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Finding a transformer's CT

  • Thread starter Rikard Bosnjakovic
  • Start date
R

Rikard Bosnjakovic

Jan 1, 1970
0
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now know
how to find a center tap in a winding.
 
J

John Popelish

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rikard said:
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it
looks like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something
tells me that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid
shorting the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which
one is the center one.

Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now
know how to find a center tap in a winding.

You can use a resistance measurement to find the center tap, also, but
you need to be able to measure lower values. The end to end
resistance is about twice the resistance of either end to the center
tap, but the total resistance may be below an ohm. Do you have access
to a current regulated lab supply? If so, you can connect the winding
in question across the supply, with the current limit set to a
reasonable value (an ampere or a tenth of an ampere, or a guess of
what the winding can stand without fusing, and measure the voltage
across the winding with a volt meter. You can measure milliohms this
way with reasonable accuracy. Just be sure to connect the current to
the winding with one pair of connection points and the meter with a
second pair of points, so the current path contact resistance voltage
drop doesn't get involved in the resistance measurement. If you don't
have a current regulated supply, you can just use a voltage supply and
a series resistor at least 10 times the resistance of the winding,
that limits the current to a safe current. The resistor will produce
considerable heat, so use a large one and make the measurements quickly.
 
P

Peter Bennett

Jan 1, 1970
0
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now know
how to find a center tap in a winding.

The resistance you measure between the center tap and either end
should be half the resistance between the end terminals.
 
B

Bob Monsen

Jan 1, 1970
0
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

No, there won't be a problem. The center tap is isolated from the
mains on a working transformer. The worst that could happen is that you
get 1/2 the voltage you think you'll get.
Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now know
how to find a center tap in a winding.

Just hook up a 1M resistor between all of the taps, and plug the other
side in. Now, measure the voltages. If the terminals are A, B, and C, and
the C terminal is the center tap, then the voltages will probably be

A-B = V*2
A-C = V
B-C = V

for some V, defined by the winding ratio of the transformer. That
implies that the the two terminals which are not the center tap will have
twice the voltage across them.

--
Regards,
Bob Monsen

"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of
their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their
environment."
-- Charles Darwin
 
W

Walter Harley

Jan 1, 1970
0
Bob Monsen said:
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it
looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

No, there won't be a problem. The center tap is isolated from the
mains on a working transformer. The worst that could happen is that you
get 1/2 the voltage you think you'll get. [...]


Actually, the worst that could happen is that the VCR has a switch-mode
power supply, and when he tries to connect 60Hz mains to it, it saturates,
overheats, and flames.
 
J

Jasen Betts

Jan 1, 1970
0
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now know
how to find a center tap in a winding.

a centre tap will show less resistance to either end of the winding than is
measured from either end, also you may be able to observe two wires from
inside the transformer going to the centre terminal, or observe that it
enters the winding half way through its layyering, furthermore the centre
tap is usually located in the centre.

don't connect any of the secondary terminals, connect the transformer to
the mains and measure the AC voltage between pairs of secondary terminals.

it should become obvious which is the centre tap.

eg A-B 12V
A-C 12V
B-C 24V

A is the centre tap.

Bye.
Jasen
 
I

Ian Macmillan

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rikard Bosnjakovic said:
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now know
how to find a center tap in a winding.

Assuming its a 50/60Hz transformer, a handy way is to use a small
transformer, say 6 volts AC, to energise one winding, and then measure the
voltages that arise in the other windings.

All the best
Ian Macmillan
 
M

Michael A. Terrell

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jasen said:
a centre tap will show less resistance to either end of the winding than is
measured from either end, also you may be able to observe two wires from
inside the transformer going to the centre terminal, or observe that it
enters the winding half way through its layyering, furthermore the centre
tap is usually located in the centre.

don't connect any of the secondary terminals, connect the transformer to
the mains and measure the AC voltage between pairs of secondary terminals.

it should become obvious which is the centre tap.

eg A-B 12V
A-C 12V
B-C 24V

A is the centre tap.

Bye.
Jasen

Use a lightbulb in series with the primary to limit the current.
That way you won't damage the transformer if you hook it up the wrong
way.
--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
From a smashed VCR I plucked out its transformer that's got two primary
taps and three secondary. Using the consistency checker on my DMM it looks
like all three secondary taps are connected together. Something tells me
that this means one of the three is center tapped, and to avoid shorting
the mains when I use the transformer, I need to find out which one is the
center one.

Is this possible to do with a DMM? I learned how to find the primary and
secondary windings using the resistance meter on my DMM, but I do now know
how to find a center tap in a winding.

Get a known good 6VAC transformer, and a .1A fuse for its primary. Pick
any two terminals that have continuity, and put the 6VAC on them - that
will be a winding or part of one.

Measure and record the voltages. All of them! :)

Scale them, and Voila! You know what all of the windings' relationships
to the others are, center taps and all. :)

Have Fun!
Rich
 
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