Can you do this?

[AltecDarpa]

I have a 6v-0-6v center tapped transformer, Can I terminate one of the 6v secondaries with shrink-tube/electrical tape, and only use the 6v-0 leads to power something? reason being I need a 8-9v supply (after rectification) would this be safe? or is this not feasible at all?

[event horizon]

Perfectly fine Just don't expect to be able to pull full power from the one winding. If the transformer is rated at say 1Amp then you can still only draw 1Amp from the 0 6V winding. If it's rated in VA then half it..

[jackand08]

Yes, that would be fine. But to increase the amount of current available to the circuit, you could connect the two 6V outputs together and use the 0V tap as ground (in parallel).

[picowallspeaker]

To make it short : two diodes (1N5401 for 3 ampere to be safe ) at each termination and the center is the ground (minus ). Positive ..Oh my god! I said-short ! positive is at the joint of the two diodes ,which have a polarity and must be mounted in the right direction ( a white stripe tells you where). Then
an electrolytic capacitor (which has a polarity and ...) between plus and minus...and that's it!

[Mooly]

Originally Posted by AltecDarpa

I have a 6v-0-6v center tapped transformer, Can I terminate one of the 6v secondaries with shrink-tube/electrical tape, and only use the 6v-0 leads to power something? reason being I need a 8-9v supply (after rectification) would this be safe? or is this not feasible at all?

Does the supply need to be stable ? 8-9 volts after rectifying will still have ripple on it and be prone to vary as the load alters.

[AltecDarpa]

Originally Posted by Mooly

Does the supply need to be stable ? 8-9 volts after rectifying will still have ripple on it and be prone to vary as the load alters.

the load will be a very small 1+1 watt stereo chip amp, I was going to use a pair of 25v 2200uf caps for smoothing.


when I tried wiring the two 6v leads together and then measure from the pair to the center tap I did not get a reading on my meter? it gave me a reading of 12v when measured 6v to 6v, and measured 6v when 6v to center tap, so whats going on here?

[event horizon]

Originally Posted by AltecDarpa

when I tried wiring the two 6v leads together and then measure from the pair to the center tap I did not get a reading on my meter? it gave me a reading of 12v when measured 6v to 6v, and measured 6v when 6v to center tap, so whats going on here?

You shorted the transformer output - simple

[AltecDarpa]

Originally Posted by jackand08

Yes, that would be fine. But to increase the amount of current available to the circuit, you could connect the two 6V outputs together and use the 0V tap as ground (in parallel).

I thought what he was saying is wire together the 6v's?

sorry I tried to look up what he said on google but could not find anything,

I only had it plugged in like that for a second, saw no reading then unplugged it, is the trafo damaged? It read normal for the other readings i listed after I shorted it.

[event horizon]

Read picowallspeakers post... The first thing he said was "to make it short"

As he mentioned you can make use of both secondaries by using a single diode on each to feed a positive line & the centre tap (0V) for ground.

E2A:- if you'd have had a transformer with 0 - 6V & another secondary with 0 - 6V you could wire both the two 0V together & both 6V together, but as you have a centre tapped secondary when one is at +6V the other will be at -6V... Wire them together & you short the thing out.

I'd test the transformer again to make sure it's ok.

[picowallspeaker]

A circuit breaker on the primary of the transformer , probably ,is for safety.
In my beliefs , industry started to make center tapped transformers just to make rid of the expense needed for the four diodes in the Wien (?) bridge
EDIT:Ha ha ha ! @ Event horizon !