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Thread: Power Over Ethernet (POE) Option

  1. #1
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    Power Over Ethernet (POE) Option

    I have had my system on an Apex Classic running two years now. One major fall in my design is I do not have a back up power source for my Apex. My setup is fully enclosed in a custom built cabinet and I do not have any place I can safely shoehorn a battery backup, UPS or other option. I do have my entire home network centralized in a cabinet with a dedicated UPS and battery backup. I use a centralized router and switches with three wireless access points (WAP) scattered through the home. The WAP's are powered using a 48v POE switch made for these units. This had me thinking...

    Is there any reason I could not power the Apex with a 12vdc POE setup? I can inject the 12 volts into the ethernet cable, which uses pins 4/5 on 10/100 Cat5E wiring. I would have a corresponding 12vdc splitter at the Apex that pulls the 12vdc from the Cat5E and transfers it to a barrel jack.

    With this setup, I can monitor power outages via the EB units and still report the power outage and maintain control my Eco Vortechs, where the slim 14vdc batteries were planned for in a slim location.

    As a note, I did look into just powering the Apex from the EcoTech batteries but was told by EcoTech I cannot and read somewhere on this forum that it was not advisable.

  2. #2
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    This is the specific injector I am considering:
    https://www.amazon.com/iCreatin-ethe.../dp/B00YGLCQQK

  3. #3
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    Nope. The apex isn't designed for that. Only way is either the 12V aux supply plugged into UPS or an energy bar plugged into a UPS.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Nope. The apex isn't designed for that. Only way is either the 12V aux supply plugged into UPS or an energy bar plugged into a UPS.
    How would the Apex know the difference? There is a splitter that removes the 12v from the Cat 5.

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    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by clsanchez77 View Post
    How would the Apex know the difference? There is a splitter that removes the 12v from the Cat 5.
    Oh. That might actually work. I thought you meant powering through the Ethernet port itself. If it splits off and has at least 10W to spare for the head unit plus 5W for each module that should work fine.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    I thought you meant powering through the Ethernet port itself.
    Dear no, maybe when I am finally ready for an upgrade though...and its New Year's Eve and my Christmas tree is ready to be "lit", but otherwise no.

    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    If it splits off and has at least 10W to spare for the head unit plus 5W for each module that should work fine.
    That is very helpful, I will look at some POE solutions to see if this is feasible. I have 1 head unit and 13 modules, including the display at 75 watts (over 6 amps, seems high) based on your guidance. I may not be able to do this with POE, but I may be able to run a dedicated 12vdc cable for this purpose.

  7. #7
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by clsanchez77 View Post
    Dear no, maybe when I am finally ready for an upgrade though...and its New Year's Eve and my Christmas tree is ready to be "lit", but otherwise no.



    That is very helpful, I will look at some POE solutions to see if this is feasible. I have 1 head unit and 13 modules, including the display at 75 watts (over 6 amps, seems high) based on your guidance. I may not be able to do this with POE, but I may be able to run a dedicated 12vdc cable for this purpose.
    Depends on the module. Those are worst case wattages.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Depends on the module. Those are worst case wattages.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.
    I figured that much, but on the other end, I want give me some breathing room for possible expansions. I plan to do a RO/DI setup and Im still undecided if this will be a stand along system or if I will run a USB and integrate. I also have a remote mixing station I plan to build and will have the same issue there as well. Both these setups would have 1/4 solenoids for fill and flush operations, a PMUP for transfer to the tank and heaters for bulk storage. While a USB run would give me full integration - these remote installations would not need backup. I can easily accomplish the communications I need using dry contact relays with breakout boxes on the other end. Basically a "Water is Ready" signal to the tank and a "A Call for Water Signal" to the respective stations.

    Back to topic, I may just kill the power to the tank with just the Apex running and do a current measurement. I have some spare DC wires I can splice and measure. Then maybe give myself another 20% for any future add-ons. I don't foresee anything really. Very few of us in this hobby ever deem a tank "finished", but I am very happy with this one and cannot see adding anything else. I wanted to work in flow measurement but the sensors just won't fit - I build the system too compact. Any new equipment, I will change over to 0-10vdc standard, so that would be a new module, but it would just be replacing an already existing one.

    Thanks for your help. If I ever pull the trigger on it, I will provide an update. I am currently shopping for new UPS devices for around the house now.

  9. #9
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    I've used those particular splitters on other devices at home. They're only going to deliver 100Mb/s because they're passive but I can't see the Apex missing that gigabit You don't HAVE to use the PSU that comes with them, just stay within the 15W limit of this particular PoE standard. You can go higher with active injectors of course.

  10. #10
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    Just to piggyback on this, i did it and it works fine.

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