Electrical Requirements & Power Pack Configuration

Should you go with an individual or centralized power pack? The answer affects redundancy, maintenance downtime, and your electrical layout.

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Should I go with an individual or centralized power pack?

Every hydraulic stacker needs a power pack to generate lifting pressure. The question is: does each unit get its own dedicated power pack, or does one large unit distribute hydraulic pressure through shared lines to multiple stackers?

Base electrical specs per unit

From the APS 2PK6.0 product data sheet — these specs apply to each individual stacker unit.

2.2kW power unit 208V 3-Phase 60Hz 8.3A working current 24V control power

Individual vs. centralized power pack

Two approaches with very different outcomes for reliability and maintenance.

Centralized power pack

Higher risk
  • ✕One large pump distributes hydraulic pressure through shared lines to all connected units
  • ✕A leak anywhere in the line takes all connected units offline
  • ✕Maintenance on one unit requires shutting down the entire line
  • ✕Single point of failure — one pump failure = total system outage
  • ✕Long hydraulic runs = more potential leak points and oil on floors
VS

Individual power pack

Recommended
  • ✓Each stacker has its own self-contained power pack — fully independent
  • ✓If one unit needs service, all others keep running
  • ✓No shared hydraulic lines = no cascading failures
  • ✓Simpler troubleshooting — problem is always isolated and local
  • ✓Contained hydraulic fluid — no long pipe runs leaking across your garage

See the difference

Visualize how each configuration works in a real garage environment.

Centralized — one pump, shared hydraulic lines
CENTRAL PUMP (single unit) HYDRAULIC TRUNK LINE Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Single failure point takes ALL units offline Each joint = potential leak point
Individual — dedicated power pack per stacker
ELECTRICAL PANEL PWR PWR PWR PWR PWR Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 service Unit 4 Unit 5 ✓ ✓ ⚠ ✓ ✓ 4 of 5 units still running — zero impact
CENTRALIZED POWER PACK — HYDRAULIC LINE DISTRIBUTION
Centralized power pack with hydraulic line distribution
Central Power Pack
Hydraulic Lines
Distributed to
Each Lift/Stacker
EXAMPLE OF LEAKING POWER UNIT
Leaking power unit causing oil stains
Oil Leaks Cause Stains, Slippery Floors and Damage

POWER REQUIREMENTS — THE TRUTH

Both systems use the SAME power.

It's not about more power —
it's about distributing power efficiently.

Typical Operation:

3 to 5 Valet Attendants
Per Floor (Max)

Only enough lifts need to run at one time to serve the attendants.

Design power distribution to match the number of attendants working, not the total number of lifts.

Route power differently,
not necessarily more power.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Individual power packs provide greater reliability, easier maintenance, cleaner installations and lower long-term risk for your garage.

"Don't I need more electrical power for individual units?"

No. The total power draw is the same either way — each stacker draws 8.3A at 208V 3-Phase regardless of how it's powered. The difference is how you route the power, not how much you need.

With individual power packs, your electrician runs a dedicated circuit to each unit. With centralized, one large circuit goes to the pump. The total amperage is identical.

In practice, you don't need every stacker running simultaneously. A single valet attendant uses a maximum of 2–3 units at a time — so total simultaneous demand depends on how many attendants are working per floor. Your electrical engineer can size circuit groups accordingly, powering enough units for your peak simultaneous demand without oversizing the panel.
PANEL Group A Group B Group C Reserve U1 U2 U3 U4 U5 U6 U7 U8 U9 U10 U11 U12 U13 U14 U15 15 units across 3 circuit groups Each attendant uses max 2–3 units at a time (size groups based on # of attendants per floor)