When an alternating current flows through a primary winding, a magnetic field is established around the winding. As the lines of flux expand outward, relative motion is present, and a counter emf is induced in the winding. This is the same counter emf that you learned about in the chapter on inductors. Flux leaves the primary at the north pole and enters the primary at the south pole. The counter emf induced in the primary has a polarity that opposes the applied voltage, thus opposing the flow of current in the primary. It is the counter emf that limits exciting current to a very low value.

Q.9 What is meant by "exciting current" in a transformer?

INDUCING A VOLTAGE IN THE SECONDARY

To visualize how a voltage is induced into the secondary winding of a transformer, again refer to figure 5-8. As the exciting current flows through the primary, magnetic lines of force are generated.

During the time current is increasing in the primary, magnetic lines of force expand outward from the primary and cut the secondary. As you remember, a voltage is induced into a coil when magnetic lines cut across it. Therefore, the voltage across the primary causes a voltage to be induced across the secondary.

Q.10 What is the name of the emf generated in the primary that opposes the flow of current in the primary?
Q.11 What causes a voltage to be developed across the secondary winding of a transformer?

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PHASE RELATIONSHIP

The secondary voltage of a simple transformer may be either in phase or out of phase with the primary voltage. This depends on the direction in which the windings are wound and the arrangement of the connections to the external circuit (load). Simply, this means that the two voltages may rise and fall together or one may rise while the other is falling.

Transformers in which the secondary voltage is in phase with the primary are referred to as LIKE-WOUND transformers, while those in which the voltages are 180 degrees out of phase are called UNLIKE-WOUND transformers.

Dots are used to indicate points on a transformer schematic symbol that have the same instantaneous polarity (points that are in phase).

The use of phase-indicating dots is illustrated in figure 5-9. In part (A) of the figure, both the primary and secondary windings are wound from top to bottom in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above the windings. When constructed in this manner, the top lead of the primary and the top lead of the secondary have the SAME polarity. This is indicated by the dots on the transformer symbol. A lack of phasing dots indicates a reversal of polarity.

Figure 5-9. - Instantaneous polarity depends on direction of winding.

Part (B) of the figure illustrates a transformer in which the primary and secondary are wound in opposite directions. As viewed from above the windings, the primary is wound in a clockwise direction from top to bottom, while the secondary is wound in a counterclockwise direction. Notice that the top leads of the primary and secondary have OPPOSITE polarities. This is indicated by the dots being placed on opposite ends of the transformer symbol. Thus, the polarity of the voltage at the terminals of the secondary of a transformer depends on the direction in which the secondary is wound with respect to the primary.

Q.12 What is the phase relationship between the voltage induced in the secondary of an unlike-wound transformer and the counter emf of the primary winding?
Q.13 Draw dots on the below symbol to indicate the phasing of the transformer.