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I have wired several loaded transformers and when calculating power on H vs X side by multiplying current times voltage the wattage is not even close to equal with the H side having 2 to 3 times more of it than the X side.

I'm having a hard time grasping how this has anything to do with the power triangle.

Please provide a practical "wrap my brain around" answer that does not involve calculus and higher mathematics would be much appreciated!

I teach about electricity at a vocational school for ET technicians.

Transistor
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ZipStein
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  • You need to dive into impedance matching and impedance bridging, and understand anti-reflection versus max power transfer impedance matching objectives. This is moderately mathematical - it is usually presented in complex number representation, but doesn't have to be done that way. – Phil Sweet Oct 31 '22 at 04:01
  • I appreciate your insight, thank you! – ZipStein Oct 31 '22 at 04:15
  • Can you link to a transformer datasheet and explain how they are wired and what numbers you are seeing? Are they split windings (series / parallel options) or single? – Transistor Oct 31 '22 at 09:17
  • Voltages on primary and secondary side? Turns ratio? Current times voltage (assuming single-phase) would give you apparent power. Your hypotoneuse of the power triangle. What is the load? Power factor? – StainlessSteelRat Oct 31 '22 at 15:51
  • One of the step-down transformers I used was rated at 250VA and fed a machine's 120VAC control circuit, but I only hooked it up to an incandescent light bulb when I did the experiment and noticed the almost 3:1 ratio of apparent power calculated on the H vs the X side. I get that the source side of the transformer usually has some more apparent power than the load side but almost 3 times as much, that's way more difference than what literature seems to suggest possible. What is going on? – ZipStein Nov 01 '22 at 17:00

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