Apparatus is provided featuring a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) having a power circuit component in combination with a SMPS controller. The power circuit component may be configured to provide power to a pump that provides fluid from a container to some other device, including an appliance. The SMPS controller may be configured to receive signaling containing information about at least one control parameter selected from a group including a pressure at an outlet of the pump, a fluid level in the container and the temperature of a motor of the pump, and also may be configured to shut off the power provided to the pump based at least partly on the signaling received so that the power circuit component substantially does not draw power and heat up when the pump is shut off.