Electrical Load Bank

A set (bank) of electrical elements that are passive (resistive, inductive, capacitive) or active (motors, batteries). They are usually located adjacent to each other to form a consolidated set of any of these elements or any combination of them. A load bank is used to replace distributed or dispersed load elements contained in a power distribution system or electrical network for the purpose of providing a concentrated load. A load bank contains all the essential electrical characteristics necessary to terminate the circuit and functions in the same manner as the load which it is intended to replace. This description necessarily includes a bank of light bulbs or cone heating elements where energy conversion is primarily in the form of heat although visible radiant energy is the natural result of incandescent heating. Load banks are intended to cover a specific range of characteristics and normally operate at dc or at power frequencies 50, 60, or 400 hz ac. Load banks may be uninstrumented or complete with integral instrumention and may also be furnished as skid or trailer mounted. Excludes test set, electrical (as modified). see also dummy load, electrical.