Not every equipment room needs a fully enclosed cabinet. When airflow, budget, and access speed matter more than physical security, a 2-post open rack enclosure gives you the mounting capacity you need without the extra weight, cost, and heat retention of a closed frame. Vertical Cable’s 047-WOS-0245/2P — a 45 RMU, 2-post, 2-section open rack — is built for exactly that use case: high-density equipment rooms, telecom closets, and any install where technicians need fast front-and-rear access.
Here’s what’s included, how it comes together, how it gets to the job site, and where it fits in your rack strategy.
What You Get with the 047-WOS-0245/2P
This is a 45 RMU frame, meaning it provides 45 units of standard 19 in. rack space — enough for a full stack of switches, patch panels, and passive equipment without stepping up to a 4-post cabinet footprint. Specs at a glance:
SPEC | DETAIL |
|---|---|
Height | 84 in. (2133.6 mm) |
Width | 20.3 in. (515.6 mm) |
Depth | 14.8 in. (375.9 mm) |
Rack Capacity | 45 RMU |
Load Capacity | 551.2 lbs. (250 kg) |
Unit Weight | 38 lbs. (17.2 kg) |
Finish | Static-resistant powder coat, black |
Mounting | Pre-drilled for #12-24 screws |
Included Hardware | 28× #12-24 screws and washers, 4× steel mounting plates |
The frame ships in two sections, upper and lower, joined by steel mounting plates at the midpoint. That two-section design isn’t just a shipping convenience: it makes the rack far easier to move through doorways, stairwells, and tight equipment rooms than a single 84 in. welded frame, and it means a damaged section can theoretically be addressed without replacing the whole unit.
Every rack ships with the hardware needed to assemble it: 28 #12-24 screws and washers (packaged separately under SKU 047-WSN-0600), plus the steel mounting plates that connect the two frame sections.
Shipping, Stocking, and Pickup: Why the Two-Section Design Pays Off
The two-section frame does more than make a stairwell manageable. Because the 047-WOS-0245/2P ships flat and unassembled instead of as a pre-built 84 in. welded frame, it changes the math on freight, warehouse space, and will-call pickup, for the contractor buying one rack and for the distributor deciding whether to stock it.
At the Job Site and the Will-Call Counter
- Lower shipping cost. A pre-assembled 7-ft. rack carries a dimensional-weight penalty far out of proportion to its 28 lb. actual weight. The compact, unassembled package removes most of that oversized-dimension expense from the quote.
- Parcel instead of LTL freight. The boxed rack can move as a standard UPS or FedEx Ground shipment rather than an LTL booking, quicker to schedule, cheaper on one-off orders, and less exposed to the handling damage a full-length frame tends to pick up on a freight dock.
- It fits the vehicle you have already driven. A 45U rack normally means a pickup, van, or box truck. The compact /2P package fits in many sedans and smaller work trucks, which makes a will-call pickup a lot less of a planning exercise for the contractor sent to grab one.
In the Distributor’s Warehouse
- No special pallet build. Shipping a full-height rack often means standing it upright and packing boxes of cable or other product around it just to make the freight economical and keep the frame protected. The /2P skips that step entirely.
- Stores flat on standard pallet racking. Instead of 7-ft. frames leaning against a warehouse wall and consuming vertical and floor space, boxed racks lie flat on standard pallet racking like any other SKU.
- Better pallet utilization. A full pallet quantity stays consolidated on one pallet rather than being received, staged, and handled as individual full-height units.
- Branch-to-branch transfers by parcel. Moving one or two racks between locations is a parcel shipment, not an LTL arrangement, and requires a scheduled pickup.
- A lower bar to stocking the SKU. No awkward storage footprint and no open question about how an occasional rack order will ship — which makes it far easier to justify keeping the product on the shelf instead of drop-shipping it.
The Short Version Same 45 RMU frame, same 440 lb. load rating — without the freight cost, storage footprint, or delivery vehicle a pre-assembled 7-ft. rack demands. |
Why Choose 2-Post Over 4-Post
This is one of the most common questions installers weigh before ordering: open rack or enclosed cabinet, 2-post or 4-post. The honest answer depends on what you’re mounting.
A 2-post rack like the 047-WOS-0245/2P is the right call when:
- Equipment is lightweight to moderate — patch panels, switches, and most active networking gear fall well within the 440 lb. capacity
- Airflow matters more than physical security — open frames don’t trap heat the way an enclosed cabinet does, which matters in equipment rooms without dedicated cooling
- Space and budget are tight — 2-post racks have a smaller footprint and lower cost than 4-post cabinets
- Access speed is a priority — techs can reach cabling and hardware from front and rear without opening doors or removing side panels
A 4-post rack earns its place when equipment is heavier (deep servers, UPS units), when rails need to support weight at both front and rear mounting points, or when the room requires an enclosed, lockable cabinet for security or dust control. For most telecom closets, MDF/IDF rooms, and patch panel-heavy racks, though, a 2-post open frame like this one covers the job at a fraction of the footprint.
Compatibility: The 19 in. EIA Standard
The 047-WOS-0245/2P is built to the 19-inch rack standard defined by EIA-310, which governs rack unit height, hole spacing, and front panel width across the industry. That means it’s compatible with any standard 19 in. rack-mount equipment — switches, patch panels, PDUs, cable managers — regardless of manufacturer. One rack unit (RU) equals 1.75 in. of vertical space, so the 45 RMU frame gives you 78.75 in. of usable mounting height inside that 84 in. overall frame.
Assembly: Tools and Sequence
The rack ships unassembled, and Vertical Cable recommends two people for the job — the frame sections are long and awkward to align solo.
Tools Required
That second tool is easy to overlook. Step 2 has you hold each nut with pliers or a wrench while tightening the bolt with the Allen key, so a tech who shows up with only the included hex key can’t fully secure the frame connection. | ||
Assembly Steps | ||
1. Base angle bar assembly. Attach the front and rear base angle bars to the lower vertical frame sections using the supplied hex socket bolts, plain washers, and hex nuts. Leave the hardware loose for now. Make sure the RU markings face the front of the rack — much harder to correct once the frame is square. | 2. Vertical frame connection. Join the upper and lower vertical frame sections with the supplied steel mounting plates. Each connection takes two brackets: one on the outside of the frame and one on the inside, both positioned over the pre-drilled holes at the joint. Install a washer with every bolt. Hold and tighten each bolt with the 5 mm Allen key while holding the nut with pliers or an adjustable wrench, and tighten securely while keeping the upper and lower sections aligned. | 3. Top angle bar assembly. Attach the front and rear top angle bars to the upper vertical frame sections with the supplied hex socket bolts, washers, and nuts. Verify that all vertical frame sections are aligned and the rack is square before fully tightening all hardware. |
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Anchor It to the Floor
An 84 in. 2-post frame loaded toward its 551.2 lb. capacity gets top-heavy quickly, and the base is pre-drilled for it: the top view on the spec sheet shows four 0.8 in. (20 mm) anchor holes in the base feet.
Secure the rack to the structural floor as part of the install, not as a follow-up task. In seismic zones, BICSI installation practices and local building codes may require anchoring or supplemental bracing — check your jurisdiction’s requirements before loading the rack.
Where It Fits in Your Build-Out
Once assembled and anchored, the 047-WOS-0245/2P takes any hardware built to the 19 in. EIA-310 footprint. A few things worth planning before gear goes in:
- Sketch the equipment layout first. Mapping RMU positions on paper beats reshuffling a half-loaded rack.
- Build in cable management from day one. Add horizontal and vertical wire managers as you populate the rack rather than retrofitting around live runs.
- Plan for power early. Pencil in a rack-mount PDU so every device has well-placed power access.
- Stock the right fasteners. Extra #12-24 screws, washers, and cage nuts keep a build from stalling, and staying on one hole pattern avoids mixing hardware mid-install.
For heavier chassis that need four-point rail support, the 4-post open rack covers the same 45 RMU height. For smaller closets, the 20 RMU 2-post frame is the shorter option in the same line.
 | 45 RMU 2-Post Open Rack Enclosure | 047-WOS-0245/2P The 45 RMU, 2-post open rack enclosure is designed to organize network equipment, patch panels, and cable management. Its heavy-duty steel construction supports up to 551.2 lbs (250 kg), while the open-frame design provides convenient front, rear, and side access. It accommodates standard 19-inch EIA-310 rack-mount equipment and features a static-resistant black powder-coated finish for long-lasting durability. Category: Open Rack Enclosures |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an open frame server rack?
An open frame rack is a mounting structure with no side panels or front/rear doors — just vertical posts, either two or four, with standard 19 in. mounting rails. It holds rack-mount equipment the same way an enclosed cabinet does, but with unrestricted airflow and full front-and-rear access.
What’s the difference between 2-post and 4-post open racks?
A 2-post rack has two vertical rails and supports equipment at the front mounting flange, which suits patch panels, switches, fiber enclosures, and most active networking gear. A 4-post rack adds rear rails so a chassis can be supported at both front and rear mounting points — the right choice for deep server chassis and UPS units that ship with rail kits.
How much weight can a 45U 2-post open rack hold?
The 047-WOS-0245/2P is rated for 551.2 lbs. (250 kg) of rack-mounted equipment, with a unit weight of 38 lbs. (17.2 kg). That rating exceeds the load class of many standard 2-post racks and supports dense switch, patch panel, and passive hardware deployments.
What tools do I need to assemble it?
Two: the 5 mm hex key wrench included with the rack, and pliers or an adjustable wrench (not included). The pliers or wrench hold each nut while you tighten the bolt with the Allen key. Two people are recommended for the assembly.
Does a 45U 2-post rack need to be anchored to the floor?
Yes. An 84 in. frame carrying a full equipment load becomes top-heavy, and the base feet are pre-drilled with four 0.8 in. (20 mm) holes for floor anchors. In seismic zones, BICSI practices and local codes may require anchoring or additional bracing.
Is a 2-post rack compatible with standard rack equipment?
Yes. It’s built to the 19 in. EIA-310 standard, with 18.3 in. (465 mm) hole-row spacing and pre-drilled #12-24 mounting holes, so equipment sized for a standard 19 in. rack mounts without modification, regardless of manufacturer.