Vertiv 38446 Metered Surge Vertical Rack PDU, 20A/120V, 20-Outlet
Overview
The Vertiv 38446 (model VSSBCN204-102S20TL) is a 66-inch vertical rack power distribution unit built for IT environments that lack facility-level surge suppression or need an extra layer of transient protection at the rack. It combines a 20-outlet metered layout with integrated surge protection — two capabilities that are often specified separately and invoiced separately — in a single 1U-wide vertical chassis. If your data center or server room operates without upstream surge suppression, this unit closes that gap without requiring a separate surge panel or additional wiring.
The local digital RMS scrolling display reads amperage, voltage, watts, and power factor in real time, accurate to ±2%. That matters at deployment: instead of guessing how close you are to the 20A thermal breaker limit when provisioning a new rack, you have live confirmation. The same display helps during adds-and-changes — before you move a server or add a blade chassis, you can verify headroom without pulling up a remote management interface or walking back to a monitoring console.
Key Features
- 20x NEMA 5-20R Receptacles at 20A/120V: Twenty individually accessible outlets rated for 20A at 120V each, all fed from a single 20A circuit. At 1.9kW total capacity, this supports dense 1U/2U server configurations where per-outlet loads average under 100W. The in-line individual receptacle style means you can seat power cords without fighting grouped outlet banks.
- 720-Joule Surge Protection via Super MOVs: The Super MOV surge suppression array clamps at a maximum of 340V, providing a meaningful margin above the 120V nominal. A dedicated red LED indicator confirms the surge protection is active — if it goes out, you know the MOVs have been compromised and the unit needs replacement before the next transient event. This is the critical difference from an unprotected metered PDU in environments without upstream surge suppression.
- Local Power Metering (±2% Accuracy): Real-time RMS display of amps, volts, watts, and power factor — not estimated or averaged. The ±2% accuracy on a full-scale 60Hz sine wave input gives you numbers you can act on. Knowing actual watts drawn (not just nameplate capacity) is the first step toward accurate PUE accounting and prevents nuisance breaker trips when adding load to a partially populated rack.
- 20A Thermal Breaker Over-Current Protection: A thermal breaker (not a fuse) provides resettable over-current protection. If a load spike trips the breaker, you reset rather than replace — useful in production environments where swap time matters. The single-breaker topology means all 20 outlets share one 20A circuit, which is standard for this class of vertical PDU.
- 10ft Power Cord with NEMA L5-20P Twistlock Plug: The L5-20P twistlock connection at the source end prevents accidental disconnection — a real concern in active data center aisles where cord traffic is heavy. The 10ft cord length reaches floor-mounted PDU whips or overhead bus duct taps without extension cords in most standard rack layouts.
- 66.25-Inch Vertical Chassis (1683mm): The vertical form factor installs in the rear upright channel of a standard 42U rack, consuming no rack unit space that could otherwise hold equipment. At 1.61 x 1.61 inches (cross section), it fits alongside most rear cable management assemblies without conflict. Powder-coat steel construction — not plastic — handles the physical abuse of active rack environments.
- TAA-Compliant, USA-Made, RoHS and UL Listed: TAA compliance (Trade Agreements Act) and Buy American Act COTS compliance make this unit eligible for federal agency procurement and GSA schedules without exemption paperwork. UL and c-UL listing (60950) satisfies most AHJ and insurance requirements for data center power equipment. RoHS compliance covers EU deployment if needed.
- 5-Year Product Warranty + $5,000 Connected Equipment Warranty: The 5-year limited warranty covers the unit itself. The connected equipment warranty — up to $5,000 over 5 years — covers downstream equipment damaged by a surge event the PDU failed to suppress. That coverage tier is relevant when protecting mid-range networking gear or storage arrays where a single damaged component can exceed $1,000.
Integration and Compatibility
The 38446 is a locally-metered unit with no network interface — there is no SNMP agent, no remote monitoring port, and no integration with data center infrastructure management (DCIM) platforms or remote monitoring systems. Power data is available only via the local display. If your rack management strategy requires remote power monitoring or per-outlet switching, this unit is not the right match — consider a networked rPDU in the Vertiv PowerIT line. For environments where local visibility is sufficient and network-managed PDUs add unnecessary complexity or cost, the 38446 is appropriately scoped.
The L5-20P twistlock input requires a matching 20A twistlock receptacle at the circuit panel or power whip — standard in purpose-built data centers and most colocation cage deployments. Verify your facility circuit terminates in L5-20P before ordering; a mismatched plug type requires a whip adapter or rewire. The unit is rated for 50/60Hz, covering North American 60Hz facilities as well as international 50Hz deployments running 120V circuits.
For complete rack power planning — including how many PDUs a rack needs and how to balance phases — explore our rack power distribution guides alongside compatible rack accessories for cable management and mounting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Vertiv 38446 TAA-compliant for federal or government procurement?
A: Yes. The 38446 is manufactured in the USA and carries TAA Compliant and Buy American Act COTS Compliant designations, making it eligible for federal agency and GSA schedule purchases without exemption.
Q: Does the 38446 support remote monitoring or SNMP?
A: No. The 38446 is a locally-metered unit only. Power data (amps, volts, watts, power factor) is displayed on the local digital RMS scrolling display. There is no network port, SNMP agent, or remote management capability on this model.
Q: What is the joule rating and clamping voltage for the surge protection on the 38446?
A: The 38446 provides 720 joules of surge protection with a maximum clamping voltage of 340V using Super MOV technology. A red LED indicator on the unit confirms the surge protection is active.
Q: What plug type does the 38446 use, and how long is the power cord?
A: The 38446 ships with a 10-foot power cord terminated in a NEMA L5-20P twistlock plug. Your facility circuit or power whip must provide a matching L5-20P receptacle.
Q: What is the warranty coverage for the 38446 and connected equipment?
A: Vertiv covers the 38446 with a 5-year limited product warranty. Additionally, the connected equipment warranty covers downstream devices damaged by a surge event up to $5,000 over 5 years.
Q: How many outlets does the 38446 provide, and what is the total power capacity?
A: The 38446 provides 20 NEMA 5-20R receptacles rated at 120V/20A each, with a total unit capacity of 1.9kW (20A at 120V). All 20 outlets share a single 20A thermal breaker circuit.
The 38446 comes up frequently when we're speccing power for racks in colocation environments or mid-tier data centers where the facility doesn't provide surge suppression at the PDU whip level. The 720-joule Super MOV array with a 340V clamping voltage isn't the heaviest protection you can get, but it's the right tier for suppressing typical utility-side transients — line noise, switching spikes, nearby lightning coupling — that a UPS alone doesn't always clean up. What I tell integrators: this is a last-line-of-defense surge unit, not a substitute for a properly bonded ground and upstream suppression.
Technical Highlights:
- ±2% RMS Power Metering: The local display reads amps, volts, watts, and power factor in real time at ±2% accuracy — tight enough to use for capacity planning, not just ballpark estimates. Knowing actual watts (not VA or nameplate) is the number you need when building a PUE report or sizing a generator transfer load.
- L5-20P Twistlock Input: The twistlock connection is the right call for a vertical PDU that hangs in an active rack. A standard NEMA 5-20P straight blade can work loose over time from cord weight and cabinet vibration; L5-20P won't. Just confirm your facility whip terminates in L5-20P before it ships — a mismatched plug is a day-zero problem.
- USA-Made, TAA + Buy American Act COTS: Both designations are on the spec sheet, not self-declared. For federal contracts, GSA schedules, or DoD supplemental orders, this clears procurement without exemption paperwork — a real time-saver compared to sourcing internationally manufactured alternatives.
Deployment Considerations:
- All 20 NEMA 5-20R outlets share a single 20A thermal breaker — there is no per-group sub-circuit. If you're loading high-draw devices (e.g., GPU servers pulling 8-10A each), map your load distribution carefully before commissioning. Hitting 80% of 20A (16A) is the practical ceiling for continuous operation.
- This unit has no network interface. If your rack monitoring strategy evolves toward DCIM integration or remote power cycling, you'll need to swap to a networked PDU model. Plan for that possibility if the rack is expected to scale or if the customer has a future DCIM roadmap.
The 38446 is the right fit for a colocation rack or on-premises server room where the facility whip is L5-20P, upstream surge suppression is absent or uncertain, and local power visibility is sufficient without remote management overhead. It's particularly well-suited to government agency deployments where TAA compliance and domestic manufacturing are non-negotiable requirements.
