In electrical engineering, an autotransformer is an electrical transformer with only one winding. The "auto" (Greek for "self") prefix refers to the single coil acting alone. In an autotransformer, portions of the same winding act as both the primary winding and secondary winding sides of the transformer. In contrast, an ordinary transformer has separate primary and secondary windings that are not connected by an electrically conductive path between them.[1]
The autotransformer winding has at least three electrical connections to the winding. Since part of the winding does "double duty", autotransformers have the advantages of often being smaller, lighter, and cheaper than typical dual-winding transformers, but the disadvantage of not providing electrical isolation between primary and secondary circuits. Other advantages of autotransformers include lower leakage reactance, lower losses, lower excitation current, and increased VA rating for a given size and mass.[2]
An example of an application of an autotransformer is one style of traveler's voltage converter, that allows 230-volt devices to be used on 120-volt supply circuits, or the reverse. An autotransformer with multiple taps may be applied to adjust the voltage at the end of a long distribution circuit to correct for excess voltage drop; when automatically controlled, this is one example of a voltage regulator.
- ^ McLyman, Wm. T. (1988). Transformer and Inductor Design Handbook (2nd ed.). Marcel Dekker. ISBN 978-0824778286.
- ^ Sen, P. C. (1997). Principles of electric machines and power electronics. John Wiley & Sons. p. 64. ISBN 0471022950.