Transformer theory (was:Re: Another ~1960 computer kit)

From: Roger Merchberger <zmerch_at_30below.com>
Date: Thu Dec 31 13:09:07 1998

Once upon a midnight dreary, Philip.Belben_at_pgen.com had spoken clearly:

>This means, among other things, that (for sinusoidal ac) the flux is zero
>when the voltage is at its peak and vice versa.

Which, in short, is why a transformer doesn't work with DC.

[Editor's Note: No, this little blurb is just to show I know a little about
these things (now) -- when I was young (10-11) I designed my first xformer
- right number of turns to it and everything! I hooked it to a 6V lantern
battery - and couldn't figure out why there was no voltage coming from the
secondary coils. 'Course, the Internet was unheard of by normal folk, and
we hadn't a lot of money so I had no books, save a "How it Works"
encyclopedia set that I had, that showed a beautiful breakdown of a xformer
(which I modeled mine from) - but failed to mention it needed AC to
actually work!]

Thank you for an excellent description (or should I say dissertation?? ;-)
on the whys & workings of transformers!

Happy Holidaze, and have a good niner-niner,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
Received on Thu Dec 31 1998 - 13:09:07 GMT