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Safety Issues

Posted by Jon Risch (B) on September 23, 2004 at 19:18:47

In Reply to: Isolation transformer, polarity? posted by P. Hanley on September 14, 2004 at 18:09:44:

You want to maintain the polarity relationship of an isolation transformer with that of the outlet, since if your house was wired correctly, if you reversed the AC line polarity, and had a fault where the AC was put onto the chasis, and the fuse/breaker did not trip, then there would be a reversed polarity 120 Volt potential on the chassis/faceplate. This would be doubly dangerous, if you were to touch another component that was plugged into the normal AC line polarity, and it had any violtage on it, you would now have a total possible potential of 240 VAC!

While 120 VAC is nothing to sneeze at, it is not nearly as deadly as 240 VAC, which almost always kills.

Yes, I know, this is not a likely scenario, but why up the potential danger factor at all if it can be avoided?

RE the use of the scondary as the input vs. the priamry, most isolation transformers have a minute step-up to compensate for losses so that you get a similar voltage out as was put in.

In your case, since you WANT a slight loss, it works out OK, and yes, this is alright to do.

Jon Risch

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