Question

Let’s suppose we have an ideal transformer with 500 windings on the primary side and 5 windings on the secondary side. The primary voltage is 230 V and the primary current 16 A. So the equations tell us that the secondary voltage should be 2.3 V and the secondary current 1600 A.

My question is: Are the 1600 A on the secondary site a maximum upper bound for the secondary current? So when we for example have a nail in the secondary current which has a very low resistance it should reach the 1600 A. But if we have something with higher resistance it should reach a current less than 1600 A. But the current cannot be higher than 1600 A even with a resistance almost zero, right? Because that would contradict conservation energy. Am I Right?

Answer 1

The maximum secondary current of 1600 A in an ideal transformer is the theoretical limit assuming 100% efficiency and no energy losses. The actual current will depend on the load resistance but cannot exceed this maximum without violating conservation of energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

You are correct that the 1600 A on the secondary side of an ideal transformer represents a theoretical maximum current, based on the assumption that the transformer is 100% efficient and that there are no energy losses. If you connect a load with very low resistance, like a nail, to the secondary winding, the current will approach this maximum value. However, with a higher resistance load, the current will be lower. It is true that the current cannot exceed 1600 A, because that would violate the principle of conservation of energy, assuming the transformer has no losses and is operating under ideal conditions.

The relationship between primary and secondary coils in a transformer is given by the equations:

• Vp/Vs = Np/Ns (voltage ratio equals turns ratio)
• Ip/Is = Ns/Np (inverse current ratio equals turns ratio)
• Pp = Ps (primary power equals secondary power, assuming 100% efficiency)

So indeed, the maximum secondary current is determined by the transformer's turns ratio and the primary current, as long as the transformer operates within its efficiency limits.