Computer Engineering Technology

and
Electrical Power Technology

ELET 2101
Poly-phase Circuits and Transformers

On-Line Instruction

Experiment 9
Transformer Regulation

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-1
Table of Contents

1 Objective......................................................................................................................3
2 Discussion....................................................................................................................3
3 Laboratory procedures.................................................................................................4

4 Review Questions........................................................................................................7

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-2
Experiment 9
Transformer Regulation

1. OBJECTIVE
• To study the voltage regulation of the transformer with varying loads.

• To study transformer regulation with inductive and capacitive loading.

2. DISCUSSION
The load on a large power transformer in a sub-station will vary from a very small
value in the early hours of the morning to a very high value during the heavy
peaks of maximum industrial and commercial activity. The transformer secondary
voltage will vary somewhat with the load and, because motors and incandescent
lamps and heating devices are all quite sensitive to voltage changes, transformer
regulation is of considerable importance. The secondary voltage is also
dependent upon whether the power factor of the load is leading, lagging or unity.
Therefore, it should be known how the transformer will behave when it is loaded
with a capacitive, an inductive or a resistive load.

If a transformer were perfect (ideal) its windings would have no resistance.

Furthermore, it would require no reactive power (vars) to set up the magnetic
field within it. Such a transformer would have perfect regulation under all load
conditions and the secondary voltage would remain absolutely constant. But,
practical transformers do have winding resistance and they do require reactive
power to produce their magnetic fields. The primary and secondary windings
possess, therefore, an overall resistance R and an overall reactance X. The
equivalent circuit of a power transformer having a turn ratio of 1 to 1, can be
approximated by the circuit shown in Figure 41-1. The actual transformer
terminals are P1 P2 on the primary side and S1 S2 on the secondary.

In between these terminals we have shown the transformer as being composed

of a perfect (ideal) transformer in series with an impedance consisting of R and
X, which represents its imperfections. It is clear that if the primary voltage is held
constant, then the secondary voltage will vary with loading because of R and X.

An interesting feature arises with a capacitive load, because partial resonance is

set up between the capacitance and the reactance X so that the secondary
voltage E2 may actually tend to rise as the capacitive load value increases.

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-3
 Figure 41-1.

3. PROCEDURE
CAUTION!

High voltages are present in this Experiment! Do not make any

connections with the power on! The power should be turned off
after completing each individual measurement!

Figure 41-2.

1. Using your Single-Phase Transformer, Power Supply, Resistive Load,

AC Ammeter and AC Voltmeter, connect the circuit shown in Figure 41-
2.

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-4
 2. a. Place all of the Resistive Load switches in their open position for zero
load current.

b. Turn on the power supply and adjust for exactly 120 V ac as

indicated by voltmeter E1.

c. Measure and record in Table 41-1 the input current I1, the output
current I2 and the output voltage E2.

d. Adjust the load resistance ZL to 1200 . Make sure that the input
voltage remains at exactly 120 V ac. Measure and record I1, I2 and
E2.

e. Repeat (d) for each of the listed values in Table 41-1.

f. Return the voltage to zero and turn off the power supply.

ZL I2 E2 I1
(ohms) (mA ac) (V ac) (mA ac)
0 120 0

099 116.7 120

1200
190 114.3 208
600
297 111.5 279
400
366 109.3 383
300
446 107.1 463
240

Table 41-1.

3. a. Calculate the transformer regulation using the no-load and full-load

output voltages from Table 41-1.

(120-107.1)/107.1= 0.1204

= 12.04%

b. Does the primary winding VA equal the secondary winding VA for

every value of load resistance in the Table? Explain.

No

No, the primary winding has more apparent power than the secondary winding.

4. a. Repeat procedure 2 using the Inductive Load in place of the

resistance load.

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-5
 b. Record your measurements in Table 41-2.

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-6
 ZL I2 E2 I1
(ohms) (mA ac) (V ac) (mA ac)
2 119.6 29

97 117.9 122
1200
191 116.3 216
600
283 114.7 307
400
374 113.3 397
300
461 111.8 483
240

Table 41-2.

Transformer with Inductive Load

5. a. Repeat procedure 2 using the Capacitive Load in place of the

resistance load.

b. Record your measurements in Table 41-3.

ZL I2 E2 I1
(ohms) (mA ac) (V ac) (mA ac)
2 119.5 29

100 120.7 79
1200
202 121.9 180
600
306 123.1 284
400
412 124.3 389
300
520 125.3 497
240
© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs
9-7
 Table 41-3.

Transformer with Capacitive Load

6. You will now construct an output voltage E2 vs output current I2 regulation

curve for each type of transformer load.

a. Plot your recorded values of E2 (at each value of I2 listed in Table 41-
1) on the graph of Figure 41-3.

b. Draw a smooth curve through your plotted points. Label this curve
“resistive load”.

c. Repeat (a) for the inductive (Table 41-2) and capacitive (Table 41-3)
loads. Label these curves “inductive load” and “capacitive load”.

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-8
 Load Current vs Load Voltage
130

125

Load Voltage (E2) V AC

120

115 Resistor
Inductor
110 Capacitor
105

100

95
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Load Current (I2) mA AC

4. REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Explain why the output voltage increases when capacitance loading is used.

When capacitance is used, there is partial resonance set up between the

capacitance and the reactance. Because of this resonance, E2 will rise as
the capacitive load increases.

2. A transformer has a very low impedance (small R and X):

a) What effect does this have on the regulation?

If there is a low impedance then the voltage regulation should increase

because the difference between no load and full load voltage will be
smaller.

b) What effect does this have on short-circuit current?

The short circuit current will be very high

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-9
 3. Very large transformers are sometimes designed not to have optimum
regulation properties in order for the associated circuit breakers to be within
reasonable size. Explain.

Large transformers are built to have higher impedances to limit fault currents,
this allows circuit breakers with lower fault current ratings to be applied.

4. Will transformer heating be approximately the same for resistive, inductive or

capacitive loads of the same VA rating? Explain.

Yes
Heating of the transformer does not depend on the type of load, but instead
depend on the load current and load current.

5. Conclusion
The goal of this lab was to look the voltage regulation of a transformer with varying loads. To do
this we measured voltage and current with resistive, inductive, and capacitive loads. When looking
at the capacitive load, we saw that it caused the output voltage to increase. This is because with
the capacitive load, there is partial resonance between the capacitance and the reactance that
causes E2 to increase as the capacitance load increases.

© – 2020 University of Houston, College of Technology ELET Labs

9-