Telecommunications organizations have seen battery thefts rise in recent years, which has resulted in millions of dollars lost to replacing equipment.
In recent years, telecommunications organizations have approached American Products to see if our team could develop solutions that would mitigate the chances of thieves breaking into the enclosures and stealing costly equipment. Through our conversations, our team developed the AP GUARDIAN backup power storage solution.
Let’s take a closer look at this new backup power storage enclosure and how it can save telecom companies a lot of money by keeping their batteries and power systems safe and sound from thieves, while also ensuring non-stop service to their customers by mitigating network interruptions.
Our New Backup Power Storage Solution
Three Layers of Security
The American Products team designed the AP GUARDIAN with three key levels of security.
The first level is in the solar shield roof. A number of recessed and hidden screws hold the roof in place, which keeps the door of the cabinet locked in place as well. A special tool that matches the unique pattern on the screw heads is needed to unlock the roof and gain access to the inside. Each company can work with a company to develop a secure, tamper-resistant screw that only they and their technicians will have the tool for.
Because the screws are recessed, they must be accessed with the special tool or the roof will not be able to be opened.
Once the roof is open, the second layer of security comes into play.
After the security screws are released, the technician can raise the roof, which features another panel underneath so the contents cannot be accessed still.
To get into the cabinet, then, the telecom technicians must use the same special tool to remove the screws that hold the door in place. Once those are removed, the door can be removed.
The door does not use hinges, so there is no way for anyone to remove the hinges and then the door. Instead, the bottom of the door has built-in tabs that slot into the frame of the enclosure. It also has side tabs that mount in sides of the door frame. In other words, the door must be lifted up and out for removal.
And this is where the third layer of security is found.
The interior of the AP GUARDIAN features shelving for the batteries. These shelves each have a metal gate on them. Once the cabinet door is removed, you must then remove these gates to access the batteries. While in place, the shelves cannot be pulled out, and the batteries on the shelves cannot be removed.
To access the batteries, the same special tool must be used to remove the screw holding the gates into place. Once removed, the trays can be slid out and the batteries accessed.
Technicians can follow much of the same process to access the back panel, which will allow them to get to the power equipment. The batteries still would not be accessible from that side, which means that even if someone does get into it that way, they still can’t take the batteries out.
Key Standard Features
In addition to its three-layered security system, the AP GUARDIAN comes standard with a number of features.
It has a NEMA 3R rating, ensuring equipment will be protected from the elements. It also features vents in the front panel to passively cool the equipment inside.
Inside, the cabinet also features convenience outlets.
The entire enclosure can be constructed of powder-coated galvanized steel or aluminum.
Available Upgrades
While the AP GUARDIAN comes standard with everything the telecom organization needs to deploy it and protect their power systems from thieves, American Products can upgrade it to meet specific needs.
We offer everything from a meter base/load center with test-block bypasses to an exhaust fan system with a filtered intake.
Like all American Products enclosure solutions, the AP GUARDIAN is proudly manufactured in America’s Heartland at our dedicated facility in Strafford, MO. Because we manufacture all of our products in-house, they meet the qualifications for government-sponsored programs like the Build American, Buy America (BABA) Act.
If you’re looking for an extremely secure, high-quality enclosure solution to house your backup power storage system, the AP GUARDIAN has you covered. To learn more, contact our enclosure specialists at 417.736.2135.