Avtron 3110

1,025 to 1,250 kW resistive load bank resolving 1 kW steps, static, movable or trailer built

Avtron 3110 is one of 16 load banks tracked in the SecondWatt catalogue, each with specifications, lead times and indicative secondary-market pricing.

Avtron 3110 resistive load bank, 1,025 to 1,250 kW with 1 kW step resolution and SIGMA 2 control. Specs, LTR variant, inspection points and pricing.

The Avtron 3110 is a resistive, unity-power-factor load bank rated 1,025 kW at 400 V 50 Hz and 1,250 kW at 480 V 60 Hz, with the catalogue quoting a wider 680 to 1,250 kW band that neither the datasheet nor the bulletin explains. Its defining specification is 1 kW load step resolution under SIGMA 2 control. On a 1,250 kW machine that is 0.08 percent of full scale, fine enough for UPS step work rather than generator loading alone. Three physical builds exist, static, movable and trailer mounted, each with its own outline drawing. It sits on the Froment UK platform. Elements are replaceable non-finned sheathed types with a stainless outer sheath and nickel-chrome wire in magnesium oxide, rated for continuous operation at 800 deg C while running below 500 deg C in service. That headroom is the physical reason these machines outlive their controls. The unit is CE marked with electrical enclosures to IP54. Two Avtron documents describe this model and they disagree. The pub 5011 rev G datasheet gives 1,290 kg and a 24 month warranty; the July 2026 technical bulletin, which covers the outdoor movable build, gives 1,500 kg and a 12 month warranty. Dimensions, noise and air temperature rise differ between them too. Match the figure to the build being quoted.

Why it matters

1 kW steps on a 1,250 kW unit is the specification that makes this model usable for UPS capacity and battery runtime work rather than only genset loading. It also networks with 3000, 6000 and 8000 Series units for non-unity power factor testing, which matters because a resistive-only unit cannot by itself deliver the 0.8 power factor an integrated systems test usually requires.

Who buys it

Generator OEMs and test facilities, commissioning contractors running large integrated systems tests, and utilities. Avtron's own photography places these units at a generator manufacturer's facility. Buyers choose the 3110 over larger permanent units when they need fine resolution, the option to move the unit, or BMS and SCADA integration on a commissioning asset that stays with the site.

Role in the data center

Not named in either March 2026 data centre brochure, yet capable on the specification that matters. 1 kW resolution on 1,250 kW is 0.08 percent of full scale, which is what makes it usable for UPS capacity and battery runtime step testing rather than only genset loading. Networking to 6000 and 8000 Series units closes the resistive-only gap for integrated systems tests at 0.8 power factor. BMS and SCADA integration suits a permanently sited commissioning asset.

Key specifications

Technical summary

Capacity: 1,025 kW at 400 V 50 Hz, 1,250 kW at 480 V 60 Hz, resistive at unity power factor (kW, not kVA). Catalogue band: 680 to 1,250 kW, a floor neither Avtron document explains. Load step resolution: 1 kW under SIGMA 2 control. Load tolerance: within 2.5 percent of total capacity. Elements: replaceable non-finned sheathed, stainless sheath, rated 800 deg C continuous, running below 500 deg C. Cooling: 8.3 m3/s (17,587 CFM) single axial fan, horizontal discharge, 4.5 kW three-phase motor. Short circuit rating: 10 kA, per the July 2026 technical bulletin. Ingress protection: IP54 electrical enclosures, IP1X inlet and outlet mesh screens. Dimensions and weight: 2340 x 1540 x 1910 mm and 1,290 kg per datasheet; 2300 x 1520 x 2075 mm and 1,500 kg per bulletin. Connections: 32 A three-phase IEC 60309-2 plug, 32 A aM fuses recommended. Ambient: 35 deg C rated with a 50 deg C option per datasheet; -10 deg C to 50 deg C per bulletin. Warranty: 24 months per datasheet, 12 months per bulletin.

Major variations

Three physical builds carry separate outline drawings: static, movable and trailer mounted. An optional lift frame adds 165 mm and 130 kg, and a 50 deg C ambient option is offered over the standard 35 deg C rating. The variant is designated 3110LTR. Avtron's site carries no 3110LT page, product or datasheet. LTR is Avtron's standardised outdoor rated range, and the 3110LTR is rated 1,000 kW at 400 V 50 Hz and 1,250 kW at 480 V 60 Hz, trailer or castor mounted, controlled by SIGMA LT Local Control or SIGMA Unity, with options for the SIGMA LT hand-held, trailer and PVC cover. Avtron describes the LTR range as having fewer options and customisation than the 3000 Series but a reduced lead time and a lower price point.

Configurations and options

SIGMA 2 control is standard and is what delivers the 1 kW step. The unit networks with 3000, 6000 and 8000 Series load banks for non-unity power factor testing and integrates to BMS or SCADA. Custom voltages are offered on request, with Avtron noting most standard global voltages are available. External connection is a 32 A three-phase IEC 60309-2 plug with 32 A aM fuses recommended, and instrumentation is supplied to class 0.5 accuracy with 1000 V DC insulation testing, both figures from the July 2026 technical bulletin.

Compatibility and dependencies

400 V 50 Hz or 480 V 60 Hz as standard, connected through a 32 A three-phase IEC 60309-2 plug with 32 A aM fuses recommended. The 10 kA short circuit rating must be checked against the site's available fault current. Non-unity power factor testing requires networking to 6000 or 8000 Series units, because the 3110 is resistive only.

Pricing and availability

Comparable secondary-market band: 67.05–100.47 $ per kW. Trend: stable One structural pattern in category pricing as of 2026-08-31 applies at this rating: New OEM dollars per kW falls with capacity, running 67.05 to 100.47 across five observations in the 750 to 1,250 kW band against 49.78 to 70.54 across nine in the 1,500 to 3,000 kW band, while used dollars per kW does not scale the same way. No used unit above 750 kW was listed at any price. Lead time, new: The only sourced lead-time statement near this model is Avtron's LTR range note that the standardised LTR variants carry a reduced lead time relative to the base 3000 Series. Avtron does not publish the size of that reduction.. Warranty, new: Stated inconsistently by Avtron: 24 months on the pub 5011 rev G datasheet and 12 months on the July 2026 technical bulletin. Confirm against the build being quoted..

Lifecycle and maintenance

Avtron publishes no MTBF. Warranty is stated inconsistently across Avtron's own documents, 24 months on the pub 5011 rev G datasheet and 12 months on the July 2026 technical bulletin. The durability story is the element headroom: rated for continuous operation at 800 deg C while running below 500 deg C in service. Duty is 100 percent load, continuous at rated voltage, so this is a continuous-rated machine rather than an intermittent one. No published service interval exists. Note that Avtron's own guidance says sheathed elements often require a cool-down period after use. A 1,250 kW run held four hours dissipates 5,000 kWh through a horizontal discharge, at a 120 deg C air temperature rise per the datasheet and 125 deg C per the July 2026 bulletin.

Thermal and emissions profile

No on-site combustion and no direct emissions; emissions during a test belong to the generator or supply under test. Across its 1,000–1,250 kW range the unit rejects the full applied load as heat through forced-air discharge, so indoor installations need a ducted or outdoor discharge path and enough make-up air to avoid recirculation into the intake.

Common failure points

• Sheathed element failure — A block of steps drops out and capacity falls outside the 2.5 percent tolerance
• SIGMA 2 controller fault — The unit loads only in coarse blocks or not at all, and 1 kW resolution is lost
• Fan or airflow failure — Overtemperature shutdown with outlet air above the 120 to 125 deg C design rise
• Monocoque corrosion on outdoor units — Rust-through on the 2 mm Zintec body and water inside the electrical enclosure
• Overtemperature protection drift — No trip during a genuine overheat, or nuisance trips at partial load
• Connector and fuse degradation — Heating at the 32 A IEC 60309-2 plug and repeated aM fuse operation

Inspection checklist

Nameplate: confirm which build this is, 1,025 kW at 400 V 50 Hz or 1,250 kW at 480 V 60 Hz. Load steps: verify 1 kW resolution actually works, which on a 1,250 kW unit means 1,250 discrete increments. Control: confirm the SIGMA 2 controller is fitted and boots, because the 1 kW step depends on it and not on the elements. Load tolerance: measured total must sit within 2.5 percent of rating, so 1,219 to 1,281 kW on a 1,250 kW unit. Sheathed elements: inspect for sheath damage; they are rated 800 deg C continuous but should run below 500 deg C. Element supply: confirm the replaceable non-finned elements are still catalogued before buying on condition. Fan and motor: verify the 4.5 kW three-phase fan runs and draws near 20 A at 50 Hz or 25 A at 60 Hz. Airflow: confirm an unobstructed 8 to 10 m3/s path and that the IP1X inlet and outlet mesh screens are intact.

Procurement channels

New through Avtron and its distributors as a build-to-order unit. The 3110LTR is the faster and less expensive route to the same rating band if the standardised outdoor build suits. No used load bank above 750 kW was listed on any public channel as of August 2026.

Regional notes

Sold in both 50 Hz and 60 Hz territories, at 1,025 kW on 400 V 50 Hz and 1,250 kW on 480 V 60 Hz, with other standard global voltages offered on request. It is CE marked rather than UL listed, which matters for North American specifications that require a listed assembly.