Vertiv 38156 20A Vertical Rack Power Distribution Unit
Overview
The Vertiv 38156 is a basic standard rPDU — model number NSVC140-102S20TL — built for data centers, server rooms, and telecom enclosures that need reliable 20A branch circuit distribution without monitoring overhead. It delivers 1.9kW at 120V across 14 NEMA 5-20R receptacles mounted on a 48-inch vertical chassis, feeding from a 10-foot L5-20P twistlock cord. Every unit ships factory-tested, TAA compliant, and Buy American Act COTS compliant — relevant for government and federal deployments where country-of-origin documentation is required.
If your rack already has an L5-20P breaker panel circuit and you need a dense, no-frills outlet strip that fits standard 42U or 48U cabinets, the 38156 covers that without requiring a managed PDU budget.
Browse the full Vertiv power distribution catalog for managed and metered alternatives in the same family.
Key Features
- 14x NEMA 5-20R Receptacles at 2.95in Spacing: fourteen 20A outlets on a single 1.61in × 1.61in chassis means a fully loaded rack doesn't require stacking multiple strips. The 2.95in center-to-center spacing accommodates standard IEC-style power cords without crowding — a real consideration when 1U servers have side-by-side power supplies.
- 20A Thermal Breaker Protection: a single 20A thermal breaker covers all 14 outlets. If total draw exceeds 20A, the breaker trips mechanically — no nuisance electronic trips, no firmware required. For rack PDU deployments where simplicity and predictable protection behavior matter more than per-outlet monitoring, this is the right protection model.
- L5-20P Twistlock Input Plug: the twistlock connector physically locks to the panel receptacle — the cord cannot be inadvertently kicked loose. In live data center aisles or warehouse environments with foot traffic near the cabinet base, that mechanical retention prevents an unintentional outage.
- 12/3 AWG Power Cable, 10ft Length: heavier 12-gauge wire handles the full 20A continuous load without thermal stress on the cord insulation — a meaningful difference over PDUs that ship with 14-gauge cords rated for 15A. Ten feet of cord reach covers most zero-U vertical installs where the panel is at the top of a standard rack and the PDU mounts inside the rear rail.
- 1.9kW Continuous Capacity at 120V: at 80% of the 20A breaker rating (the NEC derate guideline for continuous loads), usable capacity is ~1.52kW or roughly 12.7A. Size your connected loads against this, not the 1.9kW nameplate, for code-compliant 24/7 operation.
- Power-On Green LED Indicator: a single LED confirms live input voltage without requiring a display or metering module. For basic deployments, that's enough — confirm the circuit is energized, confirm the breaker hasn't tripped, move on.
- 48in Vertical Rackmount with Plastic Mounting Clips: the 47.50in × 1.61in × 1.61in chassis mounts vertically inside the rear zero-U space of standard cabinets using included top and bottom plastic clips — no tooled rail brackets required for most Vertiv/APC/Eaton 4-post cabinet configurations.
- TAA and Buy American Act COTS Compliant, Made in USA: manufactured domestically, satisfying Trade Agreements Act requirements for federal procurement and GSA schedule purchases. If your project requires origin documentation, this unit qualifies without special sourcing.
- 5-Year Limited Warranty: Vertiv's standard five-year coverage on the NSVC140-102S20TL is longer than the two- or three-year terms common on commodity PDUs — meaningful when the unit is buried in a sealed cabinet and a failure requires a scheduled maintenance window to swap.
- RoHS Compliant, UL & c-UL Listed (60950): UL listing under 60950 satisfies insurance and facilities requirements for data center installations. RoHS compliance covers EU and California hazardous materials directives. Both certifications are pre-verified — no additional compliance testing needed for standard deployments.
- Operating Temperature 10–45°C (50–113°F): the 45°C upper limit is rated for the ambient air temperature at the PDU, not the cabinet inlet temperature. In high-density racks with marginal cooling, verify that rear-of-cabinet ambient stays below 45°C — hot aisle temperatures can approach this limit in undersized CRAC environments.
Integration & Compatibility
The 38156 connects to any 20A, 120V NEMA L5-20P panel circuit — common in data centers wired to NEMA L5-20R wall receptacles or power distribution panels. The 14 NEMA 5-20R outlets accept any standard NEMA 5-20P or NEMA 5-15P equipment cord (5-15P plugs fit 5-20R receptacles). No network connection, IP address, or configuration is required. For environments that later require metered or managed rack PDUs, Vertiv's PowerIT rPDU line offers drop-in compatible chassis with the same vertical form factor and mounting footprint.
Pair this unit with a server cabinet or open-frame rack that provides rear zero-U vertical mounting channels. The 8 lb (3.63 kg) shipped weight is well within the load rating of standard zero-U brackets. Consult a rack power planning guide to calculate branch circuit loading and confirm the 80% derate for continuous use before finalizing the deployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What input plug does the Vertiv 38156 use?
A: The 38156 ships with a NEMA L5-20P twistlock plug on a 10-foot, 12/3 AWG power cord. Your panel circuit must provide a compatible NEMA L5-20R or L5-20P receptacle rated for 20A at 120V.
Q: Is the 38156 TAA compliant for federal procurement?
A: Yes. The NSVC140-102S20TL is manufactured in the USA and is both TAA Compliant and Buy American Act COTS Compliant per Vertiv's product documentation.
Q: How many outlets does the 38156 provide, and what type are they?
A: The 38156 provides 14 NEMA 5-20R receptacles, all on a single 20A thermal breaker, spaced 2.95 inches center to center.
Q: What is the warranty on the Vertiv 38156?
A: Vertiv provides a 5-year limited warranty on the 38156 (model NSVC140-102S20TL), as stated in the product specification sheet.
Q: What is the usable continuous load capacity of the 38156?
A: The rated capacity is 1.9kW (20A) at 120V. For continuous loads — anything running 24/7 — NEC practice recommends operating at no more than 80% of the breaker rating, which works out to approximately 1.52kW or 15.2A total across all 14 outlets.
Q: Does the 38156 require any software, network configuration, or drivers?
A: No. The 38156 is a non-networked basic rPDU with no management interface. It requires no software, IP address, or configuration — plug in, verify the green power LED, and load your equipment.
The 38156 is the unit I reach for when a customer needs dense 120V distribution in a 42U or 48U cabinet and has no budget or operational need for metering or monitoring. The single 20A thermal breaker covering all 14 NEMA 5-20R outlets is straightforward — no firmware, no SNMP traps, no IP provisioning. It powers up, the green LED confirms input voltage, and you're done. The NSVC140-102S20TL's 12/3 AWG cord is a detail worth noting: thinner 14-gauge cords are common on budget strips, and they can run warm near nameplate current. The 12-gauge wire here handles the full 20A without thermal stress on the insulation.
Technical Highlights:
- L5-20P Twistlock Input: mechanical locking prevents accidental cord disconnection in live server aisles — no secondary retention clip needed, the plug physically cannot be kicked free without deliberate counterclockwise rotation.
- 14 Outlets at 2.95in Spacing: dense enough to load a full rack of 1U servers with dual power supplies without using a second PDU, which keeps zero-U cable routing cleaner and eliminates a second circuit requirement.
- TAA / Buy American Act COTS Compliance: factory documentation satisfies federal and DoD procurement requirements without an additional sourcing step — relevant for integrators bidding on GSA or government contracts.
Deployment Considerations:
- The 38156 mounts using plastic top and bottom clips into the zero-U vertical channel of compatible cabinets — verify your cabinet's rear rail has a zero-U mounting channel before ordering. Open-frame racks without a rear vertical channel require a separate bracket kit.
- The 45°C upper operating temperature is ambient air at the PDU, not rack inlet temperature. In high-density rows with inadequate cooling, rear-of-cabinet ambient can approach this limit — monitor aisle temperatures before assuming the spec has full headroom.
This unit is the right fit for government data centers, federal integrators, and branch office server rooms where TAA compliance is non-negotiable, the circuit is already an L5-20P 20A feed, and managed PDU overhead adds cost without operational value. It is not the right call if you need per-outlet switching, remote metering, or environmental monitoring — step up to a managed PowerIT rPDU in that scenario.
