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Power Distribution Units (PDUs)

A power distribution unit (PDU) shares one mains feed between several sockets in a rack cabinet or case. Adastra PDUs are 19" 1U rackmount units with UK, IEC C13 or mixed outlets; Connectix PDUs have BS 1363 UK sockets and a built-in blue LED ammeter; and All-Rack adds a 4-way UK PDU and the surge-protected 6-way PDU6HSUR.

Choosing Power Distribution Units (PDUs)

A PDU is a power distribution unit with multiple outputs that distribute electric power to racks of computers and networking equipment. The units on this page differ in socket type, in how they fix to the rack or cabinet, and in the protection they carry.

ModelSocketsFixing
Adastra 776.490UK6 UK19", 1U
Adastra 776.491UK8 UK (BS1363)19", 1U
Adastra 776.495UK10 IEC (C13)19", 1U
Adastra 776.497UK2 UK and 8 IEC19", 1U
Connectix RR-FP1-6BS1363 UKRack mount
Connectix RR-P1-6-C14BS1363 UKRack
Connectix RR-P2-12BS1363 UKVertical, on the cabinet's back profile
All-Rack PDU6HSUR6-way BS136319" rack, 1U, horizontal
All-Rack PDU4HSUR4-way UKHorizontal

Socket types

The 776.491UK has 8 UK (BS1363) output sockets, the three Connectix PDUs have BS1363 UK sockets and the PDU6HSUR is a BS1363 unit. The 776.495UK carries 10 IEC (C13) sockets, and the 776.497UK has BS1363 and IEC socket outputs together.

Fixing to the rack or cabinet

The four Adastra PDUs are 19", rack-mountable units that occupy 1U, and the 776.490UK, 776.491UK and 776.497UK are for convenient access to power in rack cabinets or cases. The RR-P2-12 is a vertical PDU that fits by mounting onto the back profile of a floor standing cabinet. In the Connectix RackyRax range, 4 and 6 way PDUs fit horizontally between the cabinet's 19" profiles, and larger sizes are designed for vertical installation. The PDU6HSUR has standard 19" rack compatibility and the PDU4HSUR comes in a horizontal format.

Build

The RR-FP1-6, RR-P1-6-C14 and RR-P2-12 have a robust all-aluminium housing. The RR-P1-6-C14 and RR-P2-12 also have an internal RMS current ammeter and an external earth facility. The PDU4HSUR has a black finish.

Related categories

See server racks and cabinets, uninterruptible power supplies and extension leads. See also Surge Protection Devices (SPD).

Brands we stock in Power Distribution Units (PDUs)

Adastra, All-Rack, Connectix Cabling Systems and Eaton.

Frequently asked questions

Where is a power distribution unit used?

In rack cabinets and cases. The Adastra 776.490UK, 776.491UK and 776.497UK are designed for convenient access to power in rack cabinets or cases, and the Connectix RR-P2-12 distributes power to racks of computers and networking equipment. The All-Rack PDU4HSUR is for an indoor environment.

Do PDUs have surge protection?

Yes, some do: surge protection is a feature of particular PDU models, so check that the model has it before relying on it. The All-Rack PDU6HSUR is a 6-way BS1363 PDU that offers surge protection, and the Connectix RR-FP1-6 has surge protection as its protection type. The Connectix RackyRax range comes with or without surge protection.

How many sockets do power distribution units have?

It depends on the model, so count the devices you need to power and choose a PDU with spare sockets. The All-Rack PDU4HSUR is a 4-way UK PDU, and the Adastra 776.490UK has 6 UK sockets, the 776.491UK 8 and the 776.495UK 10 IEC C13 sockets. The Connectix RR-P2-12 has 12 outputs for vertical mounting in a floor-standing cabinet.

How does a PDU work?

Power comes in through one lead and is shared between the sockets. Each Adastra PDU runs from a hard-wired 1.8m lead with a UK plug, and the Connectix RR-P2-12 has multiple outputs designed to distribute electric power. The Adastra 776.495UK has a master switch for circuit protection, and the 776.490UK has a re-settable 10A fuse.

How is a 19 inch PDU installed?

It fixes to the cabinet's 19" profiles, usually horizontally in a 1U space, though some longer PDUs mount vertically on the back profile of a floor-standing cabinet. The Adastra 776.490UK, 776.491UK, 776.495UK and 776.497UK each occupy 1U of a 19" rack, and the All-Rack PDU6HSUR is a 1U horizontal PDU with standard 19" rack compatibility. The Connectix RR-P2-12 is designed for vertical installation.

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Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

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