Vertiv Rpdu Switched Unit Level Monitoring EC 30A 208V 4.9KW Vertical (20) Lockin - VP5N30AU

Vertiv VP5N30AU Switched 0U Vertical Rack PDU with Outlet-Level Monitoring

Overview

The Vertiv VP5N30AU is a 30A, 208V zero-unit vertical rack PDU built for data center and server room deployments where outlet-level visibility and remote switching control are non-negotiable. Carrying the Geist sub-brand lineage, this unit delivers 4.9kW of usable capacity across 24 locking receptacles — 20 IEC C13 and 4 IEC C19 — all fed through a NEMA L6-30P input. If you're managing dense compute racks and need the ability to power-cycle individual outlets without touching the floor, the VP5N30AU is purpose-built for that workflow.

Beyond switched control, the unit provides rack power distribution with input power monitoring accurate to within ±1% — useful for capacity planning and detecting load creep before it becomes a problem. A 128×128 LCD touchscreen gives local at-a-glance status, while dual Ethernet ports support redundant network paths for remote access. This is part of the broader Vertiv power and cooling catalog, which covers infrastructure from UPS systems to precision cooling.

Key Features

• Outlet-Level Switching with Bi-Stable Latching Relays: Each outlet can be switched on, off, or power-cycled remotely. Bi-stable latching relays hold their state through a power interruption — so a brief input loss won't inadvertently drop outlets that should stay on, and won't power on outlets that were intentionally off.
• 24 Locking Receptacles (20× IEC C13, 4× IEC C19): Locking connectors on every outlet matter in high-vibration or high-density environments where accidental disconnects are a real risk. The C19 outlets accommodate high-draw devices like blade servers or large UPS bypass loads; the C13 outlets handle standard 1U/2U servers and network gear. Plan your outlet budget before quoting — 24 outlets fills fast in a fully loaded 42U rack.
• ±1% Power Monitoring Accuracy: Input-level power monitoring at this precision supports accurate charge-back billing in colocation environments and gives facilities teams real load data rather than nameplate estimates. Pair this with your network management platform for automated alerting at threshold.
• 4.9kW Capacity at 30A/208V: At a standard 80% derate (NEMA/NEC convention), usable capacity is approximately 3.9kW — factor this into rack design. 208V input means this unit is designed for dedicated PDU circuits, not standard 120V branch circuits. Verify your facility's panel capacity before specifying.
• Hot-Swappable Monitoring Device: The monitoring module can be swapped without cutting power to the connected outlets. This matters operationally — firmware updates, module failures, or monitoring upgrades don't require a rack outage or equipment migration. For 24/7 production environments, this is a meaningful architectural difference versus non-hot-swap designs.
• Dual Ethernet Ports: Two independent network interfaces support redundant management network connections. If your out-of-band management network has a primary and secondary path, the VP5N30AU can terminate both — eliminating the PDU as a single point of failure in your remote access architecture.
• Environmental Sensor Port: The included sensor port accepts optional temperature, humidity, and other environmental probes. Connecting a sensor turns the PDU into a localized environmental monitor for the rack — useful in remote edge deployments where dedicated environmental monitoring infrastructure may not exist.
• Power Sequencing: Outlets can be staged to power up in a defined sequence on boot or after an outage recovery. This reduces inrush current peaks that can trip breakers during simultaneous startup of a full rack, and ensures dependent services come online in the correct order (storage before compute, for instance).
• Secure Boot: Firmware integrity is validated on startup, reducing exposure to firmware-level attacks. Combined with the dual-Ethernet management interface, this is relevant for deployments under cybersecurity compliance frameworks that require infrastructure device hardening.
• 60°C High-Temperature Rating: Most rack PDUs are rated to 45°C or 50°C ambient. The VP5N30AU's 60°C rating accommodates high-density hot-aisle configurations, edge deployments with limited cooling, or industrial environments where ambient temperatures regularly exceed standard data center design points.
• TAA Compliant: Meets Trade Agreements Act requirements — eligible for federal government procurement and programs requiring domestic or treaty-country manufacturing compliance. Confirm program-specific requirements with your contracting officer, but TAA compliance removes a common barrier for government-funded projects. Also carries UL and c-UL listing under 60950, FCC Part 15 Class A, and RoHS.
• 5-Year Limited Warranty: A 5-year warranty on infrastructure power hardware reflects long deployment cycles typical in data center environments. Most compute equipment in the same rack will be on a 3-year refresh cycle — the PDU should outlast at least one hardware generation.

Integration and Compatibility

The VP5N30AU connects to out-of-band management networks via its dual Ethernet ports, making it compatible with standard DCIM platforms and remote monitoring workflows. The environmental sensor port extends compatibility to Vertiv's Geist sensor ecosystem for temperature and humidity monitoring. Power sequencing and outlet scheduling features integrate with automation scripts or DCIM orchestration tools that support PDU APIs. For facilities already running Vertiv infrastructure, this unit extends the same management interface used across the Geist PDU line.

Input connectivity via NEMA L6-30P is standard for 30A/208V dedicated PDU circuits in North American data centers. Verify your rack's existing whip or input cable terminates in L6-30P before ordering — mismatched input connectors are the most common PDU procurement error on new rack deployments. If you're specifying new rack infrastructure from scratch, coordinate input cord spec with your electrical contractor early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the VP5N30AU TAA compliant for government procurement?

A: Yes. The VP5N30AU is TAA compliant, making it eligible for federal government procurement and contracts requiring Trade Agreements Act compliance. Verify specific program requirements with your contracting officer.

Q: What is the warranty on the VP5N30AU?

A: The VP5N30AU carries a 5-year limited warranty from Vertiv.

Q: Can the monitoring module be replaced without powering down connected equipment?

A: Yes. The VP5N30AU features a hot-swappable monitoring device, meaning the monitoring module can be replaced without interrupting power to the connected outlets. This supports maintenance and firmware updates in live production environments.

Q: What is the actual usable capacity of the VP5N30AU?

A: The VP5N30AU provides 4.9kW (4,900VA) at 30A/208V. Following standard 80% derate practice per NEMA/NEC guidelines, plan for approximately 3.9kW of usable capacity in rack design. Do not load to nameplate maximum.

Q: Does the VP5N30AU support environmental monitoring?

A: Yes. The unit includes an environmental sensor port that accepts optional probes for temperature, humidity, and other environmental parameters, turning the PDU into a localized rack environmental monitor.

Q: What input connector does the VP5N30AU use?

A: The VP5N30AU uses a NEMA L6-30P input connector, which is standard for 30A/208V dedicated PDU circuits in North American data centers. Confirm your facility panel and rack whip terminate in L6-30P before ordering.

Marty Allison

The VP5N30AU is one of those units I recommend when a customer's first question is 'can I reboot that outlet from my desk?' — because outlet-level remote switching is the entire point, and the bi-stable latching relays mean a brief power blip won't scramble your outlet states. That's a real operational detail that matters at 2am when you're troubleshooting remotely and can't afford surprises.

Technical Highlights:

• ±1% Power Monitoring Accuracy: This is tight for a PDU. Colocation billing and capacity planning both benefit — you're working with real load numbers, not nameplate estimates padded with a 20% fudge factor.
• Hot-Swappable Monitoring Module: In a production rack running 24/7, this is the spec that keeps a monitoring failure from becoming a maintenance window. Swap the module, reconnect, done — zero outlet downtime.
• 60°C Operating Temperature Rating: Most of the competition stops at 45°C–50°C. If you're deploying in a hot-aisle-containment setup pushing 40°C+ ambient, or in an edge enclosure without precision cooling, that extra headroom is what keeps you from having to derate your PDU selection or add cooling you didn't budget for.

Deployment Considerations:

• Dual Ethernet is genuinely useful only if you've pre-planned two separate out-of-band management network paths to the rack. If your OOB is a single-switch flat network, you're not getting the redundancy benefit — plan the network topology before the PDU arrives on site.
• Watch the 80% derate: 4.9kW nameplate becomes roughly 3.9kW usable. A densely loaded rack with dual-PSU servers drawing 400W each will fill that budget faster than the outlet count suggests. Do the load math before finalizing rack design.

The VP5N30AU is the right call for high-density colocation racks, edge deployments in environments where ambient temperature management is constrained, and any government or federally funded project where TAA compliance is a hard procurement requirement.