Greetings,
If a transformer has 2 secondaries (12 VAC @ 10A & 6 VAC @ 4A) and I connect them in series I'll get a 18 VAC, but what is the current? I get 8A by my calculations--am I in the ballpark or just all wet?
Thanks,
Bret Morrow
Here is the link to it:
http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm?subsection=13&category=138
If a transformer has 2 secondaries (12 VAC @ 10A & 6 VAC @ 4A) and I connect them in series I'll get a 18 VAC, but what is the current? I get 8A by my calculations--am I in the ballpark or just all wet?
Thanks,
Bret Morrow
Here is the link to it:
http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm?subsection=13&category=138
To my knowledge, if you connect two transformer secondaries in series, you'll be able to feed as much current as the one with the lowest rating. In your case, if they are both 4A, then in series, the current will be still 4A. This is because in a series circuit, the same current will flow through all parts in order to give up all of it's energy before making a complet flow.
This means that if a coulomb leaves the power supply with 4 joules (will be 4 volts), it will return to the negative side with 0 joules per coulomb, this is because to drop 4 volts accross the circuit, the 4joules per coulomb must be used up.
As for parallel, the current in a parallel circuit is always divided in some way betweent the components paths. If you have two transformer secondaries in parallel, each 4A, the total current output would go to 8A, this is because with 4A in one winding, and 4A in the other, the total is 8.
For your case, putting the rectified outputs in parallel will also do the same thing. Two 4A DC circuits in parallel will deliver 8A.
This also explaines why when you connect two same batteries together in parallel, they will give more current per hour, therefore lasting longer for a certain load than one battery would.
I hope I haven't exhausted you with information here, however, this should help describe what's going on.
This means that if a coulomb leaves the power supply with 4 joules (will be 4 volts), it will return to the negative side with 0 joules per coulomb, this is because to drop 4 volts accross the circuit, the 4joules per coulomb must be used up.
As for parallel, the current in a parallel circuit is always divided in some way betweent the components paths. If you have two transformer secondaries in parallel, each 4A, the total current output would go to 8A, this is because with 4A in one winding, and 4A in the other, the total is 8.
For your case, putting the rectified outputs in parallel will also do the same thing. Two 4A DC circuits in parallel will deliver 8A.
This also explaines why when you connect two same batteries together in parallel, they will give more current per hour, therefore lasting longer for a certain load than one battery would.
I hope I haven't exhausted you with information here, however, this should help describe what's going on.
That is for certain.
The reason why electricity works! Voltage difference causes current flow through conductors.
Good I guess if you wanna see some serious current flow in a transformer, but yeah, forgot to mention, only parallel sources of the same voltage.
And if you're paralleling transformers, make sure that the windings are in phase.
The reason why electricity works! Voltage difference causes current flow through conductors.
Good I guess if you wanna see some serious current flow in a transformer, but yeah, forgot to mention, only parallel sources of the same voltage.
And if you're paralleling transformers, make sure that the windings are in phase.
I Think I Got It (By George, I think he's got it)
Thanks all. I understand that I can't use the 12V & 6V secondaries of the same tranny in parallel, but could I use the series output of 2 identical trannys in parallel, right? In case of the tannies in question--it would be two 18V 4A trannies in parallel to yield 18V 8A.
On a second issue brought up by Duo, after rectification, phase shouldn't matter, right?
I am thinking of a cheap GC for my computer at work using a total of 4 of those trannys--2 per channel. At $2 each, it'll be a bargin--of course there is more cost in the diodes. But will it work??
Thanks in advance & Cheers,
Bret Morrow
Sch3mat1c said:
Thanks all. I understand that I can't use the 12V & 6V secondaries of the same tranny in parallel, but could I use the series output of 2 identical trannys in parallel, right? In case of the tannies in question--it would be two 18V 4A trannies in parallel to yield 18V 8A.
On a second issue brought up by Duo, after rectification, phase shouldn't matter, right?
I am thinking of a cheap GC for my computer at work using a total of 4 of those trannys--2 per channel. At $2 each, it'll be a bargin--of course there is more cost in the diodes. But will it work??
Thanks in advance & Cheers,
Bret Morrow
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Well, in DC, there is no longer phase to be observed, but polarity.
As long as the polarity is the same, all is well. I'm sure you understand already how that works.
In AC, you know that the current flow is always reversing its direction. In that case, you want the secondaries going positive at the same time and then negative at the same time.
Got the idea now?
As long as the polarity is the same, all is well. I'm sure you understand already how that works.
In AC, you know that the current flow is always reversing its direction. In that case, you want the secondaries going positive at the same time and then negative at the same time.
Got the idea now?
Are two trannies in parrallel really necessary for a gainclone? some opinions are expressed in this thread, http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32286 see what you think of that. But if you plan on using a lm3875/3886 I can assure you that a single 18v / 4A transformer will be adequate. You'd be better off putting the 4 transformers into 4 amplifiers rather than two. If you can have 4 amps, why settle for two?
Better than paralleling the windings though since the rectifiers prevent them from interacting directly.Thanks
Re-reading that thread & thinking about it again, you are right. But its worse than you think--I wanted to try 4 trannies per 1 GC to yield 288 VA. It probably is really, really overkill to use 2/channel. I kinda liked the idea mostly due to its complexness. Even so, 1 per channel (2 per GC) is likely the way to go--enough overhead power & completely separate power pathways for each channel (what ever that's worth). The cost of the trannys--$2 each, is so low that the limiting factor for making more GCs are the other components, not the trannys.
Thanks!
Thanks. I doubt that I would even get to the 4A level, but I'd like some headroom to avoid heating the trannys up. I kinda like to wear a belt & suspenders, too.
Thanks & Cheers,
Bret Morrow
rayban68 said:Are two trannies in parrallel really necessary for a gainclone? some opinions are expressed in this thread, http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32286 see what you think of that. But if you plan on using a lm3875/3886 I can assure you that a single 18v / 4A transformer will be adequate. You'd be better off putting the 4 transformers into 4 amplifiers rather than two. If you can have 4 amps, why settle for two?
Re-reading that thread & thinking about it again, you are right. But its worse than you think--I wanted to try 4 trannies per 1 GC to yield 288 VA. It probably is really, really overkill to use 2/channel. I kinda liked the idea mostly due to its complexness. Even so, 1 per channel (2 per GC) is likely the way to go--enough overhead power & completely separate power pathways for each channel (what ever that's worth). The cost of the trannys--$2 each, is so low that the limiting factor for making more GCs are the other components, not the trannys.
Thanks!
peranders said:
Thanks. I doubt that I would even get to the 4A level, but I'd like some headroom to avoid heating the trannys up. I kinda like to wear a belt & suspenders, too.
Thanks & Cheers,
Bret Morrow
Well, in the case of the outputs in parallel being slightly different voltages, low resistances can be put in their path before they are connected together, like in the output stage of a power amplifier with paralleled transistors.
Not sure, but something in the order of less than .5ohms should help a bit.
This is just a bit of a quick-fix though. There are better ways around it.
Not sure, but something in the order of less than .5ohms should help a bit.
This is just a bit of a quick-fix though. There are better ways around it.
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