Middle Atlantic Rackmount 19IN Black W/3 - R5BZ-15

Middle Atlantic R5BZ-15 Rackmount Outlet Center, 15A

Overview

The Middle Atlantic R5BZ-15 is a 15-amp plug-in outlet center built for 19-inch equipment racks in commercial AV, security, and IT infrastructure installations. If your rack needs a clean, managed power distribution point without the complexity of a full PDU, the R5BZ-15 delivers a straightforward solution: mount it in the rack, plug it in, and distribute power to the gear above and below it. The 1.5 ft (0.5 m) cord keeps things tidy in tight equipment bays where a longer pigtail would create cable management headaches. TAA compliance means this unit is eligible for U.S. federal government projects and procurement vehicles that require Trade Agreements Act conformance — a requirement that eliminates many competing products from contention on government or DoD-adjacent deployments. For integrators working across both commercial and public-sector accounts, stocking one SKU that satisfies both environments is a practical advantage.

Middle Atlantic's rack power and infrastructure line is a standard specification in enterprise AV and security integration. The R5BZ-15 fits that ecosystem as a proven rack accessory for rackmount power distribution in 19-inch standard enclosures.

Key Features

• 15-Amp Circuit Capacity: Handles the full load of a typical rack row — NVR, managed switch, UPS bypass, and several IP devices — without tripping a standard 15A branch circuit. Size your total connected load against the 15A rating before adding high-draw equipment like large UPS units or server-class hardware that may push close to that ceiling.
• 1.5 ft (0.5 m) Cord Length: A short cord is deliberate, not a limitation. In a contained rack bay where the power source is a panel or PDU directly behind or adjacent to the unit, a 1.5 ft lead eliminates cord drape, reduces trip hazards, and keeps cable management clean. If the nearest circuit is more than arm's reach away, plan for an extension or reposition the unit closer to the feed.
• TAA Compliant: Products sold to U.S. federal agencies, state and local government programs, and defense contractors often require TAA compliance as a baseline procurement condition. The R5BZ-15 meets that requirement, making it bookable under GSA schedules and similar government purchasing vehicles without triggering a compliance exception. This is the detail that matters when a government IT or physical security project spec calls out TAA and you need every rack component to pass.
• 19-Inch Rackmount Form Factor: Designed to drop directly into any standard EIA 19-inch rack without adapters or custom brackets. Integrates cleanly into Middle Atlantic racks, third-party open-frame racks, and enclosed security/AV cabinets — no guesswork on fitment for standard rack infrastructure.
• Plug-In Installation: No hardwiring required. The plug-in design means installation is fast, reversible, and doesn't require a licensed electrician for the unit itself (though the branch circuit feeding it still must comply with local electrical code). Useful in environments where racks are frequently reconfigured or where the AV/security integrator and the building electrical contractor operate on separate scopes.

Integration & Compatibility

The R5BZ-15 is compatible with any standard 19-inch rack enclosure — open-frame, enclosed cabinet, or wall-mount rack — that accepts standard EIA rail spacing. It is a passive power distribution device, meaning it introduces no active management, monitoring, or surge protection components into the circuit. For deployments requiring remote outlet control, load monitoring, or surge suppression, evaluate higher-tier managed rack PDU options in the Middle Atlantic line. Pair the R5BZ-15 with an upstream UPS rated for your full rack load to provide battery backup and surge protection — the outlet center itself does not provide either. The TAA-compliant designation makes it directly bookable on government procurement vehicles where non-compliant power accessories would require a waiver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Middle Atlantic R5BZ-15 TAA compliant?

A: Yes. The R5BZ-15 is TAA (Trade Agreements Act) compliant, making it eligible for U.S. federal, state, and local government procurement vehicles including GSA schedule purchases.

Q: What is the maximum amperage rating for the R5BZ-15?

A: The R5BZ-15 is rated at 15 amps. Plan your total connected rack load to stay within that limit, accounting for startup current spikes on devices like NVRs and switching equipment.

Q: How long is the power cord on the R5BZ-15?

A: The cord is 1.5 ft (0.5 m). This short lead is designed for installations where the branch circuit or upstream PDU is immediately adjacent. If your power source is farther away, you will need to reposition the unit or use an appropriately rated extension.

Q: Does the R5BZ-15 fit standard 19-inch racks?

A: Yes. The R5BZ-15 is designed for standard 19-inch EIA rack rails and is compatible with open-frame racks, enclosed cabinets, and wall-mount enclosures that use standard spacing.

Q: Does the R5BZ-15 include surge protection or UPS functionality?

A: No. The R5BZ-15 is a passive outlet distribution unit — it does not include surge suppression, power conditioning, or battery backup. For those functions, pair it with an upstream UPS or a managed PDU with built-in surge protection.

Q: Is the R5BZ-15 (often searched as R5BZ 15) suitable for government security rack installations?

A: Yes. Its TAA compliance satisfies a common hard requirement on government physical security and IT projects. Verify that all other rack components in the bill of materials also meet TAA requirements, as the compliance obligation typically applies to the full system.

Jerry Tildsen

The R5BZ-15 is a unit I recommend specifically when a project's bill of materials hits a TAA compliance check — it is one of the few passive outlet centers in the Middle Atlantic line that carries that designation, and it has saved more than one government security integration from a last-minute substitution scramble. The 15-amp rating covers the typical NVR-plus-switch-plus-IP-devices rack load cleanly.

Technical Highlights:

• 15A Rating: Sufficient for a standard commercial security rack running an NVR, PoE switch, and access control panel simultaneously — just watch aggregate inrush current on startup sequences.
• 1.5 ft Cord: Short by design. In a rear-fed enclosed rack where the upstream source is within the cabinet footprint, this keeps the cable tray clean. It is not the right call for an open-frame rack where the wall outlet is six feet away.
• TAA Compliance: The deciding spec for federal and state government physical security bids. When the project spec sheet lists TAA as a hard requirement, this unit clears that gate without a waiver request.

Deployment Considerations:

• Plan the cord routing before you mount this unit — 1.5 ft gives you almost no slack, so the branch circuit termination point needs to be within the immediate rack bay, not across the room.
• This is a passive outlet strip: no surge suppression, no load monitoring, no remote switching. If the project requires any of those, specify a managed PDU instead and use this unit only where a simple, compliant outlet distribution point is all that is needed.

Best fit: government-adjacent physical security racks — courthouse, transit authority, military base contractor facility — where TAA compliance is a procurement hard stop and the power distribution requirement is straightforward 15A outlet distribution with no active management layer.