Vertiv 27890 1U Horizontal Rackmount Basic PDU, 15A/120V, 10-Outlet
Overview
The Vertiv BRFN100-10 — part number 27890 — is a no-frills, production-grade rack power distribution unit built for IT equipment rooms, telecom closets, and security system racks where reliable 120V AC distribution matters more than remote monitoring features. Part of the Vertiv PowerIT rPDU line, it delivers 15A at 120V across 10 NEMA 5-15R receptacles on a 1U horizontal chassis that mounts flush in any standard 19-inch rack. Every unit ships factory-tested, TAA compliant, and covered by a 5-year limited warranty — meaningful on infrastructure gear that you expect to run continuously for years without intervention.
If your rack houses NVRs, PoE switches, servers, or access control panels drawing standard 120V loads, this is a direct-fit solution. It does not include surge suppression or switched outlets, which keeps the cost down and eliminates complexity for deployments where upstream UPS units already handle conditioning and protection.
Key Features
- 15A thermal breaker overcurrent protection: The onboard thermal breaker trips under sustained overload and resets without tools — no fuses to carry, no service call required. At 1.4kW continuous capacity, it handles a fully-loaded 1U rack shelf of NVR + PoE switch combinations without running near the edge of the breaker rating.
- 10x NEMA 5-15R duplex receptacles on a single 15A circuit: All 10 outlets share the 15A feed, so plan your total rack draw before plugging in — any combination of devices whose aggregate draw stays under 1.4kW is within spec. For network video recorders and associated switching gear, this typically covers 4–8 devices with margin to spare.
- 14/3 AWG, 10ft power cord with NEMA 5-15P plug: The 10-foot cord gives you enough reach for most mid-depth and full-depth racks without requiring a cord extension — a detail that matters when the power strip location and floor-mounted PDU panel are not adjacent. The 14-gauge wire is rated for the full 15A load without de-rating.
- 1U horizontal form factor, 19-inch chassis (1.72in H × 17in W × 4.50in D): Mounts in a standard EIA-310 rack with adjustable brackets included. At 6 lbs (2.72 kg), it won't stress a shallow shelf or unbalance a half-populated rack. The horizontal layout keeps all outlets facing forward for clean cable management compared to vertical strip-style PDUs.
- Single green Power ON LED indicator: Simple visual confirmation that the unit is energized — useful during rack commissioning and troubleshooting when you need to verify feed status at a glance without interrogating a management interface.
- 100–120V, 50/60Hz input range: Handles both 60Hz North American and 50Hz international facility power — relevant for deployments in mixed-frequency environments or for standardizing your rack PDU inventory across domestic and international sites.
- TAA compliant, Buy American Act COTS compliant, manufactured in the USA: Qualifies for US federal, state, and local government procurement where TAA and Buy American compliance are contract requirements. RoHS compliant for EU RoHS jurisdictions. UL and c-UL listed under 60950 for US and Canadian safety approval.
- Heavy steel powder-coat chassis, black finish: The steel enclosure resists rack flex and physical abuse that sheet-aluminum budget strips don't. The black powder coat matches standard rack aesthetics and resists corrosion in high-humidity equipment rooms.
- Operating temperature 10–45°C (50–113°F): Covers standard conditioned server room and IDF closet environments. Not rated for outdoor or unconditioned spaces — if your rack lives in an unconditioned utility room that gets above 45°C in summer, check ambient temps before deploying.
- 5-year limited warranty: Vertiv's standard five-year coverage on the BRFN100-10 exceeds the typical 1–3 year terms on commodity power distribution units, reducing replacement risk over the lifecycle of a rack build.
Integration & Compatibility
The BRFN100-10 is compatible with any 19-inch EIA-310 rack or cabinet accepting 1U horizontal accessories. Adjustable mounting brackets are included, accommodating varying rail-to-rail depths without requiring a separate bracket kit. The NEMA 5-15R receptacles accept any standard 3-prong 15A or lower-rated plug found on NVRs, PoE switches, servers, access control panels, and most security appliances operating on 120V circuits. It does not include surge suppression — pair it with a line-interactive UPS upstream (such as units in the UPS and battery backup category) for facilities that require both conditioning and distribution. No network interface, no remote monitoring capability — this is intentional for deployments that need deterministic, zero-configuration power distribution without firmware dependencies or management overhead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Vertiv 27890 (BRFN100-10) TAA compliant for government procurement?
A: Yes. The BRFN100-10 is manufactured in the USA and is both TAA compliant and Buy American Act COTS compliant, qualifying it for US federal, state, and local government rack infrastructure projects.
Q: Does the BRFN100-10 include surge suppression?
A: No. The 27890 is a basic PDU with overcurrent protection via a 15A thermal breaker only. It does not include surge suppression or filtering. For surge and conditioning, deploy it downstream of a UPS or dedicated power conditioner.
Q: What is the warranty on the Vertiv 27890?
A: Vertiv covers the BRFN100-10 with a 5-year limited warranty.
Q: How many outlets does the BRFN100-10 have, and what type are they?
A: The unit has 10 NEMA 5-15R receptacles, all on a single 15A circuit. Maximum output per receptacle is 15A at 120V, but total draw across all 10 outlets must not exceed the 15A/1.4kW circuit rating.
Q: What rack form factor does the 27890 fit?
A: The BRFN100-10 is a 1U horizontal unit sized for standard 19-inch (483mm) EIA-310 racks. Adjustable mounting brackets are included. Chassis dimensions are 1.72in H × 17in W × 4.50in D.
Q: Can the BRFN100-10 be used on 50Hz power systems?
A: Yes. The unit accepts 100–120V at 50 or 60Hz, making it suitable for both North American and international sites operating at 120V nominal.
The Vertiv BRFN100-10 (27890) is the unit I reach for when a rack needs clean, code-compliant 120V distribution and the upstream UPS already handles conditioning — no point paying for surge suppression twice. The 14/3 AWG cord rated to carry the full 15A load and the thermal breaker that resets without tools are the two specs that matter most in a working equipment room.
Technical Highlights:
- 15A thermal breaker: Trips under sustained overload, resets manually — no fuse replacement, no service window. With 10 outlets on one 15A circuit, the 1.4kW ceiling is the hard limit; map your device draw before you build the rack, not after.
- 14/3 AWG, 10ft cord: The gauge is sized for the full rated load — no de-rating required. Ten feet covers most full-depth rack deployments to a wall-mount outlet or floor PDU panel without an extension cord in the chain.
- TAA and Buy American Act COTS compliance: USA manufacture means this unit qualifies for federal and state government contract vehicles where domestic sourcing is a hard requirement — something commodity import strips can't offer.
Deployment Considerations:
- All 10 outlets share the single 15A breaker — aggregate draw matters, not per-outlet draw. Sketch out your NVR, switch, and appliance power budgets before commissioning; NVRs with spinning drives and PoE switches under load can push 8–12A combined without much headroom left.
- Operating temperature ceiling is 45°C (113°F) — fine for a conditioned server room or IDF closet, but verify ambient in unconditioned utility spaces, especially in summer months, before deploying here.
Best fit for a government or enterprise security rack housing NVRs, managed PoE switches, and access control appliances in a conditioned space with UPS upstream — straightforward, TAA-clean power distribution with a 5-year coverage window and no management complexity to maintain.
