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What are Load Banks?

The necessity and dependence on power at mining sites, oil and gas refining, in hospitals, transport and many other essential services has meant a rapid growth of back up generators and UPS systems for back up power.The increase of computers and telecommunications equipment demands faultless performance in the event of power down conditions. This can only be fully achieved by resistive load testing the stand by systems on installation and at regular intervals.

The life and efficiency of diesel generators can be greatly reduced when running under-loaded, causing damage to the engine, fouling of valves and exhaust ports. Also causing extensive cylinder bore glazing to a point where engines could stall or completely fail to start when they are needed the most – during a mains power failure.

  • Standard Load Banks
  • Touch Screen Control
  • Portable Load Banks
  • Water Cooled Load Banks
  • Braking Resistors
  • Experience List

Standard Load Banks

Only resistive load banks can guarantee the ultimate operating conditions and efficiencies of stand by generators. The importance and necessity to test batteries and UPS systems can only be achieved with resistive load banks. Batteries quite often require a full discharge test to monitor cell condition.

Auxiliary equipment such as resistive load banks ensure regular and reliable load testing can be performed without interruption to mains power supply and leaving you confident that your emergency power system will function during any mains power failure.

Design Features
Vulcanic TEE’s load banks are available in manually switched to fully automatic-controlled units. Ranging in sizes from 0.2kW to 2MW with safety interlocks such as high temperature overloads, low air flow switches, phase sequence control and fan motor overloads.

Other features include

  • Low temp Stainless Steel finned air resistors
  • Powder coated rigid housing
  • High air flow axial fan(s) with safeties
  • Auto and manual load switching⁄shedding
  • LCD multifunction metering
  • Data extraction and fault log capability
  • Auxiliary power outlet for cooling fan operation
  • Emergency stop
  • Power on – Resistors on – Fan on – Fault indication
  • Manual reset over temperature safety thermostat
  • IP55 rated
  • Lockable castors
  • Power-loc connectors and 6m cables
  • Real time graphic display
  • Provision for forklift tynes
  • Overhead lifting access

A load cooling timer which allows the cooling fan to continue operation for an additional 5 minutes after load shut down is optional.

Vulcanic TEE can also provide individual load bank elements, contact us for more information.

Touch Screen Control

Vulcanic TEE can supply resistive load banks with a touch screen controller for fully automatic operation.

Features:

  • Automatic load / control
  • Touch screen HMI
  • Data logging via removeable Micro SD CARD
  • MODBUS protocol
  • Graphical local display

Portable Load Banks

Portable load banks offer a simple and compact solution for load testing.
While all ThermaLoad load banks feature castors, our portable range provide a more compact and portable unit for ease of maneuverability.
ThermaLoad portable load banks make it easy to access out of the way testing locations or roof top generators only accessible by elevators.

Features:

  • Single and Three phase power
  • Centrifugal fan
  • Manual or Auto operation
  • Available with main leads or surface socket
  • Light weight but still rigid
  • Compact size
  • Lockable castors for transport
  • Weatherproof for site operation
  • Optional metering
  • Powder coated housing
  • Simple operation
  • Emergency stop

Water Cooled Load Banks

Vulcanic TEE can design and manufacture water cooled load banks for a wide range of applications, including yachts, ships, high-rise buildings or applications where a fan cooled unit would be too large, bulky or noisy.

Water cooled load banks can use all types of water (including recycled water from chiller systems or sea water pumped directly into a ship) offering a flexible, quiet and efficient design for load testing.

Features:

  • Vertical or Horizontal mount
  • High grade 316L stainless steel resistive elements
  • Full 316 stainless steel construction
  • Power ratings from 10kW up to 1MW
  • Incorporates the digital touch screen control seen on our standard range of ThermaLoad load banks
  • Supplied complete with circulation pump and control cabinet ready for installation
  • Quiet operation
  • Ideal for use in super yachts, naval ships, ferries, cargo vessels, indoor installations, offshore platforms, HVAC, city buildings and more.

Braking Resistors

Braking Resistors are used in motion systems to convert excess electrical energy when decelerating into thermal energy through electric heater elements inside the unit. This is known as dynamic braking.
Vulcanic TEE design and manufacture custom braking resistors to suit the load and spatial requirements of your application. Our braking resistor units can be air cooled or water cooled, based on your needs.

Vulcanic TEE can supply a complete braking resistor unit or individual replacement parts, from controls and accessories, to the finned heater elements used inside the unit.

Braking resistors can be used in a range of applications, including conveyors, engines, cranes, trains and more…

Features:

  • Painted, Galvanised or Stainless Steel finish
  • Aluminium grilles
  • Air Pressure switch
  • IP Rated
  • Lockable castors
  • Isolation switch
  • Axial fan
  • Turret punched grill⁄assembly
  • High temperature overload

Load Bank

Resistive load banks or Dummy Loads

Load banks have an important role in stand by power generation equipment which are a cost effective way of keeping things running.

The necessity and dependence on power at mining sites, oil and gas refining, in hospitals, transport and many other essential services has meant a rapid growth of back up generators and UPS systems for back up power. The increase of computers and telecommunications equipment demands faultless performance in the event of power down conditions. This can only be fully achieved by resistive load testing the stand by systems on installation at regular intervals.

The life and efficiency of diesel generators can be greatly reduced when running under-loaded, causing damage to the engine or fouling of valves and exhaust ports. It could also cause extensive cylinder bore glazing to a point where engines could stall or completely fail to start when they are needed the most – during a mains power failure.

Only resistive load banks can guarantee the ultimate operating conditions and efficiencies of stand by generators. The importance and necessity to test batteries and UPS systems can only be achieved with resistive load banks. Batteries quite often require a full discharge test to monitor cell condition.

Auxiliary equipment such as resistive load banks ensure regular and reliable load testing can be performed without interruption to mains power supply and leaving you confident that your emergency power system will function during any mains power failure.

Design Features

Available in manually switched to fully auto-controlled units. Ranging in sizes from 0.2KW to 2MW with safety interlocks such as high temperature overloads, low air pressure/flow switch, and fan motor overloads.
A load cooling timer which allows the cooling fan to continue operation for an additional five minutes after load shut down is optional.
A range of meters are available which include volts, amps, hertz and kW.

Download our Load Banks brochure.

For more information, download our Load Banks PDF Brochure or Contact us.
View the terms of our product warranty.