Vertiv 11168 Metered Horizontal Rack PDU, 20A 120V 1.9kW
Overview
The Vertiv 11168 — model number 2JRCN062-102L20TL5 — is a metered, horizontal rackmount power distribution unit designed for IT equipment racks where you need real-time visibility into power consumption without the overhead of full network-managed PDU infrastructure. It delivers 20A at 120V (1.9kW total load capacity) across six NEMA L5-20R twistlock receptacles, with a front-facing local LED display that scrolls through amps, volts, watts, and power factor. If your team is deploying or reconfiguring servers and needs instant confirmation of current draw before hitting circuit limits, this is the PDU to reach for.
Vertiv's power infrastructure lineup spans everything from basic strip PDUs to fully switched and monitored units with remote access. The 11168 sits in the Standard Metered tier — local display, aggregate unit-level monitoring, no per-outlet switching or remote access. That's the right call for environments that need power insight at the rack without the cost or complexity of IP-managed units. Browse the full rack PDU category to compare metered, monitored, and switched options.
Key Features
- Local LED scrolling power meter: Displays real-time amps, volts, watts, and power factor (±2% accuracy) directly on the unit. When you're deploying a dense rack or migrating equipment, you can read load in seconds without logging into a management interface or running a separate clamp meter — practical for data center technicians working under time pressure.
- 20A input with twistlock L5-20P plug: The NEMA L5-20P twistlock plug physically locks to the PDU circuit, preventing accidental disconnection during rack servicing. Pair this with a matching L5-20R circuit breaker drop and you have a secure, dedicated 20A feed — appropriate for racks carrying up to 1.9kW of IT load at 120V.
- Six NEMA L5-20R rear receptacles at 20A each: All six outlets are rated for the full 20A circuit — unusual for a unit of this class, where many competitors derate individual receptacles. In practice, your total load is still governed by the 20A/1.9kW input limit, but you won't be hunting for a higher-rated outlet for a power-hungry device.
- 2U horizontal rackmount, 19-inch with recess mount support: The 3.39 x 17 x 6-inch steel chassis fits standard 19-inch EIA racks and supports recess mounting to keep cord management clean behind the rack door. At 14 lbs, it's substantial enough to feel solid but manageable for a one-person install.
- 12/3 AWG 10-foot power cord: The 10-foot cord gives enough slack to route neatly from a top-of-rack or floor-mounted PDU circuit — more forgiving than the 6-foot cords common on lower-cost units when your circuit drops aren't immediately adjacent to the rack.
- 100–120V / 50–60Hz input range: Runs on either 50Hz or 60Hz input, which matters if you're deploying in facilities with non-standard or imported power infrastructure, or operating in environments where grid frequency varies.
- Operating temperature 10–45°C (50–113°F): Covers standard data center and IDF/MDF closet environments. Not rated for outdoor or uncontrolled industrial environments — plan accordingly if your rack is in a space without active cooling.
- TAA Compliant and Buy American Act COTS Compliant, made in the USA: Manufactured domestically and compliant with Trade Agreements Act requirements. For federal, SLED, or defense-adjacent deployments where procurement rules mandate TAA compliance, this clears the gate without a waiver.
- RoHS Compliant, UL and c-UL Listed (60950): UL listing under 60950 confirms the unit has passed independent safety testing for IT equipment power. RoHS compliance covers European hazardous-materials directives — relevant for multinational organizations managing unified procurement.
- Five-year limited warranty: Vertiv backs this unit with a 5-year limited warranty — longer than the 1–3 year terms common on competing metered PDUs at this price point. For infrastructure that lives in a rack for 7–10 years, that warranty window provides meaningful coverage through the first replacement cycle.
Integration and Compatibility
The 11168 is a passive metered PDU — no IP address, no SNMP, no remote management. It integrates into a rack environment by providing circuit-level power data locally, which is enough for many colocated or branch-office deployments where remote power monitoring is handled at the UPS or circuit breaker panel level. Pair it with a Vertiv UPS upstream for battery backup, or with a managed PoE switch if you're powering IP security or access control equipment that benefits from PoE-level per-port monitoring. For environments that require per-outlet switching or remote reboot capability, consider a switched or network-managed PDU from the same Vertiv PowerIT family — the monitoring architecture here is aggregate unit-level only, not per-outlet.
The NEMA L5-20R receptacle type requires L5-20P plugs on connected equipment — confirm your server and network gear ships with L5-compatible power cords or budget for cord adapters. This is not a NEMA 5-15/5-20 straight-blade unit; the twistlock standard is the spec to verify against your equipment inventory before ordering. For guidance on matching PDU capacity to rack load, see our rack power planning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Vertiv 11168 TAA compliant?
A: Yes. The 11168 is manufactured in the USA and is both TAA (Trade Agreements Act) Compliant and Buy American Act COTS Compliant, making it eligible for federal, SLED, and defense-adjacent procurement programs with domestic sourcing requirements.
Q: What outlets does the 11168 have, and how many?
A: The 11168 provides six NEMA L5-20R twistlock receptacles, all located on the rear of the unit, each rated at 20A/120V. Total load capacity is 1.9kW at 120V — governed by the 20A input circuit, not the individual receptacle ratings.
Q: Does the 11168 have per-outlet switching or remote management?
A: No. The 11168 is a metered Standard-tier PDU with local (on-unit) monitoring only. It displays aggregate amps, volts, watts, and power factor on a local LED display. There is no network port, no SNMP, and no per-outlet control. For remote management capability, you would need a higher-tier Vertiv PDU.
Q: What is the warranty on the Vertiv 11168?
A: Vertiv covers the 11168 with a 5-year limited warranty.
Q: What plug type does the 11168 use, and is it compatible with standard NEMA 5-20 outlets?
A: The 11168 uses a NEMA L5-20P twistlock plug — not a standard straight-blade NEMA 5-20P. It requires a dedicated L5-20R twistlock circuit. Standard NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 straight-blade outlets are not compatible without an adapter, and adapters are not recommended on a 20A circuit. Verify your facility's circuit panel before ordering.
Q: What is the physical size and weight of the 11168?
A: The 11168 measures 3.39 inches high x 17 inches wide x 6 inches deep (2U, 19-inch horizontal rackmount) and ships at 14 lbs (6.35 kg). It supports standard 19-inch recess mounting.
The 11168 earns its place in racks where you need circuit-level power accountability without the cost of a full network-managed PDU. The ±2% accuracy on the local RMS scrolling meter is tighter than most engineers expect at this price tier — when you're commissioning a high-density rack and trying to balance load across two 20A circuits, reading actual watts (not just amps) in real time is how you avoid tripped breakers on the first power-on. The NEMA L5-20P twistlock input is the spec that drives most pre-order questions on this unit, and rightfully so.
Technical Highlights:
- ±2% RMS power meter accuracy: Measures amps, volts, watts, and power factor — not just current. At 1.9kW max, a 2% error band is ±38W, which is tight enough to trust for load planning. Many basic PDUs only display amps, leaving you to calculate watts from a nameplate voltage assumption that may not match your actual circuit.
- Six 20A-rated L5-20R receptacles: Each receptacle carries the full 20A rating. In practice you're limited to the 20A input total, but you won't encounter derated 15A outlets on a unit spec'd at 20A — a common frustration on mixed-rating competing units.
- TAA + Buy American Act COTS compliance: Made in the USA and documented for federal procurement. No country-of-origin affidavits to chase down — the spec sheet answers the compliance question directly.
Deployment Considerations:
- The L5-20P twistlock plug requires a matching L5-20 circuit — not a standard NEMA 5-20 straight-blade drop. Audit your facility's circuit panel before the unit ships; retrofitting a breaker after delivery adds lead time.
- Monitoring is aggregate unit-level only — one reading for the entire PDU, not per-outlet. If you need to isolate which device is pulling the load, you'll need per-outlet metering, which means stepping up to a higher-tier model in the Vertiv PowerIT family.
The 11168 is the right fit for federal IT closets, colocated racks, and branch-office server deployments where the facility already provides managed power monitoring upstream at the UPS or BMS level, and you need a TAA-clean, locally metered PDU that a technician can read in five seconds during a midnight deployment window.
