Faculty of Engineering Technology Page No.

1/9

Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

INSTRUMENT AND TESTING LABORATORY

(MAKMAL PENGALATAN DAN PENGUJIAN)

WORKING INSTRUCTION AND REPORT

Course Code & Name /

BNJ 37301 ENGINEERING LABORATORY 4
Kod & Nama Kursus
Code & Title of Experiment/
EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter
Kod & Tajuk Ujikaji
Date of Experiment/
FEB 2020
Tarikh Ujikaji
Programme/Program 2BNG/BNL/BNM
Group/ Kumpulan
Matrix No./
Group Members/ Name/Nama
No. Matrik
Ahli Kumpulan
1.
2.
3.
Instructor Name / 1.
Nama Instruktor 2.
Teori/Theory – C2 /10%
Keputusan/Result - P2 /15%
Pemerhatian/Observation - P3 /20%
Pengiraan/Calculation - P4 /10%
Assessment / Penilaian Perbincangan/Discussion - C4 /25%
Kesimpulan/Conclusion - C3 /15%
Rujukan/References - C1 /5%
TOTAL/
/100%
JUMLAH
 Faculty of Engineering Technology Page No. 2/9

Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

1. EXPERIMENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the experiment, students should be able to:

1.1 Understand the control circuit , control equipment and main circuit for Auto Transformer
Starter.
1.2 Understand the operation of AC Motor starting with Auto Transformer Starter.
1.3 Measure the speed, line & Phase Voltage and Line Current.

2. INTRODUCTION / THEORY

2.1 AUTO TRANSFORMER STARTER

An Auto transformer starter uses an auto transformer to reduce the voltage applied to
a motor during start. The auto transformer may have a number of output taps and be
set-up to provide a single stage starter, or a multistage starter. Typically, the auto
transformer would have taps at 50%, 65% and 80% voltage, enabling the motor to be
started at one or more of these settings.

There are two ways of connecting an auto transformer starter, the most obvious way is
to apply full voltage to the transformer via a contactor, and connect the motor to the
tap by means of a contactor. When the motor has accelerated to full speed, or has run
out of acceleration torque, the tap contactor opens, disconnecting the motor from the
transformer and another contactor closes connecting the motor to the supply.

The transformer can now be disconnected from the supply. This format is known as an
open transition starter and is less than ideal due to the fact that the motor is
disconnected for a short period of time during the start period. While the motor is
connected and accelerating, there is a rotating magnetic field in the stator which causes
flux in the rotor and thus a rotor current to flow. At the instant the motor is
disconnected, there is a magnetic field in the rotor which is spinning with-in the stator
winding.

The motor acts as a generator until the rotor field decays. The voltage generated by the
motor is not synchronized to the supply, and so on reconnection to the supply, the
voltage across the contactor at closure can be as much as twice the supply voltage
resulting in a very high current and torque transient.
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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

This open transition switching is often known as the auto-reclose effect as it yields
similar characteristics to opening and closing a breaker on a supply to one or more
motors, The consequences of open transition switching can be as bad as broken shafts
and stripped gears.

By a rearrangement of the power circuit, it is possible, at no extra cost, to build a closed

transition starter and thereby eliminate the current and torque transients. The closed
transition auto transformer starter is known as the Korndorffer starter. The open
transition switching is achieved by reconnecting the tap contactor between the
transformer and motor, to the star connection of the transformer, hard wiring the motor
to the tap, and altering the sequence of contactor control.

To start the machine, the main contactor and the star contactors are closed applying
reduced voltage to the motor. When the motor has reached full speed, (or run out of
acceleration torque) the star contactor is opened effectively converting the auto
transformer starter into a primary reactance starter. Next the primary reactance is
bridged by a contactor applying full voltage to the motor. At no time does the motor
become disconnected from the supply.

The transformer is generally only intermittent rated for the starting duty, and so the
frequency and duration of the starts is limited. With a transformer starter, it is relatively
easy to change taps and thereby increase the starting voltage if a higher torque is
required.

The auto transformer starter is a constant voltage starter, so the torque is reduced by
the voltage reduction squared over the entire speed range, unlike the primary resistance
or primary reactance starters which are constant impedance starters and where the
start voltage is dependant on the ratio of the motor impedance to the motor plus starter
impedance. As the motor accelerates, it’s impedance rises and consequently, the
terminal voltage of the motor also rises, giving a small torque increase at higher speeds.

Unlike the primary resistance and primary reactance starter, the current flowing into the
motor is different from that flowing from the supply. The supply current flows into the
primary circuit of a transformer, and the secondary current is applied to the motor. The
transformer reduces the primary current by the same ratio as the voltage reduction.
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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

Figure 1: Auto Transformer Starter on 50% tap.

If the motor is connected to the 50% tap of the transformer, the voltage across the
motor terminals will be 50%. Assuming an LRC of 600%, there will be 300% current
flowing into the motor. If 300% current flows into the motor, then the current into the
transformer will be 150%.

This would suggest that the lowest starting current will be achieved by the use of an
auto transformer starter, In most instances, the load will require an increasing torque as
it accelerates, and so often a higher tap must be selected in order to accelerate the load
to full speed before the step to full voltage occurs. If a multistage transformer starter is
employed, then the primary current will certainly be lower than other forms of induction
motor starter.
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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

Figure 2: Auto Transformer Starter on 65% tap.

3. EQUIPMENT

4.1 4 unit 3phase Contactor

4.2 Overload Relay (TOR)
4.3 On-Off Push-Button
4.4 Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)
4.5 BNC Moulded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB)cables
4.6 Pilot Lamp
4.7 Timer(TDR)
4.8 3 Phase A.C Motor ( 10 to 25 h.p)
4.9 Connected Cable
5.0 Digital Tachometer, Multimeter (analog/digital)

4. PROCEDURES
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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

4.1 . TASK 1 : CONTROL CIRCUIT

4.1.1 Connect the Control Circuit as shown in Figure 3.

4.1.2 This circuit become to Single Phase, take the incoming supply from 1 of 3 lines
(R or Y or B) for single phase supply.
4.1.3 Connect this circuit line back to Neutral (N) by using blank cable.
4.1.4 Test the circuit with power supply to verify the functionality of the control circuit.
4.1.5 See the operation of this control circuit.

Figure 3: Control Circuit with auto transformer starter

4.2. TASK 2 : MAIN CIRCUIT

4.2.1 Connect the Main Circuit as shown in Figure 4.

4.2.2 The incoming voltage supply for this circuit is 3 Phase line (415V) ( R ,Y, B and N)
4.2.3 Connect Earth (E) to the 3 phase motor ground by using green cable the operation of this
D.O.L Starter.
4.2.4 Joint the circuit to AC Motor after Overload Relay (TOR) terminal.

4.2.5 Use STAR (Y) connection at the motor.

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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

4.2.6 Test the circuit with 3 phase supply to make full operation of main circuit and
controlling circuit to AC Motor.

4.2.7 See the operation of this Forward Reverse starter.

4.2.8 Measure the speed N, of the motor by using the Digital Tachometer and also get the
Line-to-line voltage using either Analogue/Digital Multimeter.

Figure 4

Figure 4 : Main Circuit of Auto Transformer Starter

5 RESULTS
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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

Record the voltage, current and speed of the motor before and after timer energize at Table 1.
VAB, VBC, VCA, VAN, VBN, VCN, IA , IB , IC & N.

Measure and record the result in Table 1

Measure Unit Before timer ON After timer ON

1 Speed/rpm N

2 Line Ia
Current
Ib

Ic

3 Line Vab
Voltage
Vbc

Vca

4 Phase Van
Voltage
Vbn

Vcn

Table 1

6 DATA ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION

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Department of Electrical Engineering Technology Revision No. 1

Title: EXP05_Auto Transformer Starter Effective Date 10/04/2015

7 CONCLUSION

Prepared by / Disediakan oleh : Approved by / Disahkan oleh :

Signature / Tandatangan : Rasida Signature / Tandatangan :

Name / Nama : Rasida Binti Norjali Name / Nama : Ts Dr Muhammad Farid Bin
Date / Tarikh : Shaari

Date / Tarikh :