Vertiv GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL 1000VA Lithium-Ion Online Double-Conversion 2U Rack/Tower UPS
Overview
The Vertiv GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL is a 1000VA / 1000W online double-conversion UPS built around lithium-ion battery technology — the right pick when you need continuous power conditioning in a 2U footprint that works equally well rack-mounted or as a tower. Designed for network closets, edge compute deployments, and mid-density server racks, it delivers the zero-transfer-time protection that online double-conversion guarantees: your load never draws directly from the utility line, so every voltage anomaly, surge, sag, or brownout is absorbed before it reaches your equipment. Note that lithium-ion batteries are required separately; the unit ships without them.
Vertiv's UPS and power protection lineup has long served data center and enterprise AV/IT environments, and the GXT5 series carries that lineage into a form factor sized for distributed infrastructure — think surveillance server closets, access control head-end rooms, and branch-office network stacks where rack space is limited but uptime requirements are not.
Key Features
- 1000VA / 1000W Unity Power Factor: A 1:1 VA-to-watt ratio means the nameplate capacity is the real usable capacity — no derating for power factor. A 750W server load actually uses 750W of UPS headroom, giving you accurate runtime calculations without guesswork.
- Online Double-Conversion Topology: All power to your load passes through the inverter continuously, not just during an outage. Transfer time to battery is effectively zero because you were never on raw utility power to begin with. This matters for switching-mode power supplies in servers and NVRs that are sensitive to even microsecond interruptions.
- Up to 98% Efficiency in Active ECO Mode: In standard online mode efficiency reaches 92%, which is competitive for double-conversion. Active ECO Mode pushes that to 98% by allowing lightly conditioned bypass under stable utility conditions — meaningful for always-on deployments where electricity cost over a three-to-five year lifecycle adds up. The unit switches automatically back to full online mode the moment utility quality degrades.
- Wide Input Voltage Acceptance (60–150 VAC max, 102–150 VAC nominal): That lower bound of 60 VAC on the extended range means the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL will ride through severe brownouts without immediately switching to battery — extending battery cycle life and keeping runtime reserves for genuine outages rather than minor grid events.
- User-Configurable Output Voltage (100/110/115/120/125 VAC): Six outlet choices and selectable output voltage let you match the UPS to non-standard load requirements or legacy equipment without an external transformer. Useful in mixed-voltage AV/IT deployments.
- Six NEMA 5-15R Outlets: All six outlets are UPS-protected — no split between UPS and surge-only banks that leave some equipment unprotected during a true outage. Input uses a standard NEMA 5-15P plug for straightforward commissioning on 15A circuits.
- Color Graphic LCD with Gravity-Sensing Orientation: The display auto-rotates based on whether the unit is rack-mounted or standing as a tower — a practical detail that eliminates upside-down readouts when you repurpose the same unit between deployments.
- Intellislot Expansion Bay: The onboard Intellislot accepts optional management cards (such as the RDU101 network card) to add SNMP/web-based remote monitoring. Combined with native USB and RS232 ports, this keeps the unit manageable via out-of-band serial when the network is down — exactly when remote access matters most.
- Lithium-Ion Battery Chemistry: Li-ion batteries offer a longer service life and faster recharge compared to VRLA/AGM, and they handle partial state-of-charge cycling without the sulfation degradation that shortens conventional UPS battery life. For deployments with frequent short outages, this translates directly to lower total cost of battery replacement over time.
- UL 1778 / UL 1973 / UL 1642 / Energy Star 2.0 Listed: UL 1778 is the UPS safety standard required by most data center and commercial facility specifications. UL 1973 covers the battery system specifically — important for insurance and facilities compliance when deploying lithium-ion. Energy Star 2.0 qualification supports green procurement requirements.
- Operating Temperature 0°C to 40°C (with 10% derating at 50°C): Standard commercial operating range covers most conditioned server rooms and network closets. The derating note at 50°C is a real-world warning: if your rack runs hot, plan for the derating or improve airflow before load planning.
Integration and Compatibility
Management interfaces on the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL (often searched as GXT5LI 1000LVRT2UXL) cover the practical bases for enterprise environments: USB for direct workstation shutdown software integration, RS232 for serial-based management and legacy monitoring systems, and a dry-contact terminal block for third-party building management or alarm integration. The Intellislot bay accepts optional network management cards (Vertiv RDU101 or equivalent) to enable SNMP v1/v2/v3 and web-based monitoring — bring your own card if SNMP visibility into your NMS platform is a requirement, as it does not ship with one installed.
For deployments running network video recorders or similar always-on infrastructure, pair this UPS with a managed PoE network switch on the same protected circuit to ensure cameras and edge devices share the same runtime budget. For sizing guidance across multi-device closets, refer to a UPS capacity planning guide to calculate realistic runtime at your actual connected load.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL ship with lithium-ion batteries included?
A: No. The GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL requires lithium-ion batteries that are purchased separately. Verify compatible Vertiv battery modules before ordering to ensure the unit is operational on arrival.
Q: What is the difference between online mode (92%) and Active ECO Mode (98%) efficiency?
A: In full online double-conversion mode, all power passes through the rectifier and inverter continuously — the load is fully isolated from the utility at 92% efficiency. Active ECO Mode allows the load to draw through a lightly conditioned bypass path under stable utility conditions, raising efficiency to 98% but reducing the degree of isolation. The unit switches back to full online mode automatically when utility quality degrades.
Q: Can the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL be used as a tower as well as rack-mounted?
A: Yes. The unit is designed for both 2U rack and tower orientations. The color graphic LCD display includes gravity-sensing orientation so it auto-rotates to remain readable in either mounting position.
Q: What management options are available without purchasing an optional card?
A: Out of the box the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL provides USB and RS232 (serial) connectivity for direct management and workstation shutdown software integration, plus a dry-contact terminal block for building management or relay-based alarms. SNMP and web-based remote monitoring require an optional network management card (such as the RDU101) installed in the Intellislot bay.
Q: What certifications does the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL carry?
A: The unit is listed to UL 1778 (UPS safety), UL 1973 (battery system), and UL 1642 (lithium battery cells). It also carries Energy Star 2.0, RoHS, WEEE, and REACH compliance — covering most commercial facility, green procurement, and international regulatory requirements.
Q: What input plug and output receptacles does the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL use?
A: Input is a standard NEMA 5-15P cord for connection to a 15A utility outlet. Output provides six NEMA 5-15R receptacles, all UPS-protected — there is no surge-only outlet bank.
The GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL is one of the cleaner options I've seen at this capacity for edge and distributed infrastructure deployments — specifically because of that 1:1 VA-to-watt unity power factor combined with lithium-ion chemistry. Most 1000VA VRLA-based units deliver 700–900W of real capacity; this one delivers the full 1000W, which simplifies load planning considerably when you're stacking a NVR, managed switch, and access control panel on the same circuit.
Technical Highlights:
- Active ECO Mode at 98% Efficiency: For a double-conversion UPS running 24/7/365, the difference between 92% (standard online) and 98% (ECO mode) is roughly 60W of constant heat and electricity waste at full load — across a three-year deployment that's a real operating cost delta worth factoring into your total cost of ownership calculation.
- Input Range 60–150 VAC: The extended low-end input acceptance to 60 VAC is not a spec you'll need in a clean data center, but in warehouse or industrial facilities with shared electrical infrastructure, brownouts to 80–90 VAC are common. This unit will hold load without switching to battery under those conditions, preserving Li-ion cycle life for actual outages.
- Intellislot + Dry-Contact Block: The combination of Intellislot (for optional SNMP cards), RS232, USB, and a dry-contact terminal block means this unit can integrate into almost any monitoring stack — from enterprise NMS platforms via SNMP to basic relay alarms wired into a BMS or access control panel.
Deployment Considerations:
- Lithium-ion batteries are not included — confirm Vertiv-compatible battery module SKUs before deployment and factor lead time into your commissioning schedule. This is the most common field oversight with this product line.
- The 10% capacity derating at 50°C is a hard thermal limit to plan around. In sealed network closets without active cooling, ambient rack temperatures above 40°C are not unusual under full load. Size your load at no more than 80% of rated capacity if thermal management is a concern.
For a surveillance or access control head-end room running an NVR stack, managed PoE switch, and door controller — typically 400–700W combined — the GXT5LI-1000LVRT2UXL provides real headroom at 1000W with enough Intellislot flexibility to bring the unit into whichever remote monitoring platform you're already running.
