Rack PDU with rear outlets, any suggestions?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Rack PDU with rear outlets, any suggestions?

bigfulla213

13 posts

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#237773 17-Jun-2018 21:45

I've been searching the internet everywhere but can't really find what I'm looking for. What I need is a power strip to mount in a rack which is going to supply all of my audio/visual/home automation equipment. Needs roughly 12 10A 3-pin NZ/AU sockets, don't mind if its 1U or 2U.

The problem I'm having is that all the PDU's I've found all have the plugs on the front panel, but I would rather them on the back so there isn't cables running all over the place in front of all the equipment in the rack. All equipment has outlet plugs on the back so I don't know why you would want the power strips outlets on the front, it just means you have to loop the cord all the way round to the front. Maybe just for the ease of setting up?

I have seen a lot of these in home network tour videos on youtube, but most are from people in the US who have different outlets...

The closest I can find is the PDH1601 from Wiretek in Australia which has outlets front and back, I could probably just get away with using the 10 on the back but then the front panel doesn't look all that clean with big white unused outlets all over it.

Something like the Furman M-8X2 is more what I want. Is there anything out there???

Side question: The whole rack set up is going into a brand new house still under construction. What would the advantages/disadvantages be if I just got normal wall plate outlets put in instead of having a rack power strip?

OmniouS

423 posts

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#2039296 17-Jun-2018 22:05

The outlets are usually on the front because these types of PDUs get mounted on the rear of the rack

Zeon

3918 posts

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#2039297 17-Jun-2018 22:12

OmniouS:

The outlets are usually on the front because these types of PDUs get mounted on the rear of the rack

I think this is the case mostly. I know its not ideal but if you have enough space between the rail and door, could you just mount a front facing PDU back to front?

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JWR

821 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2039312 17-Jun-2018 23:20

OmniouS:

The outlets are usually on the front because these types of PDUs get mounted on the rear of the rack

That is what I would think too.

Normally in a rack you would have the plugs at the back and pointing backwards. Then, you would run all the power cables up one side, using some sort of cable management, and plug into the back of your equipment.

You would run all the AC sensitive stuff (Audio/visual cables, Ethernet etc.) up the other side of the rack.

But, perhaps I am not understanding the question.

Is it some sort of wall mounted rack etc.,where you can't access the back of it easily?

JWR

821 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2039314 17-Jun-2018 23:23

Zeon:

OmniouS:

The outlets are usually on the front because these types of PDUs get mounted on the rear of the rack

I think this is the case mostly. I know its not ideal but if you have enough space between the rail and door, could you just mount a front facing PDU back to front?

That sounds like a viable option too.

bigfulla213

13 posts

Geek
Inactive user

#2039889 18-Jun-2018 16:28

Yes sorry, I am talking about a wall mounted rack, so I'm assuming when you say usually mounted at the back you are talking about a freestanding rack? I had a thought last night about mounting one backwards but I'll have to look over all of the PDU's that I managed to find and see if anything is viable.

MattR

224 posts

Master Geek

#2040355 19-Jun-2018 12:21

So you want something in the front of the rack, with the outlets on the rear of the PDU?

While not technically a PDU, the (now discontinued, so maybe available cheap) APC 7221 fits that description. Current model is the 4221

They're IEC outlets... needing AU/NZ plug will greatly limit your options.

trig42

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#2040358 19-Jun-2018 12:24

Has the rack you are looking at got rear mounting rails? You could just put the front facing PDU in the rear rails (but facing the front).

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bigfulla213

13 posts

Geek
Inactive user

#2040644 19-Jun-2018 17:03

I think I have found a rack that suits my needs from Rackpower, I have been e-mailing them the last few days and turns out they can do a unit like the one pictured with 4x USB outlets and 5x total 3-pin outlets (3 replace the IEC outlets). They say they can also supply reverse mounting brackets so I'm 90% sure this will work. Looking at getting 2 of these units and another 6x 3-pin outlet unit with surge protection which the others will run off.

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