Datacenter 04 — Amsterdam
New datahall - Netherlands
The challenge
For this expansion of 38 racks (two rows of 19), providing 500 kW of power, a completely new busbar system had to be connected to a main distribution board that had been installed in the building by another party. Since DC Connect could not be held responsible for the quality of the existing cabling, a clear delineation of responsibilities was essential before making the connection. In addition, the requirement for dual-redundant power (A/B) per rack called for precise sizing: each busbar had to be able to independently carry the full load of 276 kW per row in the event of a failure of the other line. Finally, the entire installation had to be delivered in one go, with no room for rescheduling or interruption during the customer’s later integration test.
What we did
DC Connect first had the existing main connection measured and certified by the responsible contractor, so that the connection was only made on a demonstrably safe and correct basis. Scope boundaries with the other parties — including the construction contractor and the party responsible for sensors and facility management — were laid down in writing in advance to avoid discussion during execution. The four 400V/400A busbars are labeled, color-coded and positioned in such a way that both tap-off units remained accessible from the cold aisle, with sizing that guaranteed full N+1 redundancy per row. Each installation underwent factory testing in accordance with BS EN 61439, followed by megger testing of cable ends on site. During the customer’s Full Integrated Systems Test, DC Connect was present with a project manager and electrician to make immediate adjustments where needed.
The outcome
The result is a fully tested, dual-redundant power supply for 38 racks, installed in a single continuous phase without interim re-mobilization. The installation passed the integration test without interruptions or follow-up issues, and all agreements on scope and responsibilities still proved to be correct upon delivery — confirming that the prior delineation with other parties was effective.
