Electronic loads are crucial instruments for evaluating power supply regulation, battery discharge rates, fuel cell capabilities, and automotive component performance. AMETEK Programmable Power provides world-class Sorensen DC electronic loads featuring air-cooled (PLA Series) and water-cooled (PLW Series) technologies engineered to support current capacities up to 5000A, operating voltages up to 1200V, and power ratings reaching 250kW+ per unit.
Designed for rigorous research and development, quality assurance, and high-volume production testing. Select from our advanced air-cooled or ultra-dense water-cooled modular systems.
Air-Cooled Programmable DC Electronic Load
High-density benchtop and rack-mount air-cooled electronic loads ideal for low to mid-power DC test applications, offering ultra-fast transient response and low input impedance.
Water-Cooled Programmable DC Electronic Load
Industry-leading power density that eliminates room air heating and acoustic fan noise. Ideal for heavy-duty EV battery pack testing, renewable energy, and grid storage validation.
AMETEK Sorensen electronic loads support dynamic programming modes allowing testing engineers to simulate complex static and transient real-world conditions easily.
| Operating Mode | Description & Engineering Value | Primary Test Application |
|---|---|---|
| Constant Current (CC) | Draws a precisely controlled current level regardless of input voltage fluctuations. | Power supply load regulation & battery discharge capacity testing. |
| Constant Voltage (CV) | Maintains a constant terminal voltage by dynamically absorbing required current. | Current-limit testing, charger evaluation & solar array simulation. |
| Constant Power (CP) | Adjusts current and voltage dynamically to maintain constant power absorption. | Battery power delivery characterization & fuel cell profiling. |
| Constant Resistance (CR) | Simulates fixed or linear resistive loads across varying input voltages. | General power converter load validation & startup load testing. |
| Dynamic / Pulse Mode | Toggles rapidly between programmable current/power levels with high slew rates. | Transient response evaluation & step-load stability testing. |
Simulate dynamic driving cycles, high-current battery pack discharge, and EV charging station compliance with precise voltage/current feedback.
Validate DC power distribution sub-stations, auxiliary power units (APU), and military power converters according to stringent MIL-STD specifications.
Characterize fuel cell stack polarization curves and photovoltaic inverter outputs with high-speed dynamic resistance controls.
Automate long-term burn-in testing for AC-DC rectifiers and DC-DC converters using Ethernet/LAN digital automation protocols.
A programmable electronic load is a sophisticated instrument designed to simulate electrical loads for testing power sources under controlled static and dynamic conditions. Unlike fixed power resistors, an electronic load continuously adjusts its internal impedance to absorb precise amounts of current, voltage, or power based on user programming, facilitating automated, highly repeatable test procedures.
Water-cooled electronic loads (such as the Sorensen PLW Series) dissipate massive amounts of heat through integrated liquid cooling loops rather than blowing hot air into laboratory or production floor spaces. This allows for significantly higher power density (up to 250kW+ in compact footprints), silent operation, reduced HVAC cooling costs, and enhanced system reliability in high-ambient-temperature environments.
Fixed resistors are inflexible, limited to static resistance values, and susceptible to thermal drift. Programmable electronic loads offer dynamic operating modes (CC, CV, CP, CR), high-speed transient slewing, real-time digital voltage/current metering, safety protection limits, and automated control interface integration (GPIB, RS-232, USB, Ethernet).
Sorensen electronic loads feature comprehensive hardware and software protection features, including Over-Voltage Protection (OVP), Over-Current Protection (OCP), Over-Power Protection (OPP), Over-Temperature Protection (OTP), and Reverse Polarity Protection to safeguard both the instrument and the Device Under Test (DUT).
Speak with an AMETEK Programmable Power engineer to configure the exact voltage, current, and power requirements for your test application.
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