Talk:Buck–boost transformer

Garbled information and tanning beds

This article contains a lot of garbage or garbled information. So flagged. Tanning beds do not a buck-boost expert make, as a primary and more historical use is MOTORS! 64.50.228.36 03:17, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

• Ok, but the hostility isn't needed or appreciated. I started the article some time ago providing the best information I had at the time. I sent people to it frequently who don't understand what one is. If you are an expert, please feel free to add to and improve the article. Pharmboy 03:24, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

Original work? Referenced work?

The majority of text in this page is identical to http://www.powertransformer.us/buckboosttransformers.htm

Which came first? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.115.107.210 (talk) 20:55, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

This article is mainly my work, which is original. I briefly looked at the page you linked and see where they have lifted much of my own copy (I am published in many placed on tranformers as they apply to tanning beds, including tanningbeds.org, tanningbeds4less.com and others, which i soley write copy for). I am used to people stealing my copy, sadly, even if they are violating the GFDL which the text is released under. I already get to write several letters a month about people stealing my graphics and copy from commercial sites, but I don't think it would be appropriate for me to do so in this case as the copy was essentially 'given' to wikipedia. Pharmboy 00:03, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

Not to merge

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.

The result was no merger. -- HeirloomGardener 22:36, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

They are both transformers, but that is it. Some b/b transformers are multitap, some are not. None are like a variac. Will leave for discussing, but is odd to request merge BEFORE any discussion on the topic. Pharmboy 23:18, 18 May 2007 (UTC)

Internally, buck/boost transformers are wired as autotransformers. Show me one that is not (with isolated primary and secondary windings). A variac is just one type of autotransformer. I am claiming that buck/boost is another type, and therefore should be on the same article.

I am proposing the merge, per Wikipedia:Merging and moving pages in order to start discussion.

Please place future discussion on the talk page for Autotransformer. Thanks.

—HeirloomGardener 01:06, 19 May 2007 (UTC)

Since the request was to move THIS article, I would prefer the conversation stay on this talk page, which is consistant with any other merge request on wikipedia. Since buck/boost transformers are more of a specific application of a transformer type, they still deserve a seperate article. Google/Yahoo/MSN both get tremendous volume of searches for the specific term. Specifically buck/boost transformers are very misunderstood even by the companies that sell them (many thinking they are autoadjusting), giving the reason for the article. Pharmboy 23:13, 19 May 2007 (UTC)

You're right - it does make sense to discuss it here. It is odd that the templates are set up to default the other way.

So what you're saying is that the primary focus of this article is the use of buck-boost transformers, not the technical aspects of their construction. Correct? If that's the case, I'll withdraw the merge proposal. I do think this article should have some details on the technical aspect, which should probably include a link to autotransformer, where that aspect is discussed in more detail.

I didn't intend to step on any toes here. I was simply following the procedure as I understood them in Merging and moving pages. I had come across this article, noticed it was lacking in technical details, and then found the Autotransformer article that seemed like it covered many of those details. HeirloomGardener 02:43, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

I would agree to the link to autotransformer. The purpose of the article was to detail how they are used. I am in the industry, and I get a dozen questions about them a week (plus other questions) and most people in the industry simply do not understand them. That was the goal, to provide a place I could link to that had input from others that explained (mainly to tanning salon owners and home tanning bed owners) what they are, how they are used, why, etc., in a place that is non-commercial (I also blog at tanningbeds.org answering questions). These are actually used by average consumers, while the typical transformer is not. Removing the merge would be good, and I have no problem linking, or putting in a stub from the autotransformer article. I need to go in and explain the two different types of b/b transformers better, but the last 5 months are the busy time of the year in the industry, thus I havent had time to clean it up. Pharmboy 21:58, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

OK. I'm removing the merge tags, and we can close this discussion. Thanks. HeirloomGardener 22:31, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Electric power distribution applications

This section needs a bit of a re-write. No refs are provided to support the statement that buck-boost transformers are used in power distribution to correct for the voltage drop due to power flowing over long heavily loaded distribution lines. A fixed transformer in boost arrangement used to correct a 10% drop on a long heavily loaded line would cause a voltage 10% too high under light load conditions. A tap changing transformer or other variable ratio arrangement would be needed to correct for voltage drop, not a fixed ratio arrangement as the article implies. See [http://books.google.com/books?id=QOVZnR3ctn4C&pg=SA4-PA8&dq=transformer+%22buck+boost%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_TeYT5DdM4ew6QGjyZi-Bg&ved=0CFEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=transformer%20%22buck%20boost%22&f=false "Fundamentals of Electrical Design - Module 4 - Understanding Transformers" by David R. Carpenter, section 4-4.2.3. There are buck-boost regulators with motor driven Variac-type adjustment, electronically switched taps, and saturable reactors (for pieces of equipment). I have used fixed boost-buck transformers to adjust when areas with slightly different nominal voltages are interconnected. These are likely to be two winding transformers with the secondary connected to add to or subtract from the supplied voltage. To correct for the 5 or 10 % copper loss voltage drop in the line describer, the substation transformer could have a tap changer which raises the voltage sent out when high load is sensed, or a capacitor bank could be placed on the line to add capacitance and counteract inductive reactance during heavy loads, or a voltage regulator could be added to the line. Edison (talk) 18:03, 25 April 2012 (UTC)

autotransformers don't buck voltages

I do not know where this idea that a buck-boost transformer is an autotransformer came from. If anybody has references or examples I would love to see them. 174.118.142.187 (talk) 15:59, 17 January 2013 (UTC)

Should tapchangers be discussed in this article?

Although tapchangers are technically buck-boost windings I do not feel they fit the classic description "buck-boost transformers". In my world they have never been referred to as "transformers. They may be stand alone or part of a larger transformer. Small mention and link but not cluttering the article. 174.118.142.187 (talk) 17:03, 17 January 2013 (UTC)

No. Different device, and many of the " fixing a 208 V widget to work on 240 volt power" applications will not have and do not need a tapchanger. --Wtshymanski (talk) 20:19, 17 January 2013 (UTC)