Transformers and magnets

darrell · Post by **darrell** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:31 pm

The curiosity is killing me so I have to ask what would happen If you put a big magnet on one of the transformers?? I mean a big magnet.
I have one that will lift 100 lbs.
Yah I know I can come up with some crazy stuff but I have allway's wounder what would happen. I have never done this to any thing because i dont know what would happen.
Thanks
D.

wadeberglund · Post by **wadeberglund** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:16 pm

I'm not sure if that size magnet would do it or not, but it is possible to reorient the magnetic field produced by the iron if a strong enough magnetic field is applied. You could even completely demagnetize the material if you wanted to. If you did stick that big of a magnet on there, be prepared for your tranny to be completely inoperable. I recommend moving it the old-fashioned way.

-WA

novosibir · Post by **novosibir** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:03 pm

Oh yes, we could make a lot of funny tests, i.e. fill up a PT with water, seal it completely and then see, what will happen after firing the amp up!

Or to wind an OT instead with copper wires, wind it with nylon wires...

If the night becomes long, then probably I'll have some more funny ideas!

Larry

chad · Post by **chad** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:29 pm

novosibir wrote:Oh yes, we could make a lot of funny tests, i.e. fill up a PT with water, seal it completely and then see, what will happen after firing the amp up!

Or to wind an OT instead with copper wires, wind it with nylon wires...

If the night becomes long, then probably I'll have some more funny ideas!

Larry

darrell · Post by **darrell** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:41 pm

Dont ask me where or how I come up with this stuff . I have not done anything like this to my amp.
How does it mess things up? I wish i had a book to read that would tell me about stuff like this. I dont know how you can put 120 volts in it and get 440 out the other end.. It fascinates me how it works..
Hay thanks for the answers to my dumb question of the day.. I will see if i can come up with another one tomarrow
D.

toner · Post by **toner** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:43 am

darrell wrote:Dont ask me where or how I come up with this stuff...

Okay, I won't.

darrell wrote:...I dont know how you can put 120 volts in it and get 440 out the other end...

You've got AC in and DC out. How it happens, I don't know or really care, to be honest!

Everything seems mysterious until you learn more about it. It's kind of like playing guitar. At first, it seems so magical but then you start figuring out how it's done and the mystery is gone. The trick is to stay excited about it and not lose focus of why you like it in the first place!

darrell · Post by **darrell** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:19 am

So i figure the next time this guitar player pisses me off all I have to do is stick a good magnet on his traynor Output tranny and when he play's it its toast

That would piss off the pope right

geoffreysnow · Post by **geoffreysnow** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:16 pm

lots of books out there to read up on. amazon some or go to your public library. what's that old saying? knowledge is power?

wadeberglund · Post by **wadeberglund** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:35 pm

Check this page out. It gets a little technical, but explains enough for you to understand the basics of how transformers work. If you're interested of course.

http://sound.westhost.com/xfmr.htm

-WA

miguel · Post by **miguel** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:39 pm

"I'm not an expert"... but AFAIK an OT or PT doesn't contain any permanent magnets, although a magnetic field is created when current is passed through the windings. A very strong magnet might re-orient the field, but it seems to me the field would return to normal when the magnet is removed. Am I missing something?

I'm sure a magnet would cause some strange noises/interference. But toast the OT? I don't see it happening.

wadeberglund · Post by **wadeberglund** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:06 pm

Iron is definitely magnetic material, that's how the magnetic field produced by the primaries is so efficiently transfered to the secondaries. If a non-magnetic material was used, you would only get a tiny fraction of forced induction into the secondaries. Whether or not the iron is a magnet when you buy it is easy to figure out, but I don't know. It is definitely a magnet while it is working and will magnetize over time under the influence of the magnetic fields produced by the primary. This magnetization over time is probably a good explanation for the break-in phenomena of transformers.

But if you applied an extremely strong magnetic field to the iron, you could reorient the magnetic flux lines through the iron core. This would definitely degrade the performance of the transformer as the magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary would be compromised. If not permanently, at least for a substantial about of time. Everything has a tendency to demagnetize over time.

darrell · Post by **darrell** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:34 pm

I ask this because I didnt know and I was being silly but in the prosses I have learned somthing new.
Thanks guy's.
Oh and novosibir I dont think the magnet would be as bad as water.

D.

novosibir · Post by **novosibir** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:45 am

darrell wrote:Oh and novosibir I dont think the magnet would be as bad as water.

Who knows? I haven't tried either!

Larry