The facts
- Maker: Schurter.
- Locks at: both ends.
- Needs on the PDU side: a V-Lock (notched) PDU outlet: APC AP8000 series, Panduit SmartZone G5.
- Needs on the equipment side: a V-Lock (notched) inlet; on a standard inlet the connector seats but does not lock.
- How it holds: Schurter's V-Lock cord-retention system: the plug and the connector each carry a spring latch, marked with the yellow V, that clicks into the notch of a V-Lock outlet or inlet. APC adopted it for the AP8000-series Rack PDU 2G and Panduit for SmartZone G5. On any outlet or inlet without the notch the cord seats and works but does not lock at that end.
- How to release: Press the yellow latch and pull, at whichever end you are freeing.
- Published retention: Pull-out force at least 200 N (about 45 lbf) (Schurter, V-Lock connectors).
- Plugs: C14, C20. Connectors: C13, C19.
What it is
V-Lock is Schurter's cord-retention system for IEC 60320 couplers, adopted by APC for the AP8000-series Rack PDU 2G and by Panduit for SmartZone G5. The plug and the connector each carry a small spring latch, marked with a yellow V, that clicks into a notch moulded into a V-Lock outlet or a V-Lock appliance inlet. Push the cord in and it clicks; pull and the latch holds, at a pull-out force Schurter rates at 200 N (about 45 lbf) or more. It is the one mechanism on this site that is keyed to a notch the PDU or equipment maker chose to fit, rather than to the shape of a standard outlet.
What it fits, and where it only seats
At the PDU: APC / Schneider Electric AP8000-series outlets (APC's own locking cord kits, AP8702S and AP8704S, are V-Lock) and Panduit SmartZone G5 outlets. At the equipment: gear with a Schurter V-Lock inlet, which some medical, laboratory, telecom and power-distribution makers fit; it is rare on servers and switches, and the notch beside the earth pin is the tell. On a P-Lock-ready PDU from another maker, or on a plain C13 outlet, the V-Lock plug seats and carries current like any C14 but the latch has nothing to catch. The same is true of the connector on a standard C14 or C20 inlet. That is not a defect; it is what "notched" means. If your PDU has no notch, P-Lock is the plug-side lock you want, and the Lock Finder will say so with the reason.
Release
Press the yellow latch and pull, at whichever end you are freeing.
When to choose something else
- The PDU is Server Technology, Raritan, Vertiv / Geist, Eaton G4 or GELU: P-Lock.
- The equipment has a standard inlet and must lock: A-Lock or S-Lock.
- A mixed rack, some V-Lock PDUs and some not: order by PDU, not by rack. Two families in one rack is normal.
Ordering notes
C14 to C13 and C20 to C19, in the A/B colours, with the yellow mark on both ends so a technician can tell V-Lock from P-Lock across the aisle.