Power dependency configuration. Non-standart connections.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-02

Hi Team!

I need an advice for power dependency configuration with some kind of redundancy distribution.

We have a non-standart connections from racks to power panel. We have one circuit breaker for each rack at power panel, then we have a feed to junction box, where it's splitted into two feeds. One of them feeds rack-mounted UPS with rackPDU and other feeds second rack-PDU.

You can see diagram at the picture:

In this case we have two issues:

DCO currently don't support rack-mounted UPS in power path. I can workaround this issue with creating "virtual PDU", placed behind UPS.
It is impossible to connect two feeds to one circuit breaker on power panel. I need a junction box and I don't know how to model it properly. I can use additional power panels or PDU but it will be shown in chain and reports and needs in additional circuit breakers...

Do you have any ideas?

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-02

Thank you for reporting on your power setup. It is always interesting what kind of setups our customers have.

I have one question for you - is there a 3 phase UPS somewhere in the picture? E.g. is the main power panel - that provides power to the racks protected by a 3 phase UPS?

Now on to your questions:

The good news is that we are working on supporting single phase UPS for the release coming after 7.5.

The other feature you are missing is a junction box. I'm not aware of any good ways to model that at the present moment. We do have plans for modelling "in-rack distribution panels". This could solve your problem as it would allow to create a connection from a power panel to a small "in-rack distribution panel" with two outlets.

Unfortunately I see no good workarounds. The only one I can think of is to create a small floor standing PDU. But as you mention your self it will show up on the power path.

See Answer In Context

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-02

Thank you for reporting on your power setup. It is always interesting what kind of setups our customers have.

I have one question for you - is there a 3 phase UPS somewhere in the picture? E.g. is the main power panel - that provides power to the racks protected by a 3 phase UPS?

Now on to your questions:

The good news is that we are working on supporting single phase UPS for the release coming after 7.5.

The other feature you are missing is a junction box. I'm not aware of any good ways to model that at the present moment. We do have plans for modelling "in-rack distribution panels". This could solve your problem as it would allow to create a connection from a power panel to a small "in-rack distribution panel" with two outlets.

Unfortunately I see no good workarounds. The only one I can think of is to create a small floor standing PDU. But as you mention your self it will show up on the power path.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-02

Thank you Anders! To your question: yes, there is a 3-phase "main" UPS. Whole chain looks like this: Facility mains -> UPS -> Power panel -> Circuit breaker -> rack PDU -> load |-> rack UPS -> load In my mind, it's will be very useful to add upstream connections to the UPS models - to bigger UPS or facility switchgear.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-02

I have always wondered about the setup that you describe. If an outage appears - what happens when power come back? How do you handle the Rack UPS from a capacity point of view? They do not only carry the load - but they do them self generate an extra load for charging the batteries. So the A feed carry the server load and the B feed carry the server load and the rack UPS Charging load. We are also looking into having upstream connections from UPS to switch gear etc - be a little patient it is not that far away 🙂 /Anders

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-02

This question is closed for comments. You're welcome to start a new topic if you have further comments on this issue.