Load Bank Design

Joshua Bardwell
http://www.fpvknowitall.com
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What’s a Load Bank?
• Definition:
• Develops an electrical load (most
commonly resistive)
• Applies the load to a power source
• Converts or dissipates the power
output (typically to heat)

• Uses:
• Generator test and run-in
• Braking of electrical motors
• Discharging Batteries!

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

Load Bank Considerations
• Discharge Rate – How much current
will flow through the load bank?
• High-end load banks use computers
and electrical components to control
current precisely
• Excess current may damage the
power supply (battery)

• Watts Dissipated – How hot will

each part of the load bank get? West Mountain Radio
• The load bank must get rid of the Computerized Battery Analyzer
energy somehow ($3000+ for 2 kW)
• If it gets too hot, it will burn itself up

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

 Two Key Formulas

𝑉 2
𝑉
𝐼= 𝑃=
𝑅 𝑅
The current (amps) flowing through a The power (watts) dissipated by a resistor
resistor is equal to the potential (volts) is equal to the potential (volts) across the
applied across the resistor, divided by the resistor, squared, divided by the resistance
resistance (ohms) of the resistor. (ohms) of the resistor.

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

Ohm’s Law Has Many Forms

𝑉 𝑉
𝐼= 𝑅=
𝑅 𝐼
V=𝐼∗𝑅
Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com
Examples
• How much current will flow through
a 0.5 ohm resistor when it is wired
across the terminals of a 4S battery?
• I = 16.8 volts / 0.5 ohm
• I = 33.6 amps
• How much resistance is needed to
get 3C of current out of a 1500 mAh
battery?
• 3C @ 1500 mAh = 1500 mA * 3 = 4.5
amps
• R = 16.8 volts / 4.5 amps
• R = 3.7 ohms
• How much resistance is needed to
get 60 amps of current out of a 4S
LiPo for test purposes?
• R = 16.8 volts / 60 amps
• R = 0.28 ohms
• How many watts are dissipated by a
0.25 ohm resistor applied across the
terminals of a 4S battery?
• P = 16.8 volts * 16.8 volts / 0.25 ohms
• P = 1,128 watts!
Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com
Series Resistors
Explore this circuit at http://tinyurl.com/yaecgmch
• Total resistance = sum of individual
resistance values
• As resistors are added, total
resistance goes up
• As resistors are added, total current
goes down (more resistance = less
current per Ohm’s law)
• As resistors are added, total power
dissipated goes down (because total
current goes down)
• As resistors are added, power
dissipated by each resistor goes
down (because total current goes
down)

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

Parallel Resistors Explore this circuit at http://tinyurl.com/yc67dhgx
• Total resistance: 1 / Rt = 1/ R1 + 1 / R2 +
1/ R3 …)
• As resistors are added, total
resistance goes down
• As resistors are added, total current
goes up (less resistance = more
current per Ohm’s law)
• As resistors are added, total power
dissipated goes up (because total
current goes up)
• As resistors are added, power
dissipated by each resistor stays the
same (because total current goes up,
but there are more resistors too)

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

General Guidelines

If you want to If you are

dissipate MORE dissipating TOO
POWER, add MUCH POWER,
resistors IN add resistors IN
PARALLEL or SERIES or use
use lower-value higher-value
resistors resistors
Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com
Choosing Resistor Values
1. Decide how much current you 1. Want to test 4S battery at 60
want to flow amps.
2. Based on the voltage you are 2. R = 16.8 volts / 60 amps = 0.28
working with, calculate the ohms
necessary resistance value
3. P = 16.8 volts * 16.8 volts / 0.28
3. Calculate power dissipated by that ohms = 1,008 watts
resistor

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

Excess Power?
1. Calculate resistance for the rated
power dissipation of your resistor
• 100 watts = 16.8 volts * 16.8 volts / R
• 100 watts = 282 volts^2 / R
• R = 282 volts^2 / 100 watts
• R = 2.82 ohms
2. Calculate amps for that resistor
value
• I = 16.8 volts / 2.82 ohms
• I = 6.0 amps
At 16.8 volts, a 2.82 ohm resistor will
produce 6.0 amps of current, dissipating
100 watts
3. Add resistors in parallel to bring
total current flow up to the desired
level
• If one resistor produces 6 amps of
current, then we need 10 resistors in
parallel to get 60 amps of current
• Resistors can easily be added or
subtracted to produce more or less
current
• Power through each individual resistor
remains constant, so no additional
calculation is needed
• Current simply scales up and down as
resistors are added or subtracted
Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com
Choosing Resistors
This type of resistor is typically rated
from 100 to 200 watts. It needs to be
mounted to a heat sink and have good
air flow to achieve its full power
rating. It usually costs around $10. But
you also have to buy the heat sink.
This type of resistor is also rated from
100 to 200 watts. It is designed to
work without a heat sink. It still
benefits from good air flow. It usually
costs closer to $40.
Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com
Alternative Load: Halogen Bulbs!

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com

Halogen Bulb Considerations
• Bulbs produce a LOT of light –
consider buying aluminum flashing
from the hardware store as a shield
• 12v bulbs typically work fine on 4S
voltage, but blow out immediately
on 4S HV packs or higher
• Buy 24v bulbs or wire two 12v bulbs
in series if higher voltage is a
concern
• Bulbs are not necessarily cost-
effective compared to power
resistors
• Approximate amps are difficult to
calculate because the resistance of
the bulb is not constant
• At the rated voltage, you know you
will dissipate approximately the
rated wattage
• At other voltages… must
experiment to find out
• I get about 20 amps @ 4S through
3x 24v bulbs in parallel, which
equates to about 6 amps per 24v
bulb or per two 12v bulbs in series
Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com
Wiring Recommendations
• 12 gauge wire is okay up to about 60 amps
• 8 gauge is okay up to about 120 amps
• Use heavier wire if at all possible!
• Fine-strand silicone wire is best.
• Get a big, chunky, knife switch for
making/breaking connection
• If you try plugging in an XT60 or bullet with
a 30+ amp load attached, you will probably
arc the connector and burn it or even weld
it together

• Solid-core copper is okay too if you aren’t

going to move anything very much.

• XT60 is good up to 60 amps or probably a

little higher even

• Above 60 amps consider using bullet

connectors and/or ring terminals instead of
XT60

• 6mm bullets are okay up to 120 amps

Joshua Bardwell – www.fpvknowitall.com