Unlike a heater where electric current passes through resistive wire to generate heat for specific purposes such as heating a medium, a Braking Resistor works the reverse way and is used in electrical drive system.

When a machinery is required to stop, the action of decelerating of the motion transforms kinetic energy into electrical energy and this process is known as dynamic braking which can be either regenerative braking or rheostatic braking.

In regenerative braking, the electrical power generated is put back into power system whereas in rheostatic braking, it is being dumped through the resistor which acts as a load bank and dissipated as heat.