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Re: Overdriving potential transformers



Hi all,
        Steve Roys asked....

> How much current can I get from my 1.5kVA, 14400 potential transformer 
> before some kind of catastrophic failure occurs - 2kVA? 3KVA? more?  I 
> have assumed that as long as I don't exceed the rated voltage, a PT would 
> be almost as bullet-proof as a pole transformer and would be pretty much 
> limited by the temperature rise (i.e. - turn it off when it starts 
> getting warm).  Is this a reasonable assumption or am I going to quickly 
> end up with a dead PT by running it at a higher current than what it's 
> rated for?

I have been running a demonstration transformer on my coil at about
1.6kVA to 1.8kVA (depending on secondary o/p :) but with run times
not exceeding a minute. I would rate the transformer as suitable
for 1kVA continuous. I have been doing this a long time now. I
judge the end of a session by the temperature rise on the outside of 
the secondary. I see no reason why I couldn't continue this mode
of operation indefinitely.

Malcolm