grommet placement before final assembly.
- Ventilation Ready: Enclosure design permits adequate airflow for continuous-duty operation; clearance planning above and below the cabinet is essential for high-current installations to avoid thermal stress.
The E2-BOXED addresses a common retrofit constraint: existing electrical rooms and wall cavities often cannot accommodate standard 6- to 8-inch deep cabinets. This enclosure's shallow profile eliminates that compromise. Integrators frequently deploy it in apartment complexes, office buildings, and institutional facilities where access-control power distribution must remain invisible to tenant sight lines. The modular platform means you can scale from a single power supply to a multi-circuit supervision system without changing the enclosure itself.
Internal component selection drives total installed cost. Because the 4.5-inch depth is fixed, confirm your specific power supply, UPS module, and relay-card stack height before purchase. Oversizing components risks assembly complications and incomplete door closure. The absence of a factory backplate is intentional—it allows integrators to either mount components directly to the rear wall or fabricate custom DIN-rail configurations. This flexibility reduces waste on one-off custom builds.
Lifesafety Power E2-series enclosures are widely paired with Lifesafety Power PS4 and PS2 power supplies, 24VDC supervision modules, and relay/output expansion cards. ONVIF-compatible access-control systems (Genetec, Milestone, or Hanwha door controllers) integrate through the supervision card's relay outputs, and Lifesafety Power's modular approach keeps wiring schematic complexity manageable. For UPS-backed systems requiring battery backup, verify that compact lithium or sealed lead-acid batteries fit within the 4.5-inch depth constraint.
The E2-BOXED ships with Manufacturer Warranty coverage (terms provided in documentation). Component-level support and replacement parts are sourced through standard Lifesafety Power distribution channels. Black powder-coated steel is maintainable in-house with standard cleaners; avoid abrasive scouring on finished surfaces. This enclosure is purpose-built for North American commercial security and access-control integration—ensure your cable entry and grounding practices comply with local electrical code and NFPA 101 requirements.
Marty AllisonPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
In our experience, the E2-BOXED solves a recurring headache in retrofit access-control deployments. We've installed hundreds of Lifesafety Power systems across older office buildings and residential complexes where existing mechanical rooms were designed for 1990s-era equipment — shallow, cramped, with limited wall depth. Standard 6-inch cabinets become an installer's nightmare: they either protrude into hallways, conflict with other building systems, or require wall-frame modifications that blow project scope. The E2-BOXED's 4.5-inch depth eliminates that negotiation. It mounts flush and accepts the full modular stack: power supply, supervision card, relay expansion, and even a compact battery backup. We've seen integrators shave 2–3 days off retrofit scheduling because they didn't have to hunt for a shallow alternative or compromise on circuit density. The trade-off is real though — you're constrained to compact component sizing, and poor pre-planning of internal layout can result in a return trip. We've also encountered sites where cable entry routing wasn't pre-drilled, forcing on-site knockout and field-assembly work that should have been done in the shop.
Technical Highlights:
- Shallow Form Factor (4.5" Depth): Eliminates cabinet protrusion in space-constrained retrofits. On multi-floor buildings, this depth constraint often makes the difference between approval and pushback from facilities teams who don't want cabinets visible in hallways.
- Modular E2-Series Compatibility: Accepts Lifesafety Power PS2, PS4, UPS modules, and supervision/relay expansion cards. The internal topology is fixed, so verify your component stack against the manufacturer's dimensional matrix before you order — we've seen field returns because a UPS module or relay card was 0.5 inches too tall.
- No Backplate Supplied: Flexibility plus complexity. You gain the ability to custom-configure DIN-rail mounting or direct-wall mounting, but you lose a rigid reference plane. Plan your cable routing and component positioning in advance; improvisation on site wastes time and risks poor airflow planning.
- Black Powder-Coated Steel: Durable indoor finish. Resists minor corrosion and casual scuffs, but is not suitable for outdoor or high-humidity (>85% RH) environments — do not install in parking structures, mechanical penthouses, or unconditioned spaces without additional environmental hardening.
- Thermal Planning Required: The shallow depth and compact internal volume mean airflow is limited. On high-current continuous-duty systems (16+ amps per circuit), leave 3–4 inches clearance above and below the cabinet for convection cooling. We've encountered thermal stress failures on overcrowded builds where installers didn't account for component heat dissipation.
Deployment Considerations:
- Pre-planning is non-negotiable. Before ordering, obtain exact dimensions for your power supply, UPS module (if used), and all expansion cards. Stack them mentally or in CAD — a mismatch discovered at the dock costs a week of scheduling.
- Cable entry must be designed before assembly. The enclosure ships without knockout holes pre-drilled for your specific power, data, and backup cabling. Determine entry points (top, sides, bottom) and either request factory pre-drilling or plan to drill on-site with proper knockouts and grommets.
- Grounding and bonding are code-critical. The E2-BOXED is steel; ensure your main power bonding and equipment ground lugs are installed per NFPA 70 (NEC). Poor bonding practice on retrofit installations is a common liability risk — wire this correctly from day one.
- Environmental limits: suitable for indoor, climate-controlled spaces only (0–50°C operating, <85% RH). Do not install in outdoor penthouses, parking structures, or mechanical rooms with seasonal temperature swings. The powder coat will degrade and component condensation will cause supervision-card failures in high-humidity uncontrolled spaces.
- UPS and battery selection is constrained by depth. If backup power is required, confirm that your chosen compact UPS or sealed lead-acid battery physically fits within 4.5 inches. Lithium backups are smaller but pricier; sealed lead-acid batteries are cheaper but heavier and require thermal headroom — measure twice, order once.
The E2-BOXED is the right choice for integrators who need compact, modular power distribution in space-constrained retrofit environments and are disciplined about pre-planning. It's overkill for new-construction projects where depth isn't a constraint; standard 6-inch cabinets offer more breathing room and lower assembly risk. Choose this enclosure when retrofit scope or facilities approval explicitly requires shallow mounting, and when your component stack is known and verified before installation. See the Lifesafety Power catalog for compatible power supplies, supervision modules, and UPS options.
