Electronic – Even vs Uneven Magnetic Field Cancellation in Toroidal Transformers

transformer

If the secondary winding of the 230v-115v Step Down Toroidal Transformers have multiple separate ends and you are only tapping a portion, would there be uneven magnetic field cancellation? See for a version with dual primary and dual secondary:

1

Schematic of which are:

3

Compare it with a single primary and secondary where the entire windings are used at once.
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Do you agree the version where the entire windings were used at once have even magnetic field cancellation than the first one just using a portion of the secondary winding?

Best Answer

Not really... In both cases you use the whole winding (Parallel the connections (watch the phasing, it matters) for the two winding case).

You sometimes get lucky in a particular orientation, but to a first order the core flux is the same all the way around (it kind of has to be), you are dealing with second order effects here from things like imperfections in the core, but while it is a thing, it is very rare for it to be enough of a factor to matter.

The big win for lower external fields is using a transformer rated for more voltage (both primary and secondary, and correspondingly more VA), the lower voltage will lower the operating flux and move further from saturation. For the same reason a 50Hz part is usually better then a 60Hz one (even on 60Hz). Aggressively cost optimised transformers often run on the ragged edge of saturation, especially if your mains line is a bit high.

I get the feeling you may be trying to solve the wrong problem here, what are you actually trying to do, and why does the (really not very large) leakage from a properly sized power transformer cause you so much of a problem?