Altronix Keeps NYC School Clocks Ticking
As one of the primary system integrators responsible for keeping New York City Public Schools’ security and surveillance systems updated and running at peak performance, Kevin Tomlinson, CFO, Champion Alarm Systems, Ltd. of Farmingdale, NY is also responsible for synchronizing the schools’ clock systems to ensure schedules stay on track and in sync with one another. But, as budgets have become tighter and competition fiercer, Tomlinson is continually looking for ways to improve efficiencies and performance to retain his company’s competitive edge.
The clocks provided by Champion Alarm Systems throughout the massive NYC public school district are configured into a self-corrective system controlled by a master clock. All the clocks are wired back to a master clock where they are connected to a master power supply.
Approximately two years ago, Tomlinson started looking for a more cost-effective way to power the system as the cost of the clock manufacturer’s power supply pricing continued to escalate. So he went on the hunt for an alternate power supply that could provide a highly-reliable, seamless replacement at a more affordable price point.
Having deployed a wide variety of Altronix power supplies for surveillance and security applications both in the NYC public school district and numerous other venues, Champion’s technical team looked at the company’s portfolio of AC power supplies for a possible solution and found what they were looking for at a fraction of the cost.
“We use Altronix for all of our clock systems,” said Tomlinson. “Early on, we were using Altronix rack mount AC power supplies which actually made installations easier because of the way the connectors were laid out. We later switched to a wall mount model – the ALTV2416350 – a 16-fused output, 14-amp model that provides the solution at a great price. The savings over the clock manufacturer’s power supply is greater than 50%, which equates to a great savings, with a lifetime warranty to boot when you’re looking at 1,400 schools.”
“Champion technicians are in the NYC schools a few days a week servicing and maintaining various systems, and it’s important that the products we deploy not only meet budget, but they also operate consistently and without compromise. Altronix products meet all those criteria, even when used for clocks,” concluded Tomlinson.