Installation guide

Chapter 4: Site Preparation
BlackDiamond X8 Series Switches Hardware Installation Guide
38
Mechanical Recommendations for the Rack
Use equipment racks that meet the following mechanical recommendations:
● Use an open style, 19-inch rack to facilitate easy maintenance and to provide proper ventilation.
● Use a rack made of steel or aluminum.
● The rack should use the universal mounting rail hole pattern that is identified in IEC Standard 297.
● The rack should have designated earth grounding connections (typically on the base).
● The rack must meet earthquake safety requirements equal to that of the installed chassis.
● The mounting holes should be flush with the rails to accommodate the chassis.
● The rack should support approximately 1260 pounds (572 kilograms).
Protective Grounding for the Rack
Use a rack grounding kit and a ground conductor that is carried back to earth or to another suitable
building ground.
All Extreme Networks switches are designed with mounting brackets that provide solid metal-to-metal
connection to the rack. If you do not use equipment racks, you can attach wiring terminals directly to
the mounting brackets for appropriate grounding. Extreme Networks switches have grounding
terminals that are mounted on the back of the chassis.
At a minimum, follow these guidelines to ground equipment racks to the earth ground:
● CAD weld appropriate wire terminals to building I-beams or earth ground rods.
● Use the appropriate chassis grounding wire for your system; the correct size depends on the
available input current to the power supply.
- For AC systems using a 20A breaker per PSU (SSI AC), the chassis ground can be as small as
14 AWG. The power cable ground should be the same size as the primary.
- For DC systems using a 15A breaker per PSU, the chassis ground can be as small as 14 AWG.
The power cable ground should be the same size as the primary.
- For DC systems using a 40A breaker per PSU (SSI DC), the chassis ground can be as small as
10 AWG. The power cable ground should be the same size as the primary.
NOTE
For complete details on power supplies and power supply cords, refer to Chapter 3, “Power Supplies for
the BlackDiamond X8 Switch” and to “Selecting Power Supply Cords” on page 99. Drill and tap wire terminals to
equipment racks.
● Position the earth ground as close to the equipment rack as possible to maintain the shortest wiring
distance possible.
● Use a ground impedance tester or micro-ohm meter to test the quality of earth ground connection at
the chassis. This will insure good grounding between the chassis, rack, and earth ground.
NOTE
Because building codes vary worldwide, Extreme Networks strongly recommends that you consult an
electrical contractor to ensure proper equipment grounding for your specific installation.