I have heard of the massive trailer-sized load banks used to do commission testing on power plants. It would be interesting to see one of those sucking up +150MW.
Handy device. I'd like to find a smaller one for testing homeowner grade backup and standby generators. particularly if it has waveform and harmonic analysis like the Fluke power quality meter I can't justify buying until I hit the lottery. With the prevalence of harmonics and power factor issues in the entertainment industry heavy power applications, we have to we sometimes have to oversize the neutral in feeders and specify K rated transformers, which might be useful thing for a future video. this is also a thing with switching power supplies in electronics and computers.
Thanks for the comment -- I guess I should have mentioned that on smaller gensets (single phase (15-45KW) that we install in homes -- we built a tankless hot water on a back board with breaker panel and cams) We also have a piece of equipment that we use to measure voltages -- harmonic distortion - ect -- I could do a video on that gear as well the test gear is AEMC -- thanks for watching --
There are reactive loads and resistive loads. Of the reactive loads, there are inductive _and capacitive_ phase shifts, depending on whether there's inductive or capacitive reactance, and how it's wired in the circuit. In industrial uses, switching in capacitor banks is how inductive reactance from large motors is mitigated. For domestic and office applications where lots of switching power supplies manifest a capacitive phase shift, inductors can be used to bring the power factor back into line. This is basic electrical theory. Also, the notion that "grounds make you safe" is mostly wishful thinking. A ground lead will protect against a live conductor shorted against a metal case on the load end, but that's about it. There are so many other dumb ways that people have found to kill themselves, or to destroy equipment, expecting a ground to save you is only one step away from throwing caution to the wind. Always train those who handle pin connectors, and implement safety procedures that reduce the risks of handling energized cables.
Thank you for comment. I didn’t know if RU-vid was ready for real, reactive and apparent power, capacitance, and inductor balancing, vectors, cosine and the like. Your point on grounds and neutrals is very accurate. I only stressed it in the manner I did on the off chance someone attempted to connect an energized cam connector … trying not to destroy a lot of gear. I should have stressed, Excatly, to your point that these connectors are not designed to be connected under load …. Thanks for watching.
@@ParkerSystems thanks for producing the content! I got my start in electrical engineering when I did sound for touring rock concerts in the '70s and '80s. I would have loved to have had your company's resources at my disposal back then!
Are all of your standby power generators for general use or do you get into any of the life critical stuff where you have 10 seconds from the first gitch to be up and online like healthcare facilities? It always fascinates me to se a large genset come up to full load from a dead stop and not overseed by more than 3 hz. and then have another genset come online and automatically phase match. It's been probably 30 years since I was involved with power generation but still very interesting and much more advanced electronics controlling the process.
thanks for the question - yes all of our gensets meet those requirements typically utilize a PMG system (permanent magnet) that provides a smooth representation of the frequency (speed) -- the controller then has an algorithm and electronic control of the injectors and pump so that precise speed control can be achieved along with load prediction and prevent overshoot -- this has also allowed smaller gensets to start larger motor loads (lock rotor issues -- basically a huge dead short when a motor starts) --- this units are also provided with heater to keep the coolant and oil warm so the genset isnt harmed by going straight to speed (1800 rpm) and take load almost immediately -- thanks for watching -- we also do make before break transfer switches that allow restoration of load without an blink by actually syncing the frequency of the two sources -- gen and normal supply ---
