EmPower (aircraft power adapter)
Encyclopedia
EmPower is a 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. 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 can buy EmPower adapters, frequently from duty-free shop
s at airports, that allow them to run laptops and other electronic equipment without using battery power.
Supporting airlines include:
Adapters exist to connect EmPower plugs to cigarette lighter receptacles and most EmPower power adapters come with these.
EmPower is a trademark
registered initially by Primex Technologies (VA) and assigned to Astronics advanced electronic systems, Inc
in Redmond, Washington, USA. Subsequently, the trademark has been expanded to include not just the proprietary
DC 15 V connector but also the AC 120 V 60 Hz in-seat power (and video entertainment) systems.
American Airlines
uses EmPower 120 V AC outlets (standard 2 prong plus ground) on their newer 737s.
Many laptops will not function properly at 75 W.
The new
AC
60 Hz EmPower system provides more power than the DC
system.
The AC EmPower system converts aircraft AC 400 Hz or wild frequency power to standard AC 60 Hz to prevent additional stresses in laptop chargers already stressed by reduced cooling at altitude. Note that 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 AC 110 V 60 Hz even if sold in AC 230 V 50 Hz markets.
Apple offers an EmPower Magsafe
power adapter for their MacBook
, MacBook Pro
, and MacBook Air
lines of notebooks, and also includes a cigarette lighter socket adapter. However, this system only runs the computer and will not charge the computer's battery, and Apple indicates that users should not plug this device into a car's cigarette lighter outlet.
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
connector type found on many commercial airlines designed to provide power to travelers' electronic devices. The system is limited to 75 watts. 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 can buy EmPower adapters, frequently from duty-free shop
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
s at airports, that allow them to run laptops and other electronic equipment without using battery power.
Supporting airlines include:
- Almost all Air CanadaAir CanadaAir Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
flights - Some Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
flights - Some Air IndiaAir IndiaAir India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
flights - Some British AirwaysBritish AirwaysBritish Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
flights - Some Continental AirlinesContinental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
flights, used only on 767 aircraft. - Some Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
flights - Some US AirwaysUS AirwaysUS Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
flights - Some United AirlinesUnited AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
flights - Some Virgin Atlantic flights
- Almost all Cathay PacificCathay PacificCathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
flights - Others (The SeatguruSeatguruSeatGuru.com is a website that features aircraft seat maps, seat reviews, and a color-coded system to identify superior and substandard airline seats...
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
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
registered initially by Primex Technologies (VA) and assigned to Astronics advanced electronic systems, Inc
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
in Redmond, Washington, USA. Subsequently, the trademark has been expanded to include not just the proprietary
Vendor lock-in
In economics, vendor lock-in, also known as proprietary lock-in or customer lock-in, makes a customer dependent on a vendor for products and services, unable to use another vendor without substantial switching costs...
DC 15 V connector but also the AC 120 V 60 Hz in-seat power (and video entertainment) systems.
American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
uses EmPower 120 V AC outlets (standard 2 prong plus ground) on their newer 737s.
Many laptops will not function properly at 75 W.
The new
AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
60 Hz EmPower system provides more power than the DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
system.
The AC EmPower system converts aircraft AC 400 Hz or wild frequency power to standard AC 60 Hz to prevent additional stresses in laptop chargers already stressed by reduced cooling at altitude. Note that 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 AC 110 V 60 Hz even if sold in AC 230 V 50 Hz markets.
Apple offers an EmPower Magsafe
MagSafe
MagSafe is a proprietary magnetically-attached power connector introduced by Apple Inc. on January 10, 2006 in conjunction with the MacBook Pro at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco...
power adapter for their MacBook
MacBook
The MacBook was a brand of Macintosh notebook computers built by Apple Inc. First introduced in May 2006, it replaced the iBook and 12-inch PowerBook series of notebooks as a part of the Apple–Intel transition. Positioned as the low end of the MacBook family, the Apple MacBook was aimed at the...
, MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple. It replaced the PowerBook G4 and was the second model, after the iMac, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition...
, and MacBook Air
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air family is a line of Apple ultraportable Macintosh notebook computers.The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU...
lines of notebooks, and also includes a cigarette lighter socket adapter. However, this system only runs the computer and will not charge the computer's battery, and Apple indicates that users should not plug this device into a car's cigarette lighter outlet.