Custom Design Guide and Application Notes

Toroid's
Products:

 

Specify a custom transformer design

Check out our Transformer Facts Bulletins No. 1 & No. 2

 

 
Efficiency
The figure shows typical curves for efficiency as a function of output power in relation to nominal output power for different core sizes.
Custom Design Transformers - Efficiency
 
Duty Cycle
A smaller transformer can be designed if the load is not constant and the duty cycle is much shorter than the transformer's thermal time constant (which has a magnitude of hours). Note that the voltage drop increases linearly with the instantaneous current.
Custom Design Transformers - Duty Cycle
 
Temperature Considerations
Operating temperature is an important safety factor. Our transformers, built for Class A (105°C) operation, are normally calculated for a temperature rise of 60-65°C. Actual increase will depend on how and where the transformer is mounted and how well it is cooled. When higher temperature ratings are needed, we offer UL recognized (UL1411 and UL544) transformers to class B (130°C). Transformers rated for class E (120°C), class F (150°C) and class H (180°C) are also available.

Using a larger core size will reduce temperature rise. Due to the small core losses (in comparison with a laminated core), the temperature rise will drop drastically when the output power is reduced. At half the load the temperature rise will only be about 25% of the rise at full load.

The figure shows how temperature rise varies with the actual output power (S out) in relation to nominal power (S nom) for a given core size.
Custom Design Transformers - Temperature Considerations
 
Voltage Drop
This chart shows voltage drop at full load for standard cores at 50/60Hz. The voltage drop is slightly higher for a 60Hz transformers. A design with an oversized core will reduce voltage drop and temperature rise.
Custom Design Transformers
 
Static Shielding

Static shielding may be required to minimize capacitive coupling between primary and secondary winding when the transformer is used in an extremely noisy environment. Since the shield adds layers, a larger core size may be necessary to provide adequate inside diameter for the shuttle of the winding machine.

 

 
In-Rush Currents
A consequence of the superior magnetic properties of a toroidal transformer is that the transformer "remembers" what polarity the primary voltage had immediately before the power was last shut off. Whenever the voltage has the same polarity when the transformer next is turned on, the core will saturate for part of a half-cycle, and a high in-rush current will flow in the primary of the transformer. This in-rush current is larger than the in-rush current in a conventional transformer, but it is of very short duration, so it will not affect slow-blow fuses or magnetic overload protectors with thermal delay characteristic. (Some delayed magnetic overload protectors act instantly if the current exceeds a certain value. These cannot be used with large toroidal transformers unless a current limiting resistor is used as described below.)

For very large transformers (1,500VA and up),it is common to use a small current-limiting primary resistor to reduce the magnitude of the in-rush current, and a delayed by-pass relay to short out the resistor after 30-200 milli-seconds. This method eliminates external voltage dips caused by the in-rush current, but slow-blow fuses or delayed magnetic overload protectors must still be used, as is the case for all types of transformers.

 

 
Size, Weight, and No-Load Losses

This chart shows size, weight, no-load losses of our custom made transformers from 20VA-10,000VA using our standard core sizes. Other core configurations are available to meet your needs.

 

60Hz
Operation
50/60Hz
Operation
Approximate
Size
Max.
Rated
Power
(VA)
Max.
Rated
Power
(VA)
No-load
Loss
(W)
OD x H
(Inches)
Weight
(lbs.)
23 17 .2 2.4x1.2 .7
38 30 .2 2.8x1.3 1.1
57 45 .4 2.8x1.8 1.4
90 72 .6 3.2x1.8 2.0
140 112 .7 3.7x1.9 2.6
190 152 1.0 3.9x2.1 3.5
220 176 1.0 4.5x1.9 3.8
345 276 1.5 4.5x2.5 5.5
550 440 2.3 5.5x2.5 8.1
950 760 3.5 6.4x2.6 12.4
1,400 1,120 4.7 7.1x2.9 18.0
2,000 1,650 6.7 8.2x3.3 24.2
2,750 2,200 ..9.4 8.2x4.0 32.8
3,300 2,640 9.2 9.5x3.4 36.5
5,000 4,000 16.3 10.4x4.7 56.0
7,000 5,600 20.6 11.6x5.0 70.0
12,000 10,000 31.7 13.8x6.0 118.0
Power rating (VA) is determined by secondary RMS data. Physical size may vary from above data depending on number of primary and secondary windings.
 
Primary Winding Configuration

Primary Winding Configuration
 
Rectifier Circuits

Rectifier Circuits
 
Termination of Dual Primaries and Secondaries in Series and Parallel

 

 


ISOBOX Transformers
/Medical Isolation
Toroidal Isolation Transformers
Rectifier Transformers:
  For 117V/60Hz
    W/ Dual Primaries
    Multi-Voltage
    For Tube Amplifiers
    For Solid State Amplifiers
Balanced Transformers
Auto-Transformers
Current Sensing Transformers
Standard Lamp Transformers
Transformer Kits Datasheet
   
Industrial Control Transformers
DC Filter Chokes
  400Hz Transformers
  3-Phase Transformers
  Inverter Transformers for 50/60 Hz
   
 

 


Toroid Corporation of Maryland
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