Mainspowered

Mainspowered is a term used to describe equipment and systems that obtain their electrical energy directly from the mains—the public electrical grid—rather than from onboard batteries, capacitors, or renewable energy sources. The term is commonly found in product descriptions, manuals, and safety guidelines in regions where 'mains' is the standard word for the utility-supplied power.

In practice, mains-powered devices are connected by a plug or a fixed wiring installation to a mains circuit and typically include a power conversion stage such as a transformer and rectifier to deliver suitable operating voltages to internal components. They are contrasted with battery-powered or off-grid devices, which must store energy or rely on independent generation.

Advantages of mains-powered design include consistent performance without the need to manage charge cycles, generally lower costs for long-term operation, and simpler maintenance. Drawbacks include vulnerability to electrical outages, higher initial installation costs, and the need for proper electrical safety measures and certified installation.

The term does not denote a single standard but a power-source characteristic used across consumer, industrial, and building equipment catalogs. Regulatory considerations typically require compliance with local electrical safety standards and building codes, including proper insulation, grounding, and protection features.

See also: mains electricity, power supply, uninterruptible power supply, battery-powered devices.