Data centers are moving away from under floor cooling and cabling, and in many cases to overhead cables and more advanced cooling systems. At the same time, what may seem the simplest of things, power cables, are evolving and changing as well. The reasons are quite simple. New angles, new cable types, and even new connection types are designed to ensure maximum uptime, no cable failures and the prevention of disastrous accidental disconnects or power loss.
So what do these cables look like, and how can proper power cable usage prevent poor data center performance? Here are seven things to consider.
In the case of power cables, the shorter the cable the better. No matter how good the power cord is, what gauge it is, or how it is insulated, aggregate power loss occurs over the length of the cord. The longer the cord, the greater the loss. In a large data center this can add up to thousands of dollars of wasted power annually.
Not only does this harm the data center&#;s overall power usage efficiency (PUE) but it is also harmful to the environment, increasing carbon emissions or even just diminishing efficiency in centers that rely on renewable energy sources.
Use the shortest cable you can for the application, but one that is long enough to prevent any breaks or damage caused by odd connection angles or cable stress.
While shorter cables are better, larger gauge cables are better than their smaller counterparts, and for good reason. First, they carry power more efficiently. Even if smaller cables might meet your needs now, moves and changes or new equipment can increase the demand on power cables.
In that case, a larger gauge cable can future proof your data center, eliminating the need to change cables later on. Larger gauge cables also run cooler, so there is no additional burden on your HVAC systems or cooling plans.
We often talk about color coding data center cords, but color coding and labeling power cords is just as essential for avoiding the &#;spaghetti mess&#; server we have all encountered. But there&#;s more. Color coding helps you trace power from equipment to source, prevents duplicate power paths, and helps prevent accidental disconnects during moves or changes.
Choosing to color code power cords now will save you a lot of time and effort later on.
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) can be a nightmare in data centers. Unshielded data cables used in the same area as unshielded power cords can have a serious impact on data transmission and can result in data loss. Shielded power cords can reduce or even eliminate those odd &#;data drops&#; that are hard to find and isolate.
As with other power cable properties, a little foresight here can go a long way to preventing problems down the road.
Power cables are required to be jacketed, and the type of jacket is often dictated by local regulations and building codes. There are different materials you can and often must use based on where the cord is located, how it is used, and the restriction of the use of certain materials in various areas.
The key is to know the rules where you are, work with a vendor who can get the right cables for you consistently, and pay attention if regulations were to change.
The right length of cable is important, but so is the placement of equipment in relation to those cables. The wrong angle, too tight of turns, and other issues can cause cable breakage, disconnection and more. If necessary, use angled connectors and plugs.
Keep power cords tidy, angles to a minimum, and avoid crimping, bending, and tangling them with data cables.
Locking connections ensure that your cables stay where they are supposed to, and stay connected. There are several different types of locks, and each serves its own purpose. Be sure any connections you have, male, female, or otherwise, are appropriately locked in place with a tight and secure connection.
This prevents accidental disconnects, power loss through slight separation or loose connection, and other common power problems.
Are you planning your data center? Making moves and changes? Or are you looking for new, long term power cord solutions? Contact us here at AnD Cable. We have the cables you need to future proof your data center and ensure maximum uptime.
When choosing the correct power cord for household appliances and office devices, people often make costly mistakes by blindly selecting products they think will suit their needs. However, choosing the wrong products can only cause more problems and bring more expenses.
On the other hand, most people simply go with the longest and cheapest option, which is also wrong. The trick to making an informed decision and intelligent purchase is to know how to choose the suitable power cable for your specific needs.
To do that, you&#;ll need to inform yourself of the main factors to consider when deciding which extension cord power cord and extension cable to use. There is a wide range of hardware specifications to take into consideration when buying new power cables.
You need to consider why you need power cables. Each device, appliance, and workstation in your home and office requires a matching power cord. With that in mind, let&#;s get deeper into details regarding power cords to help you make the right decision.
Two of the most common power cable options you&#;ll find in almost every household and office are two-prong NEMA 1-15 and three-prong NEMA 5-15. Two-prong NEMA 1-15 is the perfect choice for various devices such as TVs, charger cords, lamps, electric fans, and so on.
However, NEMA 1-15 cords aren&#;t grounded; therefore, they can&#;t be used for supporting high-powered devices such as microwaves and refrigerators. You&#;ll need NEMA 5-15 for that. It is a three-prong power cord that comes with a round pin for ground wire use.
There is a wide selection of wire gauges for household and office extension cables. Which one you choose depends on the application. If you need to support heavy-duty items, you&#;ll need a thicker gauge cable. Thicker gauge cables allow more power to flow through it and are an excellent option for distances.
There are four standard wire gauge sizes for NEMA 5-15 plugs:
It&#;s always better to go with a thicker gauge cord than the recommended. Some people prefer thinner gauge wire with a right-angle power cable, but this solution could cause more issues because your devices and appliances do not have enough power to run. If you want to avoid malfunctioning and devices burning out, choose a thicker gauge cable.
Outer jacket is one of the essential factors when choosing the suitable power cable for your unique needs. For example, if you plan to use a power cord outdoors in colder temperatures, a regular power cord might become much harder to work with due to coldness.
Colder temperatures tend to stiffen up the power cable, making them hard to manage and use. In such situations, power cords with all-weather outer jackets are a much better solution. When choosing a power cord for outdoor use, go with the SJEOW standard for power cables.
With competitive price and timely delivery, zhuhaicable sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
SJEOW stands for:
Now, since you have some basic understanding of important things to know about power cords, let&#;s move on with the best tips and practices for choosing the correct power cord for your needs, as well as safety tips for working with power cords.
Here are some points to consider for choosing a suitable cable.
Since you can never correctly guess how long a power cord should be for a specific use, it&#;s always better to buy a longer cable to get some extra room for error. Longer wires are always helpful, more convenient, and safer too.
Of course, you can always connect one cable to another. Still, you risk adding electrical resistance between your device and the outlet that can cause voltage drops, making your devices and power tools run at lower power. Since this can start a fire, melt your cords, and cause other problems, you can avoid all this by simply buying a longer cable.
In applications where more power is needed, thicker cords always work better. The thicker the wires, the more power the cable can safely carry. This is vital for electrical applications over longer distances.
Any cable should run low-power devices and gear like stereo, battery chargers, and lights. However, if you want to safely run power tools like wet/dry vacs, saws, and drills at peak power, you&#;ll need a cord for maximum power.
Here is how to choose the correct length and thickness:
You can always make sure you have the correct power cord by checking the amperage rating on the packaging. We recommend you go with a 15 A rating. Avoid indoor/outdoor cables rated for 10 A or 13 A.
15 A fuses or breakers are pretty standard in most residential and commercial electrical panels. You can plug in any equipment or tool with a 15 A cable. More importantly, if the cable is pushed beyond its limits, it will cut off the power.
When it comes to contractor cables, anything up to 300 V will do as it meets workplace safety requirements. In terms of residential voltage in the US, 125 V or 130 V will do just fine.
Some power cables are simply designed to be more flexible and allow for a broader range of applications. The flexibility of use is crucial for applications at lower temperatures.
The more flexible a power cord is, the more usable it is in tight spaces, easier to store correctly, and stretch across your home or workspace. Opt for power cords listing temperatures below freezing as they are generally more flexible to work with.
Multi-outlet cables, also known as a banana tap, are commonly seen in residential and commercial properties. However, we don&#;t recommend using them for running work lights and power tools and equipment due to being easy to overload. If you require serious power, we recommend general-purpose cords with one outlet per cord.
The best option is to go with the less robust indoor cords for lower-power gear like wireless speakers, lamps, and chargers. However, most current building codes, including UL, don&#;t allow the use of extension cables in a permanent installation due to regular wear and tear making them a real fire hazard. Use them for digital devices and appliances that don&#;t require much power. Keep in mind that indoor cables aren&#;t weather resistant.
Let&#;s quickly cover the three types of extension cords- light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty.
These power cords, designed for light-duty devices, aren&#;t grounded and come with two plug prongs. You can use them for devices up to 7 amps and other light-duty appliances like clocks, lamps, etc. Recommended cord length:
Usually grounded, medium-duty cords come with the third wire and can power three plug grounded appliances. You can use them for computers, TVs, and any other similar device that requires up to 10 amps of power.
Recommended cord length:
Heavy-duty power cords fit the bill if you need cables that can support 10 to 15 amps of power. These are grounded cables that come with the grounding plug prong and include a third wire. They also have three-slot plugs for powering grounded appliance cables. These cords are perfect for heating appliances and power tools.
Recommended length:
If you&#;re looking for the best power cables for outdoor purposes that can also resist moisture, look for the cords with a built-in ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection that prevents shock hazards.
Taking precautions while working with power cables is extremely important. Since we cannot stress this enough, here are a few quick tips to keep you safe:
When you look at a power cord, you can see that it&#;s nothing more than a bundle of insulated electrical wires. While there&#;s nothing suspicious about that, the problem is that the electrical current flowing through those wires generates a lot of heat that can quickly turn a simple power cord into a real hazard.
If a power cord overheats, it can melt the plastic insulation and cause fires, short circuits, and more. In most situations, you&#;ll just power a device or an appliance by plugging it directly into a power outlet using its factory cable.
However, in situations where you don&#;t have a proper factory cord sized appropriately for the electrical current load and demand, you&#;ll need to work with what you have. If you exceed the safe load capacity, the consequences could be disastrous. In such cases, always take help from an expert.
We sincerely hope this guide helps you choose the suitable power cable for your commercial and residential needs. Even though it may sound a bit complicated initially, it&#;s isn&#;t that hard to get into it once you know what to look for. Keep these tips in consideration when buying power cables, and don&#;t forget to stay safe while working with power and extension cables.
If you don&#;t have anyone around who&#;s an expert in this field, it&#;s best to consult an electrician when you are tampering with electricity for the first time. So, be well prepared, and there should be no worries.
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