Resistive load banks are common across several industries because they provide generator and prime mover equivalent loading. The role of resistive load banks is to test a generator and prime mover at complete capacity. This type dissipates the energy you apply and can simulate pure resistive loads, such as heating or lighting.
Reactive load banks have either capacitive loads or inductive loads. This type gradually dissipates sudden power increases, which can be ideal for applications expecting abrupt surges. You can add capacitive loads to have a leading power factor, where the current leads the voltage. Alternatively, inductive loads can reduce the power factor to less than unity, where the current lags behind the voltage. Reactive loads can simulate the operating conditions teams experience in the field. Applications with non-linear loads often employ reactive loads.
