Kiosk electrical restrictions.

Understanding the electrical restrictions of a kiosk is a vital part of the success of your kiosk. A typical lease includes a space with one electrical circuit, which typically handles 20 amps of electricity. Once you exceed 20 amps, you’re going to blow a fuse, presenting a much bigger set of problems. Palmer Retail Solutions is ready to help you navigate the ins and outs of kiosk power requirements.

One of the first questions you should ask yourself in the retail merchandising process is, “How much total power does my kiosk require when all the electronic equipment is added together?” If the answer is more than 20 amps, you need to reevaluate your decision to build a kiosk. If you have a product or service that is going to require a large amount of electrical equipment, you may need to consider a storefront, or at the very least, consult an electrician and your mall’s management company to see if they can accommodate your special needs and at what price.

Occasionally a kiosk requires unusual or specialty equipment for a particular trade-- for instance, we’ve encountered a customer requiring a polishing machine for their jewelry kiosk. Because their electrical needs exceeded the 20 amps that their lease space was capable of providing, we needed an electrician and the blessing of the mall to install a larger circuit panel before we could proceed with their kiosk construction.

Be aware: if your kiosk draws 18 or 19 amps during the course of daily operations when your employee decides to plug-in a toaster or a personal laptop charger he brought from home, the additional power drain could blow a fuse. You may also want to keep this in mind when considering future growth, in case you’re thinking about installing a fax machine or additional electronic equipment down the road.

If you have additional questions about the kiosk as a retail solution, download our eBook outlining important aspects to know before opening a retail kiosk. Keep current with industry discussions and product information on Twitter: @PalmerPRS. Palmer derives great satisfaction from designing unique interactive kiosks that incorporate maximum functionality, ergonomics and offer long-lasting service. To connect with us you can visit our website at www.palmerretailsolutions.com.

Palmer Retail Solutions strives to offer our clients the absolute best combination of innovation, quality, service, and value for our diversified custom store fixtures and merchandising displays. For more information about our designs, retail fixtures, cash wraps, kiosks, or point of purchase displays, visit our website at http://www.palmerretailsolutions.com.