Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Voltek Featured on “The Build Show” Video Series

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/21/21

Low voltage power solutions company Voltek Systems Inc. was featured in a recent episode of the popular home remodeling YouTube series "The Build Show." Host Matt Risinger, a contractor who specializes in architect-driven and fine craftmanship work, discussed the installation of low-voltage wired and powered USB outlets that can power devices like smartphones and laptops without the use of a bulky charging brick. The outlets provide input ports for both USB-A and USB-C cables.

A centrally mounted Voltek Rack Mount Power Supply unit converts 110-volt power into DC, which is distributed up to 1,000 feet through a low voltage cable to each outlet. One unit can provide power for up to 12 USB outlets installed throughout a facility. Outlets wired to the central rack mount can be placed anywhere in a building for easy charging capabilities without excess equipment. The rack-mounted power supply unit can also be attached to a battery backup to run for hours in the event of a power outage.

Wall-mounted USB outlets have grown in popularity in spaces like huddle areas, classrooms, study rooms, residence halls, and offices, as they offer the ability to charge a device conveniently and discreetly.

Voltek’s primary focus has been on the K–12 and Higher Education spaces, where laptops have become the norm for the teaching environment.  Nearly every model of laptop now charges over a USB-C connection, and the Voltek system provides the ability to charge these without the need for the AC-to-DC conversion brick. Voltek also aims to keep the laptop charging while the device is in use, as opposed to the student having to dock it on a charge cart and remove it from the learning environment during the interim.

Installation of Voltek outlets doesn’t require a licensed electrician, and they can easily be deployed as a retrofit in learning environments lacking electrical outlets. Additionally, they offer a significant cost savings over traditional 110 AC outlets when installed in a new construction project. Providing only low voltage power at the outlet, they are also safer due to no risk of electrical shock.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

Digital Edition