For every power supply, there is a separate cord that supports its work. Server power cord plays an important role in connecting the servers and PDUs. It is vital to choose the suitable network systems as power cord standards differ on the basis of the countries.

In this article, we will discuss the server power cords and their applications.

You can use power cords or jumper cords to connect with the server. They consist of three necessary components i.e. plug, cord, and receptacle. There are different types of cords available across the globe. But, amongst all, the most common ones are the IEC60320 power cords and NEMA power cords.

IECs are available in North America and other countries have NEMA cords. Going further among these server power cables, the most common among the vendors like Dell, HP, and many others are C13 to C14 power cords. There are many different types in these two types of cords.

Let's understand the applications of these power cords in different cabling systems:

2. Cabling in Low Density System:

    

4. It is easy to install cords for low density systems. For example, you need to take a server in a tower configuration, it needs to use a country-specific cord for direct connection to a facility AC feed.

    

6. The server availability requires providing redundant AC power to the server in the form of a redundant AC bus or a UPS.

    

8. Remember connecting with the local AC outlet requires you to have optional country-specific cords for each of the power supply.

10. Cabling for Medium Density:

     

12. Medium density system is a bit complex compared to the low density system. Hence, there are different types of accessories needed to achieve an effective connection.

     

14. Some servers contain hot pluggable fans accessible for sliding the chassis out on rails. Make sure that the cords or jumper cables connect to the server at the adequate length and slack to allow chassis movement and stay connected and running.

16. Cabling for High Density System:

     

18. Power cords used in high density systems are short as cable movement is little. There are three ways to connect enclosures to AC power:

    • C13 to C14 cords are useful to connect a single supply server to a vertical mount PDU and it is suitable for low density installations.
    • C13 x4 to C20 fixed cord extension bars: it is a method recommended for extreme density installations which uses redundant power supplies.
    • In the third category, it uses C13 x2 to C20 Y cable. It is useful for connecting a server with dual 1200 watts power supplies directly to a PDU core with C19 outlets.

    There are many cables which are useful for high density systems and for systems like this, color coding is a useful method.

20. further let's have a look at the best practices of these cords in the data centers and connecting with the power plug adapters.

     

22. While designing the data centers or mapping the racks, we often tend to forget the cords. But, choosing the correct cord helps you in lessening energy consumption, data center uptime, and service response times.

Without further ado, let's begin:

2. Length Cord:

    

4. The most important rule that you should have to build an efficient data center cord is choosing the right length. Shorter the length the better it is. Sometimes, there is power lost in the cords due to longer lengths, and this results in loss of hundreds of dollars annually.

    

6. The length of cords also plays a major role in the airflow within the data cabinets and longer cords cause a blockage.

8. Using the Correct Gauge:

    

10. It is important to select the correct gauge cord. The large diameter conductors carry electrical current more efficiently and it can be a fire hazard to use a cord using gauge that is too thin for the requirements.

12. Using color coded power cords:

     

14. Tracing a cord from source to equipment is foolproof if you are using different color cords. This can help you identify redundant power paths and can prevent unwanted disconnections while moving.

16. Use shielded pairs:

     

18. EMI is a serious issue in the data center. Usually, Ethernet cables have the connections made of unshielded twisted pair grade cable. If the unshielded twisted pair is within the proximity of an unshielded AC power cord, then EMI can occur. This results in performance degradation. Whereas, shielded cords can reduce the irregular data problems which can positively affect your organization.

Conclusion:

Server cords play a vital role in bridging the network device power supply system. One also needs to make sure about the power plug adapter they are using in data centers. Power cords are multipurpose and each of them has their own benefits.

Source: https://www.sooperarticles.com/shopping-articles/electronics-articles/all-about-power-cords-your-data-centers-1778156.html

For every power supply, there is a separate cord that supports its work. Server power cord plays an important role in connecting the servers and PDUs. It is vital to choose the suitable network systems as power cord standards differ on the basis of the countries.

In this article, we will discuss the server power cords and their applications.

You can use power cords or jumper cords to connect with the server. They consist of three necessary components i.e. plug, cord, and receptacle. There are different types of cords available across the globe. But, amongst all, the most common ones are the IEC60320 power cords and nema power cords.

IECs are available in North America and other countries have NEMA cords. Going further among these server power cables, the most common among the vendors like Dell, HP, and many others are C13 to C14 power cords. There are many different types in these two types of cords.

Let's understand the applications of these power cords in different cabling systems:

2. Cabling in Low Density System:

    

4. It is easy to install cords for low density systems. For example, you need to take a server in a tower configuration, it needs to use a country-specific cord for direct connection to a facility AC feed.

    

6. The server availability requires providing redundant AC power to the server in the form of a redundant AC bus or a UPS.

   Remember connecting with the local AC outlet requires you to have optional country-specific cords for each of the power supply.

8. Cabling for Medium Density:

    

10. Medium density system is a bit complex compared to the low density system. Hence, there are different types of accessories needed to achieve an effective connection.

    Some servers contain hot pluggable fans accessible for sliding the chassis out on rails. Make sure that the cords or jumper cables connect to the server at the adequate length and slack to allow chassis movement and stay connected and running.

12. Cabling for High Density System:

     

14. Power cords used in high density systems are short as cable movement is little. There are three ways to connect enclosures to AC power:

    • C13 to C14 cords are useful to connect a single supply server to a vertical mount PDU and it is suitable for low density installations.
    • C13 x4 to C20 fixed cord extension bars: it is a method recommended for extreme density installations which uses redundant power supplies.
    • In the third category, it uses C13 x2 to C20 Y cable. It is useful for connecting a server with dual 1200 watts power supplies directly to a PDU core with C19 outlets.

    There are many cables which are useful for high density systems and for systems like this, color coding is a useful method.

     

    Going further let's have a look at the best practices of these cords in the data centers and connecting with the power plug adapters.

     

16. While designing the data centers or mapping the racks, we often tend to forget the cords. But, choosing the correct cord helps you in lessening energy consumption, data center uptime, and service response times.

Without further ado, let's begin:

2. Length Cord:

    

4. The most important rule that you should have to build an efficient data center cord is choosing the right length. Shorter the length the better it is. Sometimes, there is power lost in the cords due to longer lengths, and this results in loss of hundreds of dollars annually.

    

6. The length of cords also plays a major role in the airflow within the data cabinets and longer cords cause a blockage.

8. Using the Correct Gauge:

    

10. It is important to select the correct gauge cord. The large diameter conductors carry electrical current more efficiently and it can be a fire hazard to use a cord using gauge that is too thin for the requirements.

12. Using color coded power cords:

     

14. Tracing a cord from source to equipment is foolproof if you are using different color cords. This can help you identify redundant power paths and can prevent unwanted disconnections while moving.

16. Use shielded pairs:

     

18. EMI is a serious issue in the data center. Usually, Ethernet cables have the connections made of unshielded twisted pair grade cable. If the unshielded twisted pair is within the proximity of an unshielded AC power cord, then EMI can occur. This results in performance degradation. Whereas, shielded cords can reduce the irregular data problems which can positively affect your organization.

Conclusion:

Server cords play a vital role in bridging the network device power supply system. One also needs to make sure about the power plug adapters they are using in data centers. Power cords are multipurpose and each of them has their own benefits.

Source: https://www.sooperarticles.com/shopping-articles/electronics-articles/all-about-power-cords-your-data-centers-1778156.html

Battery science is still developing. We do not have devices that can last long on a single charge or ones that require no charge at all. We need to charge everything, and all consumer gadgets are fighting each other in the market by showing off battery specs.

But the true power still lies in the power cable. The better it is, the faster your device will charge without heating up.

This brings to light the power cables that gadgets use and the reason behind it. While there are various types of power cords, North America generally relies on the company: National Electrical Manufacturers Association or NEMA. When it comes to power cables, there is no other name more popular. This power cable is standard across the continent.

The thing to know mainly about the NEMA power cord is that it comes in two variants: ungrounded and grounded. The grounded one has a grounding pin in addition to two flat pins and the ungrounded one just has two flat pins. Appliances that require more voltage use the grounded cord and ones that require less voltage use the ungrounded cord.

Let’s walk through a typical household and see the variations we find in the power cords:

Laptops

Laptops have the NEMA power cord in two parts. The power supply part has an adapter for AC-DC conversion. Alternative Current flows through power cords but since laptops cannot handle that much voltage, despite it being stable, the adapter converts it to Direct Current that is at a lower voltage. This adapter detaches from the main power cord and has the laptop’s charging pin at the end. A laptop being a battery-operated device means that its battery can recharge at low voltage.

Kitchen Appliances

One of the biggest kitchen appliances is the refrigerator. It requires high voltage and therefore it needs to use the earthing connection via the grounded NEMA power cord. This protects the user and the device from high voltage. Similarly, a microwave also requires a grounded power cord. Other smaller kitchen appliances like a toaster, blender, etc. function on low voltage and therefore only need ungrounded power cords.

Entertainment Setup

A typical entertainment setup has a TV, soundbar, gaming console, and a streaming box. These gadgets require less voltage. Some of these devices have a cable directly built in, and some don’t. These are items that we use over the course of at least five years and therefore it is crucial that their power cords are top notch and don’t malfunction easily.

Smart Home Appliances

It is the era of the connected home. Not only will you find devices that are smart and have fancy sensors, but also power plugs themselves are smart. If you plug a smart plug into your wall outlet and then plug in any normal appliance, like a lamp or a music player or a toaster, then you can control that device without using physical switches. If you plug in a lamp, then you can also automate it to turn on every evening at sunset by itself.

Similarly, you can automate a lot of devices, like your coffee machine for mornings, or your Christmas lights for every night in December. Smart plugs take traditional gadgets or appliances and add intelligence to them.

Across the continent, you can safely plug in a device with the NEMA power cord since all wall sockets are compatible with it. They are also the standard one that all gadget use.

Before plugging in anything, it is always safer to check what voltage your device can handle and plug it into a matching wall socket. This prevents a risk of electricity overload and hazards due to it.

Some wall sockets are also USB ports but not everything runs on USB power. Hence, the NEMA power cord is most certainly here to stay.

While they cannot carry data and electricity both, they are essential for power supply. Most devices don’t need data to run anyway. Devices that require data or use data transfer are also plug and play, therefore they need the dual function. But apart from those, a power cable is enough to use as a power supply.

Wrapping Up:

Power supply is changing for many devices in this emerging smart IoT world. But nothing is about to start running on power supply over the air. The NEMA cord is here to stay.

And you should definitely know all about them.

At SF Cable, we stock a variety of these for whatever purpose you need them. Get in touch with us for more information regarding the nuances of power cables and guidance for selecting one.

Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/power-cables-here-stay-why/

Battery science is still developing. We do not have devices that can last long on a single charge or ones that require no charge at all. We need to charge everything, and all consumer gadgets are fighting each other in the market by showing off battery specs.

But the true power still lies in the power cable. The better it is, the faster your device will charge without heating up.

This brings to light the power cables that gadgets use and the reason behind it. While there are various types of power cords, North America generally relies on the company: National Electrical Manufacturers Association or NEMA. When it comes to power cables, there is no other name more popular. This power cable is standard across the continent.

The thing to know mainly about the NEMA power cord is that it comes in two variants: ungrounded and grounded. The grounded one has a grounding pin in addition to two flat pins and the ungrounded one just has two flat pins. Appliances that require more voltage use the grounded cord and ones that require less voltage use the ungrounded cord.

Let’s walk through a typical household and see the variations we find in the power cords:

Laptops

Laptops have the NEMA power cord in two parts. The power supply part has an adapter for AC-DC conversion. Alternative Current flows through power cords but since laptops cannot handle that much voltage, despite it being stable, the adapter converts it to Direct Current that is at a lower voltage. This adapter detaches from the main power cord and has the laptop’s charging pin at the end. A laptop being a battery-operated device means that its battery can recharge at low voltage.

Kitchen Appliances

One of the biggest kitchen appliances is the refrigerator. It requires high voltage and therefore it needs to use the earthing connection via the grounded NEMA power cord. This protects the user and the device from high voltage. Similarly, a microwave also requires a grounded power cord. Other smaller kitchen appliances like a toaster, blender, etc. function on low voltage and therefore only need ungrounded power cords.

Entertainment Setup

A typical entertainment setup has a TV, soundbar, gaming console, and a streaming box. These gadgets require less voltage. Some of these devices have a cable directly built in, and some don’t. These are items that we use over the course of at least five years and therefore it is crucial that their power cords are top notch and don’t malfunction easily.

Smart Home Appliances

It is the era of the connected home. Not only will you find devices that are smart and have fancy sensors, but also power plugs themselves are smart. If you plug a smart plug into your wall outlet and then plug in any normal appliance, like a lamp or a music player or a toaster, then you can control that device without using physical switches. If you plug in a lamp, then you can also automate it to turn on every evening at sunset by itself.

Similarly, you can automate a lot of devices, like your coffee machine for mornings, or your Christmas lights for every night in December. Smart plugs take traditional gadgets or appliances and add intelligence to them.

Across the continent, you can safely plug in a device with the NEMA power cord since all wall sockets are compatible with it. They are also the standard one that all gadget use. Before plugging in anything, it is always safer to check what voltage your device can handle and plug it into a matching wall socket. This prevents a risk of electricity overload and hazards due to it.

Some wall sockets are also USB ports but not everything runs on USB power. Hence, the NEMA power cord is most certainly here to stay.

While they cannot carry data and electricity both, they are essential for power supply. Most devices don’t need data to run anyway. Devices that require data or use data transfer are also plug and play, therefore they need the dual function. But apart from those, a power cable is enough to use as a power supply.

Wrapping Up:

Power supply is changing for many devices in this emerging smart IoT world. But nothing is about to start running on power supply over the air. The NEMA cord is here to stay. And you should definitely know all about them.

At SF Cable, we stock a variety of these for whatever purpose you need them. Get in touch with us for more information regarding the nuances of power cables and guidance for selecting one.

Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/power-cables-here-stay-why/

IEC Standard Power Cord

• Cost-effective
• Compact
• Reacts quickly to overloads
• Inherently finger-safe

NEMA Power Cord

• Good for enduring short circuits
• Suitable for a broad range of applications

The Difference

• NEMA: North Americans primarily use this standard and the people doing businesses hugely with North America. These are the general benchmark for technical requirements.
• IEC: This standard applies to multiple countries. They are the general benchmark for technical requirements globally.

The Selection:

• NEMA: It is easy to select. Know your horsepower and voltage and you will find your cord.
• IEC: You will need more details for the selection process. Like Motor load, duty cycle, and full load current.

The Production:

• NEMA: Its product design focuses mainly on the ability to use the products in a wide range of applications. Most people who use this standard have general requirements.
• IEC: These products are generally smaller and less expensive. They require more details and well-defined operating conditions.
• NEMA: Most of the NEMA products come fully assembled. But you can customize some of the products like interchangeable thermal units.
• IEC: With IEC products, these starters come as separate components. It comes with a contractor, an auxiliary block, and an overload relay block.

The Security:

• NEMA: These devices can withstand short circuits with built-in reserve capacity.
• IEC: IEC starters include single-phase detection with faster reaction to overload conditions.
• NEMA: As NEMA starters have an open design, they require safety covers.
• IEC: IEC contactors and starters are finger-safe.

The Takeaway:

Common Misunderstandings