DJJ20053 – ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY

LAB 4:
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1.0 Experiment outcomes

At the end of the lab session students should be able:

1) Discuss why transformer are important for the use of electricity in homes
2) Calculate and select the correct ration of turns of wire between the primary and
secondary coil of a transformer in order to supply the correct voltage to an electric
device.
3) Explain how a transformer can increase or decrease the voltage of an alternating
current.

2.0 Theory
Most of the electricity we use is generated in power plants. Power plants commonly produce
alternating current (AC) because its voltage can be increased or decreased with transformer.
To transmit the AC current efficiently over long distances, power plants increase its voltage
to high values (500 000 volts or more). Voltage is the ‘pushing power’ of electricity, in the
same way as water pressure works in your homes plumbing system. Before this high-voltage
electricity can be used in homes and business, step-down transformer must decrease its
voltage to between 110 and 220 volts.

Many types of household appliances also employ transformer. Some devices, such as
personal CD players, run on 6 volts. These devices are powered by batteries (using direct
current (DC)- current that only flows in one direction), but most also come with an AC
adapter plug, which is a step- down transformer that decrease the voltage coming out of the
household outlet. Other devices have built in, usually step-down transformer.

A transformer is an electromagnet consisting of two coils, a primary coil and a secondary

coil. Both coils are wound around the same core, which is usually made of iron. AC current
changes its direction many times every second. When AC current is fed into the primary coil
of a transformer, the coil becomes magnetized. This induces a corresponding alternating
voltage in the secondary voltage.

When the number of turns of wire in the secondary coil is fewer than the number of turns in
the primary coil, the voltage in the secondary coil will be lower than the voltage in the
primary coil. This is how a step-down transformer works. When the number of turns of wire
in the secondary coil is greater than the number in the primary coil. The voltage has been
‘stepped up’.

The ratio of the number of turns in the primary coil to the number of turns in the secondary
coil determines the ratio between the voltages in the primary and secondary coils. Thus
when you know the number of turns of wire in the primary and secondary coils, as well as
the voltage in one of the coils, you can find the voltage in the other coil.

Electrical power is equal to the product of voltage and current. For example, if the voltage in
a transformer increase and the current drops at the same rate, the total amount of electrical
 energy will remain unchanged. Therefore, even though a transformer may supply the correct
voltage, the current it supplies may not be appropriate for an appliance. For instance, an
electric kettle requiring 110 volts AC requires much more electrical energy than a calculator
requiring 110 volts AC.

3.0 Apparatus/Equipments
i) Laptop / computer
ii) Internet connection
iii) Click http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/E15/E15.html
link to open resource.

4.0 Safety Precautions

4.1 General Precautions

a. Be calm and relaxed, while working in the Lab.

b. Keep the work area neat and clean.
c. Be sure about the locations of fire extinguishers and first aid kits in the lab.
 d. Keep bags and coats in the designated area, as they can cause people to trip if they
are simply lying around the room.
e. Look away from the screen once in a while to give your eyes a rest.
f. Do not touch any exposed wires or sockets.
g. Avoid making loud noises and speaking loudly.
h. Do not attempt to open any machines, and do not touch the backs of machines
when they are switched on.
i. Do not spill water or any other liquid on the machine, in order to maintain electrical
safety.
J There is a lot of equipment in labs that could short circuit itself or cause electric
shocks, so one needs to be very careful.

4.2 Rules for Protecting Equipment

a. Do not bring any food or drinks near the machine.

b. Turn off the machine you were using, when you are done using it.
c. Do not access external devices without scanning them for computer viruses.
d. Ensure that the temperature in the room stays cool, since there are a lot of
machines inside a lab, and these can overheat easily. This is one of the many ways of
ensuring computer safety.
e. Try not to touch any of the circuit boards and power sockets when something is
connected to them and switched on.
f. Always maintain an extra copy of all your important data.
g. Dust can affect computers adversely. Ensure that the machines are cleaned on a
regular basis.

5.0 Experiments

1. Move the cursor over each electronic device to see its voltage requirement.
2. Select one of the electronic devices and drag it to the test area
3. Calculated and select the number of wire coils needed in the primary and secondary coil
of the transformer.
4. Click the On button to test the device.
5. Record your data in the Table.
6. Test the remaining electronic devices and record your data in the Table.
7. Complete the discussion questions.
6.0 Result/Data
Record your data in the table below.
Name of Input Voltage Primary Coil- Secondary Coil- Output Voltage
Electronic Volts AC Number of Number of Turns volts AC
Devices Turns of Wire of Wire

7.0 Discussion
a. Would a step up transformer of a step –down transformer be used to convert 260 volt
AC
Current from a household input a 13 volt AC output in a portable electric fan? Determine
the ratio of the number of input wire coils to output wire coils on the transformer.

b. A transformer in a neon sign contains 20 turns in the primary coil and 80 turns in the
secondary coil. Which is greater the output voltage or the input voltage.

c. What is an isolation transformer and a control transformer

8.0 Conclusion and Recommendation

Your conclusion should be related to your practical and theoretical understanding on the
related topic.

9.0 References
David A. Bell. (1995). Electronic Instrumentation and Measurements (Second Edition).
Prentice, New Jersey, USA. Hall.

Haji Md Nasir bin Haji Abd. Manan. (1997). Panduan Pendawaian Elektrik (Second Edition).
Ibs Buku Sdn Bhd.

Kenneth B. Rexford. (1987). Electrical Control for Machines. Delmar Publishers Inc.

Robert L. Boylestad & Louis Nashelsky. (2005). Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory (Ninth
Edition). Prentice, New Jersey, USA. Hall.

Clyde O.Kale. (1989). Litar Perindustrian dan Pengeluaran Berautomatik. Saunders College
Publishisng.
Howard M.Berlin & Frank C. Getz Jr. (1998). Principles of Electronic Instrumentation and
Measurement. Merril Publishing Company, Ohio, USA.

Shaikh Nasir Shaikh Abd Rahman, Mazlina Esa, Camallil Omar dan Alias Mohd. Yusof. (1996).
Asas Litar Elektrik (Third Edition).UTM