Getting Power to a Rack Enclosure? 92
JazzyJ asks: "I need some ideas on some fire/electrical code compliant ways to get power into some bare bones rack mount enclosures I have. The racks are essentially in the center of a room with 3 ft around all sides. There's a 4 outlet box on each wall. Other than getting building maintenance to drop me a circuit along the floor or out of the ceiling, what options for getting power into these monsters do I have? Extension cords are right out, that is against fire/electrical code. Help!?"
Elbonian Fire Codes (Score:5, Funny)
Greater Elbonia has virtually no safety laws, being mostly mud flats with little natural resources and almost no government. Therefor, if extension cords are out (which surprises me, but perhaps they short out in the mud) and you can't get drops properly placed by building maintenance (and I can imagine how hard that is in Greater Elbonia), I would suggest beaming microwaves from the wall to the rack.
This has several advantages: *
* Advantages may be outweighed by frying every circuit in your computers.
true story (Score:4, Interesting)
True story: a customer had one of our systems in a rack, and it worked great when all closed up. But as soon as they opened the cover to see the pretty lights that blinked while we recorded the data generated by their radar system, the system stopped working. We had debugged it in the lab with the covers off (albiet with simulated data), so it should work best in this configuration.
Problem: humongus radar sitting on the roof of the building was glitching our circuit... that was the radar we were recording data off of, and the whole purpose of our system. Closing the front cover shielded us. We had concentrated on recording the binary data that their A/D's were giving us, and had forgotten the implications of the source of this data.
Just get power from the internet (Score:4, Funny)
Telepathy! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Telepathy! (Score:2)
seriously this just about the most stupidest ask slashdot(not the most, there have been ask slashdots that have been way much more stupid). unless he has lifted floors i'd go for the ceiling solution.
Re:Telepathy! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Telepathy! (Score:2)
Re:Telepathy! (Score:2)
Re:Telepathy! (Score:2)
Re:Telepathy! (Score:2)
Hydroelectric power (Score:3, Funny)
Just run a big fat hose from the nearest water tap and pipe it into a small hydroelectric turbine near the computer rack.
Advantages:
Shielded from spikes on the grid
Use the water to cool the servers
UPS functionality - as long as you have water, you have power
The whine from the turbine will drown out the whine from your manager
No cords!
Consult an expert (Score:5, Informative)
- Look up number for an electrician.
- Call the number, and ask whoever answers the same question.
Re:Consult an expert (Score:2)
I've got a great solutions (Score:1, Funny)
equipment required:
4 Microwave ovens (800W or greater)
4 metal trash can lids
40' copper tubing
Oh crap, I'm late for my brain tumor treatments, but as soon as I get back I'll post the rest of the instructions...
Just a guess... (Score:1)
(Pay no attention to prices, Blackbox is just the first pro-stuff vendor with an online catalog that came to mind; I'm sure you can find something elsewhere for [much] cheaper.)
Re:Just a guess... (Score:3, Informative)
I have similar considerations... (Score:2)
I've been considering installing pullable tiled office flooring in my basement that brings the floor up three inches and stringing my cables underneath it.
Or consider that you might not need four-side access to the rack. Front and back seem to be enough for me, so I hid my CDC Network Processor Unit cabinet behind th
Re:I have similar considerations... (Score:2)
My cat did it more than once... (Score:1)
Re:I have similar considerations... (Score:1)
The computer room is also the media room. Computers on one wall, 32" HDTV and video equipment on opposite wall, and a Firewire connection between them (and 3 powered Firewire hubs to go the distance between them).
I'm in that room most of the time, and I don't think it wise to leave a new kitten on its own all the time. He needs attention if only so he can learn proper behavior. He isn't in the computer/media room without observation.
The cables are also a trip hazard for mys
Re:I have similar considerations... (Score:2)
Re:I have similar considerations... (Score:2)
My pet problem has been the scent-markings of 3 cats who don't always get along. They get everything. The file cabinet. The bookshelves. The desk. The computer cases. They even got up on the desk and got the ZIP drive and scanner. It's awful. Keeping the door shut helps, but not when you don't realize that one has hidden himself in the back of the closet, and you've now locked him in instead of out.
The solution, for the tower cases at least, was to set them in open-topped plastic totes. The air could
Re:I have similar considerations... (Score:2)
Can I tell a dumb story? Great! Back in the NT4 and dialup days I had this little chihuahua that was teething, and we all know that when a dog is teething it chews whatever the crap it wants and nothing you give it to chew. So I would try to keep him out of the computer room because he would sit under the computer and chew wires, and pretty soon the KVM would stop working, the left speaker would go silent, but luckily he never got anything high voltage ...
Now anyone
Disguise your extension cord as a UPS (Score:2)
Re:Disguise your extension cord as a UPS (Score:2)
Oh, do I rue the day my wife brought home a 10amp vacuum cleaner... though she is still laughing at me for having to adding a circuit because I got a "deal" on an HP laserjet.
No question, time to talk with an electrician.
Re:Disguise your extension cord as a UPS (Score:1)
Re:Disguise your extension cord as a UPS (Score:1)
Re-splice the cord to your power supplies or UPSes. Go to Home Depot and get 30-amp rated 3 wire power cabling and some plugs. Should work well. Run it through floor conduit (those platic troughs) so people don't rip the cords out.
maybe only on the floor? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:maybe only on the floor? (Score:2)
There are overhead cable trays for a reason (Score:4, Informative)
Just bring the mountain to Muhammad instead (Score:2)
Or, if the racks are too heavy to move, why not put another rack halfway between wall and current rack and you only have a couple of inches to bridge instead of 3 feet.
Ask Slashdot...the home version! (Score:5, Funny)
Will you please do my job for me, as I am too fat/lazy to pick up the phone and call an electrician. Besides, my special dialing wand hasn't arrived yet and, technically, I shouldn't be using the phone at all for medical reasons. Tell you what! To make it extra fun, I won't tell you where I am or any local laws that might apply to my situation. Let the endless speculation begin!
Oh, and please hurry! I'm trying to leave early today and my boss wants an answer first thing in the morning.
Re:Ask Slashdot...the home version! (Score:4, Funny)
Apparently people are building "server rooms" with
1. No cooling
2. No power
3. No effing sense
and are then asking to be rescued. It's like asking Lucy VanPelt for therapy.
The Doctor is OUT.
I can tell ya what not to do (Score:2, Funny)
The results were pretty, but I wouldn't recommmend getting power to your rack this way. I had a hard enough time explaining to my dad the scorch that went up the wall, let alone the clock radio never working right. Though I think I kn
So basically... (Score:3, Funny)
The Union Way (Score:5, Funny)
1) Put in a request to the building&grounds people that you need a new junction box placed within easy access of the racks.
2) They promise you a quick response.
3) After six weeks, realize you need power _now_ and run a few power strips through the floor panels.
4) Union rep appears 1 hour later, removes strips , fines your department for using non-union labor.
5) Wait 2 more months, still no response from union electrician. Run an extension cord from your office, across the hall, into the room, thus not violating Union reqs (no floor panels touched!)
6) Fire marshall appears, fines department for fire hazard.
7) Dean of department calls you in, explains they are firing you due to the trouble you've caused in fines and Union difficulties. Voila! Problem solved, you no longer need to worry about power to the racks!
(And oddly enough, I support unions in general!)
Re:The Union Way (Score:1)
Wires (Score:4, Funny)
drop (Score:4, Informative)
HUBBELL
Multi-oulet assembly
HBLPP10A
Issue No: 3084
Found here [grainger.com].
Re:drop (Score:3, Insightful)
why not? (Score:4)
Re:why not? (Score:2)
General comments (Score:4, Informative)
Running cables along the floor is a bad idea both because of the tripping hazard, and the potential to short out the wires.
Get an electrician out there and have him move the circuits to the racks. I would recommend having a about 3' of slack (LFMC conduit), and attach the outlet box to the rack via "temporary" means.
(If you are in CA, you don't want to make a permanant connection to the racks, as supplemental seismic bracing may be required.)
Re:General comments (Score:1)
I'd be really interested in an NEC cite for that, since I don't recall reading that in the book, handbook or explanatory documents.
And the UL bit is interesting also. Care to explain how Home Depot can sell a 50ft, 16ga, UL listed cord? (eg Model 000-HD809-543, Store SKU# 809543, I
Re:General comments (Score:2)
Per NEC Article 305-3 (1996), Temporary use is considered during periods of construction, 90 days, or during emergencies and tests.
Article 400 provides information on flexible cords and connections, including permissable uses. It specifically states t
Make it Battery Operated (Score:2, Funny)
Get as many Submarine StandBy Batteries [used-line.com] as needed to run this for the expected period of time. (months, years...)
Now you have the Rack powered with no external wiring!
Here's the best solution: (Score:1, Flamebait)
Re:Here's the best solution: (Score:1)
Re:Here's the best solution: (Score:1)
I wanna fly (Score:3, Funny)
How can this best be accomplished without using wires/cords, or any sort of attachemnt/tractor beam?
Get local (Score:3, Insightful)
You're obviously a competent guy - you thought to see weather what you wanted to do was legal, as opposed to many who would just have done it. So why not take the extra step, and hire someone who's job it is to know the particularities of your local regulations? There may be a wealth of experience here, but that dosen't make up for being a licensed electrician located nearby who can come and inspect the place and tell you what you need.
Normally, I support doing it yourself. But if you're going as far as thinking of fire codes, you may as well get the right answer (and I suspect your insurance premiums may thank you too).
Gerbils (Score:2)
I would say 1357 Gerbils/CPU should do it. Don't forget to grease the wheels, or you'll go mad the next time you have to install an OS.
Vacuum Arc (Score:1)
Step that sucker up to 500 Kv and power it directly FROM the wall - No steenking cords required!
Get a big vacuum pump to remove the air from the room and you're happenin!
Of course fans don't work so well when there is no air (although they spin REALLY fast), you might have to investigate other methods of cooling.
No need to send money, I'm just Glad I could 'Help'!
Hire a (Score:1)
Wormhole (Score:5, Funny)
Note: You may also want to run your ethernet cables through there as well, to function as a very convenient, low-cost hyper-dimensional gigabit wireless network.
Either use Ladder Panel or run a floor conduit (Score:1)
But, to get power/data cables into free standing racks, why not just user ladder panel? It's relatively cheap and most drywall type laborers can install it. I prefer chatsworth ladder panel myself, but just about any will do. Some people even like to do double decker to keep power on one level and data on another. As for the actual cable runs, you can probably get an electrician to come in and install twistlock style wall outlets for you so the cables aren't accide
Here is a link (Score:1)
Universal Cable Runway [chatsworth.com]
It is relatively cheap and it's easy enough to install.
The most obvious solution (Score:2)
microwave transducers! (Score:2)
PS.
Thank you for the responses. (Score:1)
Second: The reason why I asked slashdot was to really get a feel for some of the less obvious solutions that perhaps myself or our building maintenance personnel might come up with.
The unfortunate reality is, even though it is not the ideal, sometimes you do need a less expensive solution. I work for a municipal government. Politics and managerial whims dictate a great deal as to what has priority. The best plan/budget don't mean squat if the City Council or Cit
And the collective experience ... (Score:2)
Legally you need an electrition, so hire one (Score:2)
Unless you live in a strange area (where laws let you do things you can safely do...) you legally have to call an electrition to do this. Your facilities guys cannot do this, so they won't help.
Re:Legally you need an electrition, MOD UP (Score:1)
The electrical code for residential wiring is large, for commercial buildings it's very large, and for industrial it's scary!. You need an electrician.
-Steve
Seriously... (Score:1)
think outside the box! (Score:3, Funny)
-Plug a Van de Graaf generator into the outlet. Put wires on top of the rack (e.g. a lightning rod). Attach to a capacitor and a DC-AC converter, and you're golden.
-Set up a bunch of rechargeable batteries and an army of Lego Mindstorms robots to shuttle the batteries back and forth from the outlet to the rack.
-Put in really bright overhead lights and solar panels on top of each rack.
-If you have a good AC system, thermal couplings between the AC and the machines might generate enough power. The laws of thermodynamics were made to be broken!
-Hamsters, water bottles full of Jolt cola, and hamster wheels hooked to generators.
-Finally, Steampunk is not just a frings Sci-Fi/RPG genre. A few cans of Sterno and a boiler can provide you with enough steam to run whatever computational engines you might have.
Duh! (Score:2)
Klowner
Real usefull suggestion (Score:2)
1. Purchase a very large fan [ebay.com]
2. Get a 12v to 120v inverter
3. Purchase one of these turbines [lehmans.com]
4. Install the turbine on the rack and wire up the inverter to your gear
5. Plug in the fan and enjoy your creativity (Great cooling performance is a bonus)
Think outside the box? I believe that the is no box!
SD
Try arcing (Score:2)
Use a Tesla coil (Score:1)
Motor. Belt. Generator. (Score:2)
Place a large electrical motor near the power outlet. Place a generator in the rack. Connect the two with either a V-belt or a shaft.
So that OSHA (or your state industrial safety office) doesn't have a fit, be sure to install appropriate guards and lots of labels with DANGER! in large, block letters.
Plan B: Similar in concept, except that instead of an electric motor, you run a garden hose to a turbine directly connected to th
The Matrix (Score:2)
It this becoming Slackdot?
Hey, I have a solution for you! (Score:2)
Moving things? (Score:1)
Underwires (Score:1)
Go nuclear (Score:1)
Need a New "Ask Slashdot a joke question" section (Score:2)
use UL listed PDU's and you are legal (Score:1)
the PDU, preferably mounted in your rack.
That makes it a legal install in all the
US electrical codes that I have heard of,
and a simple "buy one, install it" solution.
rb
Ladder Rack (Score:2)
The ladder should be 7' or higher from the floor.