Have you heard of load banks? These are useful electrical equipment for testing, calibrating, adjusting or verifying your power source.
What Is A Load Bank?
A load bank is electrical testing equipment. Using a load bank, you can stimulate a full electrical load on your power source, without the risk of connecting it to its normal power source. You also don’t have to expend the same amount of power. The bank receives the power back and turns it into heat. A cooling system, either forced air or water, removes the heat.
There are portable and permanent load banks. You can use a portable load bank with portable equipment or as a rental to occasionally test your equipment. If you have a large and permanent power supply, then it is best to have a permanent load bank installed to use regularly.
Who Needs a Load Bank?
Anyone who needs to test, calibrate or verify the operation of an electric generator, diesel generator, battery, or other power equipment needs a load bank. It is especially important for emergency backup systems, which will not be under regular use but which still need to be tested in order to ensure they will be ready when they are needed. Load banks are used in a variety of industries, including data centers, wind farms, utility substations, microgrids, oil, gas and nuclear, government and military, maritime, healthcare, and hospitals.
Types of Load Banks
There are different kinds of load banks, including:
These kinds of load banks are usually used for AC voltages, although you can also find resistive options for DC voltages. If you are using it on a generator, it will achieve 80% of the kVA rating. It will also fully load the cooling, fuel and exhaust systems so all of these may be tested.
Reactive load banks can’t test a system at full capacity, but they are generally better at simulating real-life scenarios. To test maximum load, reactive load banks are used with resistive load banks in order to get a generator up to 100% of the kVA rating. Using reactive load banks is important when you need to test the full functionality of a generator in various situations.
Inductive Loads
A reactive load bank can simulate an inductive load in addition to a capacitive load. In inductive load, current lags behind voltage, whereas in capacitive load, voltage lags behind current.
Motor-Powered Device Testing
Reactive load banks are best suited for testing devices and transformers that are motor-powered. In these cases, electrical energy is converted into a magnetic field which drives motor rotation. As such, reactive load banks are most effective at evaluating transient loads and testing alternator capacity.
Applications
Reactive load banks are often needed for commercial systems, such as those used in construction, telecommunications, and emergency backup power supplies. Need a reactive load bank for your business? Chat with our reactive load bank sales team today!
A site load correction uses a load bank to proactively increase loading on diesel gen-sets to avoid the effects of wet stacking. It can also be used to ensure that generators are run at higher levels for optimal performance and reduced emissions. When necessary, the load bank automatically applies load, and ensures that gen-sets reach the proper operating temperature for user selectable time periods.
Voltage: Low voltage (up to 690 VAC), medium voltage (up to 13.8 kV) or continuous voltage (12 VDC up to 1100 VDC).
Location: Indoor or outdoor.
Mounting: Stationary, transportable or trailer mounted.
Cooling: Natural, forced vertical or forced horizontal.
Control Voltage: 120 VAC, 240 VAC, 24 VDC or 125 VDC.
User Interface: Switches and lamps or touch screen.
Control: Communications, data logging, load scheduling, remote control, power metering, load compensation, reverse power.
Safety: Safety switch, audible alarm, interlock
Load scheduling: The process of setting and controlling electrical load parameters during testing to evaluate the performance and capacity of the power source under different usage conditions. In a load bank, different load conditions are simulated to evaluate the performance and capacity of the generator, transformer or batteries. Load scheduling involves setting the load parameters, such as required power or current, test duration and other relevant factors. Through load scheduling, comprehensive tests can be performed to verify the generator’s ability to supply power stably and efficiently under various conditions. This includes peak load, nominal load or partial load tests, among others.
Load Compensation: The ability to adjust and balance the applied load. Load compensation helps to avoid unbalance and overloading of the generator, which can adversely affect its performance and cause damage to the equipment. In addition, by balancing the load, more accurate and reliable test results are obtained, allowing for a more accurate assessment of the generator’s capacity. The balancing function is also used to adjust and balance the load applied to the generator to ensure that it remains at its minimum required generation level.
Reverse Power: The ability of the load bank to dissipate power coming not from the generator, transformer, or battery bank, but from the motors, which although normally a load on the electrical system, in some circumstances can generate power. The load bank must dissipate this energy to avoid damage to the electrical system.
These load banks are more precise and functional than other load banks. Instead of applying the entire load, operators can instead apply exactly as much load as they need to for testing. Depending on the specific load bank, your staff may be able to select a load as small as 1 kWAr, or as much as the full load of the equipment. They are most commonly used to adjust the power factor.
Designed specifically to mount on the radiator of a generating set. The fans of the radiator provide air flow to the resistive elements. Contact us today for more information on these units and how they can help you.
We offer a wide range of load bank solutions for sale and rental, for your testing needs. From 100kw small portable units, to trailer-mounted 5MW, resistive/reactive, to automatic controlled. We can also pair load banks with transformers for 4160v/13,800v/25kV applications. Our range of options will ensure you have the right load bank to suit your application.
If you have questions about load banks, whether you need one, or which one you need, reach out to the experts at VCM Solutions. Our team of power supply experts know how you can use this critical equipment to have a more secure and efficient power supply.
Contact us today to discuss your needs for load banks
We offer load banks to meet, and test your low voltage needs whether it be for a remote concert or a trade show event. Our load banks are used to commission, maintain, and verify power sources with minimum effects on the environment. Manufactured to offer ideal line-noise isolation, ease of mobility and distribution ensures there are no disruptions to your event.
Construction
We offer load banks, for rent or sale, that can be utilized on construction sites to meet your low voltage needs. Whether it’s to keep your site lights on or power tools, we’ve got you covered. Our safe and reliable load banks will ensure your site is running smoothly and efficiently.
