Vertiv I10100 1U Horizontal Rack PDU — Basic Upgradeable, 20A/120V
Overview
The Vertiv I10100 is a 1U horizontal rack power distribution unit rated at 20A, 120V, and 1.9kW — a straightforward, reliable power strip for IT equipment in standard 19-inch cabinets. Part of the Vertiv PowerIT rPDU line, the I10100 ships as a basic, non-monitored unit. The design advantage here is the Geist Upgradeable hot-swap architecture: if your monitoring requirements change down the road, you can slot in an Interchangeable Monitoring Device (IMD) to add metered or monitored functionality without replacing the PDU itself. Every unit is 100% factory tested before shipment, and the model number MN01X1R0-10D203-2ST5A0H10-S describes the full configuration: horizontal, 10-outlet, 5-20P input, black powder coat finish.
If you're provisioning a new cabinet with a 20A branch circuit and need a no-nonsense rack PDU that won't dead-end your monitoring options, this is a rational choice. It's also manufactured in the USA and carries TAA compliance, which matters on federal or government-contract deployments.
Key Features
- 20A / 1.9kW Load Capacity: Sized for a dedicated 20A branch circuit (NEMA 5-20P input). At 1.9kW continuous capacity, it handles a typical half-populated 1U/2U server rack without approaching the 80% rule threshold — leaving headroom if you add a second device later.
- 10x NEMA 5-20R Receptacles: Ten duplex-style outlets on the rear panel means you can power a full row of 1U appliances, patch panel-attached switches, or a mix of servers and storage — all from a single 20A circuit. Duplex layout keeps cabling organized in dense deployments.
- Geist Upgradeable Hot-Swap IMD Slot: The I10100 ships with no monitoring, but the IMD slot means you're not locked in. Add a metered or monitored IMD module later without rewiring or replacing the unit — a practical hedge when budget cycles don't align with infrastructure needs.
- 10ft / 3m Rear-Entry Power Cord, 12/3 AWG: The 12-gauge cord is rated for the full 20A draw and connects at the rear of the chassis. The 10-foot length reaches most overhead or underfloor whips in standard rack rows without an extension, and rear entry keeps the cable path clean in front-facing aisle configurations.
- 1U Horizontal, 19-inch / 483mm Form Factor with Adjustable Brackets: Mounts in any standard 19-inch rack or cabinet. Adjustable brackets accommodate different rail depths — useful in mixed-vendor cabinet environments where rail spacing isn't uniform. At 1.72in x 17in x 8.5in, it occupies exactly one rack unit.
- Heavy Steel Powder-Coat Chassis, Black: The steel enclosure handles the physical stress of dense rack environments without flex. Black powder-coat finish is standard; Vertiv offers color options through sales channels if your deployment uses color-coded circuits.
- TAA Compliant, Buy American Act COTS Compliant, USA-Made: Manufactured domestically and TAA-compliant, which satisfies GSA Schedule and most federal procurement requirements without additional paperwork. If your project requires Buy American Act compliance for commercial off-the-shelf items, the I10100 meets that bar directly.
- UL & c-UL Listed 62368-1, FCC Part 15 Class A, RoHS: Safety listing under the current audio/video and IT equipment standard (62368-1, which replaced UL 60950) means the unit has been independently evaluated to the current safety baseline. FCC Part 15 Class A keeps it acceptable in commercial IT environments. RoHS compliance covers EU and many domestic procurement requirements.
- 5-Year Limited Warranty: Five years is long relative to most commodity PDUs. For equipment installed in a rack that won't be touched for years, that matters — you're not guessing at the coverage window.
- Maximum Operating Temperature 60°C / 140°F: Designed to operate in warm rack environments, including poorly cooled edge or remote closet installations. This isn't a spec to push against in normal deployments, but it confirms the unit won't derate or fail in a hot aisle that briefly spikes above typical data center temperatures.
Integration & Compatibility
The I10100 connects to any 20A, 120V branch circuit via its NEMA 5-20P plug. It powers any load with a NEMA 5-20R or 5-15R receptacle — servers, network switches, KVM units, IP cameras, NVRs, and access control appliances all connect without adapters. For deployments requiring power monitoring or outlet-level switching, the IMD hot-swap slot accepts Vertiv's Geist IMD modules; the base unit is fully compatible with that upgrade path without any cabling change.
For projects requiring rack power planning across multiple circuits or higher-amperage deployments, compare this unit against the broader Vertiv rPDU family — higher-amperage and three-phase variants are available if the branch circuit or total load exceeds what a 20A/120V single-phase unit can support. For reference on sizing your rack power infrastructure, see our rack power planning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Vertiv I10100 TAA compliant?
A: Yes. The I10100 is manufactured in the USA and is explicitly listed as TAA Compliant and Buy American Act COTS Compliant per Vertiv's product specifications.
Q: What is the warranty on the I10100?
A: Vertiv provides a 5-year limited warranty on the I10100.
Q: Can I add monitoring to the I10100 later without replacing the unit?
A: Yes. The I10100 uses Vertiv's Geist Upgradeable hot-swap architecture. You can add an Interchangeable Monitoring Device (IMD) module at any time to upgrade from basic to metered or monitored without replacing the PDU.
Q: What plug type does the I10100 use, and how long is the power cord?
A: The I10100 uses a NEMA 5-20P plug on a 10ft / 3m, 12/3 AWG power cord with rear entry into the chassis.
Q: How many outlets does the I10100 provide, and what type are they?
A: The I10100 has 10 NEMA 5-20R duplex-style receptacles, all located on the rear of the chassis at 120V.
Q: What rack space does the I10100 occupy?
A: The I10100 is a 1U horizontal unit measuring 1.72in x 17in x 8.5in (H x W x D), compatible with standard 19-inch / 483mm rack and cabinet rails. It includes adjustable mount brackets.
The I10100 comes up regularly in mid-size rack deployments where the integrator needs a clean 20A/120V distribution solution today but doesn't want to foreclose monitoring options if the client upgrades their DCIM or NOC tooling next budget cycle. The Geist hot-swap IMD slot is the differentiator — it's a genuine architectural decision that saves you from a truck roll and a PDU swap-out two years from now.
Technical Highlights:
- 20A / 1.9kW Continuous Capacity: Correctly sized for a dedicated 20A branch circuit. The 80% rule puts your safe continuous draw at 1.52kW — plenty for a half-rack of 1U appliances, IP surveillance NVRs, or network gear without nuisance tripping.
- 12/3 AWG, 10ft Cord: 12-gauge wire is the correct gauge for a 20A circuit — don't accept a 14-gauge cord on a 20A PDU. The 10-foot length covers the majority of above-rack or below-floor whip drops without splicing or extension use.
- TAA + Buy American Act COTS Compliance: USA-manufactured and TAA-listed, which passes the GSA Schedule review without exception requests. If you're bidding a federal or state/local government project, this is a checkbox that eliminates one line of RFP risk.
Deployment Considerations:
- The I10100 ships with no over-current protection per the spec sheet — protection is handled at the branch circuit breaker. Confirm your panel breaker is a 20A dedicated circuit before commissioning; sharing a 20A circuit with other loads will push you past the 80% threshold under full load.
- The unit operates up to 60°C / 140°F maximum, but there is no built-in thermal monitoring in the base configuration. In a warm edge-site closet without active cooling, pairing this with an IMD module for environmental visibility is worth the incremental cost.
The I10100 is well-matched to government, education, and enterprise branch-office rack deployments where TAA compliance is a hard requirement, 20A single-phase power is the standard branch circuit, and future monitoring upgrades need to be a bolt-on rather than a rip-and-replace.
