Talk:Transformer

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Transformer was one of the Engineering and technology good articles, but it has been removed from the list. There are suggestions below for improving the article to meet the good article criteria. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated. Editors may also seek a reassessment of the decision if they believe there was a mistake.

Article milestones Date Process Result July 23, 2007 Peer review Reviewed July 27, 2014 Good article nominee Listed May 23, 2017 Good article reassessment Delisted A fact from this article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the "Did you know?" column on September 3, 2014. The text of the entry was: Did you know ... that the two basic transformer (pictured) constructions in common use today are based on designs described in patent applications from 1885? Current status: Delisted good article

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To-do list for Transformer: edit · history · watch · refresh · Updated 2015-02-02 Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Verify : More referencing needed Other : Tease out 'History', 'Windings', and 'Cooling' sections in regard to liquid-immersed transformers' dual insulation and cooling roles Done. Sort of.

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I suggest we specify that equatations are time-variant and are derived for the AC. AXONOV (talk) ⚑ 20:37, 23 July 2022 (UTC)Reply

In the "Laminated steel core" section of the Wikipedia Transformer page the photograph reads "Laminated core transformer showing edge of laminations at top of photo". The picture is of a Shell type transformer. This is a confusion point as some will take it that it is a core type when it is not. I suggest changing either the photo out or changing the description to either. A shell core type transformer or in the description to "Laminated Shell transformer showing edge of laminations at top of photo". 69.201.21.27 (talk) 16:34, 3 October 2022 (UTC)Reply

Core has a dual meaning. It is type of transformer construction. The magnetic material is also called the core whether the transformer is shell type or core type. Constant314 (talk) 19:58, 3 October 2022 (UTC)Reply

I think that the discussion of the ideal transformer is a bit confusing. The point is that in the explanation given, it's not just the transformer by itself that is ideal, but also the impedance of the load shown on the far right.

For example, if we took $Z_L$ to infinity - an open circuit - I_S would obviously be zero, and i_p n_p − i_s n_s would not be zero. That's not the "fault" of the transformer.

I think that most people, reading a discussion of an "ideal transformer", would assume that it means a transformer with a lossless core and resistanceless wire, etc, so that it doesn't itself generate heat or create electromagnetic waves. As discussed it is a different definition and could be called out. Mgolden (talk) 15:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)Reply

If we took $Z_L$ to infinity - an open circuit - I_S would obviously be zero, and i_p n_p − i_s n_s would be zero, implying i_p=0. An ideal transformer is not only linear and lossless but also all the parasitic capacitances are zero, the leakage inductance is zero, and the magnetizing inductance is infinite. Constant314 (talk) 16:03, 9 March 2026 (UTC)Reply

Why would i_p be zero? There is a current flowing in the primary, and it's 90 degrees behind the voltage. It's just a plain inductor. Mgolden (talk) 17:40, 9 March 2026 (UTC)Reply

I see - it's because mu for the core is infinite. It might be helpful to add a sentence to explain the implications of this. Mgolden (talk) 18:51, 9 March 2026 (UTC)Reply

Im tau moved infobox data to Wikidata. The new infobox has the same information (and an added ref) but there are some minor formatting issues:

1. Componnt type is now "passive electronic component" was "Passive" - new version has a caps problem and is longer than necessary.
2. Extra whitespace between content and reference in Inventor and Invention year.

~Kvng (talk) 18:35, 5 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Kvng look now im_tau (talk) 05:26, 6 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Looks great now. Thanks!

I visited Wikidata yesterday to try to fix it myself but couldn't figure it out. What are the secrets? ~Kvng (talk) 14:31, 6 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

The problem was not with Wikidata. Look here Infobox electronic component: Revision history im_tau (talk) 14:48, 6 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

That's pretty opaque. ~Kvng (talk) 23:01, 6 August 2026 (UTC)Reply