Running a data center comes with a slew of technical and infrastructure challenges. Most data center managers or owners would agree that balancing power capacity and loads is a challenge at the top of the list. Optimizing data center power is one critical aspect of management, but data centers that run productively and efficiently have properly balanced systems to secure uptime for business—and decrease detrimental downtime within a facility.
When data center power is improperly balanced, facilities lose their ability to utilize power capacity to the fullest and maximize ultimate performance. Let’s examine closer a few common tactics and strategies for balancing data center power loads.
Balance Power Panels and Phases
Any whip under the floor of a data center traces its source power back to a PDU panel or breaker. Panels loaded to maximum capacity are not balanced adequately for redundancy. Similarly, power phases across panels or circuits with an unbalanced load fail to make a proper power connection. These unbalanced capacity issues cause a stranding of power.
Data center teams should ensure each phase within a cabinet is carefully loaded to verify one is not significantly lighter or heavier than another. A common recommendation is to load circuits within cabinets to around 40% of capacity to not overload phases or wires.
Monitor Power Distribution Units
Data center power loads can differ during different times of the day, week, or month. This variance is a distinct reason why you should monitor power usage within your data center at all times. Utilizing a basic tool or DCIM software to read load characteristics is one of the top strategies for balancing data center power loads because it ensures PDUs and systems are continuously running as they should.
Utilize Quality Power Cords and Cabling
Cabling issues or inadequacies are a large part of load balancing challenges. To enhance power headroom, consider investing in better cabling products for the benefit of your data center. For your cabling needs, look no further than PowerWhips. Our PDU power cables are high-quality products tested in-house for lasting reliability and performance. Our support team of expert engineers is here to configure your components to size and standards. Reach out with any questions today.