Step-Up Transformer: Uses, Definition, Principle, Formula and Working

Step-up transformer:

The step-up transformer converts the low voltages into high voltages. It provides high voltage output in the secondary coil, by decreasing the output current. Thus, the power remains constant on both the primary coil and secondary coil.

 

Ratings	Primary	Secondary
Voltage	Low	High (can be 1000 times)
Current	High	Low (can be 1000 times)

The most informative thing is that the output on the secondary coil can be greater thousands of times in comparison to the input. This same thing is also with current more the voltage on output, less will be the current.

 

Let’s understand the construction with the help of a diagram, what a step-up transformer actually does:

In step-up transformer number of turns in primary (Input coil) is less than the number of turns in the secondary coil. The insulated copper wire in the primary winding is thicker in comparison with secondary winding wire. Because of the low magnitude current flows through it.

The formula to calculate the number of turns(n) is:

                                      

Where:

Vp and Vs are primary and secondary winding voltages respectively.

Np and Ns are the Number of turns of primary and secondary respectively.

 

	Primary	Secondary
No. of turns	less	more
Wire thickness	thicker	thinner

 

Working of step-up transformer:

When the voltage is provided to the primary coil it magnetizes the iron core and the voltage is induced in the secondary coil. Both the coils are separated from each other by an insulated element. The voltages induced in the secondary coil due to induction depend on the number of turns.

Uses: 

1) The ultimate use of a step-up transformer can be seen as, transmission line voltage supply. Because high voltage decreases the power loss.

power is directly proportional to the square of the current supplied and the resistance.

 

 

Before supplying voltage from the powerhouse, the step-up transformer is used to turn it into high voltage because:

  25000 Volt power line: have less power loss in comparison with 250volt power line, over a long transmission of 100km.

Before supplying the voltage to home this is turned into low voltage using step-down transformer.

2) The step-up transformers are also used in high tension devices like electron gun in TV

3) The step-up transformers are widely used in medicinal equipment like X-ray, CT scan and Ultrasound machines.

My suggestions:

The step-up transformers are very bulky and costly. Their weight can be of 1000kg or more, our generation can work on this project to develop something new as an alternative of these. But this thought is wrong because we can’t do this thing without transformers but also scientist is finding the way to reduce the size and bulky material.

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Step- down transformer:

The step-down transformer is just the opposite of the step-up transformer, the step-down transformer is used to get low voltage output from a high voltage input line. The primary coil has more turns in comparison with the secondary.

 

 

The insulated copper wire in the primary winding is thinner than the secondary windings. And we can design a step-down transformer to get high current ratings. More the current more will be the wire thickness on secondary.

We can understand this with by table:

Ratings	Primary	Secondary
Voltage	high	low
Current	low	high
Power	No change	No change
No. of turns	more	less
Thickness of wire	thinner	thicker

 

Applications:

1)The step-down transformers are used to supply low voltages to home from high voltage supplies.

2)A step-down transformer is used in many electronics and electrical related equipment’s like:

Radio, dc power supply, amplifier power supply, soldering irons, and DIY projects.

Types of step-down transformers:

Center tapped

Non-center tapped

To see the full information regarding types of step-down transformer, Click Here.

 

Alternative of bulky step-down transformers (only for low power – under 250 volts):

SMPS: this is the best alternative way(Switch-mode-power-supplies), due to operating on the high frequency the size of transformers gets reduced.

Example: mobile charger, sound system, and video systems also have SMPS.

To see full information on the topic, Click Here.

 Scientists are working on high power transformer-less power supplies, but till only low power transformer-less power supplies in working (less than 5 watts).

My opinion:

Working with high voltage power lines is very dangerous. still, there are very wonderful projects and inventions going on. Without proper instructions, we can’t jump into things. Working with high voltages say-10000 volts is many times dangerous than the voltages supplied in our homes. There is a confusing topic of three-phase and single-phase lines, which we will cover as soon as possible.