I am testing a transformer with a center tap on its secondary winding and I am pretty sure it is broken. Never the less I cannot explain to myself the reason behind some of the values I read with a digital multimeter.
The transformer was the only component inside a Yamaha PA-20 power (AC-AC step-down) adapter.
Input: 230V~ 50Hz 42W
Output: 17.5V-X2 0.94A
This is the schematic (labels on the connector are written in purple):
simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab
Measurements of windings resistance values:
- P1-L2: inf
- P1-(A or B or C): inf
- L2-(A or B or C): inf
- A-C: inf
- C-B: inf
- A-B: 0 Ω
Given these results, I suspected a broken primary winding and a detached tap (C). If I give an input line voltage, though, I can measure these AC voltages on the output.
- A-B: varies 0.000 - 0.015 V
- A-C and C-B: varies between 3 V up to 5-6 V, with asymmetric values.
And this is the behaviour I cannot explain, given that the primary winding seems broken. Can you please shed some light on this?
Thanks.
After @Mattman944 suggestion, I have added resistive loads on the outputs. With a 10kΩ resistor between A and C and another 10kΩ resistor between C and B, all output voltage readings are near zero (AC, AB, CB).
The purpose of my original question was to understand the strange measurements I had with a broken primary. I did not think about adding a load on the output.
Thanks to @Transistor's answer, I was able to restore the transformer, something I originally did not expect to be able to do.