ALPON X5 AI · Hardware · Power & Mounting

Hardware reference

Power & Mounting

Power inputs, consumption profiles, Restricted Mode behavior, and approved mounting hardware for the ALPON X5 AI edge AI computer. Covers USB Type-C PD, the 12–32 V DC screw terminal, optional PoE+ on PoE-variant SKUs, and tabletop, wall, and 35 mm DIN rail installation.

At a glance

The ALPON X5 AI accepts power from three independent inputs: USB Type-C PD (15 V, 27 W minimum), a 3-pin screw terminal (12 V–32 V DC, 27 W minimum) with reverse-polarity protection, and optional PoE+ (IEEE 802.3at, up to 25 W) on ETHERNET 0. All three sources share a common rail through hardware ideal diodes; the device draws from the source with the highest voltage. Typical consumption is ~8 W idle, up to ~45.5 W under full AI load. The fanless aluminum enclosure mounts on a desk, wall, or 35 mm DIN rail via 2× M4 holes on the base.

What power inputs does the ALPON X5 AI support?

The ALPON X5 AI exposes three independent power interfaces. All three pass through hardware ideal diodes before joining a common system rail, so simultaneous connections are tolerated and the device always draws from the source with the highest voltage. For production deployments, use a single input at a time to simplify ground paths and failure analysis.

USB Type-C PD

Desktop

15 V · 27 W min

Sink-only USB-PD port. Use the bundled 27 W adapter, or a 45 W unit for sustained AI workloads.

Screw Terminal

Industrial

12 V–32 V DC · 27 W min

Wide-range DC input for industrial deployments. Hardware reverse-polarity protected.

PoE+ (802.3at)

Optional SKU

37 V–57 V · 25 W max

Single-cable install on PoE-variant SKUs. Active on ETHERNET 0 only.

ALPON X5 AI power input options block diagram showing USB-C PD, 12-32V DC Screw Terminal, and PoE+ paths through ideal diodes to the system rail — Power input topology — each source passes through an ideal diode before reaching the system rail.

Hardware tolerates simultaneous connection across USB-C, the screw terminal, and PoE+, but we do not recommend using multiple sources at once in production. Simultaneous connection complicates ground paths and failure analysis.

USB Type-C PD input

The USB-C port is a sink-only USB-PD interface. It accepts power from a PD-capable adapter but does not provide USB data or power output during normal operation. The bundled 27 W adapter is sufficient for typical workloads; a 45 W adapter is recommended for sustained full-load inference on the DEEPX DX-M1.

Recommended adapter	27 W minimum at 15 V. 45 W adapter recommended for full-load AI workloads.
Supported PD profiles	12 V / ≥2.25 A (recommended 12.0 V / 3.75 A) 15 V / ≥1.8 A (recommended 15.0 V / 3.0 A)
PD controller	`CYPD3177-24LQXQ`
Mode	Sink only — no power output, no USB data during normal operation.
USB data exception	Available only when the device is in Burn (image flashing) mode.

Powering the device between 5 V and 12 V via USB-C forces the system into Restricted Mode. High-draw subsystems (USB, NVMe SSD, DEEPX DX-M1, camera, ADDON GPIO) are disabled to prevent brownout.

Screw terminal block (12–32 V DC)

The 3-pin screw terminal is the recommended input for industrial deployments. It accepts a wide 12–32 V DC range, includes hardware reverse-polarity protection, and provides a dedicated chassis ground pin for EMC-sensitive installations. Incorrectly wired +/− polarity will not damage the device, but the unit will not power on until corrected.

Input voltage range	12 V – 32 V DC
Minimum power	27 W (45 W recommended for full AI load)
Reverse polarity protection	Yes — hardware level
Connector	3-pin screw terminal block
Pinout	Pin 1: Chassis Ground · Pin 2: Negative (−) · Pin 3: Positive (+)

ALPON X5 AI 3-pin screw terminal block pinout: Pin 1 chassis ground, Pin 2 negative, Pin 3 positive — Screw terminal polarity — **Pin 1** Chassis · **Pin 2** − · **Pin 3** +

If the terminal block is powered below 12 V, the system enters Restricted Mode. Use a 12 V or 24 V industrial supply for full functionality. For long DC cable runs, prefer a 24 V source to compensate for line drop.

Power over Ethernet (PoE+)

PoE+ is available only on PoE-variant SKUs and cannot be retrofitted — the PoE module is installed at manufacture. When present, PoE+ is wired to ETHERNET 0. ETHERNET 1 is a USB-bridged interface and cannot deliver power to the system.

Standard	IEEE 802.3at · PoE+ Class 4
Input voltage range	37 V – 57 V
Maximum delivered power	25 W
Supported port	`ETHERNET 0` only
Injector requirement	IEEE 802.3at / PoE+ Class 4 compliant PSE. Passive injectors and legacy 802.3af are not supported.

PoE+ is the preferred input for ceiling-mounted or field-deployed installations where one Cat5e/Cat6 cable carries both connectivity and power. Budget for 25 W at the PSE, accounting for cable losses on runs approaching 100 m.

What is Restricted Mode?

Restricted Mode is a protective state the ALPON X5 AI enters automatically when any input drops below 12 V. It keeps the base compute and networking blocks alive on a marginal supply (down to 5 V on USB-C) while disabling the PCIe bus and high-current peripheral rails. The device remains reachable for remote diagnostics, but it is not a valid operating state for AI workloads — the DEEPX DX-M1 is offline.

Remains powered

CM5 compute module
LTE Cat 4 modem
ETHERNET 0
ETHERNET 1

Disabled

USB 3.0 ports
PCIe bus (NVMe SSD & DEEPX DX-M1)
ADDON GPIO port
Camera port (MIPI CSI-2)

Restricted Mode prevents brownouts by routing power only to the core compute and networking blocks at low input voltage. Restore 15 V USB-C PD or a 12–32 V DC supply on the terminal block, then reboot so the PCIe bus re-enumerates.

How much power does the ALPON X5 AI consume?

Measured subsystem power draw at idle, 50% load, and full load. A dash (–) indicates the subsystem draws negligible standalone power at that level. Values are approximate and depend on workload, connected peripherals, and ambient temperature.

Subsystem	Idle (W)	50% load (W)	Full load (W)
CM5 compute module	4	7	10
LTE Cat 4 modem	1	3	5
Voltage regulators	1	2	3
ADDON GPIO port	–	–	5
USB 3.0 ports	–	–	9
Camera port (MIPI CSI-2)	–	1.4	2.5
DEEPX DX-M1 (NPU)	1	3	5
NVMe SSD	1	3	6
Total	8	19.4	45.5

For workloads that sustain the DEEPX DX-M1 at full utilization while powering USB peripherals and a MIPI CSI-2 camera, budget a 45 W supply. A 27 W source covers idle and moderate loads, but peripheral rails throttle under peak draw.

How do I mount the ALPON X5 AI?

The ALPON X5 AI enclosure includes 2× M4 mounting holes on its base for direct attachment to walls, panels, or DIN rail adapters. The fanless aluminum case doubles as a passive heatsink, so mounting orientation should preserve airflow across the top finned surface. Three mount kits are supported: wall, DIN rail, and a combined adapter.

Wall Mount

Standard

Bracket fixed to flat surfaces via 2× M4 screws. Suits desks, cabinets, and indoor walls.

DIN Rail Mount

Industrial

Adapter snaps onto standard 35 mm DIN rail. Preferred for control cabinets and panel enclosures.

Combined Mount

Flexible

Wall bracket layered with DIN rail adapter. Switch between mounting styles without replacing hardware.

Keep at least 30 mm clearance above the top cooling surface and avoid airtight cabinets when running sustained AI workloads. Mounting horizontally (top face up) maximizes convective heat dissipation.

Wall mount installation

The wall mount kit ships with all fasteners required for drywall, plywood, or metal panel surfaces. Use the supplied wall plugs for masonry and the lock nuts for panel through-mounting.

Wall mount kit contents

×1Wall mount bracket

×2M4×6 mm Phillips pan head

×2M4×12 mm Phillips pan head

×2M4 nylon insert lock nut

×2M5.5×45 mm sheet metal screw

×28 mm wall plug

ALPON X5 AI wall mount bracket installation sequence — Wall mount installation overview.

1

Mark the wall

Position the bracket on the wall, mark the two screw hole locations with a pencil, and confirm the bracket is level.
2

Drill pilot holes

Drill the marked holes to match the supplied 8 mm wall plugs. For metal panels, drill to the screw diameter and omit plugs.
3

Insert the wall plugs

Press the plugs flush with the wall surface before driving screws.
4

Attach the bracket to the device

Align the bracket with the 2× M4 mounting holes on the base of the ALPON X5 AI. Secure using the M4×6 mm Phillips pan-head screws.
5

Mount the assembly to the wall

Position the bracket over the wall plugs and drive the M5.5×45 mm sheet metal screws until the assembly is flush and stable.

DIN rail installation

The DIN rail adapter attaches directly to the base of the ALPON X5 AI and snaps onto any standard 35 mm top-hat DIN rail (EN 60715). Use this method for control cabinets, industrial panels, or any rack where multiple ALPON X5 AI units need uniform spacing.

DIN rail kit contents

×1DIN rail adapter

×2M4×6 mm Phillips pan head

ALPON X5 AI DIN rail adapter installation sequence — DIN rail mount installation overview.

1

Align the adapter

Place the DIN rail adapter against the base of the ALPON X5 AI so its screw holes line up with the device's 2× M4 mounting holes.
2

Fasten the adapter

Drive the two M4×6 mm Phillips pan-head screws to secure the adapter to the enclosure.
3

Snap onto the rail

Hook the upper clip of the adapter over the top edge of the DIN rail, then press the lower section until it clicks into place.

Combined wall + DIN rail mount

The combined option layers the DIN rail adapter on top of the wall mount bracket. Useful when a deployment may migrate between surface-mounted and panel-mounted installations without replacing fasteners.

ALPON X5 AI combined wall mount with DIN rail adapter installation — Combined mount — wall bracket fitted with DIN rail adapter for dual-mode installation.

1

Install the wall mount first

Follow the wall mount steps above to attach the bracket to the device.
2

Layer the DIN rail adapter

Position the DIN rail adapter over the wall bracket and align its mounting holes.
3

Secure the assembly

Fasten the adapter to the wall bracket using the supplied screws.
4

Deploy on rail or wall

Slide the complete assembly onto a DIN rail, or fix the wall bracket backplate directly to a flat surface.

Mechanical envelope

Key physical parameters relevant to mount planning and thermal design.

Dimensions

100 × 100 × 45 mm

without antennas

Weight

~457 g

~1 lb

Enclosure

Aluminum, fanless

passive cooling

Protection

IP40

indoor use

Operating temp

-20 to +60 °C

-4 to +140 °F

Storage temp

-40 to +85 °C

long-term

Humidity

Up to 95%

non-condensing

Mount holes

2× M4

base, 4 mm

Need 2D drawings or STEP files?

Mounting templates, hole patterns, and CAD files for OEM integration.

Request CAD package

Power troubleshooting

Common power-related issues and resolution steps. If symptoms persist after these checks, contact Sixfab support with the cable type, supply voltage, and observed LED state.

The device does not power on

Confirm the supply voltage matches the input you are using: 12 V or 15 V PD profile for USB-C, 12 V–32 V DC for the terminal block, or a compliant 802.3at PSE for PoE+.
On the screw terminal, verify polarity. Pin 2 is negative (−) and Pin 3 is positive (+). Reverse polarity will not damage the device but prevents power-on.
For PoE+, confirm the cable is plugged into ETHERNET 0. ETHERNET 1 does not accept PoE.
Check the power LED. If it flickers briefly then drops, the supply is current-limited below the 27 W minimum.

The device boots but USB, NVMe, or the NPU are unavailable

The device has entered Restricted Mode. Check the supply voltage at the active input. Any reading below 12 V triggers protection.
Replace the adapter with a PD-capable unit that negotiates at 15 V, or switch to the terminal block with a 12 V or 24 V industrial supply.
Reboot the device after restoring a compliant source so the PCIe bus re-enumerates.

The device resets under AI load

Measure total draw under peak inference. If consumption approaches or exceeds 27 W, upgrade to a 45 W USB-C PD adapter or a terminal block supply rated ≥45 W.
Check cable quality for USB-C. Non-compliant USB-C cables can drop voltage under sustained load even with a capable adapter.
For PoE+, verify the cable run length. Cable losses on 100 m runs can bring delivered power below the 25 W port budget.