# test load



## joethemechanic (Sep 21, 2011)

kielarsp said:


> Talking with local poco today. He was checking his overhead lines coming in because of a bad nuetral. He was using a hair dryer for his test load. He was telling me this is not an approved tool to be used on the truck. So I was wondering what is an approved test load?



Approved by the poco for use on the truck? I think every poco pretty much writes it's own rules when it comes to a truck's tool inventory sheet.


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## Wireman191 (Aug 28, 2011)

Load bank?


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

Water Resistor? I've used one to load test a rectifier in a Chlor-Alkali facility.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

The utiliy that serves my home has a small loadbank that goes in place of the meter.

They come out, they pull the meter put in the tester and very quickly it applies loads between all the conductors and spits out the VD.


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## boots 211 (Aug 21, 2009)

My dad was a trouble man for 35 yrs, he carried an old iron.


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## KayJay (Jan 20, 2008)

kielarsp said:


> Talking with local poco today. He was checking his overhead lines coming in because of a bad nuetral. He was using a hair dryer for his test load. He was telling me this is not an approved tool to be used on the truck. So I was wondering what is an approved test load?


AFAIK, the “Beast” is what most utility companies use for a load test at the building. There are actually heating elements and a cooling fan inside of it. The older ones had analog meters instead of the digital displays like the newer Super Beast.

http://www.jharlen.com/superbhj469dsco.html


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

KayJay said:


> AFAIK, the “Beast” is what most utility companies use for a load test at the building. There are actually heating elements and a cooling fan inside of it. The older ones had analog meters instead of the digital displays like the newer Super Beast.
> 
> http://www.jharlen.com/superbhj469dsco.html


What would be better, a megger, or the beast ?


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

For guys who don't like to turn things off--AKA linemen--the beast would be better.

-John


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Big John said:


> For guys who don't like to turn things off--AKA linemen--the beast would be better.
> 
> -John


Problem with the megger, would be disconnecting all appliances, electronics, lamps, etc. I've been itching to try my new 500V one, but I don't want to hassle all of the above.

I was thinking of using a space heater, and for increased load, adding a hair dryer. To test small CB's, and weak splices.


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## DiegoXJ (Jul 29, 2010)

I've seen this "Beast" poco used it to test a service we were troubleshooting. ran fine no problems. After reinstalling the meter and resetting the breakers we can blatantly hear some nice crackling coming from the splice up at the pole. So much for that thing.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

dronai said:


> Problem with the megger, would be disconnecting all appliances, electronics, lamps, etc. I've been itching to try my new 500V one, but I don't want to hassle all of the above...


Honestly, I would recommend both.

I really think a megger is invaluable. A dummy load just finds high-resistance series problems, a megger will find any variety of insulation failures.


> ...I was thinking of using a space heater, and for increased load, adding a hair dryer. To test small CB's, and weak splices.


I have a dummy load for battery bank testing I made exactly that way. Also good for circuit tracing if you put in a flasher relay.

-John


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Big John said:


> Honestly, I would recommend both.
> 
> I really think a megger is invaluable. A dummy load just finds high-resistance series problems, a megger will find any variety of insulation failures.I have a dummy load for battery bank testing I made exactly that way. *Also good for circuit tracing if you put in a flasher relay.*
> 
> -John


How would that work ^ ? I use a signal toner to trace out wires.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

dronai said:


> How would that work ^ ? I use a signal toner to trace out wires.


 Put an amp clamp on the circuit, look for the one with the regular current pulses. I've found it to be a lot more fool-proof than a tracer, but my tracer sucks.

-John


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