An Important Note on Safety
All ASCO load banks are designed with safety as a very high priority, but their operation does present
some risks. In common with other test equipment, the safety of all concerned is dependent on the
way that the unit is operated. Do not use this equipment unless you have read and understood this
manual, and are familiar with the accepted practice for the industry. The equipment should not be
used by unskilled personnel. Misuse could result in serious injury and damage to the equipment.
Be sure to follow all of the safety warnings in this manual. In particular, pay careful attention to the
following points:
•
Keep all personnel who are not directly involved with tests well away from the load bank and the
equipment under test.
•
The discharge air can be very hot and could cause serious flesh burns. Do not touch the outlet
grille while the load bank is running, or for a few minutes afterwards.
•
Ensure that there is no risk of the hot discharge air re-circulating back to the air inlet of the load
bank, extensive damage is possible due to short-circuiting the cooling air.
•
Ensure the air inlet and outlets are completely unobstructed and that there is no loose paper,
plastic bags, or other debris that may be drawn on to the air inlet grille, obstructing the airflow.
•
Combustible material left near the air discharge should be removed.
•
Only operate the load bank with all the guards in place and with all of the covers and protective
screens securely in position.
•
Make sure that all equipment is adequately grounded; this applies equally to the Supply-on-Test,
and the load bank.
•
Ensure all cables are in good condition and adequately rated for the planned load, and that all
connections are securely made.
•
Ensure all cables are long enough to lay in smooth curves, and are unstressed, undamaged, and
protected from mechanical damage. Lay the cables to minimise the risk of personnel tripping or
accidentally tugging on the cables.
•
Do not switch off the cooling fan immediately after a test. Allow the fan to run for 3 minutes after
removing the load.
•
Store the equipment in a clean, dry place when not in use. Only setup and operate the load bank
in environmental conditions suited to the enclosure classification of the load bank.
Chapter One
Introducing ASCO Load Banks
If you are not familiar with the use of ASCO Sigma LT load banks then you should start with this chapter.
It provides an introduction to the general principles of power supply testing and then it explains how a
Sigma LT load bank makes the process easier, safer and more reliable.
If you are an experienced load bank user you may want to skip the earlier sections, but you should
certainly read the introduction to ASCO Sigma LT load banks which appears at the end of the chapter.
