Electrical Transformer Tutorial

Afroman covers the basics of how transformers work, where to shop for step down mains transformers, and how to wire one up to mains voltages without killing yourself. European and North American wiring is discussed. He finishes up with a quick example of AC to DC conversion in an unregulated dual rail power supply.

Watch the followup video on diodes and AC to DC conversion here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyhzpFqXwdA

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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• electrical
• transformer
• mains
• voltage
• electricity
• 60hz
• AC
• step
• down
• live
• neutral
• earth
• dual
• rail
• 120V
• 240V
• 24V

[eltechnic0]

Hi, I'd like to know why would it explode if you connect the probe's ground to the primary ground when the other end is connected to the secondary, as you have said?

[Afrotechmods]

@eltechnic0 The scope's ground clip has a direct connection to the earth wire of your home's wiring. You could potentially short the live wire to earth, or the neutral wire to earth (which wouldn't be as bad, but the neutral wire often has a different potential than earth)

[KyleCarrington]

In regards to computer, their power supplies, and off grid applications: I look inside a computer power supply and while it is beyond my skill level to diagnose exactly all that is taking place... I have often thought it retarded (when using solar or wind power) to have to take 12v store power, invert to 100VAC, supply a computer power supply with 3 to 5 amps of that, to only turn around and create +12, -12, +5, -5, +3, -3 etc. that has to be wasteful. Have you ever seen a DC supply?

[Afrotechmods]

@KyleCarrington Yeah it's stupid. Mini-box.com has supplies that run off 12V.

[UrbanTurban007]

can a toroidal transformer be built from a toroidal inductor from a psu and be used as a normal transformer? Im asking this because i have tried reusing old transformers and so far, i broke all 3 of them when taking them apart >:(

[Afrotechmods]

@UrbanTurban007 Yes, but you really have to know what you are doing when doing the windings.

[derekroolz]

8:31 I lol'd so hard!

[GhostXoP]

"divide that mofo by 10" omfg LOL

[1883GotDown]

Great Video. I build rf amplifiers and some of these can pull up to 400amps of current dc. Transformers to handle this are so so expensive and I want to learn how to actually make my own. All I need is 120 in 12v out. I will be willing to pay you to teach me. Usually what we do is use 100amp transformers and phase them in parallel. Let me know if you can teach me. Send me a private message if you don't mind.

[kaulassala]

If the voltage "multiplies" if i use side pins of transformer, does the current multiply to?

[Vkrispies]

TRANSFORMERS 

[Jbrahams45]

This was a great video, most understandable on youtube that I've seen

Now I'm new on this topic and this might sound like a dumb question (because it's basically the first time I've learned about transformers and now I've got to do an EEI on them), but you talk about the number of turns of the wire, when you show pictures of the transformers at around the 8 minute mark (specifically 8:21), are the coils of wire very minute because if so I think I know what's going on, but just wanted to clarify

[Desmaad]

@vannimal2 The second transformer is the output transformer. As far as I can tell, it gives the sound a bit more 'oomph'.

[davidenelson]

I have a transformer with just 2 wires on the primary and 2 on the secondary side. can i create a dual rail power supply still even without the ground center tap

[gunsparky]

Great video. I watched the whole thing and that's a complement in itself.

I'm an educator and I will probably show the children. They'll enjoy the language.

I'm in Australia but it will translate ok

[Cineenvenordquist]

@themooddisorders Matching hard coal's efficiency is no easy task.

[Cineenvenordquist]

@hitachi088 Usually. Some places' (or days') power conditioning is left to the buzzards, leaving dominant harmonics around; this makes '12VAC' oddly likely to blow caps, arc diodes and chokes, hum intermittently and enter circulatory systems. Just be aware, keep moving, and...dress in the vinyl clothing of the natives?

[Cineenvenordquist]

@KyleCarrington There has to be a better way to teach power factor without lots of virtual shopping for line transformer stations, switchgear, etc...

[vannimal2]

i have seen a lot of amplifiers with 2 transformers, how does that work?

[fairyheli2]

@FrozenHaxor2 we had to change when we joined the eu, England used to be red (live) and black (neutral) we have apparently changed from 240v to 230v but my voltage reading is 250v

[FrozenHaxor2]

@fairyheli2 I have feeling that it got changed when Poland joined EU. Our mains voltage got changed from 220V to 230V at that time as well, so there might be some changes.

[fairyheli2]

@FrozenHaxor2 maybe that was just bad electricians, unless Poland used to have different wiring colours

[gigiboxa]

04:37 we will wait until later yes!

[FrozenHaxor2]

@fairyheli2 That's odd, in Poland I always saw the blue wire being used as the live.

[fairyheli2]

@FrozenHaxor2 no we use brown as live and blue as neutral, if you don't know this you shouldn't be messing around with electricity. ¦ -

[Dryued]

Isn't plugging a transformer without a load a short circuit? I kind of fried a transformer this way.

[BessieMorrison]

Thank you

[LOPEZdJUNGLIST]

kushty vid nice one

[FrozenHaxor2]

There's a small mistake at 05:59 though. In Europe we use the blue wire as the live line, and the brown as neutral.

[ibasspro]

If your transformer is not marked, how can you visually tell the input (primary coil) side. I am asking for both terroidial & laminated core. thanks.