Load Bank Testing: Generators Lie Until You Load Them

Emergency generators are often assumed to be reliable because they start, run, and pass routine inspections. Unfortunately, those conditions can create a false sense of confidence. A generator that appears healthy at idle or light load may still be unprepared to support a facility when real demand hits.

At the Northeastern Emergency Power Conference, the session “Load Bank Testing: Generators Lie Until You Load Them” will be presented Wed., May 6 at 1:15 by Mark Dornoff, Sales Manager at Mosebach Manufacturing Company. Mark will examine why no‑load or lightly loaded operation can mask mechanical, electrical, and combustion‑related problems that only surface under full demand.Attendees will gain practical insight into how issues such as wet stacking, carbon buildup, and incomplete combustion develop in under‑loaded systems—and why those conditions increase the risk of failure during an emergency.

The session also clarifies how NFPA 110 load testing requirements differ from routine exercising, what triggers the need for load bank testing, and what AHJs and surveyors expect to see documented for compliance.

Rather than focusing on theory, this session reinforces a critical reality: the only reliable way to verify generator performance is to load it. For facility professionals responsible for emergency power readiness, this discussion highlights why load bank testing is not optional—it’s essential to protecting life safety systems and ensuring generators perform when it matters most.

About Mark 

Mark Dornoff is a Sales Engineer and Manager with Mosebach Manufacturing Company, where he supports power generation, rail and mining customers with advanced load bank and dynamic braking resistor solutions. His background spans utility operations, industrial safety, and power‑generation technologies, strengthened by prior leadership roles in energy and industrial equipment sectors. Known for his practical, solutions‑focused approach, Mark brings deep insight into power systems and industrial reliability.