Vertiv 38605 Basic Surge Rackmount PDU
Overview
The Vertiv VSSL084-101S15 — part number 38605 — is a 1U horizontal/vertical rackmount PDU built for server rooms, network closets, and surveillance equipment racks that lack facility-level surge suppression. It delivers 15A at 120V (1.4kW) across eight individually spaced NEMA 5-15R outlets, with 720 joules of built-in surge protection and a 340V maximum clamping voltage. Every unit ships from Vertiv's US manufacturing line 100% tested, and carries a five-year limited warranty plus a $5,000 connected equipment warranty — coverage that matters when the gear behind the PDU includes NVRs, switches, or access control servers.
If your rack environment sits upstream of utility power without a dedicated surge suppressor on the building feed, or if you're stacking edge deployments where facility protection is inconsistent, the Vertiv VSSL084-101S15 fills that gap at the strip level rather than the cabinet level. TAA-compliant and Buy American Act COTS-compliant, it's a direct fit for federal and government facility deployments where procurement compliance is non-negotiable.
Key Features
- 8x NEMA 5-15R Outlets, 1.25in Center-to-Center Spacing: Eight in-line receptacles fit standard rack cabling without outlet-blocking from wide transformer plugs. At 1.25-inch center-to-center spacing, you can run all eight without adapter dongles in typical 1RU deployments — useful when you're powering a mix of IP cameras, PoE injectors, or control panels from a single strip.
- 720-Joule Surge Rating with Super MOV Technology: 720J is a workable mid-range surge rating for secondary protection in a wired-infrastructure rack. Super MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) technology absorbs transient spikes faster than thermal fuses alone — and a dedicated red surge indicator LED tells you instantly if protection has been depleted after a significant event.
- 340V Maximum Clamping Voltage: Lower clamping voltage means tighter protection. At 340V on a 120V nominal line, the PDU clamps transients before they reach the sensitive power supplies on your NVRs or edge servers. This spec matters most in regions with aging utility infrastructure or frequent lightning activity.
- 15A Thermal Breaker with Manual Reset: The onboard 15A thermal breaker protects the circuit from sustained overcurrent without requiring a fuse replacement. A front-panel switch lets you cut power to all outlets in a single action — useful during maintenance windows in dense racks where reaching individual plugs isn't practical.
- 1U 17-inch Chassis, Horizontal or Vertical Mount: At 17.00 × 1.61 × 1.61 inches and 4 lbs, the 38605 fits any standard 19-inch rack with the included panel mount brackets. The vertical mount option lets it run along a zero-U rail in shallow cabinets where horizontal 1U space is at a premium — common in wall-mount enclosures used for network video recorders and access control panels.
- 10ft Power Cord, NEMA 5-15P Plug, 14/3 Wire Gauge: The 10-foot cord on 14AWG wire gives you enough reach to most PDU mounting positions in a standard 42U rack without an extension. The 14/3 gauge is rated for the full 15A load — no derating required at 1.4kW.
- Power-ON Green LED Indicator: A single green LED confirms the unit is energized — basic but reliable for at-a-glance rack health checks without pulling a meter.
- TAA and Buy American Act COTS Compliant, US-Made: Country of origin is USA. For integrators bidding on federal, DoD, or government contracts, this compliance status eliminates a procurement barrier that disqualifies many imported PDUs. Pair this with NDAA-compliant network switches for a fully compliant rack stack.
- RoHS Compliant, UL & c-UL Listed 60950: UL 60950 listing covers information technology equipment safety standards — the right certification for an IT rack PDU, not just a general electrical approval. RoHS compliance matters for any deployment with environmental reporting requirements.
- 5-Year Limited Warranty + $5,000 Connected Equipment Warranty: The five-year unit warranty is longer than most comparable PDUs in this class. The $5,000 connected equipment coverage adds real value — if a surge event damages equipment downstream of this PDU, you have a documented claim path.
Integration & Compatibility
The VSSL084-101S15 is a passive power distribution device — no network management, no monitoring port, no daisy-chain bus. That simplicity is a deliberate design choice for environments where a failed management module can take down the entire power circuit. It works alongside any UPS or power conditioning solution upstream; Vertiv's own Liebert line is a natural pairing if you need runtime backup in addition to surge suppression.
The 10-45°C (50-113°F) operating range covers standard data closet environments but is not rated for outdoor or uncontrolled-temperature locations. If your deployment sits in an unconditioned space — a manufacturing floor, loading dock, or exterior enclosure — verify ambient temperatures before specifying this unit.
Chassis color is available in black powder coat standard. The source notes that custom color options are available through a sales representative, which is relevant for branded or color-coded rack environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Vertiv 38605 TAA compliant for government procurement?
A: Yes. The 38605 is manufactured in the USA and is explicitly listed as TAA Compliant and Buy American Act COTS Compliant per the product specification sheet.
Q: What is the surge joule rating and clamping voltage on the VSSL084-101S15?
A: The 38605 provides 720 joules of surge protection with a maximum clamping voltage of 340V, using Super MOV technology for fast transient response.
Q: How many outlets does the 38605 have, and what receptacle type?
A: It has eight (8) NEMA 5-15R receptacles, each rated for up to 15A at 120V, spaced 1.25 inches center-to-center in an in-line configuration.
Q: Can the 38605 mount both horizontally and vertically in a rack?
A: Yes. The 17-inch chassis supports both horizontal (1U) and vertical (zero-U) rackmount configurations. 19-inch panel mount brackets and plastic mounting clips (1 top, 1 bottom) are included for both orientations.
Q: What is the warranty on the Vertiv 38605?
A: The 38605 carries a 5-year limited warranty on the unit itself, plus a connected equipment warranty of $5,000 over 5 years if downstream equipment is damaged by a surge event while protected by this PDU.
Q: Does the 38605 have network management or monitoring capability?
A: No. The VSSL084-101S15 is a basic (non-managed) surge PDU with no network port, SNMP, or remote monitoring. It provides power-on LED status only. For managed PDU functionality, a different model in the Vertiv PowerIT rPDU line would be required.
I spec the 38605 most often for security integrators standing up mid-density surveillance racks in facilities that are on municipal power without site-level surge suppression — think a regional distribution center or a school district IT closet. The 720-joule rating and 340V clamping voltage are solid secondary protection numbers for those environments, and the TAA/Buy American compliance on this unit quietly unlocks a lot of public-sector bids where imported PDUs get flagged at procurement review.
Technical Highlights:
- 340V Clamping Voltage: Tighter clamp than many competing strips in this price class — keeps transient voltage well below the damage threshold of modern switching power supplies, which typically fail above 400-500V.
- 15A Thermal Breaker with Manual Switch: The thermal breaker self-resets after cooldown rather than requiring a fuse pull, which matters in a locked rack room where a maintenance tech may not carry spare fuses. The front switch cuts all eight outlets simultaneously for clean power cycling.
- 5-Year + $5,000 Connected Equipment Coverage: That connected equipment warranty is load-bearing when you're protecting NVR appliances running $800+ hard drives. It gives the end customer a documented claim path that a generic strip won't provide.
Deployment Considerations:
- The 38605 tops out at 10-45°C operating range — fine for a conditioned server room or network closet, but if you're dropping this into an unconditioned outdoor cabinet or a manufacturing floor with high ambient heat, verify the enclosure temperature before you spec it.
- This is a non-managed PDU — no SNMP, no outlet-level switching, no current monitoring. If the project scope includes remote power cycling or per-outlet load reporting (common in larger surveillance deployments), you'll need a different Vertiv PowerIT rPDU model with metered or switched capability.
For a regional school district or municipal facility deploying 4-8 surveillance cameras per closet on a 15A circuit with no upstream surge protection, the 38605 is the right call — compliant, warrantied, and zero-maintenance once it's racked.
