UPS to plug into a Nema 15-30

[BillP]

Sorry if this is a painfully stupid question but I've got a couple NEMA 15-30, 30A-250V receptacles in my datacenter and I'm wondering if there's any way to use this outlet for powering a rack?  I've googled around for a UPS that uses that plug with no luck.  I'm wondering if I can get a converter, or is that type of outlet used for specific types of appliances and no good for servers?

Thanks,

Isaac

[BillP]

This is a rare plug I haven't really seen or been asked about. This appears to be 3-phase too and all of our 3-phase stuff is around the same amperage and 5 wire (3 phases, ground, neutral) or the 4 wire stuff (3 phases, ground) like this receptacle is all higher amperage. I am most familiar with Rack PDUs and that is where my feedback comes from. I also was thinking most people at higher amperages look for locking plugs/receptacles and if it is 15-30R, it is a straight blade.

If you were to use a converter, you'd need something that is still 4 wire and supports 3 phase. Also, changing it out sounds involved for pulling new wires and stuff. I don't know if you have anything else available but it sounds easier not to use these. I asked around and nobody is really super familiar with it but I'll still try to dig a little bit. I feel like there must be a reason why you cannot find anything. Is the building old where these are? Just curious if it is something that is not typically used anymore and just has not been upgraded in your building/location.

[roger_apc]

Hi Isaac,

You might want to take a magnifying glass to the receptacle.  I often find them very hard to read.  Having one of those in a data center would be extremely unusual.  They are typicaly only used for 3-phase motors that do not require a neutral.  A much more common outlet would be a L5-30 (120V 30A) or a L6-30 (208V 30A).  If it is either of those, APC makes several UPS units that would plug directly into the outlet.  But if it is truly a 15-30, any electrician should be able to convert it to a L6-30 at a minimal expense.  All it would take is a new outlet (25 bucks? at Home Depot) and a new circuit breaker (50-75? at HD) and about one hour of time.  The biggest expense in adding new outlets is installing the conduit and pulling new wires.  Unfortunately, since there is no neutral installed, it could not (legally) be converted into a L5-30.

For general reference:

if the first # is a 5, the voltage = 120 (in the US) 125 volts max  (May be color coded yellow)

if the first # is a 6, the voltage = 208 or 240 (in the US) 250 volts max  (May be color coded Blue)

The # after the - is the current (15, 20, 30, etc.)

Add an "L" in front, and it becomes a locking plug or receptacle.

Append a "P" or an "R" at the end, and you identify it as a plug or receptacle.

While 5 and 6 are the most common first #'s there are bunch of others.  In computer rooms, I've seen L14-30 (locking, split phase, 30A) and L21-20 (locking, 3-phase, 20A).  In fact, I think APC makes PDU's with those plugs, and I think one of the "default" outlets on the Symmetra LX series is a L14-30.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[BillP · Accepted solution]

This wing of the building is only 10 years old, but maybe it was a little misleading to call the room a datacenter, I'm not sure it was designed with that use in mind.  The building is a research lab for biological sciences so I'm guessing the 15-30s were put in for autoclaves or -80 freezers or some other science stuff.

I'll bug the electricians about converting those to L6-30 and price out some a UPS or two that takes L6-30.  Thanks so much for all the great information!