OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON

SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER

User Manual

Version 1.0

Technical Clarification /Suggestion :

/
Technical Support Division,
Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd.,
Plot No :75,Electronics Estate,
Perungudi,Chennai - 600 096, INDIA.
Ph: 91- 44-2496 1842, 91-44-2496 1852
Mail : [email protected],
Web : www.vimicrosystems.com
OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER

AIM

To conduct an open circuit and short circuit test to determine core loss and copper loss of the
transformer and to determine its performance curves.

APPARATUS REQUIRED

1. AC Ammeter - 2Nos

2. AC Voltmeter - 2Nos

3. Wattmeter -1

THEORY

Open circuit test may be considered as an alternative to the load test. The main difficulties
encountered in testing large power transformers by direct loadings are

i. Wastage of enormous energy.

ii. Impossible or stupendous for very large transformers as huge loads may not be arranged
easily.

Hence the performance characteristics of a transformer can be conveniently computed using the
equivalent circuit parameters.

Open circuit test or the no load test and short circuit test or impedance test are conducted to
determine core loss and copper loss respectively.

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [1]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Open Circuit Test on Single Phase Transformer

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OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
ADVANTAGE OF OC & SC TESTS

Main aim of the no load test is to determine the iron loss or the excitation loss. Here one of the
windings is kept open circuited and rated voltage at rated frequency is supplied to the other
winding. The high voltage winding is usually open circuited.

Core loss will be same whether measurements are made on LV on the HV winding, but if
measurements are made on HV winding then voltage required to be applied will be very large
while the no-load primary current Io will be inconveniently small.

Since no current flows in secondary, the current in the primary will be the current which is
required to magnates the core at normal voltage. This current Io will be a small fraction of full
load current, and t si usually 3-10% of full load current. It should be noted that the core loss is
measured by the watt meter in the LV side. It should also be noted that Cu loss is negligible in
primary and nil in the secondary rarely a volt meter is connected in the secondary which reads the
induced emf in secondary winding hence transformation ratio k may be found.

NOTE:

* Since no load current Io is too small, volt meter and pressure coil of watt meter are
connected so that the currents draw by them does not flow through current coils of
ammeter and watt meter.

* Since power factor is very low at no load condition (0.1-0.2 lag), a l.p.f watt meter should
be used to ensure accurate measurements.

* Error due to power loss in ammeter may be eliminated by short circuiting ammeter when
watt meter is read.

* Hv side will be hot as it is open circuited hence insulations must be proper.

SC TEST OR IMPEDANCE TEST

Purpose of this test is to determine full load copper loss and equivalent resistance and equivalent
reactance ref. To metering side. In this test, the terminals of a winding (usually low voltage
winding) si short circuited by a thick strip or an ammeter. Ammeter serves to indicate the
additional purpose i.e to read secondary rated load current and variable rated low voltage is
applied at the hv side through an autotransformer or potential divider.

It should be noted that applied voltage is 5-8% of rated voltage. Hence flux linking with core is
too small to that iron loss may be neglected. If the voltmeter, ammeter and wattmeter read Vs,
Is, Ws then,

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [3]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
Short Circuit Test on Single Phase Transformer

(0-10A)MI
300V/10A UPF

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [4]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
NAME PLATE DETAILS

SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER

SPECIFICATION TRANSFORMER

Capacity

Type

Input Voltage

Primary Current

Secondary Voltage

Secondary Current

Ratio

Tappings

AUTO TRANSFORMER

AUTO
SPECIFICATION TRANSFORMER

Capacity

Input Voltage

Output Voltage

Type

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [5]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
Full load Cu. Loss = Pc = Ws = Is2 Req.

Ws
Equivalent resistance = req =  Rt 2
Is 2

Vs
Equivalent impedance = Zeq =  Zt 2
Is

Equivalent reactance = Xeq

Xeq  Zeq 2  Re 2 q  Xt 2

We know that applied voltage Vs is increased till ammeter reads full load rated current of
metering side.

REMEMBER

* If measurements are made on Lv side, voltage required will be conveniently small where
as required current will be in conveniently large.

* Moreover, at this low voltage, high precision is impossible with ordinary instruments.

PRECAUTIONS

* Autotransformer should be kept at minimum position before switching on the power

supply.

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [6]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
MODEL GRAPH

a) Load current Vs Voltage Regulation

b) Regulation Characteristics Curves

c) Efficiency Curves

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [7]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
PROCEDURE

OC TEST

1. Make circuit connection as shown in fig. 1

2. Switch on the power supply.

3. Keep HV open circuited. Autotransformer is adjusted so that rated voltage is applied at

the LV side.

4. Note down the readings of the ammeter, voltmeter and the wattmeter.

5. The watt meter reading is Po witch gives the core loss.

6. Ammeter reads Io which is the no load current.

7. Switch off the power supply and remove connections.

SC TEST

1. Make circuit connections are shown in fig. 2

2. Switch on power supply.

3. Applied voltage Vs, is varied using autotransformer till ammeter reads Is indicating the
full load rated current, of the metering side.

4. Note down the voltmeter and watt meter readings and ammeter reading at the short -
circuited portion.

5. Switch off power supply and remove connections.

RANGE FIXING

Voltage in the LV side = 115V

capacity
Current in LV side =
voltage
3KVA
=  26.08 A
115V

Voltage in HV side = 230V

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [8]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER

Capacity
Current in HV side =
Voltage

3K
=  13.04 A
230
HV side voltage = supply voltage

LV side voltage is due to the tapping chosen.

Tapping which re available are 50, 86, 100

We select a 50% tapping Hence the LV side voltage is halved.

50
230  Gives the LV side voltage,
100

since Hv side is at 230V.

 LV side voltage = 115V

TABULATION

OPEN CIRCUIT TEST - TO FIND CORE LOSS WO

MULTIPLICATION FACTOR M.F = 4

LV SIDE HV SIDE
V01 Io M.F = 4 Wo V02 (Volts)
(VOLT) (A) READING (Watt)
11 0.44 4 16 225

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [9]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
SHORT CIRCUIT TEST - TO FIND COPPER LOSS WSC

MULTIPLICATION FACTOR M.F = 4

HV SIDE LV SIDE
Vsc Isc (Watt) Wsc M.F = 4 I2

(VOLT) (A) READING Wsc (A)

40 13.04 50 200 25

TO CALCULATE TOTAL LOSSES & EFFICIENCY

Rt1 =  Xt1 = 

Zt1 =  Core Loss Wc = Watts

Load Load Total Loss Output Input Power Efficiency %

Current Fraction Wt = Wc + Power (Watts)
IL (A) x Wsc (Watts)
(Watts)
0.8 u.p.f 0.8 u.p.f 0.8 u.p.f
p.f p.f p.f

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OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
FORMULAE

Iron loss Pi = Po watts (say)

No load current = IoA

Applied primary voltage = V1 Volts

 P 
Angle of lag,  o  Cos  1 o 
 V1 I o 
As, Po = V1IoCoso Watts

No load energy component, Ic or I = IoCosoA

No load magnetizing component, Im = IosinoA

Im  Io 2  Ic 2 A

Equivalent circuit parameters

Vo
Rc  
Ic

Vo
Xm  
Im
Io = Io/K, Rc = Rc * K2, Xm = xm * K2

SC TEST

Copper loss, Pc = Il2 Rt2

Wsc
Equivalent resistance = Rt 2  
Isc 2

Vsc
Equivalent impedance = Zt 2  
Isc

Equivalent reactance = Xt 2  Zt 2 2  Rt 2 2

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [ 11 ]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
TO CALCULATE % VOLTAGE REGULATION

Rt1 =........  Xt1 =.........  Zt1 =......... 

Load Load Terminal Voltage VT

Current Fractio (Volts) Voltage Regulation VR
IL (A) n %
x
0.8 0.6 U.P.F 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 p.f 0.8 p.f U.P.F
p.f p.f p.f p.f p.f lead lag

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [ 12 ]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
ABBREVIATIONS

OC TEST

Vo Applied voltage - Volts

Po Wattmeter reading - Watts
Io Ammeter reading - A

SC TEST

Vsc - Voltmeter reading / primary - volts applied voltage.

Wsc - Wattmeter reading/full load Cu loss - watts
Isc - Ammeter reading / full load current - A

INFERENCE

 Total losses in a transformer is independent of power factor.

 Voltage Regulation varies largely with load current graph has positive slope for lag and UPF and
negative slope for load.
 Efficiency first increases with load and then decreases gradually. It must be noted the efficiency
is greater than 90% for any value of load current. Reason is that the transformer is a static
machine which has no rotating parts there are no mechanical losses or stray loss other than core
loss and copper loss.
 Total loss increases parabolically with load current. This is because losses vary as a square of
load current and is called copper loss.

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [ 13 ]

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TEST ON SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
TO DETERMINE % VOLTAGE REGULATION FOR DIFFERENT POWER FACTOR

25% of IFL 50% of IFL 75% 100% of 125% of IFL

of IFL IFL
Power
Factor
Lag Lead Lag Lead Lag Lead Lag Lead Lag Lead

RESULT

Efficiency curve, voltage regulation characteristics losses at varies power factor for single phase
transformer were determined without actual loading and results are tabulated.

 Maximum Efficiency

0.8 p.f =
U.p.f =

 Maximum Losses =

 Efficiency at rated current

0.8 p.f =
U.p.f =

Vi Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., [ 14 ]