Vertiv VR Rack
Manufacturer: Vertiv
Vertiv rates VR at 3,000 lb static, but its own installer guide says roll it only when empty
This model is part of SecondWatt’s rack research catalogue. Specifications and price observations are included where supported by sources. Equipment availability and commercial terms require confirmation.
Cabinet density is what forces the cooling decision. Beyond about 40 kW a rack is no longer air-served, and the enclosure has to accommodate liquid cooling, either as rear-door and direct-to-chip manifolds or as a full immersion tank in place of the cabinet. The catalogue entries closest to that decision are Vertiv Liebert XDU Coolant Distribution Unit and ZutaCore HyperCool Two-Phase Direct-to-Chip.
Vertiv VR Rack specs, static versus dynamic weight ratings, and pricing across 26 SKUs for buyers evaluating new or used 19-inch data center cabinets.
Vertiv markets this cabinet interchangeably as "Vertiv Rack" and "VR Rack," and its own current Selection Guide (SL-11367) lists 26 SKUs spanning three U heights (42U, 45U, 48U), two widths (600mm, 800mm), and two depths (1100mm, 1200mm), each offered in standard, shock-packaged ("SP"), and TAA-compliant variants. Every SKU shares one uniform weight rating: 3,000 lb static, 2,250 lb dynamic. "VR3350-003" and "VR3357-013," as printed on at least one distributor's own product pages, are not distinct Vertiv models - they are that distributor's own part-number formatting of the official VR3350 and VR3357 designations. That distinction matters when matching a distributor listing to Vertiv's Selection Guide.
VR is not a newer replacement for Vertiv's separate DCE Rack System - both are current products sold today. DCE still carries its pre-Vertiv Emerson Network Power / Liebert lineage, visible on distributor pages titled "Emerson DCE Rack," yet Vertiv's own DCE sell sheet is dated SL-11986 (06/25) and its Selection Guide is SL-11995, both live documents. Distributor listings for VR itself also carry "Liebert" as the stated manufacturer on at least one channel, so a used unit may plausibly show Liebert branding rather than "Vertiv" alone.
VR has no OCP Open Rack variant of its own. Vertiv's Open Rack OCP product is a wholly separate frame built to OCP's 21-inch/533mm usable width and 48mm OpenU rather than EIA-310's 44.45mm U, rated 1,600 kg static and 1,400 kg dynamic, and it shares no SKUs with the VR line.
Why it matters
Vertiv rates every VR cabinet 3,000 lb static, but the number that governs a loaded move is 2,250 lb, a 25% cut that Vertiv's product pages, Selection Guide, guide specification and installer guide all state identically. Vertiv's own installer guide goes further still, recommending that casters move the rack only when empty. Anyone planning to roll a populated cabinet into place needs that guidance and the 2,250 lb figure, not the 3,000 lb headline most marketing copy and reseller listings quote alone.
Who buys it
Enterprise, colocation, and edge data-center operators sourcing 19-inch EIA-310E cabinets for new or expanding IT rows, plus ITAD dealers and brokers pricing decommissioned VR units pulled from retired rows. A buyer needs the exact SKU - height, width, depth, and SP/TAA suffix - before quoting, since Vertiv treats standard, shock-packaged, and TAA-sourced units as genuinely different catalog numbers at the same shared weight rating, not cosmetic variants of one part.
Role in the data center
White-space IT cabinet housing rack-mount servers, network switches, and PDUs behind 77%-perforated front and rear doors, in enterprise server rooms, colocation suites, and edge sites depending on U height and width/depth configuration.
Key specifications
| U height range | 42, 45, 48 U |
|---|---|
| External width options | 600, 800 mm |
| External depth options | 1100, 1200 mm |
| Static weight rating | 3,000 (1,360) lb (kg) |
| Dynamic/rolling weight rating | 2,250 (1,022) lb (kg) |
| Transit weight rating, SP models on shock pallet | 2,000 (907) lb (kg) |
| Top panel static load | 150 lb |
| Door perforation | 77 percent |
| Rail type and adjustability | 19-inch EIA rails, 14-gauge steel folded 5 times, full depth-adjustable within 740mm rail spacing none |
| Side panels | Split, 20-gauge sheet metal, removable, single locking slam latch none |
| Lock type | Keyed, key code 1333 none |
| Cable entry | 4 entry points, rated up to 2,000 Cat6 cables or 60A PDU plugs none |
| Ground bonding torque | 10 (90) N-m (lb-in) |
| Standards listing | EIA-310E, UL2416, RoHS, REACH none |
| Warranty | 3-year standard, extendable to 5-year with registration none |
Technical summary
U height: 42U, 45U, or 48U across 26 current SKUs (VR3100 through VR3357TAA). External width: 600mm or 800mm; external depth: 1100mm or 1200mm. Static weight rating: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg), uniform across every VR SKU. Dynamic/rolling rating: 2,250 lb (1,022 kg); shock-pallet transit rating (SP models): 2,000 lb (907 kg). Door perforation: 77% open area, front 16-gauge steel, rear 18-gauge split doors. Rail: 19-inch EIA, 14-gauge steel folded 5 times, depth-adjustable within 740mm (29.1in) rail spacing. Lock: keyed to code 1333; side panels split, 20-gauge, single locking slam latch. Cable entry: 4 points, rated to 2,000 Cat6 cables or a 60A PDU run. Standards: EIA-310E, UL2416, RoHS, REACH; Vertiv publishes no seismic or OCP claim for VR. Warranty: 3-year standard, extendable to 5-year with registration.
Major variations
VR and Vertiv's separate DCE Rack System are both current products, not a successor and a legacy line. DCE still carries its pre-Vertiv Emerson Network Power / Liebert lineage - one distributor page is titled "Emerson DCE Rack" - yet Vertiv's own DCE sell sheet is dated SL-11986 (06/25) and its Selection Guide is SL-11995, both live documents on vertiv.com today. DCE also spans a wider matrix than VR: 24U through 48U, a third 700mm width option VR does not offer, plus 1000mm "Network Rack" and dual-compartment "CoLo Rack" variants. Vertiv's own current sell sheet and Selection Guide both independently state 4,000 lb static and 2,500 lb dynamic, uniformly across the DCE catalog.
Configurations and options
Every VR height (42U, 45U, 48U) is offered at 600mm or 800mm width and 1100mm or 1200mm depth, in standard, shock-packaged ("SP"), and TAA-compliant ("TAA") variants - except the 45U tier (VR3105, VR3305), which Vertiv's own Selection Guide lists in standard configuration only, with no SP or TAA variant. Doors are 77% perforated on both front and rear across every configuration. Side panels are split, removable, 20-gauge sheet metal with a single locking slam latch as the standard configuration; Vertiv catalogs no "without sides" SKU, unlike APC's NetShelter SX X609 line.
Compatibility and dependencies
Rail depth adjustment is shared across the line at 740mm (29.1in) of usable rail spacing, so accessories rated to that spacing carry across VR's 42U/45U/48U SKUs. The lock cylinder is keyed to a single code, 1333, across the catalog, and a replacement combination lock handle (VRA6023) is available through at least one marketplace reseller at $230.33. Perforated replacement doors are stocked by independent resellers in eight standard sizes, which is what makes reassembling a stripped used unit realistic rather than a full-cabinet write-off.
Pricing and availability
Published price range: $2,730.78-$7,436.78 per cabinet across 5 new, unopened listings in August 2026; no genuinely used VR listing carries a price. Trend: stable Lead time, new: Neither Vertiv nor its distributors state a lead time; multiple part numbers (VR3100, VR3350, VR3357) showed in-stock, immediately orderable status across Avendor and eBay reseller channels rather than a stated lead-time figure.. Lead time, used or refurbished: No genuinely used VR listing carries a price or an availability window; the three "Liebert... VR Rack" titled listings on the used market are all marked sold out or out of stock with no restock date given.. Warranty, new: 3 years standard, extendable to 5 years with registration, confirmed on Vertiv's own VR Rack Selection Guide (SL-11367).. Warranty, used: No dealer publishes a used-unit warranty for VR; OEM warranty terms are unlikely to transfer to a used/ITAD-channel unit without direct confirmation from Vertiv..
Lifecycle and maintenance
Vertiv rates VR at a 3-year standard warranty, extendable to 5 years with registration. The enclosure carries no active components beyond doors, hinges, casters, and locks, so service life tracks wear on those parts rather than a defined overhaul interval; Vertiv's installer guide calls for periodic dry-cloth cleaning only, with no scheduled overhaul. A genuine VR-specific parts aftermarket supports reassembling a stripped unit: independent resellers stock VR-branded perforated doors in eight standard sizes and a combination lock handle, VRA6023, priced at $230.33 through one marketplace reseller.
Thermal and emissions profile
Not applicable in the conventional sense: VR is a passive structural steel enclosure with no refrigerant charge, combustion process, or onboard power electronics, so no GWP figure or refrigerant classification applies to this product class. Vertiv publishes no EPA or environmental regulatory position for VR as of August 2026, and none would be expected for an unpowered rack cabinet. Vertiv's own standards listing for VR names only RoHS and REACH, both hazardous-substance and chemical-content directives rather than emissions or GWP disclosures. Vertiv publishes no recyclability or lifecycle-carbon figure specific to VR as of August 2026.
Common failure points
- Caster wheels/bearings — Flat-spotted or seized wheels, uneven roll
- Leveling feet threads — Feet will not extend or retract with the T30 Torx or 14mm wrench
- Side panels or doors missing — Unit listed or received "no sides," "no doors," or "doors only"
- Ground bonding hardware — Star washers missing or factory paint left un-pierced at ground terminals
- Perforated door panels — Bent, dented, or cracked sections of the 77% open-area grid
- Lock cylinders — Cylinder missing, rekeyed, or supplied with no working key
- Weight-rating nameplate — Plate faded, painted over, or inconsistent with the visible model number
Inspection checklist
Weight rating plate: verify legible static (3,000 lb) and dynamic (2,250 lb) figures match the actual model number, not a mismatched or swapped panel. Caster wheels and axles: check for flat spots or bearing play; Vertiv's own installer guide recommends casters move the rack only when empty, so wear here can flag loaded rolling beyond the 2,250 lb rating. Leveling feet: confirm all 4 extend and retract through their full range with a T30 Torx or 14mm wrench, with no stripped threads. Protective-earth ground terminal: verify bonding hardware is torqued to 10 N-m (90 lb-in) and not daisy-chained between adjacent units per NFPA 70 Article 250. Door perforation panels: inspect the rated 77% open-area doors (16-gauge front, 18-gauge rear) for bent or cracked sections that locally choke airflow.
Procurement channels
Five new, unopened units carried a price in August 2026: two through Avendor ($3,023.99-$3,554.99) and three through eBay marketplace resellers ($2,730.78 to $7,436.78 after currency conversion), spanning VR3100, VR3350 and VR3357. No genuinely used or prior-service VR listing carries a price, on eBay under VR3100, VR3150, VR3305, VR3307, VR3350 or VR3357 or through general surplus and ITAD channels; every candidate used listing is marked sold out or out of stock with pricing withheld.
Regional notes
Vertiv publishes no region-specific distribution or discontinuation notice for VR; the Selection Guide part numbers are common across regions, each offered in standard, shock-packaged and TAA-compliant variants.