Middle Atlantic RL10-38 38U 2-Post Open Frame Relay Rack
Overview
The Middle Atlantic RL10-38 is a 38U, 2-post open-frame relay rack built for AV, security, and IT infrastructure deployments where airflow, accessibility, and dense equipment loading are the priorities. Standing 72.37 inches tall (183.8 cm) with a 19.62-inch width and a usable rack height of 66.5 inches across 38 rack units, the RL10-38 provides the vertical space to consolidate NVRs, patch panels, switches, and power distribution in a single column without the footprint of a full enclosure. Fabricated in the USA and TAA compliant, it fits government, education, and federal contract deployments where country-of-origin documentation is required. Middle Atlantic rack systems are a standard choice for integrators building structured AV and security backbones.
Key Features
- 38U Usable Capacity (66.5 in usable height): 38 rack units of usable height — enough vertical space to house a full NVR stack, PoE switches, patch panels, and power distribution gear in a single rack. The 66.5-inch usable interior means you're not losing significant space to non-rack frame sections, so your actual equipment fits as planned.
- 1,600 lb Weight Capacity: The RL10-38 is rated to hold 1,600 lbs (725.7 kg) of total equipment load. For a dense security installation — multiple 2U NVRs, a 24-port PoE switch, UPS, and cable management — this rating provides substantial headroom with no structural concerns. UL-rated load capacity is documented at 400 lbs for compliance-sensitive installations requiring listed performance.
- 10-32 Rack Rail Threading: Standard 10-32 threaded rails are compatible with virtually all rack-mount equipment, including enterprise switches, NVRs, servers, and audio equipment. No need to source specialty hardware — standard 10-32 cage nuts and screws work directly.
- Open-Frame 2-Post Design: The open-frame construction maximizes airflow around heat-generating equipment — NVRs with multiple HDDs and PoE switches running near capacity run cooler without forced ventilation in most installations. Front and rear access without opening doors makes cable management and hot-swap operations faster in the field.
- 15.25-Inch Depth (38.7 cm): The 15.25-inch overall depth suits installations with space constraints — telecom closets, wall-adjacent locations, and shallow equipment rooms. The 3-inch (7.6 cm) usable depth behind the rail is designed for 2-post shallow-mount applications. Verify equipment depth requirements before specifying — standard 1U switches and patch panels fit cleanly, but deep 2U NVRs typically require a 4-post rack or additional support rails.
- TAA Compliant, USA Manufactured: Federal Ops country of origin is USA. TAA compliance makes the RL10-38 eligible for government procurement contracts subject to the Trade Agreements Act. UL Listed designation supports site acceptance on projects requiring listed infrastructure equipment.
- 19.62-Inch Width (49.8 cm): Standard EIA 19-inch rack width with the additional frame clearance brings the outer width to 19.62 inches. Plan your rack bay or wall-mount cavity dimensions accordingly — the frame adds approximately 0.62 inches beyond the standard 19-inch rail spacing.
Integration and Compatibility
The RL10-38 is compatible with standard 19-inch rack-mount equipment across network video recorders, managed PoE switches, patch panels, UPS units, and AV signal distribution gear. The 10-32 rail threading handles the full range of standard rack hardware without adapters. For deeper rack-mount equipment — chassis servers, high-capacity NVRs, or multi-drive storage arrays — verify that your equipment depth falls within the 2-post shallow-mount range or plan for supplemental rear support. Integrators deploying PoE network switches in security closets will find the open-frame construction practical for cable routing and thermal management. If you need enclosed rack infrastructure for dusty or publicly accessible environments, a fully enclosed equipment cabinet in the Middle Atlantic catalog is a more appropriate fit. For structured deployments pairing racks with power distribution and UPS, confirm PDU form factor and mounting orientation against the 3-inch usable rear depth on this 2-post frame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Middle Atlantic RL10-38 TAA compliant?
A: Yes. The RL10-38 is TAA compliant and manufactured in the USA, making it eligible for government and federal contract procurement subject to the Trade Agreements Act.
Q: What is the maximum weight capacity of the RL10-38?
A: The RL10-38 has a total weight capacity of 1,600 lbs (725.7 kg). The UL-listed load capacity is 400 lbs (181.4 kg), which is the figure applicable to compliance-documented installations.
Q: What rail thread type does the RL10-38 use?
A: The RL10-38 uses standard 10-32 threaded rack rails, compatible with the full range of standard rack-mount equipment hardware without adapters.
Q: Can the RL10-38 accommodate deep 2U NVRs and servers?
A: The RL10-38 is a 2-post open-frame relay rack with a 15.25-inch overall depth and a 3-inch usable depth behind the rail. Shallow rack-mount equipment (patch panels, 1U switches, 1U appliances) mounts directly. Deep equipment such as full-size NVRs or servers typically requires a 4-post rack or supplemental rear support rails — verify your equipment depth before specifying this rack.
Q: How many rack units does the RL10-38 provide?
A: The RL10-38 provides 38 usable rack units (66.5 inches / 168.9 cm of usable interior height) within a 72.37-inch overall frame height.
Q: Is the RL10-38 UL Listed?
A: Yes. The RL10-38 carries a UL Listed designation with a documented UL load capacity of 400 lbs (181.4 kg).
The RL10-38 is the rack I spec for security closets and telecom rooms where an integrator needs 38U of vertical space without committing to an enclosure — the 1,600 lb weight capacity combined with UL Listed documentation at 400 lbs covers both the physical load reality and the compliance paperwork in a single product. The open-frame 2-post design is practical for most security infrastructure where access speed matters more than dust exclusion.
Technical Highlights:
- 1,600 lb total capacity: Dense security builds stacking multiple 2U NVRs, managed switches, and a rack-mount UPS rarely push past 300–400 lbs. The 1,600 lb structural rating gives you genuine confidence the frame won't flex under a full build, while the 400 lb UL Listed figure covers any inspection or sign-off requirement on the job site.
- 38U / 66.5-inch usable height: 38 rack units handles a complete security head-end — 4-channel to 64-channel NVR, 24-port PoE switch, patch panel, and a 2U rackmount UPS — with room left for future expansion. The 66.5-inch usable interior is what you actually build into, not the 72.37-inch outer frame height.
- TAA compliant, USA manufactured: For government, education, and federal projects, TAA compliance is often a hard bid requirement. The RL10-38 satisfies it with a documented USA country of origin — no country-of-origin workaround needed.
Deployment Considerations:
- The 3-inch usable depth behind the rail is the critical spec to confirm before ordering. Standard 1U patch panels and shallow switches mount cleanly, but full-depth NVRs and rackmount servers require either a 4-post rack or Middle Atlantic's supplemental rear support rail options — plan this before the equipment arrives on site.
- The outer width of 19.62 inches is slightly wider than a standard 19-inch EIA bay. In tight equipment rooms or wall-mount alcoves built to a 19-inch standard, verify the clearance before installation.
This rack fits best in a security integrator's structured head-end build — a dedicated telecom or IDF closet serving an NVR-based surveillance system with 16 to 64 cameras, where TAA compliance is on the spec sheet and the integrator wants a clean, accessible open-frame installation rather than a sealed cabinet.
