If installing current transformers to control a capacitor bank, should they be placed on the line or load side?

When installing current transformers to control a capacitor bank, placing them on the load side is essential for accurate monitoring and control of the reactive power. Current transformers are utilized to measure the current flowing into the capacitor bank and consequently provide critical feedback for regulating the bank's operation.

When positioned on the load side, the current transformers can accurately sense the current that the capacitor bank is supplying to the load. This placement ensures that the readings reflect the actual performance of the capacitor bank in relation to the load, allowing for appropriate control actions based on the measured current.

If current transformers were placed on the line side, they would measure the total current flowing from the source, including load and capacitor bank contribution. This could lead to misleading readings and ineffective control strategies since the system's reactive power behavior would not be directly correlated to the load's actual demand.

Thus, placing current transformers on the load side is the correct approach to ensure they monitor the relevant current accurately and enhance the operational efficiency of the capacitor bank in reactive power management.