Quadroplex Switch with multiple PoE Inputs

[rebelwireless]

I agree that the WS-6-MINI is overkill for this. That's why I'm talking about a simple device. No switch needed, and as long as 100Mbps is fast enough for clients on the 'power supply' end then it's cake.

[rebelwireless]

I agree that the WS-6-MINI has more features than we need for this, but I worry about going cheap. The ToughSwitch went cheep, and it has become famous for not handling gigabit to 100megabit transitions. By going big, your switches don't have that problem. AirMax AC and Mimosa both provide gigabit ports on their CPEs. Most routers in people's hands have 100M WAN ports. So this actually is an upcoming issue.

You must also ask, who will you be competing with?

My device mockup doesn't even touch the data, the orange and green pairs are passed through. Blue and brown pulled and run through the ORing curcuit. Then plug into the switch/router of your choice. Power pulled off into a single jack and/or barrel plug. A lot of the lower end wisp switch/routers have a single PoE input so you could use an RB850Gx2 or whatever. simple.

[RavenWing71]

Well, that does get the important part. Power. I guess if anyone calls and complains about the Internet being down and it's because it's not getting power we can chastise them for not doing what we told them at that point...

So how much is it going to take for something like this to get UL approval?

[rebelwireless]

you don't need to be UL certified. Some cities may require it, but that also is usually limited to high voltage devices. This is low voltage, low amperage, and except in the most extreme cases, wouldn't need to be UL certified. I suspect the minimum UL cert would cost $8-10k and then yearly to maintain.

Remember, this isn't a power supply, it's not generation or converting power, no transformer, etc. It is not much more than a biscuit box with RJ45 jacks.

[RavenWing71]

OK, so small box with 10/100 pass through ports like a midspan injector only they extract the power. Barrel connector to an Ethernet switch. Still need a way to power the radio. That could be left up to the switch. Both the SW-6-MINI and the RB260GSP have gigabit PoE out. This could work.

[rebelwireless]

OK, so small box with 10/100 pass through ports like a midspan injector only they extract the power. Barrel connector to an Ethernet switch. Still need a way to power the radio. That could be left up to the switch. Both the SW-6-MINI and the RB260GSP have gigabit PoE out. This could work.

yeah, you power the router/switch from the power-blender and then use a device with PoE output on 1 or more ports. RB2011, RB260GSP, RB750UP, etc all have PoE outputs.

Were talking about something like a 4 plex, so 100Mbps is probably plenty of connectivity, so an RB750UP or an RB260GSP/Sw-6-mini depending on if you route or want a switch.

[RavenWing71]

Well, I just asked my boss about this. He's a Certified Electrical Administrator. According to his understanding, he could build and install these as an electrician, but they could not be sold without UL approval.

[rebelwireless]

Well, I just asked my boss about this. He's a Certified Electrical Administrator. According to his understanding, he could build and install these as an electrician, but they could not be sold without UL approval.

UL approval is optional and again, typically only for high voltage. There is absolutely no need to get a UL approval for such a device.

Look at an RB750UP or RB260GSP. They are not UL listed, only their wall wart transformer is. Even though they do pass PoE output, they are low voltage and don't touch the mains.

Chris, did you guys get the WD-6-MINI UL certified? Or for that matter, any of your DC units?

[sirhc]

No, UL certification is ridiculously expensive and NOT required.

Not to many of your UBNT gear is UL certified either.

Sometimes you will see UL certs on Power Adapters because the manufacturer who makes them for us or UBNT got them or the client requested them to.

Some of out power supplies have UL certifications only because they came with them, all of them have CE and a few other certifications.

I think the 1.3A Barrel connector power adapter we have on order comes with a UL certification but we did not request it.

Netonix and UBNT are what is called contract manufacturers which means we do not actually build anything someone else builds it, we just design it and normally we do not design the power supplies but we did design our SMART DC power supply but it is considered low voltage DC and is a Class B Device. We will put a CE certification on it but that is where it will end.

When it comes to power supplies and adapters there are companies that specialize in just power supplies. We use the same company as UBTN for power supplies which is Gospower in Shenzhen.

[rebelwireless]

I meant that rhetorically ;)