resistive load and a inductive load difference?

[mattysupra]

Hi, just about to purchase some thermostat controlled plugs. The heaters i will use will be 3000w as a temporary thing while proper heating is installed. However i will use these thermostatic controlled plugs else where when they are finished powering the 3000w heaters. (will be used on low power tube heaters)

The specs say they can handle -

· Maximum resistive load: 13A 3000W

· Maximum inductive load: 2A 460W

Whats the difference ?

thanks

 

[RF Lighting]

An inductuve load is usually something like a transformer. Inductive loads have high inrush currents.

If you were to try and switch a 3000W inductive load with your plug, the inrush current would most likely burn out the switching contacts.

Your heaters are a resistive load.

 

[mattysupra]

Thanks RF, a simple straight to the point answer. Its hard to get one of them around here of late

Thanks again.

 

[echoes]

When a (highly) inductive load is switched off, the suddenly collapsing magnetic field causes a short-lived, but large e.m.f. (voltage) to develop across the switch contacts, making them prone to arcing and burning out.

 

[Spark123]

Also the current is not phase with the voltage in an inductive load (current lags the voltage), not that this will make much difference to your switch.
Resistive loads current is in phase with voltage.
Capacitive loads Current leads Voltage (hence the use of capacitors for powerfactor correction.)