CONTROL TRANSFORMER

AFTER STUDYING THIS CHAPTER, THE

STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO
• Discuss the use of control transformers in a control circuit.
• Connect a control transformer for operation on a 240- or 480-volt system.
 CONTROL TRANSFORMER

• Most industrial motors operate on voltages that range from 240 to 480 volts. Magnetic control
systems, however, generally operate on 120 volts.
• A control transformer is used to step the 240 or 480 volts down to 120 volts to operate the
control system. There is really nothing special about a control transformer except that most of
them are made with two primary windings and one secondary winding
• Each primary winding is rated at 240 volts, and the secondary winding is rated at 120 volts. This
means there is a turns ratio of 2:1 (2 to 1) between each primary winding and the secondary
winding
• One of the primary windings of the control
transformer is labeled H1 and H2. The other
primary winding is labeled H3 and H4. The
secondary winding is labeled X1 and X2. If the
transformer is to be used to step 240 volts
down to 120 volts, the two primary windings
are connected parallel to each other as shown in
Figure 1

• the H1 and H3 leads are connected together,

and the H2 and H4 leads are connected
together. Because the voltage applied to each
primary winding is the same, the effect is the
same as having only one primary winding with
200 turns of wire in it. This means that when
the transformer is connected in this manner, the
turns ratio is 2:1. When 240 volts are connected
to the primary winding, the secondary voltage
is 120 volts.
• If the transformer is to be used to step
480 volts down to 120 volts, the primary
windings are connected in series as
shown in Figure 2 With the windings
connected in series, the primary winding
now has a total of 400 turns of wire,
which makes a turns ratio of 4:1. When
480 volts is connected to the primary
winding, the secondary winding has an
output of 120 volts.
• Control transformers generally have
screw terminals connected to the
primary and secondary leads. The H2
and H3 leads are crossed to make
connection of the primary winding
easier, Figure 3
• For example, if the transformer is to be
connected for 240 volt operation, the
two primary windings must be
connected parallel to each other as
shown in Figure 1. This connection can
be made on the transformer by using one
metal link to connect leads H1 and H3,
and another metal link to connect H2
and H4 (Figure 4)
• If the transformer is to be used for 480
volt operation, the primary windings
must be connected in series as shown in
Figure 6–2. This connection can be made
on the control transformer by using a
metal link to connect H2 and H3 as
shown in Figure 5.
• A typical control transformer is
shown in Figure 6 Some control
transformers contain a multitapped
primary instead of two separate
windings (Figure 6–7). The
transformer in this example is
designed to step voltages of 480,
277, 240, or 208 down to 120.
 POWER RATING

• The power rating of control transformers generally ranges from 0.75 kilovolt-ampere, or 75 volt-
amperes, to 1 kilovolt-ampere, or 1000 volt-amperes.
• The rating is indicated in volt-amperes, not watts, because transformers generally supply power
to operate inductive devices such as the coils of relays and motor starters .
• The voltampere rating indicates the amount of current the transformer can supply to operate
control devices.
• . To determine the maximum output current of a
transformer, divide the volt-ampere rating by the
secondary voltage. The transformer shown in the
figure has a power rating of 250 volt-amperes. If
the secondary voltage is 120 volts, the maximum
secondary current would be 2.08 amperes.

A control transformer intended to operate a single

motor starter may have a rating of 75 to 100 volt-
amperes. Transformers intended to supply power to
an entire relay cabinet have much higher ratings,
depending on the number of devices and their
current requirements.
 GROUNDED AND FLOATING CONTROL
SYSTEMS

• One side of the secondary winding of a control transformer is often

grounded (Figure 6–9). When this is done, the control system, is
referred to as a grounded system.
• Many industries prefer to ground the control system, and it is a very
common practice. Some technicians believe that it is an aid when
troubleshooting a problem.
• Grounding one side of the control transformer permits one lead of a
voltmeter to be connected to any grounded point and the other
voltmeter lead to be used to test voltage at various locations throughout
the circuit
 GROUNDED AND FLOATING CONTROL
SYSTEMS
• However, it is also a common practice to not ground
one side of the control transformer. This is generally
referred to as a floating system.
• If one voltmeter probe were to be connected to a
grounded point, the meter reading would be erroneous
or meaningless because there would not be a complete
circuit Figure. High-impedance voltmeters would
probably indicate some amount of voltage caused by
the capacitance of the ground and induced voltage
produced by surrounding magnetic fields. These are
generally referred to as ghost voltages.
 GROUNDED AND FLOATING CONTROL
SYSTEMS
• A low-impedance meter such as a plunger-type
voltage tester would indicate no voltage. Accurate
voltage measurement can be made in a float
control system, however, by connecting one
voltmeter probe directly to one side of the control
transformer (Figure 6–12). Because both
grounded and floating control systems are
common, both are illustrated throughout this text.
 TRANSFORMER FUSING

• Control transformers are generally protected by fuses or circuit breakers. Protection can be
placed on the primary or secondary side of the transformer, and some industries prefer protection
on both sides. NEC Section 430.72(C) lists requirements for the protection of transformers
employed in motor control circuits. This section basically states that control transformers that
have a primary current of less than 2 amperes shall be protected by an overcurrent device set at
not more than 500% of the rated primary current. This large percentage is necessary because of
the high inrush current associated with transformers. To determine the rated current of the
transformer, divide the volt-ampere rating of the transformer by the primary voltage.
 TRANSFORMER FUSING

• NEC Section 430.72(C)(2) states that fuse protection in accordance with 450.3 is permitted also.
This section states that primary protection for transformers rated 600 volts or less is determined
in NEC Table 430.3(B). The table indicates a rating of 300% of the rated current.
• The secondary fuse size can also be determined from NEC Table 450.3(B). The table indicates a
rating of 167% of the rated secondary current for fuses protecting a transformer secondary with a
current of less than 9 amperes
 TRANSFORMER FUSING

• Assuming a control voltage of 120 volts, the rated secondary current of the transformer in the
previous example would be 2.5 amperes (300/120). The fuse size would be

2.5 x 1.67 = 4.175 A

The nearest standard fuse size listed in 240.6 without going over this value is 3 amperes. The
secondary fuse size can be set at a lower percentage of the rated current because the secondary
does not experience the high inrush current of the primary. Because primary and secondary fuse
protection is common throughout in dustry, control circuits presented in this text illustrate both.
 TRANSFORMER FUSING

• What is the maximum fuse size permitted to protect the primary winding of a control transformer
rated at 300 volt-amperes and connected to 240 volts?

NEC Section 240.6 indicates that a standard fuse size is 6 amperes. A 6 ampere fuse would be used.