Lecture 3&4

Open Circuit and Short Circuit Test on

Transformer

Electrical Technology for third class

By Osamah Jaber Ghayyib

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 1- Open Circuit and Short Circuit
Test on Transformer
The open circuit and short circuit test are performed for determining the
parameter of the transformer like their efficiency, voltage regulation,
circuit constant etc. These tests are performed without the actual loading
and because of this reason the very less power is required for the test.
The open circuit and the short circuit test gives a very accurate result as
compared to the full load test.

Contents:

• Open Circuit Test

• Calculation of Open Circuit Test
• Short Circuit Test
• Calculation of Short Circuit Test

2.1: Open Circuit Test

The purpose of the open-circuit test is to determine the no-load current
and losses of the transformer because of which their no-load parameters
are determined. This test is performed on the primary winding of the
transformer. The wattmeter, ammeter and the voltage are connected to
their primary winding. The nominal rated voltage is supplied to their
primary winding with the help of the ac source.

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 Circuit Diagram of Open Circuit Test on Transformer
The secondary winding of the transformer is kept open, and the
voltmeter is connected to their terminal. This voltmeter measures the
secondary induced voltage. As the secondary of the transformer is
open, thus no-load current flows through the primary winding.

The value of no-load current is very small as compared to the full rated
current. The copper loss occurs only on the primary winding of the
transformer because the secondary winding is open. The reading of the
wattmeter only represents the core and iron losses. The core loss of the
transformer is the same for all types of loads.

Calculation of open-circuit test

Let,

• W0 – wattmeter reading
• V1 – voltmeter reading
• I0 – ammeter reading

Then the iron loss of the transformer Pi = W0 and

The no-load power factor is

Working component Iw is

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Putting the value of W0 from the equation (1) in equation (2) you will get
the value of the working component as

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 Magnetizing component is

No-load parameters are given below:

Equivalent exciting resistance is

Equivalent exciting reactance is

The phasor diagram of the transformer at no load or when an open

circuit test is performed is shown below

Phasor Diagram of Open Circuit Test

The iron losses measured by the open circuit test is used for calculating
the efficiency of the transformer.

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2.2: Short Circuit Test
The short circuit test is performed for determining the below mention
parameter of the transformer.

• It determines the copper loss occur on the full load. The copper loss
is used for finding the efficiency of the transformer.
• The equivalent resistance, impedance, and leakage reactance are
known by the short circuit test.

The short circuit test is performed on the secondary or high voltage

winding of the transformer. The measuring instrument like wattmeter,
voltmeter and ammeter are connected to the high voltage winding of the
transformer. Their primary winding is short-circuited by the help of thick
strip or ammeter which is connected to its terminal.

The low voltage source is connected across the secondary winding

because of which the full load current flows from both the secondary and
the primary winding of the transformer. The full load current is
measured by the ammeter connected across their secondary winding. The
circuit diagram of the short circuit test is shown below:

Circuit Diagram of Short Circuit Test on Transformer

The low voltage source is applied across the secondary winding, which
is approximately 5 to 10% of the normal rated voltage. The flux is set up

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in the core of the transformer. The magnitude of the flux is small as
compared to the normal flux.

The iron loss of the transformer depends on the flux. It is less occur in
the short circuit test because of the low value of flux. The reading of the
wattmeter only determines the copper loss occurred, in their windings.
The voltmeter measures the voltage applied to their high voltage
winding. The secondary current induces in the transformer because of
the applied voltage.

Calculation of Short Circuit Test

Let,

• Wc – Wattmeter reading
• V2sc – voltmeter reading
• I2sc – ammeter reading

Then the full load copper loss of the transformer is given by

Equivalent resistance referred to the secondary side is

The phasor diagram of the short circuit test of the transformer is shown
below

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 Phasor Diagram of Short Circuit Test

From the phasor diagram

Equivalent impedance referred to the secondary side is given by

The equivalent reactance referred to the secondary side is given by

The voltage regulation of the transformer can be determined at any load

and power factor after knowing the values of Zes and Res.
In the short circuit test the wattmeter record, the total losses, including
core loss but the value of core loss are very small as compared to copper
loss so the core loss can be neglected.
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3.3: Questions: -
1. Power required during the open circuit and short circuit test is?
a) Losses incurring in the transformer
b) Executing the power requirements by measuring instruments
c) Power for the core losses only
d) all of the mentioned

Answer: a
Explanation: The power measured while conducting the tests is the
winding losses and the core losses.

2. The open circuit test results in finding which of the following

parameters?

I. core losses
II. shunt branch parameters III. turns ratio of
transformer a) I, II, III
b) I, II
c) II, III
d) I, III

Answer: a
Explanation: OC test gives the shunt branch parameters as well as the
turns ratio by connecting a voltmeter at open circuited secondary
terminals.

3. The open circuit test results in finding which of the following

parameters?

I. core losses
II. Shunt branch parameters
III. Series parameters
a) I, II, III
b) I, II
c) II, III
d) I, III
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Answer: b
Explanation: Series parameters are obtained by short circuit test results.

4. Which of the following information are obtained from short-circuit

test?

I. Ohmic losses at rated current

II. Equivalent resistance and leakage reactance
III. Core losses
IV. Voltage regulation a) I, II, IV
b) II, III
c) I, II, IV
d) II, III, IV

Answer: a
Explanation: Core losses are found from OC test.

5. Which of the below estimations require results of both open

circuit test and short circuit test? a) Efficiency
b) Equivalent impedance of one side of the winding
c) Voltage regulation for exact circuit
d) All of the mentioned

Answer: a
Explanation: All the estimations asked will need results of both the tests.

6. To conduct the open circuit test, test is conducted on the

_____________ a) l.v. side
b) h.v. side
c) primary
d) secondary

Answer: a
Explanation: OC test is performed on the l.v. side of the transformer
because the l.v. winding will have lower stress on the insulation and no
damage will occur.
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7. To conduct the short circuit test, test is conducted on the
___________ a) l.v. side
b) h.v. side
c) Primary
d) secondary

Answer: b
Explanation: To circulate the rated current in the winding, we should opt
for lower value of the current so that winding will not damage.

8. A single phase transformer of 2200/220 V having rated l.v.

current of 150 A has to undergo open circuit test on h.v. side.
Which of the below instruments range should be used? a) 6A, 200V
b) 150A, 22V
c) 60A, 220V
d) 6A, 20V

Answer: a
Explanation: Open circuit test is conducted on l.v. side, so the measuring
instruments will be on the h.v. side.
So the current in the h.v. side will be around 3-6% of the rated.

9. A single phase transformer of 2000/200 V having rated l.v.

current of 100 A has to undergo short circuit test on l.v. side. Which
of the below instruments range should be used? a) 200V,10A
b) 20V, 10A
c) 300V,100A
d) 200V,50A

Answer: a
Explanation: Short circuit test is conducted on h.v. side, so the measuring
instruments will be on the l.v. side.
Rated current on the h.v. will be 10A and voltage will be around 5-12%
to account for winding losses.

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10. A single phase transformer of 2200/220 V having rated l.v.
current of 150 A has to undergo open circuit test on h.v side. The
instruments used are voltmeter of 200V and ammeter of 1A. Then
the results ___________ a) Will be wrong
b) Will be accurate
c) Of ammeter will burn
d) None of the mentioned

Answer: c
Explanation: The current in the h.v. winding will be around 10 A but the
ammeter is of 1 A rating. So, it will burn off.

11. Which of the following conditions have to ensure for a short-

circuit test?

A. L.v. is short circuited

B. It helps in calculation of voltage regulation C. It is
performed at rated voltage
a) A, B
b) A, B, C
c) B, C
d) A, C

Answer: a
Explanation: For conducting short circuit test, l.v. winding is short
circuited and it is not performed at rated voltage.

12. Which of the following conditions have to ensure for a short-

circuit test?

A. h.v. winding is short-circuited

B. It helps in calculation of voltage regulation
C. It is performed at rated voltage D. l.v. winding is short-circuited
a) B, D
b) A, B, C
c) B, C, D

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d) A, C

Answer: a
Explanation: For conducting short circuit test, l.v. winding is short
circuited and it is not performed at rated voltage.

13. Transformers with high leakage impedance is used in

___________ a) arc welding
b) Power distribution
c) Power generating terminals
d) None of the mentioned

Answer: a
Explanation: The feature of the high impedance is extracted in the arc
welding applications.

14. Which of the following conditions have to ensure for an open-

circuit test?

A. Performed on L.V side

B. Leakage impedance can be obtained
C. It is performed at rated voltage D. It gives magnetizing impedance
a) B, D
b) A, B, C
c) B, C, D
d) A, C, D

Answer: d
Explanation: Leakage impedance is not found from open-circuit test.

15. Which of the following conditions have to ensure for an open-

circuit test?

A. Performed on L.V side

B. Leakage impedance can be obtained
C. It is performed at 10-12% of rated voltage D. It gives magnetizing
impedance
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a) B, D
b) A, B, C
c) B, C, D
d) A, D

Answer: a
Explanation: Leakage impedance is not found from open-circuit test. And
it is performed on the rated voltage to account for core losses.

16. Which of the following information are not obtained from short-
circuit test?

I. Ohm losses at rated current

II. Equivalent resistance and leakage reactance
III. Core losses
IV. Voltage regulation
a) I, II
b) II, III
c) I, II, IV
d) II, III

Answer: d
Explanation: Core losses are found from OC test and the voltage
regulation is not obtained from one single test here.

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