Single Phase Transformer Testing

Single phase transformers are used in power supplies and other equipment to convert AC voltages and currents from one value to another. Transformers are critical for providing electrical isolation which is necessary for the safe operation of many laboratory instruments and medical devices. If the input and output do not share a common terminal, then the transformer can transfer power with complete physical separation. This prevents electricity on the hazardous high-voltage side of a system from reaching circuits and people on the safe low-voltage side. Understanding the components within a transformer is important for transformer analysis and design. This video will demonstrate how to measure electrical parameters of transformer components by performing various tests.

A transformer has a pair of input terminals connected to a primary winding or coil and a pair of output terminals connected to a secondary winding. A core consisting of steel, ferrite or even simply air magnetically couples the two windings. A voltage across one winding causes current to flow through it, creating a magnetic field. Magnetic flux, which is the amount of magnetic field passing through an area is then coup