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2026-09-02

What is a load bank? Principle, types and typical uses

A load bank is a controllable artificial load used to prove that gensets, UPS systems and power plants perform at real power. This article explains how one works, the resistive, inductive and capacitive types, and where each is used.

How it works

A load bank absorbs the power a source produces by switching resistive elements — and, in some designs, reactors or capacitors — into circuit in steps, converting the energy to heat and rejecting it. The controller closes contactors or solid-state switches in defined combinations, so load can be set precisely and repeatably from a few hundred watts to tens of megawatts.

Compared with using real consumers, the load bank is controllable, steppable and repeatable, and testing does not put production or business systems at risk.

The three types

A resistive bank loads at unity power factor and proves prime-mover power and heat rejection. An inductive bank draws lagging reactive power and exercises the alternator's excitation and AVR. A capacitive bank draws leading reactive power and represents the behaviour of data-centre IT equipment and inverters. Together they make an RLC load bank.

Where they are used

Genset factory and site acceptance, data-centre power commissioning, UPS capacity and battery autonomy verification, marine plant class surveys, PV-storage and microgrid testing, and periodic full-load exercising of standby sets.

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