Resistive vs Reactive -- Reasons to Choose Reactive

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• What is a Load Bank? • A self-contained electrical device that accurately mimics the behavior of the electrical system’s actual

load

• Why Conduct a Load Test?• Simulates real-world scenarios • Validates performance of electrical and mechanical systems• Uncovers problems in a controlled situation

• What Industries Use Load Testing?• Commercial Power/Utilities, including substations, solar, wind,

nuclear and onsite generation• Maritime• Data Center• Government/Military• Oil & Gas• Hospitals/Healthcare

Load Bank Primer

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• Resistive

• Reactive• Reactive/Inductive• Reactive/Capacitive

• Resistive/Reactive

Types of Load Bank Testing Solutions

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Types of Load Bank Testing Solutions

Resistive Load• Converts electrical energy (current)

into heat using power resistor

• Dissipates the heat using air or water

• Examples include incandescent lightbulbs, space heaters and hot plates

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Types of Load Bank Testing Solutions

Reactive Load• Simulates systems affected by electric motors or other

electromagnetic devices

• Equipment requiring reactive power compensation includes motor-driven devices, transformers and capacitors

• Reactive/Inductive loads monitor lagging power factor• Device examples include motors, transformers and

chokes• Routinely used in National Security Agency (NSA), wind

farm, solar and off-shore maritime applications

• Reactive/Capacitive loads monitor leading power factor• A capacitive load charges and releases energy• Routinely used in solar facilities, manufacturing and

mining applications

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Types of Load Bank Testing Solutions

Resistive/Reactive Load• Mimics motor loads and electromagnetic devices

within a power system

• Also provides purely resistive loads by allowing to set a specific power factor

• Enables comprehensive testing from a single unit

• Used for testing turbines, switchgear, rotary UPS, generators and UPS systems

• Used for integrated system testing of utility substation protection systems

• Often required to test solar inverters

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Drawbacks of Resistive-Only Load Testing

• Only tests certain components of a system rather than the entire system

• Resistive loads comprise only a small part of a facility’s total power consumption• Incandescent lights and electric heaters are typically the only equipment operating on a

resistive load• This equipment does not draw large loads that realistically test performance

• Resistive-only testing fails to mimic real-world conditions

• Cannot simulate how a facility’s equipment will operate under actual conditions

• System-wide testing is the only way to know whether the individual components in the system will work together

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Making the Case for Reactive Load Bank Solutions

• Simulates systems affected by electric motors or other electromagnetic devices on a power network

• Resistive/reactive combination load banks test the entire system

• Creates the conditions experienced during a real power failure

• Uncovers weaknesses in a power generation system

• Predicts pending failures of multiple components making up the entire system

• Ensures the system operates at an acceptable level during an emergency

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Contact Us

• A global leader in load bank rentals and service • More than 30,000 load tests performed • A 99.99% on-site performance rate• Unmatched level of service, expertise and experience • Provides a consultative approach to every commissioning and testing project

For a complimentary consultation, contact ComRent at 888-881-7118.Visit our website for more information on load bank testing.