We make a general overview on an APC 7920 PDU by looking at the
the main functionality of this power distribution unit (PDU). The PDU can be both managed over the web or over a command line interface CLI. For the management either the 10/100 Mbit ethernet or the RJ12 serial port can be used.
The power is fed in through a C13 port (maximum 12Amps current) and it is than switched to eight C14 power outlet plugs, which share the power (maximum 10A per C14 output plug, or 12A combined).
In the first portion of the video we go over the way how the PDU
operates and present some scenarios of how it can be employed in a production environment or in a home lab for automation or for saving power. This APC PDU can be both monitored and managed through SNMP, which offer enhanced functionality for monitoring and scripting, which makes such a unit very versatile.
Jump to 12:20 if you are only interested in the teardown.
In the teardown we have a look on the general construction, than
focus on the power switching elements and inner logic inside the PDU, and also analyze the path of the power through the unit.
This PDU has two separate switch mode power supplies providing
+24V DC for the relays and a low voltage one as well for the digital
electronics. These are based on the TOP244YN integrated circuit.
The main CPU is an AT56753-1U, which is a custom part made by Atmel for APC, so there is not much data available on it.
The overall build quality is really high, and the components are
good quality, which is expected from a manufacturer like APC.
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