Switched Rack PDUs: Live Prices, Remote Outlet Control
Quick answer
A switched PDU can turn individual outlets on and off remotely, per the manufacturer's own stated capability for the class - the step up from metered's visibility-only design. 7 tracked in stock right now, from $99.99. That's a -15% step up from the cheapest metered unit we track.
Prices updated · live figures update about once a day
Every switched PDU we track is described by its own manufacturer as adding remote, per-outlet power control on top of metered's visibility - individual outlets can be turned on and off over the network, which is the stated mechanism behind remotely rebooting a hung device without a trip to the rack.
Who this suits, as a capability difference rather than a use case we invented: anyone managing equipment they cannot always reach physically, where a remote power cycle is the difference between a five-minute fix and a site visit. If you only need to see load, not control it, metered is the cheaper class built for exactly that.
The interface for that control - web, SNMP, a vendor app - is documented per model by its own maker, and we do not walk through configuration here; check the manufacturer's own setup documentation for the exact unit before relying on it in production.
We do not answer whether a specific circuit can take a specific load - that question has a real answer for your building and your wiring, and it belongs to a licensed electrician, not a website reading Amazon listings.
Where to go next
The PDU hub covers all four classes, including ATS, and the plug-and-receptacle section · Metered is the class below this one · The rack hub covers the enclosure this mounts in.
Frequently asked questions
What can a switched PDU actually do that metered can't?
Turn individual outlets on and off remotely - a capability the manufacturer states for the class, not a use case we're inventing. A metered PDU can only show you the load; a switched PDU can also cycle a specific outlet's power over the network, which is how it can remotely reboot a hung device without a trip to the rack.
How do I control a switched PDU remotely?
Through whichever interface its own manufacturer documents - typically a web interface, SNMP or a vendor app, per the listing and the maker's own product page. We do not walk through configuration steps here; that lives in the manufacturer's own documentation for the exact model.
Can a switched PDU accidentally cut power to something important?
Any remote control capability carries that risk if misconfigured, which is true of the class generally rather than a defect in a specific unit. We don't provide configuration guidance here - the manufacturer's own setup documentation for the exact model is the source to use before relying on it.
Switched or ATS - which do I need?
A switched PDU controls individual outlets on one power input; an ATS PDU has two power inputs and switches between them automatically if one fails, per the manufacturer's own description of that class. They solve different problems - outlet control versus single-circuit-failure protection - and some ATS units are also switched. Check the exact unit's stated capabilities.
Is switched worth the extra cost over metered?
That's a judgement about whether remote outlet control is worth its price to you - see the live step above, computed from our own tracked rows. The manufacturer's added capability is outlet-level switching itself; whether you need it is specific to your setup.
Do switched PDUs need a network connection to work?
For remote control, yes - per how every maker builds the class, the network interface is how you reach the switching function. Whether a specific unit still passes power to its outlets with no network connection (i.e., functions as a basic PDU without connectivity) is a question for that unit's own documentation, not something we assume.
Sources
Specification claims on this page were checked against the pages below on 4 August 2026. Where a widely-repeated figure did not survive that check, we report what the source says now and say so in the text rather than repeating the familiar number.
Used for: APC's own published figures for this specific, discontinued PDU: "Input current limits: 20 A" and "Line Rated Current: 16 A" - both quoted verbatim from the datasheet. Also "Input Connection Type: NEMA L5-20P" and "Number of power socket outlets: 24 NEMA 5-20R," the exact plug and outlet facts for this model.
Used for: The same two figures on APC's CURRENTLY SOLD replacement model: "Input current limits: 20 A" and "Line Rated Current: 16 A" - confirming the pattern is not specific to one discontinued part number. Also "Product availability: Stock - Normally stocked in distribution facility," confirming this model is not discontinued.
Used for: quoted verbatim: "Compared to the 5-15P plug, the 5-20P plug has the neutral blade rotated 90° and shifted..." and "The 5-20R receptacle has a T-shaped neutral hole, to accept both 5-15P and 5-20P plugs" - the mechanical basis for why a 5-15P plug fits a 5-20R receptacle but a 5-20P plug does not fit a plain 5-15R receptacle. The same rotated-blade relationship is confirmed for the NEMA 6 (240V) family between 6-15 and 6-20. The article itself cites the dimensional standard, ANSI/NEMA WD 6-2016.
Used for: quoted verbatim: C13/C14 rated "Max. current (A): 10" with "Pin spacing, centres (mm): 14 (H) / 4 (V)"; C19/C20 rated "Max. current (A): 16" with "Pin spacing, centres (mm): 13 (H) / 8 (V)" - different physical pin spacing at different amperages. Also quoted verbatim, the standard's own design principle: "The shape and dimensions of appliance inlets and connectors are coordinated so that a connector with lower current rating, temperature rating, or polarization cannot be inserted into an appliance inlet that requires higher ratings."
Used for: quoted verbatim from the standard's own text: "This standard covers dimensional requirements for plugs and receptacles rated up to 60 Ampere and 600 Volts" and its own dimension-grouping table showing 5-15/5-20 sharing one envelope size, L5-20/L6-20 sharing a second, and L5-30/L6-30 sharing a third, distinct third size - the standard's own numeric proof that these are mechanically different parts. This is a community-uploaded scan of NEMA's copyrighted standard, not a page NEMA itself publishes for free; stated as that distinction rather than presented as NEMA's own site.
Used for: quoted verbatim: "This 12U open frame rack supports stationary loads up to 1320 lbs" and the spec table's own "Weight Capacity: 1320 lbs" field - a static load rating sourced to the maker's own product page for this specific model. No dynamic/rolling load figure appears on this page; none is claimed here.
Used for: every price in this cluster's tables, read from our catalogue at request time. Seeded 13 September 2026: 44 PDUs across basic/metered/switched/ATS classes, 34 racks (2-post, 4-post, enclosed, wall-mount), 10 rack accessories (shelves, blanking panels, cable management). Every electrical field (plug type, amperage, outlet count/type) is extracted from the listing's own title text and is seller-claim tier unless a specific citation above upgrades it to vendor-fact; a blank field means the listing did not state it and we did not infer one. Static/dynamic load ratings were sourced for exactly one model (source #6); every other tracked rack's load rating is unverified, stated as such rather than estimated.