Andy Delle
Senior Member
- Location
- Los Angeles CA
That's what the onsite building engineer said!
Touring a new data center I will be working on. The owner has installed 208v delta wired rack power strips using three groups of C13 and C20 receptacles. These terminate to a L15-30 3 phase plug. For those not familiar, a C13 is what you have on the back of your computer and many other electronic devices. This is also called an IEC connector and is used so that a product may sold in Europe or North America, in fact worldwide. UL and most international code agencies accept them as a male inlet connector as well as a receptacle on a product. A C20 is just a larger 20amp version of the 10a rated C13.
However the problem here is these connectors have 208v on them within an American installation. You typically use a C13 male to C13 female for a power cord. They also supply C13 to Edison adapters "where needed" but as you can see, that female 5-15 cord end is still 208v. Now I certainly realize most modern electronics, especially IT gear, uses switch mode power supplies and will work fine on 208v. But there are still devices with 120v 60hz power transformers as well as 120vac fans. Then there's power tools, work lights, soldering stations - all 120v only, which could be plugged into a rack during service via one of these cheerfully supplied adapter cords.
The question here is how does the NEC see this. I personally don't like it. If you want to use 208v in the USA, then use a 6-15/20.
P.S. At least the PDU's (local breaker panels) are fed from 480v delta to 208/120 wye transformers. So there is a neutral available, I just hope the panels have a neutral buss installed and wired to the transformer!
Exmple:
http://www.apc.com/shop/us/en/produ...HllVIBdE6hfztwARmQgvHniKm7h-epx4aAgRwEALw_wcB
Touring a new data center I will be working on. The owner has installed 208v delta wired rack power strips using three groups of C13 and C20 receptacles. These terminate to a L15-30 3 phase plug. For those not familiar, a C13 is what you have on the back of your computer and many other electronic devices. This is also called an IEC connector and is used so that a product may sold in Europe or North America, in fact worldwide. UL and most international code agencies accept them as a male inlet connector as well as a receptacle on a product. A C20 is just a larger 20amp version of the 10a rated C13.
However the problem here is these connectors have 208v on them within an American installation. You typically use a C13 male to C13 female for a power cord. They also supply C13 to Edison adapters "where needed" but as you can see, that female 5-15 cord end is still 208v. Now I certainly realize most modern electronics, especially IT gear, uses switch mode power supplies and will work fine on 208v. But there are still devices with 120v 60hz power transformers as well as 120vac fans. Then there's power tools, work lights, soldering stations - all 120v only, which could be plugged into a rack during service via one of these cheerfully supplied adapter cords.
The question here is how does the NEC see this. I personally don't like it. If you want to use 208v in the USA, then use a 6-15/20.
P.S. At least the PDU's (local breaker panels) are fed from 480v delta to 208/120 wye transformers. So there is a neutral available, I just hope the panels have a neutral buss installed and wired to the transformer!
Exmple:
http://www.apc.com/shop/us/en/produ...HllVIBdE6hfztwARmQgvHniKm7h-epx4aAgRwEALw_wcB
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