Eaton Rack PDU G4, 12 to 100 A across Basic, Metered Input, Metered Outlet and Managed tiers

Renamed from ePDU, and the only line here publishing a documented controller upgrade path

Eaton Rack PDU G4, 12 to 100 A across Basic, Metered Input, Metered Outlet and Managed tiers is one of 5 power distribution units tracked in the SecondWatt catalogue, each with specifications, lead times and indicative secondary-market pricing.

Eaton Rack PDU G4 dossier: renamed from ePDU, 12 to 100 A across four tiers, 1% Class 1 metering, controller upgrade path and observed pricing.

Eaton's current market-facing name for this line is Rack PDU G4, not ePDU G4. The ePDU name belongs to the earlier generations, and Eaton published an end-of-life notice dated 1 January 2021 covering a long list of legacy EBA, EMA, EMI, EMO and ePBZ series models. G4 launched in December 2023 and runs four tiers: Basic, Metered Input, Metered Outlet and Managed. The generation change is substantive rather than cosmetic. G4 moved from a single 10/100 Mb port to dual Gigabit Ethernet, added REST API, MQTT and Modbus TCP to the SNMP, CLI and SSH that G3 supported, extended the standard warranty from two years to three, and added 1U and 2U horizontal form factors alongside the 0U vertical. The commercially decisive feature for a used buyer is controller continuity. Eaton publishes explicit instructions for replacing a G3-era network management card with the G4 Gigabit module on compatible units, which means an older power section is a firmware upgrade rather than a write-off. That is the strongest answer in this category to the problem that ends most rack PDU lives.

Why it matters

A documented upgrade path from one controller generation to the next is the single most valuable thing a manufacturer can publish for a secondary market in this category. Firmware support rather than wear is what ends a rack PDU's life, so a power section that can take a current network module keeps its value in a way that a fixed-controller unit cannot.

Who buys it

Enterprise and colocation operators standardising a rack power platform across a fleet, and owners of an installed G3 base deciding between replacement and a controller upgrade. Eaton positions the line at up to 100 A and up to 48 managed outlets, so the buyer is typically fitting high-density cabinets rather than network closets.

Role in the data center

Cabinet power distribution and per-outlet measurement in enterprise and colocation halls, including high-density cabinets where three-phase 400 or 415 V distribution and 63 A or higher feeds apply.

Key specifications

Technical summary

Tiers: Basic, Metered Input, Metered Outlet and Managed Input, single phase: 100 to 240 V, 100 to 127 V, 200 to 240 V and 208 V options Input, three phase: 120/208 V wye, 208 V delta, 240/415 V wye and 230/400 V wye Current: 12 A to 100 A depending on model, with 16, 32 and 63 A example configurations published Outlets: C13, C19 and the C39 combination outlet; up to 54 outlets and up to 48 managed Metering accuracy: 1% IEC Class 1 billing-grade for voltage, current, watts and kilowatt-hours Network: REST API, SNMPv3, Modbus TCP, MQTT, CLI and SSH on dual Gigabit Ethernet ports Daisy chain: up to 32 units, or 40 per the EMEA catalogue, using RSTP Environmental sensors: up to 3 Environmental Monitoring Probe Gen 2 units per PDU Form factors: 0U vertical primary, plus 1U and 2U horizontal new in G4 Certifications: UL 2900-1 and IEC 62443-4-2 cybersecurity certifications Warranty: 3 years standard against 2 on G3, extendable by 1 or 3 further years

Configurations and options

The common data center build is a 0U Managed unit with the colour LCD, dual Gigabit ports and C13 and C39 outlets. The C39 outlet is an Eaton design accepting both C14 and C20 plugs, so it is not an IEC 60320 standard designation and should not be described as one.

Compatibility and dependencies

The C39 outlet is proprietary, so a rack standardised on it constrains future PDU choice. Two Eaton documents disagree on the cascade limit, at 32 units against 40, so the figure should be taken from the document matching the firmware in service. Network module compatibility between G3 and G4 applies to specific units and should be checked per part number.

Pricing and availability

Published price range: $1,199 - $2,855 per unit new. Trend: flat Lead time, new: Distributor stock.

Lifecycle and maintenance

A rack PDU has almost no wearing parts in the power path, so service life is set by firmware support rather than hardware fatigue. Warranty terms cluster at two to five years: Raritan two extendable to five, Eaton three on the G4 against two on the G3, CyberPower three, and Vertiv five if registered within 120 days. What actually ends a unit's life is the controller: when a manufacturer stops issuing firmware, a networked PDU becomes an unpatchable device on a production network. That is why controller replaceability matters more than any mechanical specification here, and why Eaton publishing an upgrade path from its G3 network card to the G4 module, and Raritan shipping a hot-swappable controller, are the most commercially significant features in this category.

Common failure points

• Outlet relay failure — An outlet will not switch, or switches but does not report state, on a unit whose entire premium is remote control
• Firmware obsolescence — An unsupported controller leaves published vulnerabilities open on a device that can power-cycle production loads remotely
• Firmware licensing — Network management card firmware moved to paid subscription at one major manufacturer in Q3 2023
• Controller failure — The unit distributes power but loses metering, switching and network presence together
• Power-on state misconfiguration — Outlets energise or stay dark on restore against the operator's expectation, restarting or stranding loads
• Outlet retention wear — Contacts lose retention and a cord drops out under vibration

Inspection checklist

Metering tier — confirm whether the unit switches only, meters only, or does both, because 3 different products carry similar names Relay operation — cycle every outlet relay individually on and off, since relay failure is the defining wear mechanism of a switched unit Outlet state on power loss — confirm the configured power-on state per outlet, because a wrong default reboots a load the moment the unit is energised Switching sequence timing — confirm the per-outlet startup delay, which prevents an inrush event when a whole rack restarts Metering accuracy — published figures range from 0.5% to 3% across this category, a 6-fold spread that decides billing suitability Firmware version and support — confirm the unit can still receive firmware, because an unpatchable switched PDU is a remote-control surface on the network Firmware licensing — network management card firmware moved to paid subscription at one major manufacturer in Q3 2023, so confirm entitlement before purchase Known vulnerabilities — CVE-2021-22825 names APC AP7xxx and AP8xxx rack PDUs, and CVE-2024-6387 reached the Vertiv IMD-5 module, so check the advisory for the exact firmware Credentials and configuration — factory-reset the unit and confirm 0 residual accounts, because a used PDU frequently arrives with the previous owner's directory settings Inlet and plug — match the plug to the rack whip; L6-30P, L21-30P and IEC 60309 are not interchangeable Outlet count and mix — record C13, C19 and combination outlets separately, since dollars per outlet is the category price unit Breaker condition — exercise every branch breaker, because nuisance tripping is the most common in-service complaint Form factor and length — a 0U vertical unit is cut to a cabinet height and will not fit a shorter rack Daisy chain limit — confirm the published cascade maximum, which varies between 16 and 50 units by manufacturer Certification — confirm UL 62368-1 rather than the withdrawn UL 60950-1, superseded on 2020-12-20

Regional notes

Sold in both North American and EMEA catalogues with different input configurations and different published cascade limits. UL 62368-1 and CE are not explicitly itemised in the documents located, which cite UL 2900-1 and IEC 62443-4-2 cybersecurity certification instead.