APC by Schneider Electric Netshelter SX 42U 600MM Wide X 1070MM Deep Enclosure - AR3100HACS

APC by Schneider Electric AR3100HACS NetShelter SX 42U 600mm Wide x 1070mm Deep Free-Standing Enclosure

The AR3100HACS is a 42U free-standing server rack enclosure from the APC by Schneider Electric NetShelter SX line — purpose-built for network equipment rooms, data closets, and edge deployments where structured cable management, consistent airflow, and long-term serviceability matter. At 600mm wide and 1070mm deep, it accommodates full-depth servers, patch panels, and high-density switching gear without compromising front or rear access.

Overview

The AR3100HACS stands 78.39 inches tall (199.1 cm) and delivers 42U of usable rack space — enough vertical room to fit a complete compute stack: top-of-rack switches, 1U servers, KVM, and patch panels in a single enclosure. Its steel construction at 275.78 lb (125.09 kg) unloaded provides the structural rigidity required for fully populated enterprise gear. The enclosure ships in black and is designed for floor-mount deployment only — not rack-mountable — so plan for floor space and appropriate leveling hardware during site prep.

Key Features

• 42U Capacity: 42 rack units of usable vertical space means you can consolidate an entire edge node — compute, switching, patch, and power distribution — into a single footprint. Fewer enclosures to cable between, fewer points of failure in the physical layer.
• 600mm Width: The 600mm mounting width accommodates standard 19-inch EIA rail equipment. Narrower than 800mm alternatives, which is an advantage when floor space is constrained in wiring closets or branch office server rooms.
• 1070mm Depth: At greater than 3 to 4 feet of internal depth, this enclosure handles full-depth 1U and 2U servers (typically 700–900mm) with room remaining for rear cable management and PDU mounting — no forced compromise between equipment depth and cable routing.
• Front-to-Front Airflow Architecture: The enclosure is designed around front-to-rear airflow, which aligns with the intake/exhaust direction of virtually all rack-mount servers and networking gear. Properly oriented, this eliminates hot-spot recirculation that plagues mixed-airflow cabinets.
• Square-Punched Rails: Square-hole rails accept cage nuts and accommodate the full range of standard rack hardware without tooling. Faster installs, no thread-chasing, and compatibility with virtually every rack mount accessory on the market.
• Steel Construction: Heavy-gauge steel frame at 275.78 lb base weight resists racking and seismic deflection under full load. Important for densely populated enclosures where equipment weight can approach or exceed 1,000 lb total.
• No NEMA Rating: This enclosure carries no NEMA ingress rating — it is designed for conditioned indoor environments. Do not deploy in areas exposed to moisture, dust infiltration, or temperature extremes without supplemental environmental controls.
• Free-Standing, Non-Rack-Mountable: The AR3100HACS is a floor-standing unit. It cannot be mounted inside another rack. Plan floor space accordingly and confirm ceiling clearance for the 78.39-inch height before ordering.

Integration & Compatibility

Standard 19-inch EIA-310 mounting width makes the AR3100HACS compatible with the full range of APC rack PDUs, cable managers, blanking panels, and airflow baffles within the NetShelter accessory ecosystem. Square-punched rails accept M6 cage nuts universally used by Cisco, HPE, Dell, and Lenovo rack-mount hardware. For structured rack deployments, pair with APC's metered or switched PDUs and a hot-aisle containment kit for maximum thermal efficiency in higher-density rooms. When planning power distribution, match PDU amperage to the circuit capacity available at the enclosure location — the enclosure itself has no NEMA-rated inlet; power is handled entirely by the PDUs installed within it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can the AR3100HACS be mounted inside another rack enclosure?

A: No. The AR3100HACS is a free-standing floor enclosure and is not rack-mountable. It requires dedicated floor space and is not designed to be installed inside a larger cabinet.

Q: What is the usable rack space in the AR3100HACS?

A: The AR3100HACS provides 42U of usable rack space, accommodating standard 1U through 10U equipment on 19-inch EIA square-punched rails.

Q: Is the AR3100HACS suitable for outdoor or industrial environments?

A: No. The AR3100HACS carries no NEMA ingress protection rating and is designed strictly for conditioned indoor environments. Exposure to moisture, dust, or extreme temperatures requires additional enclosure protection.

Q: What rail type does the AR3100HACS use?

A: The AR3100HACS uses square-punched rails, which accept standard M6 cage nuts and are compatible with rack hardware from virtually all enterprise server and networking vendors.

Q: How deep is the AR3100HACS and will it fit full-depth servers?

A: The enclosure is 1070mm (approximately 42 inches) deep — enough to accommodate full-depth 1U and 2U servers up to approximately 900mm, with remaining space for rear cable management and PDU mounting.

Q: What is the unloaded weight of the AR3100HACS?

A: The AR3100HACS weighs 275.78 lb (125.09 kg) unloaded. Account for this when planning floor load ratings and installation logistics, particularly for upper-floor deployments.

Marty Allison

When I spec enclosures for network equipment rooms, the AR3100HACS hits the right dimensions for most enterprise deployments — 42U vertical capacity, 1070mm depth for full-depth compute, and a 600mm width that keeps the footprint manageable without sacrificing compatibility with standard 19-inch gear. If your primary concern is getting a fully populated server stack into a constrained floor space, this enclosure does that job without forcing you into an 800mm wide cabinet.

Technical Highlights:

• 42U / 1070mm Depth: Full-depth servers (700–900mm chassis) fit with clearance remaining for rear PDU rails and cable management — no internal depth compromise required.
• 275.78 lb Base Weight / Steel Frame: Heavy-gauge steel construction resists flex under full equipment load. For a fully populated enclosure approaching 1,000+ lb, structural rigidity at the base matters — particularly for seismic-zone installations.
• Square-Punched Rails: Universal M6 cage nut compatibility means no adapter kits and no thread-tap tools on the install day. Works with Cisco, HPE, Dell, Lenovo, and APC PDU hardware out of the box.

Deployment Considerations:

• At 78.39 inches tall, verify ceiling clearance and door width before delivery — this unit will not pass through a standard 80-inch doorway without tilting, which affects staging logistics in finished buildings.
• No NEMA rating means this is a controlled-environment-only enclosure. Any deployment in a space with humidity variance, dust, or non-conditioned air will require supplemental environmental controls — the enclosure provides zero ingress protection on its own.

The AR3100HACS is the right call for structured IT closets and small data rooms running a mixed stack of switching, patch, and 1U compute — where 42U consolidates the entire node and 600mm width fits the available aisle plan without over-provisioning floor space.