APC by Schneider Electric SURT004 Isolation/Step-Down Transformer
Overview
The APC by Schneider Electric SURT004 is a 4600 VA isolation and step-down transformer designed to pair with APC Smart-UPS RT systems, converting 208V input power to 120V output — a practical necessity in data centers, server rooms, and security infrastructure closets where the UPS or PDU operates on a 208V circuit but the connected equipment requires standard 120V power. At 30A maximum input current on a NEMA L6-30P plug, the SURT004 handles the full load demand of a populated rack without requiring a panel upgrade or separate isolation transformer sourced from a third party.
The unit ships in a low-profile 1U-equivalent tower form factor: 432mm wide, 660mm deep, and just 130mm tall, so it fits on a shelf or under a rack-mounted UPS without consuming dedicated rack space. Weight comes in at 63.6 kg (package), so plan two-person installation and verify your floor or shelf load rating before positioning.
Key Features
- 4600 VA Load Capacity: Supports up to 4600 VA of connected load — enough to cover a fully populated 120V strip serving servers, NVRs, switches, and surveillance workstations simultaneously. Size appropriately; running near the ceiling reduces transformer efficiency and longevity.
- NEMA L6-30P Input: Connects directly to a 208V/30A locking outlet, the standard termination on most APC Smart-UPS RT models. No adapter or pigtail required when pairing with compatible Smart-UPS RT units — plug-and-play within the APC ecosystem.
- 8x NEMA 5-20R Outlets: Eight standard 20A 120V outlets cover the majority of rack PDUs, servers, NVRs, and PoE switches. Each outlet handles up to 20A individually, though total draw across all outputs is capped at 30A — factor this in when planning per-outlet loads to avoid nuisance tripping or overloading the transformer primary.
- 2x NEMA L5-20R Outlets: Two locking 120V/20A outlets provide a secure connection point for high-priority loads like primary NVR units or access control servers where an accidental cord pull would be operationally costly.
- 1x NEMA L6-20R Outlet: A single locking 208V/20A output passes through unswitched 208V for equipment that requires it — useful in mixed-voltage deployments where one device (an IP KVM or high-draw server) runs native 208V while the rest of the rack runs 120V.
- 1x NEMA L6-30R Outlet: A locking 208V/30A output accommodates a second downstream device or daisy-chain PDU at full 30A 208V — adds flexibility without requiring a second transformer.
- 0.91m Integrated Cable: The 0.91-meter input cable gives enough reach between a standard rack-mounted UPS and a nearby shelf or floor position without requiring an extension. Short enough to keep cable management clean; verify your UPS outlet position before installation.
- CSA and UL Certified: Both certifications confirm the unit meets North American safety standards for commercial and industrial power equipment — required for installations subject to insurance or code review, and expected by facilities managers in enterprise and government deployments.
- Compact Tower Profile (432 x 660 x 130mm): The shallow 130mm height keeps the unit out of the way on a rack shelf or equipment table. The 660mm depth does require a full-depth shelf — a standard 2-post relay rack shelf will not fit; use a 4-post full-depth shelf or place on a dedicated equipment table.
Integration and Compatibility
The SURT004 is engineered for use within the APC Smart-UPS RT product family, which uses 208V output at the UPS level. This transformer bridges the gap between that 208V UPS output and standard North American 120V rack equipment. Confirm your specific Smart-UPS RT model's output connector matches the NEMA L6-30P input on the SURT004 before ordering. The mixed outlet complement — five outlet types across twelve positions — makes it a practical single-unit solution for racks running a combination of standard servers, locking-cord NVRs, and occasional 208V native devices. For power and UPS solutions, the SURT004 fits within a broader APC by Schneider Electric infrastructure stack. Integrators building out network video recorder closets with mixed-voltage requirements will find the outlet mix directly applicable. Consult a power planning guide to size transformer capacity against actual VA draw before committing to a configuration. For deployments also requiring rack PDUs, the L5-20R and L6-30R outputs provide direct feed points without additional adapters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What input voltage and connector does the SURT004 require?
A: The SURT004 uses a NEMA L6-30P input plug rated for 208V at up to 30A. It is designed to connect to compatible APC Smart-UPS RT units that provide a 208V output at that connector type.
Q: How many outlets does the SURT004 provide, and what types?
A: The SURT004 provides 12 total output positions: 8x NEMA 5-20R (120V/20A standard), 2x NEMA L5-20R (120V/20A locking), 1x NEMA L6-20R (208V/20A locking), and 1x NEMA L6-30R (208V/30A locking).
Q: What is the maximum load the SURT004 can support?
A: The SURT004 is rated for 4600 VA total load capacity. Maximum input and total output current per phase is 30A. Individual outlet draw must be managed so the combined total does not exceed 30A at the primary.
Q: Is the SURT004 rack-mountable?
A: The SURT004 is a tower form factor unit measuring 432mm wide x 660mm deep x 130mm tall. It is not a rack-mount unit in the traditional sense but can be placed on a full-depth 4-post rack shelf. The 660mm depth requires a full-depth shelf — standard 2-post relay rack shelves will not accommodate it.
Q: What safety certifications does the SURT004 carry?
A: The SURT004 is certified by CSA and UL, meeting North American commercial and industrial power equipment safety standards.
Q: What is the cable length on the SURT004's input cord?
A: The integrated input cable is 0.91 meters (approximately 3 feet) long, terminated with a NEMA L6-30P plug.
The SURT004 solves a very specific and recurring problem in security and IT infrastructure deployments: you've specified an APC Smart-UPS RT for runtime and conditioning, the UPS outputs 208V, but your entire rack runs 120V equipment. Rather than re-speccing the UPS or sourcing a third-party transformer that may not integrate cleanly, the SURT004 drops directly onto the UPS output and provides 4600 VA of stepped-down, isolated 120V power through 12 mixed outlets. I've seen this exact scenario on enterprise video surveillance closets and server rooms where the electrical panel runs 208V circuits but the NVRs, switches, and workstations are all standard North American 120V.
Technical Highlights:
- 30A / 4600 VA capacity: Enough headroom for a fully loaded rack — a typical mix of two NVRs (300W each), a PoE switch (150W), a workstation (400W), and several smaller devices still leaves margin before you hit the 30A primary limit. Calculate actual VA, not just wattage, for inductive loads.
- Mixed outlet complement: The combination of 8x 5-20R, 2x L5-20R locking, 1x L6-20R, and 1x L6-30R means you can feed standard gear, lock down critical NVR power cords, and still pass 208V through to one or two native 208V devices — all from a single transformer unit.
- CSA/UL certification: Both certifications matter on commercial installs where AHJ or insurance requires listed equipment in the power path. An uncertified transformer in the same role creates liability exposure regardless of performance.
Deployment Considerations:
- The 660mm depth is the main physical constraint — verify your rack or shelf can accommodate it before the unit ships. A standard 450mm-depth 2-post shelf will not work; you need a full-depth 4-post shelf or a dedicated surface installation.
- Total current across all outputs is hard-capped at 30A — it is easy to exceed this if you populate all eight 5-20R outlets with 15A devices. Map your actual per-outlet loads during design, not after the rack is dressed.
The SURT004 is the right call for enterprise surveillance infrastructure closets and server rooms where 208V Smart-UPS RT units are already specified and the downstream rack is entirely 120V — it keeps the entire power path within a single validated APC ecosystem rather than introducing a third-party transformer that facilities and IT teams will have to support separately.
