Will a NEMA L5-20P plug work in a NEMA L5-30R receptacle

apc-smart-upspower-distribution-unitups

I need to purchase a UPS & PDU and want to know if they will be compatible. Will the plug of the PDU be able to plug into this UPS?

The UPS: APC Smart-UPS X 3000VA Rack/Tower LCD 100-127V with Network Card

The PDU: Rack PDU, Basic, Zero U, 20A, 120V, (14)5-15

Edit

I will be running two 2U servers as well as 5 disk arrays with a combined total of 63 15k SAS drives. Each unit has redundant power. I plan on having one power cable go to each UPS. Will a 15A PDU be enough to carry this load?

2nd Edit

Also, where can I buy power cables in a different color, other than black?

Best Answer

You should not use a 20 amp plug on a circuit that is 30 amps. The connectors are designed to prevent you from mixing amperages this way. You should buy a 30 amp PDU if you are going to use a 30 amp UPS. Do not buy an adapter.

Mixing the two can cause a fire and is likely a violation of local electrical code and fire law.

Edit:

daveM is correct. But remember that you should only load a circuit to 80% of its capacity, or you can cause it to blow when all of the servers reset at the same time after a power outage. Also watch out for exceeding the BTU/sq. ft requirements of the cooling in your area.

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