APC Netshelter Rack Automatic Transfer Switch, 1U, 20 A, 208V, 2 C20 IN, 8 C13, 1 C19 OUT, 50/60Hz

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

For £979 ex-VAT, this is the kind of “set and forget” redundancy box that makes sense only if you actually need it. The APC NetShelter Automatic Transfer Switch is a straightforward way to switch your rack loads between two power sources without you manually flipping anything—useful for small server rooms, comms closets, or any environment where short outages or unstable A/B supplies would cause real downtime. If you’ve already invested in APC ecosystem hardware (or you’re standardising across multiple cabinets) it’s a sensible, credible piece of kit; APC tends to be reliable and support tends to be painless compared with cheaper no-name ATS units.

That said, I wouldn’t buy it just because “redundancy is good.” The value depends on whether you have true dual feeds available and whether your rack equipment is tolerant of the transfer timing and any brief interruption that can happen in practice. Also, at this price point, you’ll want to confirm you’re choosing the right capacities and outputs for your actual load profile—otherwise you end up paying for protection you can’t fully use (or you end up needing additional power conditioning/distribution anyway). If you’re in a single-feed environment, or your budget’s better spent on UPS capacity and proper distribution, this ATS can be overkill.

**Who should buy:** sites with two real power sources, wanting automated failover for rack IT/telecom equipment, and customers who value low operational hassle. **Who shouldn’t:** single-feed offices, small labs without dual power infrastructure, or anyone where the main issue is undervalued power protection rather than transfer between sources.