Thursday, 10 December 2015 14:41

Using a 208VAC Line Voltage

Oftentimes, the only primary AC voltage source available is 208V.  This is often the case in data centers, particularly rack-mounted systems.  Here in technical support, we often get calls from integrators wanting to know if our products support a 208V input.  If you are using one of our FPA or FPX products, they are limited to a 120VAC input only.  For our DC and PoE products, however, the short answer is "yes" - but there are a couple of caveats to be aware of.

The first caveat is in the product setup:  If using a 208V line, the product must be set for a 230V input.  This means every FPO power supply board must have its jumper (JP1) cut.  If the product is a rack mount RD, RC, RS, or RGM, this would apply to the internal FPO power supply board(s).  The NPR product line is auto voltage sensing and requires no additional configuration.  Consult the documentation for the product being used for specific instruction on how to configure the product for a 230VAC input.

The second caveat is in low-line operation.  Our products are generally designed and tested to operate over a +10% / -15% operating range.  That means when the product is set for a 230VAC input, operation is guaranteed between 196 and 253VAC.  When using a 208V line, that means the product is only 12V away from the low AC fault point.  If the AC line voltage sags, you are much closer to the product giving a fault and/or transferring to battery power.  This typically is not a problem, but it is something to be aware of.

If you have any questions on 208V operation or need any other assistance, our This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it department is here to help.

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In previous parts of this series, we have covered the basics, inputs, outputs, and jumper configuration of the C8 board.  If you missed any of these parts, you can find them here:

Part 1 - Power and LEDs
Part 2 - Inputs
Part 3 - Outputs
Part 4 - Jumpers

In this, the final part of the series, we will explain the usage of our Excel Jumper Configuration Tool.

About the Tool

The C4/C8 Jumper Configuration Tool is available free for download from the LifeSafety Power website's Calculators page, or by clicking here.

The tool uses information entered by the user to determine the correct jumper settings.  Even if you have the jumper settings memorized, the tool is very helpful in quickly configuring multiple zones.  Jumper settings can be predetermined in the office, printed, and included in the system design documentation, or done on-the-fly at the job site.

Using the Tool

To begin, open the file in Excel.  There are three sections on the screen - Voltage Sources, Zone Information, and Results.

Main Screen

Step 1 - Voltage Sources
The Voltage Sources section is where you enter the B1 and B2 voltages used as the power source for the C8.  In a single voltage system, only the B1 field will have information entered.  The B2 field should be left blank.

A dual voltage system should have both the B1 and B2 fields filled in as appropriate.  Remember that a dual FPO system (as built by LifeSafety Power) would have the top FPO's voltage in the B1 space and the bottom FPO's voltage in the B2 space.  An FPO/B100 system would have the FPO's voltage as B1 and the B100's voltage as B2.

Entering this information correctly is important for the yellow jumper's setting.  Reversing this data will cause the incorrect output voltage to be placed on the outputs, potentially damaging the powered equipment.  Remember to always double check your output voltages before connecting any load devices.

The B1/B2 information will remain consistent across all boards and zones in a typical FPO power supply system.

Step 1

In this example, the B1 supply is set for 24V and the B2 supply is set for 12V.

Step 2 - Zone Information
The Zone Information section is where you enter the information for the zone being configured.  This information may vary zone to zone.

  • Input Type - This drop-down selection allows you to choose the type of input connected to the input terminals for the zone.  Selections include NO or NC contact, remove or apply voltage, open collector, or no input.  The NO or NC contact selections are the most typical input types and would be used for a relay contact, pushbutton, etc.  The remove or apply voltage settings would activate the zone when a voltage is either removed from or applied to the B terminal of the input.  Open collector would be the setting to use for a transistor output, and "no input" would be the selection to use if you wanted a constant voltage output without input control.
  • Output Type - This drop-down selection allows you to choose the output type for the zone.  Selections include mag lock, fail safe or fail secure strike, NO or NC relay contact output, or constant output.  Choose the closest match for the output type needed (i.e. for an electrified handleset choose fail secure strike, since the operation is very similar).
  • Output Voltage - This drop-down will be populated with the values entered in the B1 and B2 fields in the Voltage Sources section above.  Select which voltage is desired for the zone.
  • Zone FAI? - This drop down has two selections - yes or no - to select whether the zone should react when an FAI is received on the FPO power supply.

Step 2

In this example, the input is set for a NO Dry Contact and the output is set for a 24V maglock with FAI.

Step 3 - Results
The results section displays the correct jumper settings for the configuration entered in steps 1 and 2.  Jumpers A-F are shown with a visual representation of positions 1 and 2 for each jumper.  Remember to look closely at the C8 PC Board for positions 1 and 2 for each jumper carefully, as these positions change from jumper to jumper.

Step 3

Conclusion

I hope this series has been useful to you and has helped you to become an expert in using the C8 family of lock control boards.  If you need any assistance, our This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it department is here to help.

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