Vertiv PFS-100 NPS Power Failure Sensor with 100ft Analog Cable
Overview
The Vertiv PFS-100 NPS is a dedicated power failure sensor designed to alert monitoring systems the moment AC power is lost at a protected location. With a 100-foot (30.4m) analog cable and a 0–5V output signal, the PFS-100 NPS integrates directly into environmental monitoring platforms, NVR alarm inputs, and building management systems that accept low-voltage analog sensing — no proprietary interface card required. If you're deploying surveillance infrastructure, UPS systems, or critical network equipment in locations where a silent power failure could mean hours of unmonitored downtime, this sensor gives your monitoring layer the early-warning input it needs.
The PFS-100 NPS (often searched as PFS 100 NPS) is part of the broader Vertiv monitoring and infrastructure line, a catalog built for data center and commercial security environments where uptime accountability is non-negotiable.
Key Features
- 100ft (30.4m) Analog Cable: The generous cable run means the sensor head can reach remote PDU locations, server rack corners, or exterior power panels without a signal repeater. In a typical IDF closet or equipment room, 100 feet gives enough slack to route cleanly through conduit and still reach the monitoring device.
- 0–5V Analog Output Interface: The 0–5V signal is one of the most universally accepted analog formats across environmental monitoring units, NVR alarm input ports, and industrial PLCs. No protocol conversion, no driver installation — wire it to your monitoring device's analog input and configure the threshold in software.
- AC 100–240V Input Compatibility: The included power supply handles the full global voltage range (100–240V AC, 50/60Hz), so the same sensor ships and installs without modification in North American and international facilities. No step-down transformer, no region-specific SKU.
- DC 6V, 2A Power Supply Output: The onboard supply delivers a clean 6V DC at 2A to power the sensor circuitry. At 12W total draw, it won't strain a standard outlet circuit even in dense equipment rooms with multiple monitoring devices on the same feed.
- RoHS Compliance: The PFS-100 NPS is RoHS compliant, meaning it meets the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive. For integrators specifying products into EU-regulated facilities or sustainability-conscious enterprise accounts, this is a procurement checkbox that's already satisfied.
- 5-Year / 3-Year Limited Warranty: Vertiv backs the PFS-100 NPS with a limited warranty — confirm the applicable term for your purchase at the time of order. For infrastructure monitoring devices installed in hard-to-reach locations, warranty coverage on the sensor itself reduces long-term total cost of ownership.
Integration & Compatibility
The PFS-100 NPS is designed to pair with any monitoring host that accepts a 0–5V analog input. In practice, this covers a wide range of NVR alarm input ports, Vertiv Geist and Liebert environmental monitoring units, third-party DCIM platforms, and general-purpose I/O boards used in building automation. Integration is straightforward: connect the sensor cable to the analog input channel, set the voltage threshold in your monitoring platform (typically 0V = power present, 5V = power lost, or the inverse depending on host configuration), and label the channel in your dashboard. No firmware update is required on the sensor side.
For security integrators deploying camera systems with local NVR recording, the PFS-100 NPS can feed an alarm input to trigger recording flags or notifications if AC power at the camera feed panel drops — a useful supplement to UPS runtime alerts. Consult your monitoring platform's input specification to confirm 0–5V analog compatibility before wiring. For guidance on building out a complete monitoring architecture, see the power and infrastructure planning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What signal does the PFS-100 NPS output when power fails?
A: The PFS-100 NPS outputs a 0–5V analog signal. The specific voltage state corresponding to power loss versus power present depends on your monitoring host's input configuration — consult your monitoring platform's documentation to set the correct threshold.
Q: What is the cable length on the PFS-100 NPS?
A: The sensor cable is 100 feet (30.4 meters), providing enough reach to route from a remote power panel or PDU to a centrally located monitoring device without a signal extender.
Q: What power supply is included with the PFS-100 NPS?
A: The PFS-100 NPS includes a power supply rated for AC 100–240V input at 50/60Hz, with a DC 6V, 2A output. This covers both North American and international voltages without modification.
Q: Is the Vertiv PFS-100 NPS RoHS compliant?
A: Yes. The PFS-100 NPS is RoHS compliant, meeting the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive — a requirement for facilities with EU procurement or sustainability mandates.
Q: What is the warranty on the PFS-100 NPS?
A: The PFS-100 NPS carries a Vertiv limited warranty. The applicable term (5-year or 3-year) should be confirmed at the time of purchase based on your region and purchase channel.
Q: What monitoring systems is the PFS-100 NPS compatible with?
A: The PFS-100 NPS is compatible with any monitoring host that accepts a 0–5V analog input — including Vertiv Geist and Liebert environmental monitoring units, NVR alarm input ports, DCIM platforms, and general-purpose I/O boards used in building automation and industrial control systems.
The Vertiv PFS-100 NPS solves a specific and frequently overlooked gap in surveillance and infrastructure deployments: confirming that AC power is actually present at a remote location, not just that a UPS is still running. That 100-foot analog cable and 0–5V output make it practical to wire directly into an NVR alarm input or an environmental monitoring unit without any intermediate signal conditioning — it's one of the cleaner integrations I've seen for this class of sensor.
Technical Highlights:
- 100ft Cable Run: At 30.4 meters, the cable covers the distance from a typical equipment room's main power panel to a rack-mounted monitoring host without splicing or a signal repeater — a real installation convenience on large floor plates.
- 0–5V Analog Interface: This is a hardware-standard voltage range accepted natively by Vertiv Geist monitoring units, most mid-range NVR alarm ports, and virtually every industrial I/O board. No protocol translation required — configure your threshold once and the sensor is live.
- AC 100–240V Input: The universal input range on the included power supply eliminates the need for region-specific SKUs or voltage adapters on multi-site deployments spanning North America and Europe.
Deployment Considerations:
- Verify your monitoring host's analog input range before wiring — while 0–5V is widely supported, some environmental monitoring units expect 4–20mA current loop signals instead of voltage. The PFS-100 NPS is voltage output only.
- The sensor detects AC power presence at its own supply input, not at arbitrary downstream outlets. If you need to monitor power at a specific PDU outlet or breaker circuit rather than the sensor's own feed, position the sensor's power supply at that exact feed point.
The PFS-100 NPS is the right tool for unmanned remote sites — telecom huts, outdoor camera enclosure power feeds, or secondary IDF closets — where a silent AC outage would otherwise go undetected until equipment stops responding on the network.
