VENDOR.Max Power Interfaces: −48 V DC and 230 V AC
One physical core, two output configurations: a target −48 V direct-current interface or a target 230 V / 50 Hz alternating-current interface. This page covers the interfaces themselves, the relevant interface standards, and the order in which the configurations reach the market.
This page describes the output configurations of VENDOR.Max: their target electrical interfaces, the applicable interface standards and the rollout sequence.
The functional architecture and the physical difference between the direct-current and alternating-current ports, the classification of the system, energy attribution and the independent verification protocol are covered separately.
One core, two customer interfaces
Both configurations are built on the same physical core. The product divergence occurs at the output stage: the configurations differ in their target electrical interface and in the number of mandatory conversion stages, not in the operating principle.
VENDOR.Max −48 V DC configuration
- Target nominal: −48 V direct current
- Normal operating range: −40.5 to −57.0 V
- No inverter stage: one mandatory conversion stage fewer than in the AC configuration
- Standards reference: ETSI EN 300 132-2 V2.8.1 (2024-10)
For information and communication technology equipment designed around a −48 V direct-current supply interface.
VENDOR.Max 230 V AC configuration
- Target nominal: 230 V RMS, 50 Hz, single phase
- An inverter stage is added to produce the alternating-current output
- Standards reference: IEC 60038:2009+AMD1:2021 CSV
- Additional reference where the configuration supplies ICT loads: ETSI EN 300 132-1 V2.2.1 (2022-11)
- 230 V RMS is the standard European nominal; “220 V” is an inherited designation kept as a commercial class name, not an engineering nominal
For equipment that requires a standard European single-phase alternating-current interface.
Comparison of the target interfaces
| Parameter | −48 V DC configuration | 230 V AC configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Target interface class | Supply of information and communication technology equipment | Single-phase alternating-current interface |
| Target nominal | −48 V direct current | 230 V RMS, 50 Hz |
| Operating range | −40.5 to −57.0 V | As given by the standards reference |
| Output-stage difference | No inverter stage: one mandatory conversion stage fewer than in the AC configuration | An inverter stage producing the alternating-current output is added |
| Standards reference | ETSI EN 300 132-2 V2.8.1 (2024-10) | IEC 60038:2009+AMD1:2021 CSV; ETSI EN 300 132-1 V2.2.1 (2022-11) where ICT loads are supplied |
| Rollout sequence | Priority configuration | Supplementary configuration |
Other direct-current interfaces within the target range are engineered as separate configurations and do not inherit the telecommunications conformity profile.
An AC output is not grid-parallel operation
A 230 V alternating-current customer output does not in itself mean operation in parallel with the national grid.
A standalone AC output and parallel operation with the national grid are different classes of product, testing and certification.
Product status
Engineering validation, productisation and the preparation of deployment configurations run as separate workstreams of the programme.
Project stage: TRL 4 — Prototype Rebuild After Relocation
5 kW is the tested prototype class.
VENDOR.Max is being developed for kilowatt-class infrastructure loads.
After initiation, the architecture does not provide for continuous external power input to the selected user load through the standard VENDOR.Max input. Startup initiation remains required; the built-in battery remains an internal operating buffer with finite service life; and the equipment remains subject to scheduled maintenance.
Commercial pricing for VENDOR.Max has not been fixed. Configuration, validation and deployment requirements are addressed separately.
Interface class and deployment
This page answers which electrical interface each configuration provides. Site-specific requirements — facility architecture, load profile and integration conditions — are covered in the solutions section.
Questions about the configurations
What does this page describe?
Two output configurations of VENDOR.Max: −48 V direct current and 230 V alternating current at 50 Hz. The classification of VENDOR.Max and the current status of the system are covered separately on VENDOR System.
What is the difference between the −48 V DC and 230 V AC configurations?
Both configurations are built on the same physical core. The difference arises at the output stage: the DC configuration is built without an inverter stage, while the AC configuration adds an inverter stage that produces the alternating-current output. This is a difference of interface, not of operating principle. The physical explanation of how direct-current and alternating-current ports differ is given in How It Works.
Why is −48 V DC the priority configuration?
The DC configuration contains one mandatory conversion stage fewer. The target interface was also selected to reduce the scope of applicable conformity-assessment requirements. The product rollout therefore begins with −48 V DC.
Does a 230 V AC output mean operation in parallel with the grid?
No. The presence of a 230 V alternating-current customer output does not in itself mean operation in parallel with the national grid. A grid-parallel configuration belongs to a different class of product, testing and certification.
How can a site be evaluated for VENDOR.Max?
Site evaluation is carried out within the Pilot Programme.
The sequence follows from the output stage and from the order of market entry: the interface with fewer mandatory conversion stages and a narrower set of applicable requirements comes first.
48V DC First. 220V AC Later.
Next step
The choice of interface determines the configuration. Evaluation of a specific site is carried out separately.
