About: Parasitic load

Parasitic load is a term used with regard to electrical appliances, railway locomotives and internal combustion engines. With regard to electrical appliances, it represents the power consumed even when the appliance is shut off, that is standby power. With regard to railway locomotives, it is any of the loads or devices powered by the prime mover not contributing to tractive effort, such as an air compressor, traction motor blower, or radiator fans. With regard to internal combustion engines such as those used in automobiles, it refers to devices that take energy from the engine in order to enhance the engine's ability to create more energy or convert energy to motion.