19" 12 Way Vertical UK PDU

A rack PDU takes one incoming mains supply and distributes it to several pieces of equipment inside a cabinet or rack.

It keeps the power distribution with the equipment rather than allowing a collection of ordinary extension leads to acquire a life of its own in the bottom of the cabinet.

No. The current range consists of basic power distribution units.

They do not provide network management, remote monitoring, power metering or remote outlet control.

A horizontal PDU mounts across the rack in the usual way and occupies rack space. A vertical PDU mounts down the side of the cabinet and consumes no front rack units.

Electrically they perform the same basic job; the distinction is mainly where you want the procession of power leads to live.

No. More outlets provide more connection points; they do not multiply the capacity of the incoming supply.

The total connected load still has to remain within the limit of the PDU and its input connection.

UK versions provide BS 1363 mains sockets for ordinary UK plugs. IEC versions provide C13 outlets for rack-equipment power leads with C14 plugs.

Mixed versions provide both.

The best choice is usually the one that matches the leads already used by the equipment rather than introducing adapters simply for the sake of variety.

No. Surge protection is only present on models specifically identified as surge protected.

Do not assume it is included simply because a product is a rack PDU.

No. They are intended for indoor use in data cabinets, network racks and similar equipment enclosures.

We do not specify them as weatherproof or for exposed outdoor installation.

Yes. The horizontal and vertical PDUs are supplied with four cage nuts, screws and washers for mounting the unit in a compatible rack or cabinet.

Choose the rack format that matches the cabinet.

The 10-inch horizontal models are intended for 10-inch racks, while the 19-inch range is intended for standard 19-inch cabinets and racks.

Yes. The BS 1363 plug-input models use a captive mains lead rather than a detachable inlet.

Most use a 3m lead, with a longer 5m version where specifically stated.

One switch controls the complete PDU. Switching it off turns off all of the outlets together.

A vertical PDU is useful when front rack space is more valuable than side space.

It mounts down the side of the cabinet and leaves every front rack unit available for equipment.

In a crowded cabinet that can be a much more sensible bargain than sacrificing a useful U just to put the sockets in a horizontal line.

The captive BS 1363 supply plug is fitted with a 13A fuse.

It is a removable guard intended to reduce accidental operation of the master switch.

Remove the cap to operate the switch, then replace it afterwards.

Because the guard is translucent, the illuminated switch remains visible while protected — a small piece of plastic doing a rather useful job.

We do not currently publish a product-specific per-outlet current figure for this PDU range.

Use the verified overall PDU load limit where one is specified and observe the ratings of the connected equipment, connectors and cables.

Yes. The UK-output models use standard BS 1363 socket outlets for equipment fitted with ordinary UK mains plugs.

The product label states a maximum total load of 13A for the BS 1363 plug-input models.

That is the total load across the PDU, not 13A for every outlet.

No. The limiting factor is the complete PDU and its incoming supply, not the arithmetic sum of a row of socket faces.

A bank of outlets is a distribution point, not a small power station.

Use the product-level load limit rather than multiplying one imagined socket rating by the outlet count.

Yes. Although the vertical models are designed with rack and cabinet installations in mind, they also work well as high-outlet-count indoor power strips in other locations.

The vertical description explains how the PDU fits a rack; it does not restrict the unit to cabinet use.

The vertical models have their mounting ears at the rear of the body rather than at the front like the horizontal units.

In a cabinet, those ears secure the PDU to suitable side mounting points using the supplied cage nuts, screws and washers.

No. The 13A figure is the maximum total load on the BS 1363 input models.

Six sockets do not conjure six independent 13A supplies out of one mains plug.

Add the connected equipment loads together and keep the combined figure within the PDU limit.

Add the input current of the equipment that will be powered from the PDU and keep the combined load within 13A.

If the equipment load is unclear, check its rating information rather than relying on the number of free sockets as an indication that more load can be added.

No. On the vertical models, that figure describes the physical height of the PDU body.

Because the unit mounts vertically down the side of the cabinet, it does not consume that amount of front rack space.

The figure describes the body itself, not a rack position that must be left empty.

No. It is a master switch, so every outlet on that PDU changes state together.

It is useful when that is what you intend, but it is not a substitute for individual outlet control.

One switch, one consequence.

The range is specified for a nominal 230V, 50Hz supply.

No. The vertical units mount at the side and do not consume front 19-inch rack units.

That is the principal advantage of the vertical orientation: the power distribution uses cabinet side space rather than competing with switches, patch panels and servers for the front rails.

No. The current range does not include individually switched or remotely controlled outlets.

Switched models use one master switch for the complete PDU.

Yes. The fixing ears are mounted at the rear of the PDU body, which makes surface mounting particularly practical.

It can be fixed under a desk, to a worktop, to a wall or to another suitable indoor surface using appropriate fixings for that material.

The result can be considerably tidier than leaving a large multi-socket extension lead wandering around on the floor.

No. Think of the outlets as branches from one incoming supply, not as separate little power allocations.

The combined load of everything connected to the PDU is what matters.

A vertical PDU is useful when you want a larger number of sockets spread along a long, rigid enclosure and would prefer the unit to stay neatly in position.

That makes it particularly handy under desks, on workbenches and in equipment areas where an ordinary extension strip can become a rather ungainly bundle of sockets, plugs and surplus cable.

It is still a basic indoor power-distribution unit rather than a managed or metered device; the advantage is mainly the form factor and the way it can be installed.

Yes.

It can be mounted on either side, so choose the position that gives the cleanest cable route and best access to the equipment power leads.

Yes.

The master switches are illuminated, and the light can be seen through the translucent protective cover while it is fitted.

Mount it on whichever cabinet side and in whichever practical orientation gives the power leads a natural route.

There is little virtue in creating a neat vertical installation and then making every mains lead perform an unnecessary detour to reach it.

A suitable approved adapter may solve a particular connection problem, but choosing the correct PDU or equipment lead is usually cleaner.

Every extra adapter adds another connection, more bulk and another object to accommodate in a cabinet that is rarely short of things already demanding space.

Choose UK outlets when the equipment is already fitted with BS 1363 mains plugs or when you want ordinary UK socket compatibility inside the cabinet.

It is often the straightforward choice for mixed office, telecoms or ancillary equipment that arrives with domestic-style mains leads and would otherwise require a procession of adapters.

The PDU bodies are aluminium, providing a rigid enclosure suited to rack mounting and other indoor installations.

Four cage nuts, four screws and four washers are supplied with the PDU.

No. The supplied cage nuts, screws and washers are intended for rack mounting.

If you are fixing the PDU to timber, masonry, a worktop or another non-rack surface, use suitable screws and fixings for that surface instead.

No. The current rack PDU range is mains-power only and does not include USB charging ports.