What is a load bank tester?

Load bank testers are used in place of a facilities load. This device develops an electrical load to test for generator output power. Load banks can be defined as a self-contained, unitized, systematic device that includes load elements (system that tests emergency generator and associated systems).

What is a resistive load bank?

Resistive Load Bank Uses Light bulbs, lamps and space heaters are examples of tools that convert electrical energy into heat. These types of load banks draw a specified real power load, in kW, on the generator to ensure the operation of the power supply’s cooling system, exhaust and engine operation.

What kind of load is a resistive load bank?

Resistive Load Banks – The most common type, resistive load banks mimic the operational load that a power source will see in actual use. They convert electrical energy (current) into heat using power resistors and dissipate the heat using air or water.

How long does a generator load bank test take?

Smaller generators often run under full load for up to three or four hours. Larger applications can operate for eight hour or more. For regular testing, though, you may only need to run the generator and load bank for 30 minutes, not counting the warm-up and cool-down time for the blower.

How long is a load bank test?

The NFPA’s testing procedure lasts 2 hours (25% for 30 minutes, 50% for 30 minutes, 75% for 1 hour). You can then run the generator at full load for 10 to 30 additional minutes to ensure that it can operate throughout its entire operating range.

How do you test a load bank?

What is Generator Load Bank Testing?

  1. Start and run the generator until the water temperature stabilizes.
  2. Transfer all manual or automatic transfer switches to the emergency source.
  3. Step load the generator with the load bank until the desired load is reached.
  4. Remove the load bank load first, after the test.

How do you size a load bank?

​KW varies as the square of the voltage change and can be calculated using the following formula: KW output = Rated kW x (Applied Voltage/Rated Voltage)2. Therefore, in the preceding example, if the load bank terminal voltage is reduced to 473v, then the resultant KW will be 97% of the rated KW.

How is Bank load calculation?

How often should you load bank a generator?

If a generator fails the monthly test, it should be operated under a load supplied by a load bank (i.e. load bank testing) for two continuous hours each year.

How often should you load bank test a generator?

How do you perform a bank load test?

What Are the Steps of Load Bank Testing?

  1. Step 1 – Fuel & Coolant Check.
  2. Step 2 – Start-Up and Operating Temperature Check.
  3. Step 3 – Connecting the Load.
  4. Step 4 – Amperage Check.
  5. Step 5 – Load Monitoring.
  6. Step 6 – Shut Down and Recording Results.