Title: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: k4kyv on October 18, 2011, 10:20:54 AM Even if you don't plan to wind or re-wind a transformer, here is some good information on how transformers are constructed, with plenty of photos. It doesn't cover the subject 100%, but is informative, especially for those who have never taken a transformer apart.
http://ludens.cl/Electron/trafos/trafos.html He also has a link to another article on coils and transformers, but I don't think he is 100% correct on everything, particularly the section on DC chokes. He doesn't mention anything about gapping the core, and I question his statement that "... DC is simply a very, very low frequency... :-)" (like infinitely low, maybe?) http://ludens.cl/Electron/Magnet.html Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: K5UJ on October 18, 2011, 01:35:35 PM Thanks don I did not know about that page.
Also if you scroll down here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformer There are diagrams on the right that show the way the coils are wound for the primary and secondary on an open EI core shell transformer. Back last spring I realized that for me, transformers were another one of those black box type things i.e. I didn't really understand exactly how the coils were wound. I found the wikipedia diagram under Windings helpful for a beginning understanding. Rob Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: KM1H on October 18, 2011, 07:57:22 PM I wish I had all that info when I started rewinding in the late 50's! Too much trial and error and I got away from it.
Id like to do a big mod transformer but that would likely be a couple of stacked toroids. Too much black magic in the old methods. Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: Opcom on October 18, 2011, 08:12:27 PM It is the need for tooling, pretty much specially made up for the bobbin at hand, and the neatly layered wire when more than a few layers are needed, that has prevented me from trying transformers with more than a couple hundred turns.
It is very satisfying to wind one's own transformers, even if just small filament units. I never tried toroids due to having to figure out how to pass the entire spool of wire through, all were small EI cores where I saved the bobbins. Only three fil. units and one 140V unit for RTTY magnet power so far, I guess I am lazy and that is not a very good score for 40 years of experiments! I'd like to see a home made toroidal mod transformer, that would be very cool! Do it! Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: The Slab Bacon on October 19, 2011, 09:26:30 AM Transformer winding may be a P.I.T.A., but the most miserable thing I EVER did was to rewind a magneto coil! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (myself and a friend did 3 of them). They were for an American Bosch magneto for a 1 1/2 Hp early 1920s model Z Fairbanks-Morse gas engine. This was before they started making their own magnetos.
(apparently all of them failed from moisture) Myself and a friend (who was deeply religious and didn't cuss) must have invented at least a dozen NEW cusswords winding those things. That hair fine wire is miserable to work with! But that was 35 years ago and mine is still working fine. Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: WZ1M on October 19, 2011, 09:46:57 AM Talk about "MISERABLE", try winding 30,000 turns of #38 on a bobbin. Those interstage transformers are a real PITA. After you have the winding completed, now you have to attach leads to the tiny wire. Many a time it has broken off. and you have to start all over.
Regards, Gary >:( Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: The Slab Bacon on October 19, 2011, 11:00:38 AM Talk about "MISERABLE", try winding 30,000 turns of #38 on a bobbin. Those interstage transformers are a real PITA. After you have the winding completed, now you have to attach leads to the tiny wire. Many a time it has broken off. and you have to start all over. Regards, Gary >:( Gary, at this point in my life, I dont think I would have the patience for that fine wire anymore. I would probably give it "flying lessons". (or send it to you) 30,000 turns sounds to me like chucking the bobbin in a lathe with the lathe backgeared. Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: K9PNP on October 19, 2011, 01:04:35 PM He doesn't mention anything about gapping the core, and I question his statement that "... DC is simply a very, very low frequency... :-)" (like infinitely low, maybe?) I guess he's one of those guys that looks at it as "approaching zero tangently". Good post, Don. Didn't realize how much I had forgotten or didn't know about the subject. Thanks. Title: Re: Practical Transformer Winding Post by: WZ1M on October 19, 2011, 02:31:44 PM Hey slab: AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
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