Load Balancing: What Is It?

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Gento

Load balancing can be a tricky and confusing procedure to understand. As its name suggests, load balancing focuses on evenly distributing current draw throughout the entire rack. The goal is to achieve perfect balance so that more total current can be supplied to each branch circuit. 

Load Balancing 101

Did you know that load balancing has many of the same benefits as three phase PDUs? When a load is close to perfect balance, the current draw will be more evenly distributed down the three-phase line. The result of an even distribution is additional power headroom. Let's say that you have a 24A three-phase delta wired PDU that also has three branch circuits. If an 18A load is properly balanced, then 6A will be distributed to each branch, the current flowing for each of the input phase lines will be 10.4A, which means that the total current will be 31.2A. However, if the load wasn't properly balanced, then the three-phase lines might have 18A, 18A, and 0A to create a total current of 36A. In layman's terms, when the load is balanced across all three lines, more headroom is achieved.

It's important to note that load balancing can be a tricky process if you aren’t using the right tools. For example, IT devices often draw power in varying amounts based on their current consumption loads. In this vein, the anticipated power consumption for each device needs to be estimated so that the circuits will be evenly loaded. Additionally, devices that require two power supplies will further complicate the entire process, since multiple circuits will come into play. The good news is that Raritan's alternate circuit phase sequencing can reduce the complexity of the entire load balancing process. 

The Bottom Line: Raritan Can Simplify The Load Balancing Process

Raritan’s alternate circuit phase sequencing is uniquely designed so that you can more efficiently and easily complete load balancing tasks. Their approach simplifies the deployment of IT devices, while subsequently balancing three lines to provide greater power headroom. The Raritan solution also leverages a tracing power cord, which means that the likelihood of unplugging the incorrect device during regular maintenance is far less likely. In short, Raritan's load balancing solution helps you to increase headroom and ultimately lower downtime. 

To learn more about load balancing, click here.