EmPower is a brand name that refers to three different power outlets available on commercial airlines: * 15-volt, 75-watt DC connector (now called EmPower Classic by the vendor) * 5-volt, 10-watt USB power-only jacks * 110-volt AC power jacks (some also have an EmPower USB jack)

Original 15-volt EmPower connector

15-volt DC connector type found on many commercial airlines designed to provide power to travelers' electronic devices. The system is limited to 75 watts.EmPower Product Descriptio

www.astronics.com Accessed 2011-01-16. The use of a special connector is to prevent laptops charging at altitude and ensure that only approved adapters can be used. Some airlines offer it only in business class or only in certain types of aircraft or flights. Travelers in the 2000s bought EmPower adapters, frequently from duty-free shops at airports, to run laptops and other electronic equipment without using battery power. Supporting airlines include: * Some Air France planes * Some Air India planes * Some

American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...

planes * Some

British Airways British Airways plc (BA) is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main Airline hub, hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and pass ...

planes * Some

Qantas Qantas ( ), formally Qantas Airways Limited, is the flag carrier of Australia, and the largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and List of largest airlines in Oceania, Oceania. A foundi ...

planes * Some

United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...

planes * Some Virgin Atlantic planes * Almost all

Alitalia Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia (), was an Italian airline which was once the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company had its head office in Fiumicino, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. ...

planes * Almost all

Cathay Pacific Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, or simply Cathay Pacific, is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main airline hub, hub located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline's operations and its subsidiaries have schedule ...

planes (The SeatGuru web site contains more detailed information on which flights support EmPower.) Adapters exist to connect EmPower plugs to cigarette lighter receptacles and most EmPower power adapters come with these. EmPower is a

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...

registered initially by Primex Technologies (VA) and assigned to Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems, Inc., in Kirkland, Washington, United States. Subsequently, the trademark has been expanded to include not just the proprietary 15V DC connector but also the 120V 60Hz AC in-seat power (and video entertainment) systems.

uses EmPower 120V AC outlets (standard 2 prong plus ground) on their newer 737s. Many laptops will not function properly at 75W. The new 111101 astronicsaes.com 60Hz AC EmPower system provides more power than the DC system. 111101 astronicsaes.com The AC EmPower system converts aircraft 400Hz AC or wild frequency power to standard 60Hz AC to prevent additional stresses in laptop chargers already stressed by reduced cooling at altitude. Laptops on this system will still charge batteries. Modern laptop batteries, however, include a temperature sensor that should compensate for the reduced cooling at altitude. This new system accepts various national power plugs and most laptop chargers will function properly at 120V 60Hz AC even if sold in 230V 50Hz AC markets.

Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

offered an EmPower MagSafe power adapter for their MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air lines of notebooks, and also included a cigarette lighter socket adapter. However, this system would only run the computer without charging the computer's battery, and Apple warned users to never plug this device into a car's cigarette lighter outlet. Accessed 2015-11-10. This product was later discontinued. Even though EmPower adapters are rated at 15 volts instead of 12 volts like cigar lighter receptacles, most accessories made for the so-called "12-volt outlets" have enough voltage tolerance to allow for a voltage as high as 15 without step down DC-to-DC converter.

Modern AC and USB EmPower outlets

EmPower is a 120-volt universal connector type found on many commercial airlines designed to provide power to travelers' electronic devices. The system is limited to 200VA. The EmPower universal AC outlet is compatible with power plugs from over 170 countries and is designed such that 110V AC power is not present at the outlet until a suitable plug is fully inserted. The AC EmPower system converts aircraft 400Hz AC or wild frequency power to standard 60Hz AC.

References

External links

hypertronics.com - Connector specifications (.pdf)

seatguru.com - Guide to Airline's In-Seat Power Ports
{{DEFAULTSORT:Empower (Aircraft Power Adapter) DC power connectors In-flight passenger facilities