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Transformer with centre tap help.
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09-22-2012, 01:54 PM
Guinness
Member

*oin Date+ Dec ),,-
Posts+ ./
Transformer with centre tap help.
0i"
At wor# 1 had a transformer" 2rimar! was //,'" secondar! was /.%,%/.(
1 had information that the ,3 on the secondar! ma!be should be connected to mains earth( 4ut others said it didn5t need to be" so 1
didn5t as it didn5t seem riht to connect a secondar! windin to earth(((
6he 2roblem is" when 1 2owered u2" the secondar! windins melted" the insulation burnt off and destro!ed the transformer( 6his was
onl! on for 7, seconds(
No com2onents on the motor dri3er it was connected to ot hot and after testin there was not short circuit an!where on the in2ut" so
e8cessi3e current should not ha3e ha22ened(
M! $uestion is" did 1 destro! the transformer b! not connectin the ,' to earth" or could the transformer ha3e been fault! an!wa!?
1f it de2ends on the de3ice the transformer is connectin to" is there a wa! of tellin if the ,' needs to be connected to earth or not?
09-22-2012, 02:41 PM
t,9afre
:enior Member

*oin Date+ Ma! ),,-
Posts+ ;"../
<ou could 2erha2s ha3e o3erloaded the secondar! windins b! drawin to much current com2ared to the current ratin( Perha2s b! a
short( 0ard to sa! more without an! more information
09-22-2012, 02:54 PM
ramancini.
:enior Member

*oin Date+ *ul ),/)
=ocation+ Central Florida
Posts+ 7)>
6he center ta2 connection has no relationshi2 to load current if it is left o2en" and it is load current or a shorted secondar! windin
that caused the failure( 6he center ta2 should be left unconnected if unused" and if it is connected to either side of the secondar! it
causes a short that can burn u2 the secondar!( <ou must 2ro3ide a schematic to obtain a com2lete answer(
09-22-2012, 03:04 PM
MrChips
:u2er Moderator

*oin Date+ ?ct ),,-
Posts+ ."@;-
4lo Entries+ )7
/.%,%/. is 793 rms and that is a lot of 3oltae(
&hat are !ou connectin this to?
##
#$
#%
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Most com2uter 2roblems can be attributed to a sim2le 2roblem % a loosewire behind the #e!board(
09-22-2012, 03:11 PM
t,9afre
:enior Member

*oin Date+ Ma! ),,-
Posts+ ;"../
Also do not confuseBmi8 AN< CroundC wire on the 2rimar!Bsecondar! side of the transformer( &ith each other at all( An! CroundC on
the mains side( 0as nothin to do with an! CroundC on the secondar! side
09-22-2012, 03:48 PM
Guinness
Member

*oin Date+ Dec ),,-
Posts+ ./
0i"
1 cant 2ro3ide a schematic as its connects to the control circuitr! of a industrial ste22er motor controller( 4i and com2licated unit" 1
#now its not the same" but 1 did 2ut DC 3oltae onto the in2uts of the unit and didn5t draw more than //mA(
Duote+
6he center ta2 connection has no relationshi2 to load current if it is left o2en"
6he centre ta2 is connected to the unit" All three out2uts E /.'%,3%/.3 F are connected to the unit(
09-22-2012, 04:43 PM
crutschow
:enior Member

*oin Date+ Mar ),,.
=ocation+ =(A( U:A
Posts+ ;">9)
4lo Entries+ /
:o it5s li#el! ether a short in the transformer or a short in its load caused the failure( 1t has nothin to do with not ha3in the
center%ta2 connected to round(
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Ga22er
Curmudeon Ele#troni#er
09-23-2012, 01:25 PM
:t&oo#ie
E82ert Member

*oin Date+ *ul ),,>
=ocation+ 1n the 3ast midwest of the U:AH C:6
Posts+ ))",/9
Duote+
?riinall! Posted b! t06afre
Also do not confuse/mix ANY "ground" wire on the primary/secondary side of the transformer. With each other at all. Any
"ground" on the mains side. Has nothing to do with any "ground" on the secondary side
<our 2ost is rather confusinBconfused(
1n the :tates" earth round and Neutral are connected toether onl! at the brea#er 2anelBfuse bo8H the! must not be connected
toether an!where else(
1t is a ood idea to ha3e at least one wire of a transformers5 secondar! windin connected to roundH that wa! if a short de3elo2s
between the 2rimar! and secondar! windins" the round connection should cause the 2rimar! side fuse to blow due to e8cessi3e
current( &ithout that round" a shorted secondar! could be carr!in mains 2ower" which would be $uite danerous(
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
General info+
1f !ou ha3e a $uestion" 2lease start a threadBto2ic( 1 do not 2ro3ide ratis assistance 3ia PM nor E%mail" as that would 3iolate the intent
of this 4oard" which is sharin #nowlede ((( and de2ri3es !ou of other #nowledeable in2ut(
#'
#1(
09-23-2012, 02:31 PM
Potato Puddin
:enior Member

*oin Date+ *un ),/,
=ocation+ No3a :cotia" Canada
Posts+ 9;7
6he center ta2 miht wor# as a return 2ath(
&ithout it connected !ou miht double the current across the windins(
Most circuits this should not ha22en( 6he currents on each side are normall! oin to be mirrors and create a natural di3ision(
4ut some t!2es of switchin circuitr! for e8am2le will create an instantaneous current and 3oltae across the full 79 3olts where it was
intended to o across onl! the /. 3olt side with the center ta2 as the return 2ath for the sense circuits(
Doublin the 3oltae doubles the current and double the 3oltae and the current means rouhl! @ times the 2ower which matches the
meltdown !ou e82erienced(
&ould not seem li#el! to me without that e3idence(
1n fact !our e3idence ma#es me thin# it miht be another e3en more biIarre case( 6he sense circuit 2ath miht be from J/. throuh
%/. due to the disconnected round so that it thin#s it has , 3olts( 0mmm" not seein an! 3oltae" better turn the current u2(
1s this a common :te22er controller that others ha3e used for !ears without needin an! round connections? 1s it a new model? 1s it
2ossible that other round connects are in 2lace?
1 don5t see wh! !ou were so concerned about roundin that Center 6a2 wire( 1t could ha3e safet! reasons as well as o2eration issues(
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
KKKKKKK
Do what it takes to get what you want.
ake what you get while you do what you want.
!hoice is pretty much up to you.
09-24-2012, 08:22 PM
Guinness
Member

*oin Date+ Dec ),,-
Posts+ ./
6han#s for all the re2lies(
Duote+
1 don5t see wh! !ou were so concerned about roundin that Center 6a2 wire( 1t could ha3e safet! reasons as well as o2eration
issues(
6he last 2lace 1 wor#ed" 1 rounded a centre ta2 and the board e82loded( A22arentl! it was the wa! the 2cb was desined" so im alwa!s
careful about doin that now(
Duote+
:o it5s li#el! ether a short in the transformer or a short in its load caused the failure( 1t has nothin to do with not ha3in the
center%ta2 connected to round(
1 alwa!s ma#e sure the load has no short on the in2ut side before 2owerin u2" after tr!in another transformer" it turned out the first
transformer was shorted on the secondar! side(
6han# !ou all aain for !our hel2" was more confident with the connections 1 done where riht after readin !our 2osts(

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