About Transformer ?

[wkyong]

If a transformer rating 240vac 50hz being supplied by a source 240vac 60hz,will it get hotter than by 240vac 50hz source?

 

[rjvh]

don't realy know it for sure for transformers but in my opinion it does get hotter, 50Hz motors on 60Hz do run hotter

but i think that the temparature depends more on the power consumption drawn and the nr of windings of the coils and the size of the iron core

Robert-Jan

 

[dknguyen]

Well a 60Hz transformer for sure runs hotter on 50Hz because the lower frequency means more magnetic flux is required to maintain the field so the core saturates more and gets hotter (or something like that I forget which term goes where).

I think with a 50Hz transformer running on 60Hz, there will be more distortion. I don't know about getting hotter, but I don't think distortion necessarily means it gets hotter (and it probably doesn't matter since it's a power transformer). I wouldn't worry about it so much since they're so close in frequency.

 

[Boncuk]

A transformer built for 50Hz doesn't get hotter at 60Hz. Vice versa it gets hotter, but this can be negligated.

I bought a lot of electric stuff in the USA and using a stepdown transformer from 230VAC to 110/120VAC those devices never failed using them in Germany.

Even a tape deck with a synchronous motor worked at the proper speed after I altered the diameter of the drive wheel.

Boncuk

 

[Diver300]

For higher frequency transformers, less iron is needed, but the laminations should be thinner.

If you do run a 50 Hz transformer at 60 Hz, the iron will be further from saturation, so there will probably be less heat. There might be a slight increase in eddy-current loss but I think that will be insignificant.

 

[crutschow]

I think with a 50Hz transformer running on 60Hz, there will be more distortion. I don't know about getting hotter, but I don't think distortion necessarily means it gets hotter (and it probably doesn't matter since it's a power transformer).

I don't see any change in distortion at those frequencies, at least not from 50Hz to 60Hz. A 60Hz transformer running at 50Hz could cause some if the transformer starts to saturate at the lower frequency.

 

[dknguyen]

I don't see any change in distortion at those frequencies, at least not from 50Hz to 60Hz. A 60Hz transformer running at 50Hz could cause some if the transformer starts to saturate at the lower frequency.

I'm applying what I know about audio transformers to these transformers. BUt yeah, the frequencies are so close and they are a power application, not signal, so it's probably negligble.

 

[rjvh]

For higher frequency transformers, less iron is needed, but the laminations should be thinner..

can sombody explane this than i know that the higher the frequency the smaller the transformer

what does the thickness of the laminations to do with it
other thing is if i look the transformers in a swiched power supply (computer) the transformer core is ferrite

what are tyhe benefits of ferrite above iron cores at this aplication???

Robert-Jan

 

[dknguyen]

can sombody explane this than i know that the higher the frequency the smaller the transformer

what does the thickness of the laminations to do with it
other thing is if i look the transformers in a swiched power supply (computer) the transformer core is ferrite

what are tyhe benefits of ferrite above iron cores at this aplication???

Robert-Jan

I think the ferrite makes it more efficient somehow, but when the frequencies get too high the ferrite ends up producing too much losses from eddys so air cores are used.

I think thinner laminations have something to do with the parasitic capacitances and losses that stop it from working at higher frequencies.

 

[Dean Huster]

In industrial electrical systems, electromagnetic devices are specified for either 60Hz or 50/60Hz operation. Operating a 60Hz-only device at 50Hz for an extended period will cause it to overheat and eventually burn out for the general reason indicated above -- core saturation.

Dean

 

[crutschow]

what does the thickness of the laminations to do with it
other thing is if i look the transformers in a swiched power supply (computer) the transformer core is ferrite

In general, thinner laminations will have less eddy current loss.

what are tyhe benefits of ferrite above iron cores at this aplication???

At the high frequencies of switching power supplies even thin laminations have too high eddy current loss. Ferrites are used since the material has a much higher electrical resistance than iron which keeps the eddy currents (and power loss) low.